Crosstalk

Also in the news last month was Planned Parenthood’s sale of baby parts from abortions.

And about 682 veterans who couldn’t cope with the aftermath of war committed suicide.

Out of these topics, which do you think garnered the most public attention?

A discussion about whether military members should be armed while on official duty? Or if the shooter with Islamic ties is a sign that “lone wolf” terrorism is on the rise?

Whether Planned Parenthood should receive more than $500 million in taxpayer dollars until an investigation into potentially illegal activities has been conducted?

How the nation can do a better job of providing veterans — who commit suicide at an average of 22 a day — with more resources and support to get through tough times?

Negative. The killing of Cecil in Zimbabwe by an American dentist unleashed a global storm of “unprecedented outrage” that sparked death threats against the trophy hunter, who went into hiding.

Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel actually broke down and cried over the death of Cecil.

Didn’t see him shedding a tear about doctors at Planned Parenthood haggling over the price of baby organs. Or talking about how abortions are performed to parts intact.

Didn’t see him shed any tears for the deaths of: USMC Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Sullivan, 40; USMC Staff Sergeant David Wyatt, 35; USMC Sergeant Carson Holmquist, 25; Navy Logistics Specialist Randall Smith, 26, and USMC Lance Corporal Squire Wells, 21.

Several of these men served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some left behind young wives and small children.

To make matters more ridiculous, Cecil’s death prompted members of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to call for the execution of the dentist.

I am beginning to sound like a broken record with my constant questioning of what has gone wrong with America’s values.

I seriously feel like I am living at the Mad Hatter’s tea party these days. Oh, it’s your unbirthday, too…

When did we get to the place that animals mean more to us than humans?

And, even more importantly, how do we get out of Wonderland and return to a world with some semblance of sanity?

If we are going to focus on deaths in Zimbabwe, why don’t we focus our attentioni on the fact that innumerable people have been tortured or put to death by its psychopathic ruler?

I think Cecil would be proud.

by Mark B. Gibson

Trophy hunting has never appealed to me, but for those living in our wild places —in Africa, Canada, or here in the Pacific Northwest — hunting is an important source of income for many.

Here in Wasco County, large tracts of privately-owned forest, oak woodlands and grasslands are leased as private hunting preserves, off limits to the public. These lands host hunters seeking a variety of game: Elk, deer, turkey, pheasants, grouse and more.

Hunting preserves benefit not just the landowners and hunters who use them, they help preserve the culture of hunting as well, much as a “dude ranch,” with its chuck wagon, campfire stories and roundups, help preserve ranch culture and the cowboy.

A well-managed hunting preserve has benefits not just for those who hunt there but the game animals as well: Hunters are paying for access and their numbers are limited. Areas with struggling populations can be off-limits to allow for recovery. Farmers benefit from taking into account game animal habitat as well as crops.

In many areas, the farmer whose land is leased benefits from reduced grazing as well: Every doe in Wasco County with access to good feed produces two fawns each year. This annual supply of ruminants can have significant impact, especially on irrigated lands.

In a perfect world, hunting preserves open the woods to those who can afford a quality hunting experience and provide an economic benefit to all involved in making that hunting experience memorable.

In an imperfect world, hunting preserves can violate the ethics of the hunt as well.

In Africa, Cecil the Lion was lured from protected lands, where no hunting is allowed, to private lands where it was killed with a hunting bow. Cecil was one of many lions enticed by guides beyond the “safety zone” of preservation and served up to a rich American hunter eager to display its head on the den wall.

The ethics of the hunt ought to have protected him, but clearly the economic rewards of providing a trophy came first.

The death of Cecil raises a conundrum for Africa’s wildlife managers: The economics of the hunt gives value to the animals, giving the people who live there a strong motivation to preserve the natural habitat and herds. Yet the violation of the “safety zones” puts animals at risk of overhunting. Ban hunting, and Africa risks the loss of important wildlife habitat, which would have a far greater negative impact on wildlife.

The solution, in Africa as well as Oregon, is in the hands of the hunters and guides themselves: It is up to them to hunt ethically and with respect for the lives they claim.