We are living in times of deviation. The northern Europeans chastise us for our hunting traditions, but then need to be pushed to get moving and share the burden of the constant waves of immigrants beating southern European shores.

The reason is, I think, obvious: there has been collective moral displacement in northern, urban Europe. Whereas it is permissible to abort pregnancies on demand (as motherhood has been deromanticised in favour of a radical feminism advocating women’s so-called rights on their bodies as the ultimate measure against a supposed patriarchy), it is immoral to shoot birds.

Needless to say, the indiscriminate shooting of animals, driving them to their extinction, is in nobody’s interest. I think everybody – those in favour and those against spring hunting – are ultimately conservationists, to different degrees. Only a myopic hunter would want to wipe out the species he hunts. (Which does not mean that there is no collective myopia.)

However, the paradox is that northern, urban Europe seems to consider animal life more valuable than unwanted babies. And – now we have been reminded for the umpteenth time – also more valuable than African life. It seems that this Europe has to be told over and over again that all life – including avian, African and unborn – is precious.

I simply hope that in its quest to ape urban Europe, Malta does not end up, wittingly or unwittingly, embracing these misguided values.