[JavaTheHutt]

The fact that what this guy did is a crime, however, is absurd!

No, what is absurd is your claim that it shouldn't be a crime to needlessly torture an animal, solely for the purpose of your own personal amusement.

I'm an avid hunter, so don't even start insinuating that I'm one of those left wing nut jobs from PETA. However there is a huge difference between hunting and cruelly torturing an animal.

It takes a very sick mind to find amusement in watching another living creature be burned alive, and if you have problems seeing that, then I have a difficult time seeing how you are any different than the SOBs who actually participated in this. I'm not saying you are guilty, like they are, so don't get all huffy, but if you fail to see that this is wrong, then you are equally capable of committing the same type of cruelty for your own personal amusement. I guess some people just have no conscience.

[RobRoy]

Too many here think that I am saying it is ok just because I don't think it should be a crime. The two are mutually exclusive.

There are a lot of things people do that are wrong that are not against the law. There are even right things people do that are against the law.

When I say something should or shouldn't be a crime, I am stating whether it is constitutionally an area where the government gets involved.

Do I think it's wrong? Yes. Just like pre-marital sex, homosexuality and a number of other things. Do I think the government should get involved, constitutionally speaking? Yes, if the animal (any animal) was someone elses property. Otherwise, the only tool I feel comfortably using against sinners such as this GROUP of people is shame.