OF ARROGANT RED COATED TICKS AND OTHER KILLERS

                               

                       OF ARROGANT  RED COATED TICKS AND OTHER KILLERS

Well, Boxing Day is over and fortunately there has been very little in the news concerning those imbeciles who consider killing an animal for pleasure to be their 'Rite of Passage'.  The sight of the uniformed hunter and their like-minded but horseless followers gathering in a village square prior to their 'Excellent Adventure' is as sickening a scene as watching Jimmy Savile discussing his good work at Leeds General Infirmary.  Thinking about it, fox hunters and animal murderers in general have a lot in common with Remainers!  They are both from an age past but still believe their time will come again, public opinion meaning not a jot in their lack-of reasoning, but then they are, to a man and woman, arrogant bastards!

Anyone who knows me or has read any of my books will be aware just how much I abhor cruelty to animals.  I read with dismay that Yorkshire has the highest number of recorded deaths to birds of prey in the country, what an embarrassment that should be to the county.  If only those who put so much time and effort into promoting black, transgender, trans-sexual, non-binary and LBGT etc rights and wrongs stood back and looked at really worthwhile crusades such as the slaughter of all creatures great and small and not those of the needy and over-promoted we would be a genuinely more caring society.

The hypocrisy of the titled and untitled landed gentry who witter on about conservation of the moors by making fortunes out of paying punters/hunters who stalk deer, shoot 'game' and generally have a 'jolly good time' is breathtaking.  From eagle to kestrel, nothing is left un-baited in the name of profit.  What an irony it is that these 'people' - I use the word very advisedly - with an ever eager eye to  profit whilst at such great cost to the natural world, command such standing in society and leverage in politics.  Sadly, the idea of 'conservation' and the hunters' contribution to it is not confined to those with power and influence within our shores.   Oh no, throughout  Asia, Africa, America, Russia and sadly Europe this barbarity is rife.   Rhino, elephant, tiger et al... either in the name of conservation or filthy lucre - horns, skins, trophies... it is disgusting.   And oh,  how the EU has turned a blind eye to animal welfare from within its 28 (now 27!!!) states, particularly those from the east whose idea of kindness appears to be on a par with that practised in medieval times.  How can bullfighting still be considered a legally acceptable sport... unbelievable!

Mind you, is it surprising the animal murderers are so cocky, confident and either protected in some measure by the law or certainly given a sympathetic ear by those with power?   It required a Labour government to abolish fox hunting, the Tories wouldn't have risked it, might lessen the swelling of the coffers - people in high places equals money in Conservative funds, and you don't get much higher than a saddle.

If only those who kill animals for fun were given proper leadership in just how obscene their activities are, if only we had a Royal Family, ie those who head this country giving true leadership in this area.  Hunting is indeed a practice handed down from king to king to queen to.... Charles? And so it goes on, even with the Royals in Waiting.  

There is a book by  Norman  Baker, entitled "... And What Do You Do".  In the chapter  "Killer Wales" (good play on words!) it is noted that on one day in 1913, King George V and his party shot and killed 3,937 birds, the King accounting for 1,000 pheasants in six hours, which equals three a minute.   They were shot for fun not food.   This desire to kill is definitely in the inbred genes, my guess is the German ones! In 1876, the future Edward VII shot dead 23 tigers in two weeks, plus one elephant.   George VI, on one of his little jollies, killed oryx, giant gazelles, antelopes and a bull elephant.   This particular chapter is extremely enlightening as to the crass stupidity and blood-thirsty taste within the Royals.   It mentions the fact that Prince Philip can "make the dubious claim of having killed more living creatures than any other Royal alive.   One estimate in 1996 reckoned that in the previous 30 years he had shot at least 30,000 pheasants.   On top of that, he was known to have shot at least one tiger and 2 crocodiles, not to mention wild boar, stags, rabbits and ducks too numerous to count".   It doesn't go unnoticed, of course, that Prince Philip was a founder member of the World Wildlife Fund in 1961.   It was in that same year that as a guest of the Maharaja of Jaipur some 200 beaters drove a tiger into a clearing so that 'Phil the Kill' (As I think of him) could shoot the animal.   How brave he must have felt. If I ever met a member of the Royal Family I would have to bring up this subject and ask them how they can square what, for me, are their disgusting activities and still describe themselves as being committed to conservation.

This book is a very well researched insight into the life and lives of the Royal Family and its history within our society.   By God, have we paid through the nose and just as a waiver, I do not know the author, have nothing to gain from recommending the book, other than the desire for others to understand what total  hypocrites we have as our heads of state and what a price we pay for them to remain in such isolated grandeur and privilege. 

Right, I'm off out with the dog for a walk, just hope there's not a trigger-happy Royal with a rifle beating the bounds.. or a servant...