Humans and hunters (2)

How ironic it was to read on www.timesofmalta.com of October 1 that hunters "spontaneously" protested over restrictions in front of the Prime Minister's office, only to find in the following article that these restrictions are merely laughed at by many of their comrades-in-arms, and that two of them even broke into the Ghadira Nature Reserve to try to shoot a couple of flamingoes.

If hunters want to attract sympathy over their plight, wouldn't it have been better for them to respect the law? If they are still slaughtering birds unhindered despite the restrictions, then what are they moaning about? 

Hunters should also stop believing that then could blackmail any political party which dares impose restrictions on hunting by threatening not to vote for it. Do they believe that only they have the right to vote? They might turn up "in their thousands" for their next protest but there are tens of thousands of Maltese who might not be too impressed by any political party succumbing to the hunters' bullying.

The vast majority of the electorate is appalled by the senseless massacre of millions of birds and wants to enjoy Sunday afternoons and public holidays in what little is left of the countryside without being disturbed by these Neanderthals.

Furthermore, any further concessions to hunters would ensure that nature-loving tourists would stay away from Malta, further endangering the jobs of thousands of Maltese.

Therefore any political party attempting to appease the hunters can be sure of receiving a thorough mauling come election time.