Regular readers of this blog are all too aware of my opposition to American gun ownership. Because of my time in combat, I know firsthand the deadly effect of firearms. We in the U.S. are unique in the world for the number of guns we own—more than a hundred twenty guns for every hundred people. Thus far this year, as of June 18, according to the Gun Violence Archive, we have shot to death 20,315 people.
And we call hunting, an activity in which we find and kill animals, a sport. Oxford Languages defines “sport” as an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. In other words, it’s something we do for fun. What does it say about us that we consider killing animals fun?
I grant you there was a day when hunting was necessary to provide sufficient food. That time ended well over than a hundred years ago. Today hunting is in no sense a necessity. It’s done for fun.
A tiny fraction of U.S. hunters use bows and arrows. But most hunting in the U.S. employs firearms. And it is often given as a reason for owning guns.
There are hunters who don’t use weapons but instead photograph wild animals in their native habitat. I have nothing but praise for these hunters and the wonderful pictures they produce.
Logic forces me to end up opposed to hunting to kill, especially that which employs firearms. That we enjoy killing for fun, particularly when we use guns, does not speak well for us as a nation.
Let’s bring it to an end.
Tom Glenn, Writer 