British hunters in revolt

ESPNOutdoors.com ^ | NA | Vic Barlow

[neverdem]

The fox-hunting ban that has caused a bloody split in Britain is just the first step anti-hunters will take to stop sportsmen all together.

Huntsmen and women all over Britain are in open revolt. They have watched their way of life be undermined and ridiculed by the urban masses that consider any form of hunting to be abhorrent. So abhorrent that they have campaigned for a total ban. The fact that the vast majority of urban protestors have little or no knowledge of fox hunting or the countryside is unimportant to our lawmakers. To them the Antis have something more precious … votes.

It now looks certain that the Anti-Hunting Bill will become law throughout the United Kingdom next year. Over 20,000 grooms, kennel hands and stable boys will lose their jobs while 200,000 fox hounds will be destroyed (what do you do with a large pack animal that has been bred and trained to chase?)

That, of course, is the theory; the practice is likely to be something rather different. The Antis have let it be known that once fox hunting has been officially banned, wing-shooters and anglers are next on their agenda — and sportsmen everywhere are incensed. Even those with no interest in shooting, fishing or foxhunting are angry. Angry that city slickers with less experience of rural affairs than Bill Clinton had of military service want to impose their values on country folk.

Visit any pub in any village and you'll hear talk of rebellion and open revolt. Hunters are not going to give up their way of life for anyone. Battle lines are drawn and no lesser person than the Queen of England is in support of the hunters. Only last week close friends of her grandson, Prince William, evaded House of Commons security, barged past the sergeant-in-arms and made a public protest in front of shocked government ministers and a world-wide TV audience. These are extraordinary times.

'It's a matter of democracy' screamed a headline in the liberal press claiming majority opinion was in favour of a ban and that hunters should accept majority rule.

Within days editors were swamped with letters asking if that meant homosexuality was to be made illegal along with rap music and smoking — all of which are unsupported, minority practices.

When handguns of all descriptions were made illegal five years ago, law-abiding sportsmen handed in 150,000 weapons and the Antis claimed a victory — since which time gun crime in Britain has increased by 400 percent. Such is their naivety. They actually believed that career criminals and drug dealers, who account for 90 percent of gun crime, would simply hand over their weapons.

But the fight is no longer about fox hunting or guns but a titanic struggle to prevent urban liberals imposing their ideals on country folk. Today their target is fox hunting but soon their attention will turn to hunters of wildfowl and upland game followed by fishing. Communities all over Britain relying on these activities will perish.

When Members of Parliament were called to vote on the Anti-Hunting Bill, thousands of huntsmen from all over Britain demonstrated outside the House of Commons blasting their hunting horns and demanding an audience. Prime Minister Blair, a confirmed Anti, stayed away less he too was embroiled in the mêlée.

The Minister for Country Affairs was too frightened to leave his home where huntsmen were gathered demanding no more than an eyeball-to-eyeball discussion. Many Members of Parliament supporting the ban represent inner city areas and view the entire hunting community with contempt … and it shows.

With wildfowlers, fishermen, huntsmen and women joining forces the government is in for a rough ride. Country folk are resourceful and with their backs to the wall cannot be underestimated.

Last week they blew apart Tony Blair's illusion of 'security' by invading the floor of the House of Commons. There are rumours that their next protest will grab headlines around the world. Have no doubt that this issue could split the country and affect the result of the coming election. The Blair government could fall not on Iraq but on his determination to ban hunting. The Opposition party (Conservatives) have vowed to repeal any hunting ban should they be elected.

One thing's for sure … anyone coming to take my dogs better come in an armoured tank.

[neverdem]

Bloodied in a clash with police, pro-hunting supporters vow to fight for their centuries-old right to hunt foxes in the countryside.

Tens of thousands of people will lose their jobs and hundreds of thousands of dogs will be killed when fox hunting is outlawed.

Thousands angrily besieged the House of Commons while Ministers of Parliament discussed the fox-hunting ban.

About Vic Barlow
ESPNOutdoors.com

Vic Barlow has been breeding, training and hunting retrievers since he was a child. He now specializes in training dogs for American-style hunting and splits his time between his home in Cheshire England and Wildrose Kennels in Mississippi, which Vic regards as his second home.

For more information on Vic's training and breeding programs, please visit his website at www.vicbarlow.com.

Be sure to check back with ESPNOutdoors.com regularly, as Vic will be running excerpts from his book, "British Training for American Retrievers." Vic will also be answering questions posed by users of ESPN-Outdoors.com and readers of his book.

If you have a question about training retrievers, email Vic and he may answer your question in a column.

[gunnygail]

Vic needs to stay in the USA and leave Britain to the wogs.

[TigersEye]

Isn't it better to revolt before they take your guns? Oh, wait, now that guns are illegal the streets are awash in black market guns and there's no registration and no waiting period for those. Oops! Liberals scew up again.

[End Times Sentinel]

I'll bet this relates to your story only slightly, but I read this yesterday in The Weekly Standard...

 

If your taste runs to ogling comely young (and therefore not a random sample of the breed) huntswomen as they strip down to thongs-with-bunny-tails, and plaster "Bollocks to Blair" stickers to their buttocks in protest against the ban (on fox hunting) before dashing into the chilly Channel, Brighton was the place to be last week.

 

I wonder if anyone could find some photos to verify this sighting...

Owl_Eagle

Well, I just got into town about an hour ago
Took a look around, see which way the wind blow

-John Kerry

 

[pabianice]

Somewhere, Sarah Brady is smiling...

[ALWAYSWELDING]

The Dems in Washington read this and said "It's a regular paradise up there in Euro country, they are so sophisticated"

[democrats_nightmare]

This also points out to the structure of the British Government for the house of commons is the body that passes the laws and the house of Lords does not have a lot of stroke. This subjects them to "mob rule" where the urban leftist masses can dictate to the lower population density countryside.

This is why the electoral college, our house, and senate while not a silver bullet helps to prevent this mob rule. Canada also has the same problem for conservative Albertans are fit to be tied with the socialist agenda from their urban masses on the east coast encroaching into their way of life as well...just 2 or maybe 3 cents here

[Capriole]

I don't have any photos, but last year at a protest one comely young lady who is the daughter of a MFH stripped off her top. She got a lot of attention for the cause.

[Capriole]

This has nothing whatever to do with the antis being so tender to animals that they can't bear to see a marauding fox killed, for they care nothing that thousands of hounds will be put down (350 were put down in Scotland a few weeks ago). Nor do they care about the quality of British agriculture, for the fox, with no predators in England, multiplies like mad when not controlled through hunting, and becomes a very serious agricultural pest.

No, this is about British Marxists skilfully exploiting longstanding class hatreds to destroy one of the best things about England: the strength and values of the country people. They despise decent normal people who work the land and cling to the values that once made England great. They are trying--and succeeding, for the most part--to turn this jewel of an island into a slightly warmer version of North Korea. The oppression the people there face is amazing and makes even the worst excesses of the IRS and Janet Reno appear to be kindness itself.

[Pearls Before Swine]

'It's a matter of democracy' screamed a headline in the liberal press claiming majority opinion was in favour of a ban and that hunters should accept majority rule.

Remember this when thinking about the wisdom of the Electoral College in particular, and the weighting of governance by region (e. g., the Senate) as well as by popular vote.

[TheBigB]

Well, let's send a friendly ping to our Brit bud and see. :)

[redgolum]

I know some people in Ireland, and they are scared the Emerald Isle will go like the UK did.

Any body know of a place to donate to a UK version of the NRA?

[FreedomFarmer]

I feel sorry for the sporting Brits, but they should have opened season on the socialist vermin long ago.

Claire Wolf is wrong, it's never too early.

[ZULU]

Amen.

Vic - its a losing battle in Britain, the lunaitcs have taken over the asylum.

The next thing they will be doing is disinterring dead monarchs, dismantling the Tower of London and burning the Imperial War Museum.

Euroweenism has spread from its home in France to all neighboring countries.

Here in the U.S. you still have a fighting chance. Besides, we NEED you.

[kitkat]

Thank you for that information. I've been looking for it.

I wasn't sure that fox hunting is a necessity. Now i know it is.

[spodefly]

[End Times Sentinel]

N-I-I-I-I-I-I-ICE work outta you Spodefly!!!

 

Over here Boy-os!

Owl_Eagle

Well, I just got into town about an hour ago
Took a look around, see which way the wind blow

-John Kerry

 

[Ancesthntr]

This article needs to be posted to every website that hunters frequent. The anti-gun Left has largely succeeded in dividing the hunters from the RKBA advocates, by carefully crafting their goal as being "safety" and not to damage anyone's "right to hunt" (as if there is such a thing).

The antis are after our guns - ALL of them, whether they be .50 caliber semi-autos, military-style semis, less expensive handguns, all handguns, scoped bolt-action rifles, or even the common .22LR rifle. They want ALL of them, because with arms in the hands of the populace the Left can't dictate to us when they get in power. With a disarmed populace, you can protest all you want, you'll still lose - as I predict that the fox hunters will in the once-great UK. I feel very sorry for those folks, esp. the ones losing their livelihoods this insanity, but they only have themselves to blame: where were they when other classes of guns were being banned? They cheerfully handed them in, like the sheep that they are. Now they've woken up, but it is too late.

I also blame this on the English system, which is very much closer to being a full democracy than the US. Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what to eat for dinner. Liberty (which the US is closer to) is an armed sheep contesting the vote.

I wish these hunters the best of luck - maybe they'll pull out a win. But this is part of what allowing gun control means. The other part, ultimately, is http://www.cphv.com/fl_legacy.htm

[neverdem]

Thanks for the outstanding link!

[Wil H]

I also blame this on the English system, which is very much closer to being a full democracy than the US.

At least the British system allows the participation of multiple political parties and does not disqualify an embryonic group before it can even get traction.