This reminds me of a story coming out of Iowa about 20 years ago (because I have relatives from Iowa talking about this). Three 18 year old high school students broke into an animal shelter and killed 16 cats with baseball bats. The parents were upset that the punishment was probation and community service.
There’s no shortage of people, especially your rancher and farmer types, that think there is absolutely nothing wrong with going out and killing anything and everything that isn’t livestock. Of course it’s fun, it a great family activity. They think the only thing those 18 year olds should be liable for is the front door that they kicked in and any other incidental property damage. Pretty sick people.
Exactly.
It's about morality, empathy, compassion, culture, and resisting the innate barbarism and evil tendencies in humans.
It has nothing to do with "property" or "freedom."