AIBU to wonder what people don't like about Chris Packham?

[MRex]

Obviously people actually setting fire to his gates are plain lunatics: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-58861252. The article talks about all these other online threats, dead animals and other mischief however, which implies a fair number of individuals who expend time and energy going after him. He's just an environmentalist campaigner who wants a bit more wild space, a few beavers introduced, fewer birds shot... he isn't a man of great power. So what do these people fear so much?

Well I'm a countryside resident through and through and don't disagree with him and nor do most people I know so I think that's either misguided or a narrow pov.
I personally feel grateful to him for not backing off in the face of horrid nasty intimidation. He says a lot of stuff which needs saying and keeps topics in the public conversation which could easily be ignored without more voices like his. I would love to say what he says standing up for biodiversity in the uk (which is bad compared to many many other countries) and environmental conservation. But I don't have the profile he does, nor, I suspect, the the courage to keep going when you become a target.
Conserve the conservationists I say. Few people have the courage of their convictions like he does and his values are admirable.
There are people with far more dubious views and influence who get far less hate and instead are lauded for being shallow and materialistic.
Give me 100 Chris Packhams instead any day.

He's autistic, in the public eye and anti-blood sports such as lamping, hare coursing, ratting etc.

Not a popular combination for some of the nastier members of society.

With the UK having lost an estimated 50% of its biodiversity, sadly in the bottom 10% globally, I’d say we need more people like Chris to stand up for all the other species that could also be lost.

I don't think he is holier than thou. I think he's sincere and paginated and wants people to take up the cause with him. But I've seen interviews of him where he clearly expressed that he knows not everyone can see things the same way but if enough people do things can change. He seemed a lot more reasonable about it than many, especially those who disagree with him.

I don't think you have to agree with every single thing a person says to be able to support them in principle on the main issues. No one person embodies a broad consensus.

I absolutely 100% agree with CP on blood sports, hunting and most environmental/ecology issues but the man is a completed cunt - I mean a total and utter arsehole of epic proportions. I have worked with him. Jesus Christ, he is dreadful. SO either the people who set a fire are either hunters, commercial farmers or maybe just someone who he's dealt with at work one day....

@2Two

if we would manage our urban refuse better....much less food waste for a start, then urban fox numbers would dwindle laturally

I completely agree, but I can't see it happening so better pest control would be welcome.

It won't do a bit of good. Where there is food and shelter, other foxes will move in and breed.

"Hunting is still a way of life for many who’ve been born and bred in the countryside. Livelihoods depend on farmers being able to cull badgers and foxes."

No, hunting is a bunch of entitled pricks who like to torture wildlife for fun. It's not a way of life, it's animal cruelty. I'm country born and bred and know very, very few people who hunt (and I hate every one of them) - most of the people I meet are very anti hunting. It's a very small minority who agree with it, and it's got bugger all to do with culling and everything to do with sick individuals enjoying kiling. People who shoot aren't any better, rearing birds intensively then releasing them and pretending it's sport, blasting them out of the sky.

As for "legal" trail hunting - pull the other one. Drag hunting and clean boot hunting are fine, they don't involve chasing animals but "trail" hunting is a smokescreen for continuing as if there was no ban.

I'm not a fan of everything Chris Packham says but I'm 100% with him on his thoughts on hunting and shooting , and the badger cull. The fact that he provokes such violent behaviour shows what depths certain knuckle dragging pro hunt/shoot/cull types will sink to.

@katemuff

I absolutely 100% agree with CP on blood sports, hunting and most environmental/ecology issues but the man is a completed cunt - I mean a total and utter arsehole of epic proportions. I have worked with him. Jesus Christ, he is dreadful. SO either the people who set a fire are either hunters, commercial farmers or maybe just someone who he's dealt with at work one day....

would you like to give an example?

I don't like him as our views are poles apart. However I respect his passion and he is a very good public speaker, and he certainly doesn't deserve what happened.

@katemuff

I absolutely 100% agree with CP on blood sports, hunting and most environmental/ecology issues but the man is a completed cunt - I mean a total and utter arsehole of epic proportions. I have worked with him. Jesus Christ, he is dreadful. SO either the people who set a fire are either hunters, commercial farmers or maybe just someone who he's dealt with at work one day....

I've worked with him too and he was alright 🤷‍♀️

Not the friendliest, but certainly not "a complete cunt."

Preachy individual

Loads of people are preachy. Much better that someone with genuine expertise contributes to public discussion than the usual collection of stupid famous people with no qualifications.

It's simply because he pisses animal torturing murdering inbred low life cunts off. They have threatened him and his wife and children with all sorts, hung dead animals on his gates with threatening notes . They don't like being told not to hurt and murder animals. Utter cunts all of them. Poor Chris.

I grew up on a farm and I think he's fantastic. Most farmers I know on the other hand are complete cunts. The big estate/land owners and their workers are the worst IMO.

He is my favourite man on TV, with his indepth knowledge of all things concerning nature, animals and the great outdoors.

The BBC is supposed to be apolitical, as you say he is a campaigner, maybe people don't like him politicising the BBC.

Apolitical to me means "doesn't publicise their party political views".

It doesn't mean "Doesn't campaign to improve nature and biodiversity".

The BBC campaigns all the time. Children in Need, Sport Relief, Comic Relief...all these could be perceived as a dig against failures in government.

He hates cats and pandas.

Pandas are lazy, entitled cunts.🐼

I like Chris. His recent programme walking along the river talking about his childhood and autism was so moving. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but he doesn’t deserve attacks to his property.

@Lonelycrab knitting used to be a sport (judged on speed accuracy and quality) I was watching a thing about it.

But bloodsports. Well they're just murderous cowardly bastards, who like to demonstrate that they are quite willing to turn on people when they don't get their way. Definitely not sporting people, they prefer unfair advantage.

I live in the countryside and I agree with him completely.

@Megan2018

He’s an absolute arsehole. But he shouldn’t have his gates set on fire for that. I disagree most of what he says, as do the majority of people that live in the countryside. He’s an extremist. He also loves the attention.

This.

He jumps on whatever platform suits him & isn't consistent....

He's quite happy for deer to be culled in Scotland, but campaigned against crows and other corvids being shot as vermin, despite the damage they wreak on songbirds and lambs.

He's also pro badger / anti cull, which is a really really divisive topic.

Why is that such a divisive topic?

Very few people agree that a natural ancient population ( badgers) should be culled to go through the motions of protecting an artificial, inherently unstable population (cattle) - which is in fact too large, homogenous and artificial to ever be stabilised anyway-

Even people who want to kill badgers to attempt some negligible and much disputed protection to cattle can clearly see why people disagree

You'd think, wouldn't you? But in my experience many people with anything to do with the beef/dairy industry just will not apply logic and would rather badgers were completely exterminated.

I place the majority of the blame with the government (all of them, not just the current one) for completely refusing to consider alternatives to culling and the completey unreliable bTB cattle test.

In my experience anyone telling a dairy/beef farmer they're anti badger cull is treated as though they are personally infecting cattle with bTB left right and centre. It's emotive, on both sides, and that never results in civilised debate.

I genuinely never mention badgers in any social situation as it will cause arguments even between close friends.

[quote BeagleBeagled]@Megan2018 can you give a reason why you think he is an absolute arsehole? Do you know him well?[/quote]
My DH worked in TV production. He’s not nice to work with.

When I worked at the BBC, I knew plenty of people on Springwatch … nobody had a bad word to say.

Also met him personally, perfectly nice

I love Chris. A good man.