# Who Does Our Govt Care About More Us(voters) Or Animals and Fish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 20, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211 "2001-08-20T19:16:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/81 "2001-08-21T19:58:07Z")
rjung, I am not Captain Kirk. Now God did give me a brain to go out and make money with and buy a gun that someone else made. Why do I have to make it myself? Tell ya what the shark and the gator can buy whatever they want to to try and kill me. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/82 "2001-08-21T20:51:47Z")
Actually, Iā€™ve always thought that hunting would be SOOO much more interesting if we gave all the bears steel-tipped claws and a jetpackā€¦ Maybe we could do the same for alligators? šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/83 "2001-08-21T21:26:03Z")
> [@](#): > > And if I see one there, I WILL kill it dead before it could hurt or kill my family or me. Maybe the Park ranger SHOULD arrest you now before you can kill or hurt an protected animalā€¦ ā€¦but as mentioned, he certainly WILL if you go through on it. Somehow, being arrested and fined/jailed, for something easily avoidable and completely unneccessary, seems to be a pretty ineffective way to protect/provide for your family. But maybe thatā€™s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/84 "2001-08-21T21:30:07Z")
They have to catch me first. And they are always to busy hassleling fishermen than worrying about alligators. But just to make you feel better I will use every bit of gator. My kids want new belts my wife wants a purse and I want gator penny loafers. šŸ˜ƒ There meat ainā€™t to bad either so I will eat to. ---
**Author:** ![navtechie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@navtechie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/navtechie)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/85 "2001-08-21T22:13:29Z")
On a light note: All this aligator and gun talk reminds me of a small humorous debate we had one day at work 2 years ago. WE were on the subject of gun control and such, with the usuals giving their differing views. One co-worker chimed in towards the end of the debate and said this: ā€œYa know, we could end this gun and crime problem real easy, just require everyone to carry around an 8ā€™ aligator. Would you want to try to rob someone carying an 8ā€™ aligator? nuff saidā€ ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/86 "2001-08-21T23:54:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Nonsense- God gave WB a brain, too. Cite? - ::: g, d & r ::: \* ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/87 "2001-08-22T02:04:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pldennison \* > \*\* > > And, as stated, most shark attacks are not fatal, or even disfiguring. According to the [Shark Attack Information File at the Florida Museum of Natural History](http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/ichthyology/Sharks/Statistics/2000attacksummary.htm), there were a total of 79 unprovoked shark attacks on humans world worldwide in 2000. The year before there were 58 unprovoked attacks, and the yearly average from 1990-1998 was 54. > \*\* Looks like this is going to be a banner year, then. There have already been 41 shark attacks world-wide this year, 23 of which were in Florida.( [http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/wkmg/20010821/lo/889394\_1.html](http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/wkmg/20010821/lo/889394_1.html) ) I think it \* does\* boil down to survival of the fittest, though- what kind of genius does it take to be victim 23? Itā€™s not as though you donā€™t hear about constantly on the news, and Iā€™m sure itā€™s on their local news even more often than national news. If \*\*I \*\* heard of 22 people being attacked by sharks in my state, I think Iā€™d stick to lakes. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Stewart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Dave\_Stewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Stewart)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/88 "2001-08-22T03:34:46Z")
**pldennison** > [@](#): > > From what you say, though, we are doing exactly that. There are shark alarms, there are lifeguards, there are measures taken to reduce the risk to people in the water and warn them of the attacks. Oh, for sure. And I doubt anything other than putting up big shark nets would do any good. Even then, we have dolphins surfing on some of those beach breaks from time to time, and if dolphins got caught in the nets then public protest would be enormous. > [@](#): > > Again, according to the link I posted above, 3 of the ten fatalities from unprovoked shark attacks in 2000 occurred in Australia. Australia had a total of 7 reported unprovoked attacks, so the fatality rate is high, but is 7 a high enough number to claim that greater protective measures need to be taken? It doesnā€™t seem so to me, but of course reasonable people may differ. My point wasnā€™t so much concerning preventative action as reactive action. I think maneating sharks should be killed: I certainly donā€™t agree that the oceans shuld be scoured for sharks. In respect of the comment on shark fins, I have had shark fin soup here in Hong Kong. My secretary tells me it is very good for oneā€™s skin, because it is full of protein (which sounds a bit dubious to me). (More worrisome is the penchant for tiger penis, with its supposed sexual potency benefits. There is no truth to this at all, yet tiger penises and bits of tiger can be bought in some traditional HK medicine shops. Hong Kongā€™s desire for tiger penis is part of the reason why tigers are being decimated in the wild.) ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/89 "2001-08-22T04:09:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > \*\*And what you say abey if one of the surfers/hikers was your spouse or immediate family was violently killed, that year by some stupid fish that you never see anyway. ā€œOh well my SO or my mother fed one of those scavengers for the day what a great use of their life for the feeding of Mr. Jaws swimming through the water that day.ā€ - Abe :rolleyes: \*\* Oh yeah, I almost forgot that the only people who are allowed to hold views on any political topic are those with family members who have been directly victimized. :rolleyes: Since all of my family members have enough common sense to not swim in shark-infested waters, Iā€™m not to worried about the above scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Stewart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Dave\_Stewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Stewart)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/90 "2001-08-22T04:14:31Z")
Actually I do get worried about that scenario as my sister and my father swim from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island (some 25 km, off the coast of Perth) every year as part of a long distance swimming event. But, that doesnā€™t justify a major culling of sharks in the area. Having a massive flotilla of boats, surf skis, and swimmers seems to deter sharks. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/91 "2001-08-22T07:56:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > \*\*Well, > > Andros your idea would be ideal but not very realistic. What I am saying is that human life should come first. If an area is known to be a swimming area, and if a gator is spotted it should be removed. Like I said I was in a ā€œwell knownā€ skiing area. If there is a swimming off a beach, every reasonable effort should be made to discourage sharks from coming around there including open fishing for sharks a certain distance from shore. As far as moutain lions people should be allowed to carry guns in the woods in case of being attacked by a mountain lion or be able to shoot one that enters on the owners property.\*\* People who want to experience nature then complain about how dangerous nature is will never cease to amaze me. You invade certain of natureā€™s habitats and you become prey. If you build your house out in the country to get closer to nature, youā€™d better not bitch when beavers take down your ornamental cherry trees - you moved into THEIR habitat. Same thing with a bobcat taking down your SnookumWookums. You go swimming in the ocean? You moved into SHARK habitat. You swim in waters in gator country? You moved into GATOR habitat. WB, I donā€™t know how to make this any plainer: **Mother Nature is not safe.** Never has been, never will be. ---
**Author:** ![Abe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@Abe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/92 "2001-08-22T08:12:09Z")
\*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Abe \* > > Damaging attitudes like these will not be corrected by a bunch of cretins running around screaming ā€œLetā€™s kill all the sharks/lions because a few surfers/hikers are killed every year by them!ā€ What a mess. \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > And what you say abey if one of the surfers/hikers was your spouse or immediate family was violently killed, that year by some stupid fish that you never see anyway. ā€œOh well my SO or my mother fed one of those scavengers for the day what a great use of their life for the feeding of Mr. Jaws swimming through the water that day.ā€ - Abe :rolleyes: \*\* The question is a bit silly, because emotional involvement obviously clouds judgement. What would Captain Ahab have done without a grudge, eh? I hope I never lose anyone to a shark or an alligator, but if I did I would want the death of that particular animal. Why? For two reasons: one, we donā€™t want this creature turning into a predator of humans after it realizes what easy prey they are; two, no matter how one rationalizes these things, I would want revenge on the killer of my loved one. Not the loftiest of emotions, but I believe reason one does justify killing an animal. ---
**Author:** ![Abe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@Abe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211/93 "2001-08-22T08:20:21Z")
Iā€™m surprised no one has pulled out this story yetā€“or maybe I missed it. This is a priceless article, variations of which appeared in a variety of media. I picked the ESPN write-up because it was the best I could find on short notice. [Tourists pat feeding-frenzied great whites](http://espn.go.com/outdoors/general/news/2001/0727/1231953.html) I like the Australian ministerā€™s comment about being forced to protect people too stupid to protect themselves. Iā€™ve seen a guy jump into barracuda-infested waters and lay about him with a spear, and Iā€™ve seen several idiots at zoos doing their best to pat Panda bears, but this is just the silliest thing I ever read. The people on that whale deserve first prize at the Darwin Awards (i.e., death). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-does-our-govt-care-about-more-us-voters-or-animals-and-fish/77211.md?page=4)