Day 35: No money for food, but money for bullets.

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 35: No money for food, but money for bullets.

I got myself into a pickle. Not that I regret it. I stand by what I said and given the chance, I’ll say it again and again.

Earlier today someone asked which kind of deer are most popular to shoot. Several people reacted that they’d rather see the hunter’s head on a while than a deer. I added that I hate hunting and hate hunters.

I was well aware that I would be criticized and I was right. Within half an hour I was on the receiving end of some hateful comments. One person stated, “Are you vegan?”

I knew what she was hinted at. If I was not a vegetarian or a vegan, what right did I have to criticize hunting? If I eat meat than what’s the difference between slaughter and hunting?

In a way she is right. There is little difference. Whether it’s a cow, a pig, a sheep or a deer, killing is killing.

Yet to me there is a difference. I only eat beef, pork, chicken and fish. I never touch sheep, lamb, turkey, rabbit, duck, or any other fancy meats. If I had it my way, I would go vegetarian, but unfortunately, my system doesn’t allow it.

Others stated that hunters help keep down the deer population. Baloney! There are plenty of other animals nobody hunts, and they are perfectly fine. One example is the penguins in Antarctica.

Fact is, some people are gun-crazy and like to kill, it gives them a sense of power.

Another said that some people have to hunt to feed their children. I say, if a family is that hard up for money, then they shouldn’t have had children to begin with. What chance do kids have that come from such a poor family that they don’t have money for food? They won’t get a decent education, they won’t find a job and end up like their parents.

The problem is, all too often one or both parents spend the welfare money on things other than food and then they must good meat from another source. I do wonder though ... if they are so poor, where do they get the money from for a gun, a license, and bullets?

It angers me to no end that those who want to adopt a child are put through a demanding process. Their lives are turned inside out, they have to adhere to all kinds of rules, and pay thousands of dollars.

On top of figuring out how to get approved for adoption, parents also will face paying for the process. The average fees and costs for international adoptions total $44,000, according to the 2016-2017 Adoption Cost & Timing Survey by Adoptive Families magazine.May 21, 2018)

https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Adoption_and_Foster_Care/Get_Started/requirements.asp

Yet any woman can just give birth to a child, or multiple children, with no questions asked.

What a sick society we live in. People breed at will and animals have to pay with their lives to feed for their mistakes.

Are we civilized human beings, or bloodthirsty killers?

Tana C posted a message and a picture on Facebook today, showing off the hunting rifle she just bought.

In light of recent violence and stricter gun laws, I thought this was in poor taste.  Of how many shooting have we heard lately? 

Being anti gun, anti violence and certainly anti hunting, I posted a comment in reply to Tana’s announcement.

The comments that followed were divided.  Some shared my views on gun possession, those in favor of guns clearly sided with Tana.

Tana herself defended her gun ownership and hunting actions by stating “Deer and elk provide food for my family”.

No arguing with that, but … just how much does the deer and elk she’s about to shoot cost her? 

I did a little research and found that the rifle Tana bought (a Savage 7 mm + scope) costs $599.  A box of 20 bullets goes for $20.  A hunting license set her back $219 per acre.  Total cost: $838.

I don’t know about you but $838 puts a lot of food on my table.

That’s not all though.  A hunter needs to wear camouflage and needs a hunting knife.  Let’s estimate that at another $200.

Once the animal is processed it needs to be frozen.  One needs a massive chest freezer to hold that much meat.  Shall we say $300 for that appliance?

Grand total: $1338.

Tana also stated that the animal she kills and eats is hormone free, unlike some of the meat that ends up in the supermarket.

While this might be true, there are other things to consider.  

Veterinarians inspect whether animals are fit for slaughter and once killed the Ministry of Health sends their inspectors to verify that meat is disease free and handled and stored in hygienic conditions.

While the deer that Tana shoots might be hormone free, what condition is he in?  He might be sick, he might have eaten contaminated food or drank polluted water.

Fact is, some people pretend hunting provides food for their families and that wild animals are more healthy, but that just an excuse.  It’s the kill they like.  They like to dress up.  They like going back to basics.  They like picking up a gun.  They like the power it gives them.

People will claim that some states are overcrowded with deer and that hunting is necessary to keep down the numbers.  In that case, the hunting rule not to shoot female deer makes no sense.  If anything, it’s the females that should be shot, because they are the ones reproducing.  If there were more male than female dear, there would be less offspring next year and the year after.

I’m against hunting and I make no secret of it.  I’m against the slaughter of animals too, but there are certain things in life that one just cannot change. 

If gun control ever kicks in, maybe the ban should include hunting rifles too.

Are we civilized human beings, or bloodthirsty killers?

Self defense

Every night before going to bed, I check and double check the locks on the front door.  I was glad I did last night, as around 2:30 a.m. I heard the doorknob being turned.

Despite the fact that I knew both locks were secure, I lay in bed stiff with fright.  Who was that?  What did he want?  If he managed to get in, what could I do? 

The question how would I defend myself stayed with me for some time.

I don’t sleep with a gun, a knife or a baseball bat within reach.  As for the pen being mightier than the sword … I don’t think my Papermate is going to do much damage.

My son has a sword, a Highland design, but it’s not sharpened.  Besides, the thing is so heavy, it takes considerable effort just to lift it,  never mind swing it.

I remembered a friend of mine who, back in South Africa, slept with an ax under her bed.  But axes are so messy and I can’t stand the sight of blood.

So the pen being mightier than the sword might be my best option.  If the burglar has the time, I guess I could write him a story, so boring it would send him packing or lulls him to sleep.

Then again, it might not have been a potential burglar, but simply a drunk or confused soul trying to get home.  I had a similar experience a couple of years ago.

Coming home after a long, hard day at work, I got off the elevator two floors too soon and found myself on the 9^th instead of on the 11^th floor.  I didn’t notice, because the paint on the walls is the same, as is the carpeting on the floor, and the doors to the various units.

Having arrived at the corner unit, I put my key in the lock, but for some reason the key wouldn’t turn.  Strange.  I tried the doorknob, but no luck there either. 

When the door was opened by a strange woman, I thought, “What is she doing in my apartment?”  Then again, this didn’t look like my apartment.

“May I help you?” she said.

I stood there, frowning and gaping at her like a fish out of water.

That’s when I noticed the number on the door – it said 909.  Oops.

So, maybe last night’s visitor was my downstairs or upstairs neighbor, who now has a similar story to tell.

Am I too violent?

There are days that all is right with the world and you feel perfectly happy and content, and then there are days that you could kill someone with your bare hands.  Take a guess what kind of day it is today …

It started last night.  One moment I was sound asleep, with Gabriel next to me and Charlotte by my feet, the next I thought WWIII had started.  A high pitched sound screeched  “PEEP, PEEP, PEEP …. PEEP, PEEP, PEEP …. PEEP, PEEP, PEEP!”  It was the newly installed fire alarm and I hate it with a passion. 

The old fire alarm only sounded in the building’s hallways.  It was loud and sounded like a coffee grinder, but it was bearable.  This new system, that the local fire brigade decided upon is not only MUCH LOUDER but installed in every unit.

Gabriel and Charlotte flew off the bed and went into hiding underneath it, while I tried to drown out the noise by holding a pillow over my head.  The pillow somewhat softened the noise, but it was still too loud to go back to sleep with.

From 3:00 until 3:20 the peeping sound went on, and on, and on.  Finally it stopped and I think everyone in the building let out a collective sigh of relief.

Not for long though, at 3:30 the peeping started again.  If I had had a gun, I would have shot the alarm; if I had a baseball bat, I would have smashed it to pieces; if I had strong muscles I would have ripped the alarm out of the ceiling and thrown it out the window.

Once again I covered my ears, tried to drown out the sound, but it didn’t work.  To distract myself I started counting the series of “PEEP, PEEP, PEEP’s”.  I got to 172.

Finally, the peeping stopped and a voice came over the intercom announcing that the fire alarm was faulty and that the mechanic was on his way. 

If I had my way with the fire brigade whose bright idea this was, and the man who installed this devious device, none of them would be breathing today.

I know, I’m a violent person, but can you blame me?

  

Shooting in Toronto

It was an ordinary day.  The heat had finally broken, gray clouds hung low in the sky, promising much needed rain.  I settled in front of my computer, preparing to write yet another article when suddenly ... bang, bang, bang, bang!

What the hell was that?  A car backfiring ... fire crackers ... gun shots?  Surely not, not in our sleepy part of Toronto. 

The noise had my full attention and that of the cats.  Mickey, awoken from a sound sleep, sat up straight.  Clearly confused.  Chanel and Charlotte stayed safely where they were (in a cabinet), while Gabriel dove under the bed.

An hour later (I had already forgotten about the loud noise) the superintendent’s voice came over the intercom.  Nobody was allowed to out through the back of the building. 

So there had been shots ...

I peeked through the bedroom window and saw that part of the parking lot was cordoned off with yellow tape.  Interesting.

Research online revealed that a 19 year old male had been shot in the stomach, steps away from our condo building.

In no time the place was packed with police, forensic units and television crews.  Inside the building it was swarming with police men and women.  From what I heard they were going door to door, asking if anyone had seen or heard anything.

They only visited condos facing north and up to the 10^th floor though.  Since I’m on the 11^th floor and facing south, nobody was interested in what we had to say.

This is the third shooting in two months.  First a gunman opened fire in a busy shopping mall, next a lunatic with a gun fired shots at a barbeque gathering, now this.

Is this Toronto or the wild, wild west?

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/219182--man-19-shot-near-scarborough-rt-s-lawrence-east-station