(UK) Fox hunting to be banned

Superman · Fleet Admiral Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 10220

It appears that fox hunting is going to be banned, as a bill to ban it is going through Parliament, thanks to the Parliamant Act.

I don't live in a rural area so am unqualified to offer my views on foxes. I realize they may not be the sweet little things some people make them out to be. Vermin may be an appropriate term for them. But, still, dressing up and hunting foxes with hounds. Is that really vermin control or a sick sport?

I'm not Tony Blair's biggest fan but I do admire him sticking with this. He may have lost a LOT of rural votes because of this...

CJ Cregg · Commodore Joined: 05 Oct 2002 Posts: 1254

Im glad the lords voted against banning it. That means that the ban will be pushed though anyway but much faster

Superman · Fleet Admiral Joined: 06 Dec 2003 Posts: 10220

If they need to kill foxes because they are vermin, so be it. But don't dress up in red and chase them with hounds. Do it humanely.

In fact, I spoke to a fox only today. Here's what went down.

SD: "Hi, fox? What do you think of this ban?"
FOX: "Long overdue, Sir. I think it's time me and my fellow foxes were not made to run and hide from toffs and hounds."
SD: "It must have been hard for you."
FOX: "Too damn right it was! All we wanted was to just do what we do best-scavenge food out of dustbins and eat other animals (for food only, I might add). But, no, it was never that simple. Always being hunted, hounded, persecuted."
SD: "But now it's over. Where do you go from here?"
FOX: "Well, me and my fellow foxes will be sending a personal thank you letter to the Labour Party. Thanks, Mr Blair. But please don't ban smoking, as has been proposed. Me and the foxes only took up smoking because of the stress of being chased. Don't take away our only freedom, please."
SD: "Thanks, fox."
FOX: "Your welcome, Sir."

Kyre · Commodore Joined: 15 Mar 2002 Posts: 1263

Both sides have genuine points. Unfortunately, the Countryside Alliance, or whatever the bloody hell it is called, has put it's foot in it's mouth and lost any sympathy I may have had for it, when one of the higher up persons in the organisation admitted in a private e-mail to someone else that fox hunting is just done for sport.

So I'm glad it's being banned. Tony Blair however is being a bit of a git about it, having promised before the 1997 GE that he'd ban it for sure if he got in, and now saying he'd accept hunting with licences.