to feel quite sorry for Walter Palmer?

[TwistInMySobriety]

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?

It reminds me of roald dahl's great children's' story about come-uppance for arrogant gun toting nutcases, the Magic Finger - in which a nasty duck hunting family wake up one morning to find they have turned into a family of bird sized ducks with wings, while the ducks have turned into hunting-rifle- yielding human sized bioped ducks, with arms instead of wings.

I object to being called a scumbag for raising a question about how the modern media whips people like your good self into a slavering frenzy of self-righteousness, gem24. Whoever brought up the two minutes hate was about right

YABU. Obviously. Killing people is wrong. Killing lions is wrong. Choosing an example of people being killed which hasn't got as much press coverage as it should have done does not make killing lions even the slightest bit less wrong. Obviously. Why would it?

I object to you feeling sorry for a murder. Swings & roundabouts

Op, I dont think your a scum bag and I know what you mean in terms of worst things happening, and on the other thread, amnesty asking us to sign petitions, ( I never knew this I hope people who feel passionately about the Lion also go to Amensty site and sign something for humans being held and detained etc) I also know what you mean about the impoverished locals, scrapping to get by ...I have always found it hard when people look in from comfy western homes into third world lives and judge them BUT:

HOWEVER

I just find it despicable what this man has done, I don't blame anyone but him, and I suppose its more then the killing of the lion it sums up to me everything that is ugly about the human race everything that is ugly and embarrassing and vile and pointless.

Creating misery and pain for no reason at all but a selfish cruel desire.

I am glad he is being hunted, and shamed, he is very lucky because what he hunted is dead.

Having seen Lions in the wild In Africa having heard the rumble of them roar, the power the majesty, no he deserves all he gets.

• I for one am signing every petition going to make sure he gets every punishment possible

good on you Gem also try and sign for Amnesty seeing as it has been brought to our attention...

www.amnesty.org.uk/

An american goes to zimbabwe and kills a lion.I fail to see why this is news in the uk.

I have been trying to think of things I care less about and have failed miserably.

I'm actually surprised how sad this has made me. I feel a bit uneasy about that as I really should be more sad about the [loads] of children who died violent deaths today.

But the whole thing is just so wrong and has really affected me and a lot of other people (obviously).

I can't feel sorry for him but I could have a go at feeling sorry for his family. Does he have young kids?

mrsleomcgary

Grow a heart.

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Cecil part of a research study by Oxford University? So that alone would make it UK news mrsleo.

Nope not a jot illegal poaching and hunting is big money in Africa he was in a conservation reserve he was killed illegally this twat deserves to be punished and you know what im glad his name is known

Yeah he was sparkling

Why does it have to be mrsleo that doesn't care about lions? Maybe they were estranged.

Op, yabvvvu. The man is a git.

Doesn't mean no-one cares about the millions of people dying. Just that the Cecil story is a combination of animal (a large charismatic one) being killed by a hunter. Means big news.

Don't forget we donate more to animal charities in this country than to cancer research.

Don't forget we donate more to animal charities in this country than to cancer research

Indeed and we care more about foxes than all the other pressing human issues going on.

YABVVVU

????

How much does a run of the mill lion hunt cost? He's already been 'done' for lying about where he killed a bear and got probation. He has form and I suspect he knew hence the high price.

I hope he loses his business, goes bankrupt, and therefore NEVER has the resources to do anything like this again. He is a vile specimen, lowest of the low, and yes, give me a crossbow and I'll happily shoot him and watch him die for 40 hours

Imo there is no such thing as ethical hunting and hunters will payhighly to hunt they want a lion tohunt somebody will get them a lion all this well i got a permit rubbish is just bollocks the hunters no full well what theprofessional hunter is just providing a service they have no shame.

What Costa said with bells on

This is my message to you Dr Walter Palmer

I think this cunt deserves everything that happens to him. Is he seriously so inadequate that he likes to kill for sport? What sort of sick fuck must you be to enjoy that? A pencil dick like Walter Palmer, apparently.

As for it this activity being important to the economy of Zimbabwe, I say tough shit: when you have a monster like Mugabe at the top, squandering money and aid to suit his own needs, I'd say the sooner no more spoilt rich scum can pour their money into the economy, the better.

I think he has behaved appallingly, and I don't buy his story about thinking it was legitimate. I think he should be extradited to Zimbabwe and face trial along with the safari organiser and the landowner involved.

However, it's quite disturbing to read the more vitriolic comments on here.

I'm in the middle of reading Jon Ronsons book "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" which is really interesting. It looks at how the prevalence of social media allows us to develop a mob mentality when someone is deemed to have transgressed.

The commentators who are proposing torture and slow death for him are no better than he is.

I think he should be extradited to Zimbabwe and face trial along with the safari organiser and the landowner involved. I completely agree.