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To: Angelique
Who is helping the most to make a difference? Nugent or Bono?

Time for me to don my asbestos underwear.

First, some caveats. I'm a hunter. I don't think animals have rights, and I don't think that animals should ever come before people. I think Ted Nugent is absolutely the MAN. I don't think much of Boner Pox...uh, Bono Vox, either as a singer or a demagogue. I think pouring money into corrupt African regimes is a disaster for everyone. I don't dispute that Boner is a fool, on this issue or any other.

However.

The "bush meat" trade is rapidly stripping the African continent of wild game. It won't be long before there aren't any animals to hunt, and after that, they won't come back. Hunting in America is well managed, but in Africa they are facing a classic Tragedy of the Commons. One way or another, it won't last.

I am not saying that the animals should come before the people. The issue is that hunting in Africa is a valuable thing FOR the people, and for that reason it shouldn't be spoiled. Not do the animals feed people, but it was once (and should be again) an important "export", generating dollars from "big game" tourists and "eco" tourists alike. That can potentially support many more people than bush meat.

This important resource should not be squandered. Ted Nugent is wrong to promote hunting in Africa right now. The Tragedy of the Commons needs to be fixed first, either by establishing owners for the animals, or by establishing rational limits on hunting.

35 posted on 05/29/2002 3:09:58 PM PDT by Physicist
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To: Physicist
"Time for me to don my asbestos underwear ... I'm a hunter. I don't think animals have rights, and I don't think that animals should ever come before people. I think Ted Nugent is absolutely the MAN ... This important resource should not be squandered. Ted Nugent is wrong to promote hunting in Africa right now."
Nice to meet you Kevin. You expected a flame, so I'll do my best . . .

After just listening to Ted Nugent talking about his television show, "Spirit of the Wild", and mentioning that he teaches "environmental responsibility" and "resource stewardship" as well as "right over wrong", I get the impression that Ted Nugent, the professional hunter, knows more about hunting in Africa than you; a staff scientist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania.

I'm sure that as a Doctor of Philosophy, and High Energy Physics you are much smarter and well-read than Ted or myself, but, I'm wondering how many months a year you spend in Africa hunting? If it is significantly less than six, you may want to concede that Ted is an expert in this field as you are no doubt an expert in your own, or you may contend that you are an expert in African hunting as well, which I would asume is the "Furnished upon request" part of your resume.

I'm sorry about the above flame - but it's a shame to waste perfectly good asbestos underwear. Waste not, want not, I always say.

Seriously, I don't think that Ted Nugent is squandering anything or "promoting" hunting in Africa as much as he is teaching the locals to understand and respect their environment, use natural resources to their benefit without waste and live in harmony with nature. The people he teaches are not rich tourists on safari for trophies, they are locals who will either learn to hunt and eat, or to live on foreign aid (welfare) from you and I of the type Mr. Bono is advocating.

55 posted on 05/29/2002 6:43:56 PM PDT by Drumbo
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