Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging thinktanker, aspiring novelist, "tribal elder", 2019 parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, "Speedboat", "The Cockroach", eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
Friday, 30 October 2009
Gunning
Labour MPs apparently have shooting in their sights. There is not necessarily anything posh about shooting. Very far from it, a lot of the time. But don't bet on the Tories repealing the hunting ban. It was Labour MPs' despicable price for a war which the Tories also supported. There were Commons majorities for a ban in the Major years, frustrated only by parliamentary procedures. And the whole point of Cameronisation, like Blairification before it, is to pack the Commons with people who assume that, inter alia, food comes from the shop and there isn't really anything outside the more fashionable parts of London. Any shooting ban would be in the same position.
It probably would not apply here. It used to be very difficult for a Catholic to get even a shotgun licence but there were 100,000 legal firearms for a population of 1.5 million.
ReplyDeleteNow its easy to get a shotgun licence. Most of my neighbours have one. I dont.
I do however own some antique (and extremely legal) weaponry. And also under licence I have two (obviously de-activated) weapons. One is on loan to a museum.
The PSNI used to call out every so often. Now they just phone which strikes me as very odd.
Yes, actually, when you think about it.
ReplyDeleteThe hunting ban doesn't apply in Northern Ireland. That's why there is still hare coursing. I was once told that the old Stormont Parliament was due was hold a joint session to sort out the dispute between the two Houses over a ban on hare coursing. But the proroguement came, so it never happened.
I am as you know a dazzling urbanite with West Belfast running thru my DNA. My default position is to be anti-Country Sports (or anti-Blood Sports).
ReplyDeleteOscar Wilde called it the "Unspeakable chasing the Inedible" and it more or less sums up my attitude even if at my advanced age I think there are bigger issues in the World.
Likewise living in a village where just about every adult male shoots rabbits (cuddly bunnies) or ducks or whatever has not completely changed my attitude but has at least taught me that "living in Rome you cant argue with the Pope".
We have two Equestrian Centres within a mile of our front door. I WAS a regular visitor but I am too old. I am sure the kids being taught to ride (including #1 grandson) are all suburban kids with anti blood sport mentality but certainly one of these Centres is run by folks heavily involved in Hunting. Of course the image (not necessarily the reality) of "English hunting" is that is for "toffs" and country set. Actually its quite egalitarian although probably not as much as Ireland.
Theres a genuine dilemna here. I have a cat, an aviary where I breed budgies (cruel to keep birds at all in others eyes) and I have a koi/goldfish pond.
Yet paradoxically I regard hunting and even fishing as "cruel". I am no vegitarian but regard as killing for "fun" as wrng. And I disapprove of ritual or cruel slaughte a compromise with cruelty we should not make.
Yet it seems these things are variable in terms of perception or legality. Fox Hunting bad. Fishing good. Hare Coursing ...not my type of thing.
Yet I think theres anecdotal evidence that there is an underbelly to (basicallly but not exclusively the countryside) where older forms of cruelty deemed illegal still thrive......badger setting and dog fighting.
We all have thresholds I suppose.
Oh, dog fighting is experiencing a very significant revival, alas.
ReplyDeleteShooting, fishing, hare coursing and stag hunting are for food, and are far more humane than battery farming. Foxhunting is also necessary to protect food supplies, as well as to maintain the otherwise unviable habitats of various small birds and mammals.