The media portal Illum has informed the popolin that Friday saw the opening of the trapping season and thus, the non-governmental organization BirdLife Malta again mentioned the regulations concerning trapping in Malta, because of the use of nets being allowed on two which are both subject to infringement proceedings led by the European Commission.
BirdLife Malta said that this controversial season was opened as it was authorized by the Minister of Gozo Clint Camilleri after the vote of the ORNIS Community which took place on 10 October. The Authority for the Environment and Resources (ERA) which takes care of environmental issues failed to be present during the voting. This resulted in BirdLife being the only entity that voted against.
Then you read the comments of the popolin attacking birdlife and defending trapping [and hunting]:
[May our children have such a hobby instead of drugs.] [Keep the tradition friends and good luck for your hobby. Don’t take heed of these organizations which have nothing to do in life. The only path that we have to give to our children is that of detox..or for a program….or in prison…leave Maltese culture alone, that is ours.] [Go and find a hobby Birdlife and leave the hunters and trappers alone because they do not harm anybody..hypocrites.] [You have irritated God who created you, you poisonous blood.] [Keep on having fun, you are not harming anyone. It is drugs which harm. Good luck.] [ Shut up you are nauseatic. Such busy bodies. Trapping is a right.] [Good luck to each hunter and trapper because that is their hobby. It is much better than any other hobby which irritates others.] [Controversial when trapping has been practised for hundreds of year.]
Do you know what I call such comments? Comments that come out of the butt. Butt logic statements! How heartless! Firstly, what does the analogy with drugs have to do with trapping? Ok, son, please do not take drugs. Instead, go hunting or trapping. (What about playing music, reading books, doing drama, art, singing, joining a youth club, doing something innovative, and an endless list!) But no – instead, hunt or trap son. You won’t be hurting, harming or irritating anyone – except a bird who was created by God to fly freely in the skies. But, you know what son? That is your right, son. Forget about the rights of the bird. The bird does not have any rights. You can do whatever you please with it. You are superior to it, son. That is a hobby. You are Maltese and trapping is yours by right because it is part of the culture of this country. Ah, I know son. As a nation, we lack a lot of cultural knowledge, but trapping will make you cultural, son. Go and have fun son. Hunting and trapping is such fun son. Imagine that bird who is enjoying the skies flying around, and suddenly he falls to the ground, dead. Isn’t that fun, son? Or else, imagine that bird being trapped and kept captive for his whole life in a cage not bigger than your hand. But you will hear him chirp, son! No, not chirping happily in the skies, roaming freely, but captive in your small cage! Oh, no that’s not selfish son. It’s tradition and a hobby, son! Isn’t it fun to remove the freedom of others, son? But the most important thing, son, is that you stay away from drugs. And one last thing son, you will always have the thumbs up from politics, lest politicians lose their votes. Isn’t it awesome how it works, son?
Dear bird, what do you think? Isn’t it fun? Do you find it funny, bird?
How nauseatic and pathetic and heartless such comments are! What a low-vibrational reasoning! What they forgot to add most probably, is that hunting and trapping is an act of love – because no one more than the trapper and the hunter loves the birds….dead or prisoners!!!
A hobby never entails killing a life.
A hobby never entails imprisoning a life.
Culture has nothing to do with killing and imprisonment.
Tradition and culture my foot.
But who cares? It is just a bird! He is voiceless. He cannot speak out. He cannot cry. He does not vote. But he is always a better option, according to the popolin, than taking drugs, instead of putting them both on the same level.
They both take lives: one of a bird and one of a human.
