Keep The Ban: Fox Hunting in the UK
Today I have decided to give my blog post a slightly different spin. Keeping the fox hunting ban in the UK is something I feel very strongly about, and I hope my post has presented some valuable points.
In the UK, fox hunting has been illegal since the ban passed by Tony Blair and his Labour government over a decade ago.
Since the Conservative party won a majority as a result of the UK general election on the 6th of May, 2015, a repeal or relax of the hunting ban has been a possibility.
Prime Minister David Cameron has expressed that he supports the ‘freedom to hunt’ and the conservative manifesto expressed an interest in a change regarding the sport.
On Wednesday the 15th of July, the commons will vote on repealing or relaxing the hunting ban.
Firstly, although I do believe that our rights and civil liberties should be protected at all times, and in order to live in a civilized society our personal freedoms should not be restricted, the question of how a freedom or liberty should be defined is imperative. Many supporters of fox hunting would argue that it is a right, that they should not be restricted in the actions as we live in free democratic society.
This raises the question of what civil rights are. For example, although freedom to hunt would be restricted, it should be questioned, is hunting really a right?
It is clear that this is not the case. Rights and liberties should respect the freedoms of all parties involved. In the case of hunting, an animals life is been compromised for a superficial idea of tradition, sport and control. A personal freedom should be something with roots that hold onto the basic ideas of humanity, which fox hunting does not. After all, violence towards other humans is not seen as a ‘right’, is seen as barbaric and uncalled for, and this should not be any different with regards to violence against any living thing. Democracy means freedom for everyone.
Secondly, supporters of fox hunting often argue that the practice is effective in controlling the damage left by foxes effects the livelihood of farmed and foxes are pests that cause damage. This argument is fundamentally flawed. A fox is creature acting on base instinct, it does not see right and wrong, it is not conscious of the act it is causing destruction. More sustainable and less cruel ways of defending against damage have to be considered. Why should a fox be punished for acting on its natural instincts? As humans, we have the greater developed intelligence, we do have the ability to define right from wrong. Many may believe that this means we should have control over animals, that we should decide when and how they live or die. I think that it is time that we question this notion. Why should we have the power over animals? They are sentient living beings who each have brilliant qualities and attributes. Just because we have a higher level of developed intelligence, why should we have power over these creatures? . We nurture children, who are less cognitively developed than adults, so why can we not show the same attitude towards animals. If we see ourselves as carers, not dominators, I believe that we will live in a much more conscientious society where creating pain towards living things is not acceptable, and been kind can be appreciated and valued. Maybe we should use this issue as an opportunity to assess how we treat animals in general. We have been given intelligence, and it’s an essential flaw in our nature that we do not use it for kindness and only for control. However it is not too late to question this, and protect the vulnerable. The practice is truly brutal. A fox who is living in their natural habitat is ripped apart by hounds or the sport and pleasure of those riding horses.
Another argument I have heard in favour of fox hunting is that it is a traditional English sport. Many argue that it is inherent in countryside living. Yes, I do agree that England does have some brilliant traditions that as a nation we can be truly proud of (as all countries do) however, why hold onto a ‘tradition’ that is represents cruelty and inhumanity. A tradition should only be preserved if it fits with modern society. Just because something is ‘traditional’, it does not make it right. We should be working towards preserving the countryside through helping the environment by recycling and using less energy, we should support local country pubs and other businesses, as wel as using the country side for walking and exercise. We do not have to hang on to every old English practice due to a stubborn desire to keep with English tradition. A truly strong nation or cultures can acknowledge when a practice is outdated and inhumane, and work to preserve those elements of our culture we can be truly proud of.
The petition against repealing the ban can be signed on the link below. I urge anyone who cares for the welfare of animals to sign it.
KEEP THE BAN
#keeptheban
Thank you for reading,
xx
pursuit of serotonin 