Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel quite sorry for Walter Palmer?

270 replies

TwistInMySobriety · 29/07/2015 08:40

Not very sorry what with him being a humungous twat for liking big game hunting, obviously. But seriously, worldwide opprobium and trial by media for partaking in a legal activity (he claims his permits were legit) that is a significant income stream for an impoverished third world country?

Also, while I'm at it, the death of a lion makes headlines? When did you last see a headline about the deaths of six million people in the civil war in the DRC?

OP posts:
lutra3d · 29/07/2015 09:46

The lion wasn't killed legally op though, was it?

firesidechat · 29/07/2015 09:47

He shot a wild animal legitimately.

I simply can't get my head around this hunting for hunting's sake, but it's not illegal.

In this case it was illegal. The guides who helped him are in court (today?).

I assume the only reason he isn't too is that he is no longer in the country.

lutra3d · 29/07/2015 09:47

Agree with DJthreedog.

HoldYerWhist · 29/07/2015 09:47

Who said that?!

HoldYerWhist · 29/07/2015 09:49

Oh, sorry x-post. That was to the OP who said that people wanted him to die a slow death when it was assumes he hunted legally.

I thought it had been established from the outset that it was an illegal kill. Certainly the first story I read on it yesterday stated as much.

Findtheoldme · 29/07/2015 09:50

I don't understand the desire to kill an animal full stop but to kill a lion and all the other "trophy bollocks" is unforgivable and inexcusable.

firesidechat · 29/07/2015 09:50

My post above was quoting DJThreeDog.

shovetheholly · 29/07/2015 09:51

The fact that it was illegal just makes an awful, horrendous thing a bit worse, though. The Wrongness of this isn't even captured by the violation of some rulebook!

DJThreeDog · 29/07/2015 09:54

fireside - I mean the act of hunting is not illegal. It looks like it has been ascertained he committed more than one illegal act and for that he should be punished.

The only information I have is from this thread, I have not read anything else bar the headlines that have shown up on Facebook.

DrElizabethPlimpton · 29/07/2015 09:56

This person and all big game hunters are beyond awful. I can't begin to understand the motivation to shoot a defenceless animal.
If, as has been suggested, this was an illegal shoot, then I hope he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Birdsgottafly · 29/07/2015 09:56

""My point is that that wasn't established when the story broke and the media went to town on it.""

I'm Vegan and go regularly/ have the blog go straight into my Email on/ from PETA and Vegan/ Animal Welfare sites.

This story was leaked by people working were the Lion was shot, there have been concerns for a while that what was happening wasn't legal and local "scouts" have risked their lives to get this out.

The WW Media then picked up on it, because enough noise was made.

So it was known that it was illegal, when it was picked up.

These people have enough money to pay for and source a legal hunt, they don't want to, they do deserve all the back lash.

Some of the reactions I do find hypocritical, as a Fair Trade buying Vegan. The same when we had to kill the zoo Giraffe, because of overbreeding.

We should, in my opinion, be thinking about what actually is damaging the undeveloped world and tackling it that way.

firesidechat · 29/07/2015 09:57

That's not what you said, but hey ho. It doesn't really matter much to me whether it was illegal or not, I wouldn't want a dentist who thinks it's ok to do this.

Birdsgottafly · 29/07/2015 09:59

It needs to be said that local people work hard and are often killed trying to protect their Wildlife and environment, as well as those from Environmental agencies.

DJThreeDog · 29/07/2015 10:05

*"Having only seen the headlines, I would be inclined to agree with you. He shot a wild animal legitimately.

HOWEVER if everything (or even some) of what RepeatAdNauseum says in his/her post is true, then I don't.

I simply can't get my head around this hunting for hunting's sake, but it's not illegal."*

fireside - well that's exactly what I meant. Confused I don't like big game hunting, I don't profess to understand it, but it isn't illegal. This is what I'm saying. As I later said, I haven't read any articles so from the OPs post and the headlines I've seen, I have one opinion. Have already said that if any of the other points that have been raised are true (which it would seem they are) then I do not feel sorry for him!

CrystalCove · 29/07/2015 10:06

He sounds like a psychopath to me.

DJThreeDog · 29/07/2015 10:07

Sorry I was trying to quote myself there!

Birdsgottafly · 29/07/2015 10:11

Legal Big Game Hunting is one of those issues that brings a divide in even those that are heavily concerned with Environmental issues from an Ethical POV.

I don't feel sorry for those taking part in the illegal hunting, but I agree that from a Animal Welfare and Environment POV, the Cocoa Bean trade does as much damage, as does other farming, all headed for the UK and U.S.

But the illegal hunts need to be stopped and the only way to do that is to make the consequences truly life changing for those that take part.

snice · 29/07/2015 10:12

He wasn't using a crossbow because it's silent, he uses one because it's his thing. He feels superior to those who hunt with rifles because of the skill involved-they have to get closer to the animals by stalking, he has a connection to hunters throughout history ...
Doesn't stop him being a knob though

Birdsgottafly · 29/07/2015 10:12

""He sounds like a psychopath to me.""

He isn't a psychopath, he's an entitled cunt, just as once many White people were/are.

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 29/07/2015 10:13

He's a twat, no sympathy from me.

RachelRagged · 29/07/2015 10:15

YABU

The bloke is a sociopathic monster . How anyone can defend or feel sorry for him is beyond Me.

Pagwatch · 29/07/2015 10:15

I'm normally horrified but the social media storms that descend on hapless people but I cannot get upset about this.

In fact I am kind of hoping that if good old Walter gets his arse handed to him then it might cause some of the other gun toting wankers to think twice.

RachelRagged · 29/07/2015 10:16

ONLY White People ? Bit sweeping isn't it ??

firesidechat · 29/07/2015 10:16

Ah I see DJThreeDog. I haven't seen the headlines at all, just sky news this morning and they made it clear that it was illegal. Sorry, I didn't understand what you meant.

As I said earlier - illegal/legal - it doesn't make much difference to me, although it obviously does to the people directly involved if they end up in prison.

SaucyJack · 29/07/2015 10:20

I wouldn't call him a cunt...... but only because it's an insult to my vagina.

Horrid man.