Hypocrisy abounds

UKIP's Nigel Farage lost the South Thanet, 2015, General Election to Craig Mackinlay (Conservative) by a very narrow margin. I fully understand that it's our democratic process but, also realise that the voice of the populous is not represented by this, first past the post, system. Less than half of those of us, who took the trouble to vote, selected Mr Mackinlay - so he's not representative of the majority of the South Thanet electorate but, instead, the largest chunk in this pie chart democrasy. Electoral reform is not my purpose - although I wouldn't argue against it!
Fox hunting has once again entered the political spotlight - our elected MP is supporting the cause, quoting, if you please, the plight of highland sheep farmers! You what? He was elected to fight the cause for reinstating Manston Airport and promote Thanet throughout the UK - highland farmers and hunting with dogs didn't enter into it when those shiny, pre-election, leaflets were regularly thrust into my letterbox! I shouldn't be in the least bit surprised, after all he's a politician and lying/cheating/mis-leading is what they do as a profession! Farage would have been no different? Fox hunting is not about vermin control, let's get this very clear! It is about an elitist bunch of horsey people (Conservative voters at a guess?) who like blood sports - chasing around the countryside in their hunting pink, shouting "view halloo", whilst aboard some very highly strung equine transport. Strangely, I haven't got a problem with this if the politicians came straight out with their stance on such subjects. Country (Field) sports are always going to be a very emotive subject, which will divide opinions, however they are presented.
If a guy is hungry, I have no objection to him shooting a bird/animal or taking a fish, if the purpose is to feed himself and/or his family. It's called the food chain - not Tesco's sanitized version of pre-packaged wholesale slaughter. My issue is, and always has been, with industrial scale massacre, conducted under the banner of "country pursuits" and the multi national businesses that purport to support tradition, whilst deliberately flaunting their power, by the complete disregard of UK and EU statutes! Hen Harrier persecution is totally unacceptable in 2015, yet it is more prevalent today than ever? Why? Because our political system is rotten to the core - fuelled by greed and self aggrandisement. The multi - million pound industry, that is Grouse shooting, seems to be bomb proof, having surrounded itself with such corrupt and self-serving political allies (Very much like Mr Blatter within a totally screwed up FIFA?)
What the fuck has highland fox control got to do with Craig Mackinlay's election to the position of MP for South Thanet?  Correct - absolutely nothing! But before we all get too animated let's think about our own opinions and how we have adapted them to suit our own interests? As far as I can gather, the whole of the UK is unanimous in its' opposition to the hunting of whales, pretty similar to the reaction against the Canadian fishermen clubbing seal pups, out on the Arctic ice flows. I'm no different - it is abhorrent to my way of thinking. But let's take this a stage further.
How do we feel about the use of "Larson Traps" to remove troublesome corvids from game shooting estates - we don't like it because we're anti-shooting! So what is your stance when the RSPB use the same methods to protect ground nesting waders in some of their reserves - well that's OK?
The debate surrounding Hare coursing is, to say the least, heated - I don't support the practice but, having witnessed the spectacle (Jan 2013 - so it was definitely illegal) on an RSPB controlled area, think that interaction between dog (single) and hare is fantastic to behold - no less wondrous than a Peregrine stooping on Wood Pigeons or Lapwings. The wholesale slaughter of Badgers, by DEFRA supported science, is ludicrous - it's the bloody cows infecting the Badgers, that's why it's called "Bovine TB" I would like to think that, so far, the majority of visitors to this blog are still on-board. Nothing I have written is too contentious?
We've already established that re-instating Fox hunting is a no no! We simply don't like it. I don't personally think that there is an issue with farmers protecting their livestock, but hunting with dogs isn't acceptable in 2015. If the Fox is a problem - shoot it; very much in line with my approach to a Brown Rat in my aviary! Red Squirrels are cute, Grey ones ain't, but the removal of squirrels from any situation will arouse protest. What about pigeons? I don't mean Wood Pigeons and Stock Doves, I'm thinking about those feral street urchins which shit on our buildings and are seen as a general nuisance in the majority of our urban habitats. On Thanet, Herring Gulls would also fit a very similar profile, despite the fact that we live on "The Isle" - the clue should be in the title, one would have thought?
Now we are, as individuals, starting to play God - we like whales (we've never seen one!), but we don't like messy street pigeons (we've seen loads of those). What makes one creature more worthy than another? I'll continue my thoughts with these observations (purely from a personal perspective) It is Hen Harrier Day (9th August 2015) when a great many folk, fully committed to the cause will make their thoughts known to the politicians, and businesses involved, that Hen Harrier persecution is unacceptable in this day and age. It will make the news headlines, fill a few column inches in the National Dailies, no doubt? But will it change anything?
My own thoughts are directed towards that group of protesters who claim to be "naturalists", appalled by this slaughter, this abuse of power, utter contempt for laws and statutes, yet within their own little worlds happily continue to take token samples of insects because, if they don't get genitalia details, they won't be able to add another sad number to their list?
We don't like killing whales, dolphins, foxes, badgers, hen harriers and squirrels - but, I'm OK it's only a moth, fly, bee, wasp and I'm adding valuable (?) data to our records! Bollocks - what makes one creature more important than another and who do you think you are to make that call?  Before you dive for the comment facility - I'm as guilty as charged! I stick hooks in live fish, and call it sport, as I said at the very start - "Hypocrisy abounds"