Strollin' Johnny:

Read my posts - I agree that this 'sport' is cruel and it certainly is not on my list of preferred activites, along with hare coursing, bullfighting and dogfighting etc. Where do you draw the lines when it comes to the state intervention on an individuals life? Hunting requires social change to stop it, and this is how it should be.

What about fishing? I will fish for food as well as sport - I would kill and eat a fish. But most fishermen in this country are course fishermen, and that's a different matter. Hooking a fish is cruel and barbaric too, causing suffering and trauma to the fish - should we legislate against that too? Not likely - why alienate a large proportion of the electorate when targeting a few toffs will do the trick just as well?

There is a lot more to this argument than poor old Reynard copping his lot at the hands of a pack of dogs. The Countryside Alliance, the main body involved in co-ordinating the protests, are becoming increasingly political as it is the only way rural tories can give the incumbent government a bloody (ied?) nose, especially after the fuel protests failed a couple of years ago.

I am not pro-hunting, I am anti-hypocritical politicians doing exactly what the myself and The Shambles both said: "It is being done now as a sop to traditional labour voter".

Just in time for conference season.


P.S. "It's not comparable to playing a tune or two in a pub, its a barbaric and unjustifiable activity" - ah ha! Most people would say my playing in a session was a barbaric and unjustified activity.