July 29 2015 Update:
Ode to Cecil:
Cecil, we the human race have failed you. Miserably.
We the human race have a huge responsiblity to other animals because we have the ability to control and change every aspect of their lives without their consent. Many animals learn to trust us and it's people like Walter Palmer that show off our worst qualities. The real closure to this would be if Walter goes on trial for his illegal poaching. But so far, he hasn't been charged with anything.
Woe to the animals who learn to trust us humans as some of us would then turn around and abuse this trust, treat them with cruelty, or worse, kill them for sport. Witness the Yulin Dog Meat Festival and Walter Palmer. Animals have no voice, and they are not adequately protected.
Cecil was an easy target for poachers because he was halfway domesticated. No matter how one sees it, it was really senseless killing. Cecil had no chance against a poacher in this lopsided game of killing. He suffered for 40 hours after being shot by an arrow, before being shot, beheaded, and skinned. He was never accorded the dignity of a high-ranking king of the jungle.
People of all stripes, colors, nationalities, and religions have come forward to unite in condemning this barbaric senseless act — Cecil is high-profile and has brought attention to this issue. But the hunting of wild animals goes on daily "legally", in many cases sanctioned by government officials.
As if it was not enough that hunting of wild animals goes on, poachers have gone a step beyond, they have to spice up the game by killing protected animals.
Animals have no voice. Efforts at protection and conservation are unfortunately often at odds with corporate profits and bribe-taking of public officials.
_____________________
MN dentist Walter Palmer is going down for his big kill of Cecil the Lion. Things have started to unravel for the dentist poacher who paid $50,000 to shoot and behead the beloved black-maned lion, who was lured from Zimbabwe's Hwange Nation Park, where he lived under protection. Cecil was collared as part of a historic Oxford University Research project that has run since 1999. The hunters allegedly tried to destroy the collar on Cecil to hide the evidence.
Here are the developments:
— Palmer's office in Bloomington, MN, is completely shut at the moment. His practice River Bluff Dental's phone lines, website, FB page, yelp page all overwhelmed with comments from people who are outraged by his killing of Cecil. And still no official response form his practice.
Here's his contact info: Dr. Walter Palmer
Address: 10851 Rhode Island Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55438
Phone:(952) 884-5361
Walt, we hope the thrill of killing an innocent animal for fun was worth the shame and potential career suicide that you brought upon yourself (did you think of that when you were doing the hunting?). You can't live this one down.
— There have been many other big game kills which have come to light (see attached photos). He posed with the dead animals, a big smile on his face.
— A petition calling for justice for Cecil the Lion has already been signed by more than 130,000 people and growing fast. Here's the link: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/821/738/351/demand-justice-for-cecil-the-lion-in-zimbambwe/
— Two of his accomplices in the poaching have already been arrested. Zimbabwe police are now looking for him. Criminal charges may also come to other hunters involved with his illegal killing of Cecil.
— "Scumbag" "Sicko" "Murderer" and many other names are now attached to Walter's name.
"Cecil, a 13-year-old male lion, was of the main attractions at the Hwange national park in Zimbabwe. He was found decapitated and skinned, The Guardian reported. Cecil was reportedly lured out of the park using bait and then shot with a bow and arrow. A group of hunters tracked the lion for 40 hours before killing him with a rifle, the newspaper said. There were conflicting reports as to the nationality of the man believed to have killed the lion. Johnny Rodrigues, of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, originally said the man was Spanish, CNN and others reported."
Palmer's career as a trophy hunter and poacher started early, at age 5 when he took up bow and arrow. He has won awards and accolations for his archery. He has also been suspended for not following the law of trophy hunting.
Trophy hunting is an emotional subject for me and, judging from the internet furor that made #WalterPalmer one of the top trending hashtags on the internet, for many people, too. It's senseless killing. And we're talking about a protected, collared lion that had to be lured outside of Hwange National Park to be killed.
Like Hannah Arendth of the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem, this is the definition of "The Banality Of Evil," referring to the ordinariness of the man accused of taking part in history's great genocide. There was nothing extraordinary about him and yet he was capable of committing crimes that are difficult to comprehend intellectually. In this case, evil is a smiling dentist next door in Middle America. I, for one, wouldn't want to be the client who finds out s/he's been funding all the past bribery, trophy hunting, and illegal poachings of his.
Images in this post are taken from youtube VDOs and social media repostings. The rights belong to the collective outrage against poaching and trophy hunting.
#walterpalmer #CecilTheLion
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/this-is-whats-happening-to-the-dentist-who-allegedly-killed?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#.unpvBRnxQ1
Dr. Walter Palmer
Address: 10851 Rhode Island Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55438
Phone:(952) 884-5361
