Why am I wound up about this? Here's where the nexus of this type of thinking leaves us. The sentiment of appearing ethical at the expense of any individuals, even if innocent individuals get overspray or are collateral damages.
This fog of what roles and what form of justice play out every day at SCI and ZPHGA and I'd like crystalized policies and clarity on "whom are their clientele".
Examples:
-The Cecil debacle. The charges were nonsensical but whether they held merit or not, SCI and ZPHGA should have said "we have no tolerance for any wildlife misconduct and as such, AFTER a conviction of guilt occurs we will banish any member involved.
-With the exam test takers. ZPHGA proudly stated they struck test scores so that no cheater ever gets away with it.
In both examples, the concern of appearance trumped due process, facts, and sincere interest in never harming an innocent party.
When we opt to participate in safari activities we have no sense of safety with the mentalities demonstrated above. All it will take, all it has taken, is an accusation without conviction and we will embarrass, convict in the court of public opinion, or slander our own.
The end result:
While leaders believe they are preserving the sport and ensuring it's future by their immediate reaction to accusation, every time they do it they amputate a part of the sport hunting body. Over time you look back and it is just a stumpy torso as different people, practices, and methods have been cast out of the community. This is EXACTLY what the anti's want because they are indeed eating away at our solidarity as hunters a piece at a time.
The prior respondent's reaction is a perfect example:
Personal attacks and a desire to stop conversation is viewed as desirable. Sunshine is a great disinfectant. Incidents are a great source of lessons learned and public policy declarations on such matters. Public policies and procedures are important for maintenance and trust for one another if we want the sport and the wildlife to survive in the future.
That's why it matters.
