Insult when arguments fail

In the absence of any sort of convincing argument in support of bird killing for fun, Mark ­Mifsud Bonnici’s main thrust degenerated into a barrage of insults against Maurice Mizzi.

Mr Mizzi’s arguments sound reasonable enough to me. If one kills a defenceless creature for no other reason than that it gives them a kick to do so, then whether it is legal or not it is a crime against God who created it and those who declare it legal will some day have to answer for it.

Mr Mizzi’s ‘lone crusade’ is not lone at all. Hasn’t Mr Mifsud Bonnici noticed that there are many others who agree with Mr Mizzi’s fundamental argument – I for one?

Also, Mr Mizzi’s ‘crusade’ is not foolish or futile, for without a growing protest, not just here in Malta but worldwide, at the senseless and unnecessary destruction of our ‘common ­heritage’ – fellow creatures who share our planet – there would still be a year-round killing and trapping fest here in Malta.

As for Mr Mizzi’s disturbed sleep – mine is too. I know of no other country with any consideration for its citizens that allows any number of hunters to shoot 200 metres from our bedroom windows from two hours before dawn to two hours after sunset (and till 1 p.m. on Sundays and bank holidays).

And I believe that if there are less than 400 people living in the locality they can shoot outside one’s front door!

Furthermore, Mr Mizzi doesn’t need to ‘stir up’ support – he has mine and that of many like me. And if Mr Mifsud Bonnici disagrees with this, then he may care to join me in calling for a referendum on the issue once and for all.

The one and only excuse Mr Mifsud Bonnici keeps churning out at us is that hunting goes on everywhere and it’s always been so – oh, and it’s legal. Well, so was slavery!