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Yeah, honestly, I know the name of a dead lion and not the name of the dentist that, well, I don’t know what to call what he did. But, it sure as hell wasn’t “hunting.” Maybe “cowardice” is a better label?

I have, on occasion, without malice or forethought, stumbled upon someone who thinks “hunting” is hunting. How anyone can really believe this, I just don’t know. I am still under the impression that, with all of the technology that is available, “fishing” is still some fishing. But, hunting has morphed into a joke, like so-called “professional wrestling.” That dentist’s concept of hunting is more akin to “entertainment” than hunting; much as professional wrestling is. And yes, I agree that a certain amount of entertainment is necessary for mental health.

But, no one should claim that that dentist is a hunter, although, and here’s the irony, he did hunt and Cecil was undeniably hunted.

I understand from co-workers (who have since moved on to other subjects) that there are “farms” (I don’t know the correct term) that raise animals strictly for weekend “warriors” to go out and “hunt.” I guess there could be a connection between these farms and what that dentist thinks of Africa, but I’ll sidestep that one. In any event, this stuff that is called “hunting” is only a very perverse form of entertainment. Entertainment during which there is a victim that suffers and then dies. Is this what our “culture” has come to? Really? Disgust rises in my throat.

No, I am not against the Second Amendment. In fact, as a student of history, particularly American history, I am a staunch supporter of citizens (emphasis on the rights and responsibilities of citizens) possessing the means to defend themselves and their families (possessions, too, but things are not in the same category as people). And yes, I do believe that firearms are involved in the deaths of thousands; but so are automobiles, and the Constitution says nothing about those.

However, killing as a form of entertainment, or as a “pastime,” or as a means to (I love this one) “kill time”? Really? Is your life that long that you have time to end the life of another? Are you pissed-off or just stupid?

The phrase “you are known by the company you keep,” comes to mind, and I am so very thankful that I don’t know that dentist and don’t even live in the same city he practices in (never was the word “practice” more appropriate). Yeah, I think he must be an incompetent dentist because he is certainly an incompetent hunter. Morally, he is bankrupt.

I am sorry that Cecil – or any other wild animal killed for entertainment – met his demise the way he did. I won’t light a candle for Cecil, but I will add this example of how ugly human beings can be to the list of things I will teach the Twins. There are after all, lots of things to be learned here:

Ending a life – any life – is never to be taken lightly. While I believe life is sacred, and many do not, I hope my kids learn that it is fragile, and short and can’t be duplicated: don’t waste it.

If ever there was proof (however inadequate) that this universe is the product of chaos, then surely human beings head the list. How else to explain a man of medicine who tries to alleviate pain for one species can fly halfway around the world to inflict such excruciating pain on another? Personally, I don’t believe in chaos theory – only that it is one idea with absolutely no proof whatsoever (why else call it a “theory”?). I do believe in GOD, and events such as Cecil’s death are put in front of us so that we have the opportunity to make a choice. To my kids: “will you choose to be a better person, or be pond scum?”

Yeah, I am compiling a list of things to teach ‘em. The nice thing about lists (or maybe word processors on computers) is that they can be constantly juggled; items added, deleted, moved, modified. Basically, I am hoping that, by the time they begin to listen to me (and before they tune me out – maybe only about five minutes) I will be able to teach them that there are some truly important things in life. There are some absolutely absolute truths. There are some things in life for and to die for. And, kill for.

Which is another reason I am keeping this blog, and a diary: I don’t want to put my children in the position of wondering what to think/do, and not knowing what their father thought about it. There is every reason to help them avoid the mistakes I made.

Or maybe, just one reason….