So-called "animal rights" group crashing a Hunting&Fishing exhibit every year

[jademunky]

It's been a few years since I've been to a hunting & fishing show but I never noticed any protesters. Maybe more a US thing, I recall a Cracked article that once mentioned that even spelling bees in the states get protesters.

 

[Parasondox]

I live nearby, so I've seen it happen regularly.

Each year, in this period, there's an Hunting&Fishing exhibit.

Regardless of wethere you're pro or against the activities of hunting and fishing, every year, right in front of an exhibit, there's a group of 12-20 people of a group called "100% animal rights".

These guys dress all in black and protest the expo.

And that's fine by me.

The problem is that they yell incredibly disgusting insults at people entering the show. Not even kids are spared.

Some examples - a man entering the fair holding his little son with his hand had to hear those fanatics yell "Take your hunting weapon and shoot your child with it!! Shoot him!! Shoot him!!". And the little kid of course heard that too.

To a mother with two daughters: "Take those icecreams and show them up your daughter's ass!! Die, murderer!!".

To a mother and her daughter: "Slut! Old hag! Choke on a dick!".

To some guy entering the exhibit: "I will piss on your grave, dickhead!!"



And no, I'm not making anything up.

Of course the policemen are there, but, much to the disappointment of those self-proclaimed activists, during all these years no one has ever lost their patience and insulted them back. Probably because it's exactly what those people want.

As someone who IS an animal rights activist, seeing those morons use a noble cause only as an excuse to hate on human beings makes me sick.

So, since this year it happened again like all years, I'd like to hear your opinion on this. For example, a friend of mine said "yes, they say horrible thing to them, but on the other hand, those people are HUNTERS!".

Well they just sound like cunts to me. Strong word? Sorry. My father was a fisherman and he would have just laughed off those pathetic m fers

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

So, since this year it happened again like all years, I'd like to hear your opinion on this. For example, a friend of mine said "yes, they say horrible thing to them, but on the other hand, those people are HUNTERS!".

Here's the thing, there's nothing wrong with being a hunter, in fact it's really a necessary thing.

Here in the US we've killed the vast majority of predators. This means that animals like deer do not have a natural way of being culled. Without any predators the deer population would explode out of control, and then come winter there wouldn't be enough food for all of the deer, and they would starve to death. That's a large part of why hunting is legal, it's actually necessary for the survival of the animals groups being hunted.

Of course there are people who hunt without licenses, or hunt out of season, and those people are fucking assholes (and do get arrested for it from time to time).

While I would not participate in recreational hunting, I can definitely see the value of it, and I don't think a lot of animal rights protesters actually think of the act of hunting in a logical way, only in the emotional way of "killing an animal is bad."

 

[Neverhoodian]

The ultimate irony is, as others have pointed out, many hunters are actually very conscientious about nature. They want to make sure their hobby sticks around, after all. Hell, I know non-hunters who shoot invasive species on sight when they see them on their property, and I consider that a public service.

I love animals, but I also recognize that humans are omnivores and the importance meat plays in our diet (in moderation, of course). I have absolutely no qualms with a hunter killing a wild animal for food, provided they have a proper permit, the animal in question is "in season" and they did their best to ensure a clean kill. At least the deer shot by a hunter has had a chance to live a relatively full free-range life instead of enduring a miserable existence on a factory farm. Also, if we discard the cuteness factor and be honest with ourselves, the only practical purpose many game animals have for us is as food sources.

 

[Nature Guardian]

Some added info: it wasn't in the US, although that kind of protest really was on PETA-levels of rudeness and insanity.

I just wanted to bring the attention to one thing: IT WAS ALLOWED. It was allowed to loudly yell people to kill themselves and their little children and even worse insults, and since they were a group (albeit small) those people had the courage to do just that.
They used animal rights as the excuse to insult others. And they can do that.

Do you think this freedom of speech can legally allow people to act like that? Because that doesn't feel like any freedom of speech to me.

 

[pookie101]

my entire family have been hunters and personally id be quite happy for it to be banned but those people are total asshats

 

[SmugFrog]

Video it and upload it to youtube so the world can see the face of these people that say such horrible things to people.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Some added info: it wasn't in the US, although that kind of protest really was on PETA-levels of rudeness and insanity.

I just wanted to bring the attention to one thing: IT WAS ALLOWED. It was allowed to loudly yell people to kill themselves and their little children and even worse insults, and since they were a group (albeit small) those people had the courage to do just that.
They used animal rights as the excuse to insult others. And they can do that.

Do you think this freedom of speech can legally allow people to act like that? Because that doesn't feel like any freedom of speech to me.

Where was this, out of interest?

In any case, there are limits to all freedoms, I don't think that sort of thing should be allowed.

 

[Prime_Hunter_H01]

Some added info: it wasn't in the US, although that kind of protest really was on PETA-levels of rudeness and insanity.

I just wanted to bring the attention to one thing: IT WAS ALLOWED. It was allowed to loudly yell people to kill themselves and their little children and even worse insults, and since they were a group (albeit small) those people had the courage to do just that.
They used animal rights as the excuse to insult others. And they can do that.

Do you think this freedom of speech can legally allow people to act like that? Because that doesn't feel like any freedom of speech to me.

The protest itself and its broad message would be legal freedom of speech. Though there would likely be the ability to take legal action for the specific targeting of people like you mentioned. No legal expert, though at least in the US quite a few protests are legal even if the general populace as a whole finds them annoying and despicable. That's why it had to be community response that shut down Westboro Baptist protests, as much as everyone hated them, what they did was legal.

Your first example I am sure is illegal since it would be inciting violence. Again speaking for US law as not a legal expert.

 

[Nature Guardian]

Video it and upload it to youtube so the world can see the face of these people that say such horrible things to people.

I really wanted to do that. But I need a camera powerful enough to record them and more importantly what they say, from a distance. So they can't notice me.
Because when the tv cameraman dropped by they stopped screaming insults until he left.

[
Where was this, out of interest?

In any case, there are limits to all freedoms, I don't think that sort of thing should be allowed.

It was in Italy.

Really, I wonder how is that even allowed. There should be a law about forbidding protests when they turn into insults.

 

[sageoftruth]

It was in Italy.

Really, I wonder how is that even allowed. There should be a law about forbidding protests when they turn into insults.

This brings a new thought to mind. Do we have any Italians on the forum? I'm wondering if perhaps this behavior is tolerated simply because they're more tolerant of harsh language. The thing is, I don't know if they actually are. Then again, if they are, then we may be getting worked up because of something that offends US, while the actual victims don't even mind it, at least not any more than we would mind a more civil protest.

 

[SmugFrog]

I really wanted to do that. But I need a camera powerful enough to record them and more importantly what they say, from a distance. So they can't notice me.
Because when the tv cameraman dropped by they stopped screaming insults until he left.

Sounds like a good way to keep them from doing it then! I'd volunteer to stand around with a big obvious camera to film them - and the camera probably wouldn't even have to be on if they're that paranoid. I would say just put your phone in your pocket and record the audio, then combine it with pictures later - if you're really wanting to drive a point home about these people. You'll need to look up any legal information though about public audio/video recording to ensure you're not going to be in the wrong - and even so you might get a lawsuit for uploading it if they could track down who owns the video. I doubt they'd go to the trouble though. It's funny how people don't want a record of their actions when they can act anonymously and spew hate.

 

[CaitSeith]

Video it and upload it to youtube so the world can see the face of these people that say such horrible things to people.

I really wanted to do that. But I need a camera powerful enough to record them and more importantly what they say, from a distance. So they can't notice me.
Because when the tv cameraman dropped by they stopped screaming insults until he left.

[
Where was this, out of interest?

In any case, there are limits to all freedoms, I don't think that sort of thing should be allowed.

It was in Italy.

Really, I wonder how is that even allowed. There should be a law about forbidding protests when they turn into insults.

I disagree. Allowing insults makes evident the incompetence of the protesters who use them, and makes them lose support. Ban insults, and they can argue they are being silenced because of their message, and not because of their methods.

 

[Nature Guardian]

Sounds like a good way to keep them from doing it then! I'd volunteer to stand around with a big obvious camera to film them - and the camera probably wouldn't even have to be on if they're that paranoid. I would say just put your phone in your pocket and record the audio, then combine it with pictures later - if you're really wanting to drive a point home about these people. You'll need to look up any legal information though about public audio/video recording to ensure you're not going to be in the wrong - and even so you might get a lawsuit for uploading it if they could track down who owns the video. I doubt they'd go to the trouble though. It's funny how people don't want a record of their actions when they can act anonymously and spew hate.

Oh boy, I naively didn't even think they might even try to sue me if I upload a video of their protest.

Mmmh, probably they can't, but I need to look up the regulations on that.

I disagree. Allowing insults makes evident the incompetence of the protesters who use them, and makes them lose support. Ban insults, and they can argue they are being silenced because of their message, and not because of their methods.

Now that's an interesting perspective. In fact, come to think of it, I hardly believe they got ANY supporter with their behaviour.

Now the downside is that I'm an actual animal rights activist, and people like that draw the public away from the cause.

 

[CaitSeith]

I disagree. Allowing insults makes evident the incompetence of the protesters who use them, and makes them lose support. Ban insults, and they can argue they are being silenced because of their message, and not because of their methods.

Now that's an interesting perspective. In fact, come to think of it, I hardly believe they got ANY supporter with their behaviour.

Now the downside is that I'm an actual animal rights activist, and people like that draw the public away from the cause.

Good point. If the most visible activists are the hostile ones, it certainly makes look bad all the other groups in the cause.