Cecil the Lion
(2015.07.30)
One of Richard Dawkins' recent tweets criticizes "over-the-top witch hunt" of Walter Palmer, the American dentist responsible for killing the beloved Cecil the Lion in Zimbabew. The tweet has elicited a wave of heavy debate and criticism; it's a nuanced view on the event, that is actually worth bringing up for public discussion. Personally I firmly believe that the hunter responsible should come out of hiding and face the consequences of his horrible deeds, and if the current system is inadequate to address those consequences, then it should be changed. But what exactly are the consequences? Should it cost him reputation, money, job, freedom, body parts, or life? Who should decide and how? If we don't address these crucial issues in the midst of calling out the man's action, it is indeed "over-the-top" (and let's just forget the equally senseless verbal threats by PETA, Piers Morgan and the like.)
More importantly, prosecution of wrongdoing individuals may well be necessary at this point, but I believe that besides from "setting an example" (which for some may serve as valid purpose), it is one of the cases where the judicial approach is just not adequate enough to really benefit the cause of environment protection: we have to consider how to approach poaching by viewing it as a systemic, international problem, compounded by the interests of first-world game hunters, local hunting guides, environment protection/animal right activists, scientific researchers, and locals whose livelihood depends on the well-being of the ecosystem.
Of course, I can offer no simple solutions given the complexity of the matter and my limited understanding on it, but what this petition calls for seems to be an important first step that's long overdue.
於辛巴威當地極受重視的名獅 Cecil，日前遭美國牙醫 Walter Palmer 獵殺一事沸騰之際，理察道金斯於推特上批評對於獵殺者「過火的獵巫行動」，此言論引發了相當大的反響及批評。這個評論中較為模稜兩可的視角，其實相當值得 大眾討論。我個人的確深信 Walter Palmer 應該停止逃避、出來面對自己殘酷行為的後果，而如果現行制度無法有效地處理評估這事件中的是非，那制度就該修改。但到底該有哪些後果？他該付出的代價是名譽、金錢、工作、自由、還是身體器官或甚至生命？誰能決定，又該如何定奪？如果人們在譴責的當下無法同時思考這些關鍵問題的話，那恐怕此般漫天攻擊確實 「過火」(至於 PETA 或 Piers Morgan 之流愚蠢無義的公開言語威脅，就別理會一絲一毫了吧。)
更重要的是，對於犯行者的司法制裁在目前或許確實必要，但除了殺雞儆猴外，我認為司法途徑實在不足以有效解決環境／動物保護的問題：我們應該要考慮到，盜獵是個跨國的結構性問題，其中糾葛著多方利害關係的角力，包括來自第一世界的大型動物狩獵者、當地的狩獵嚮導、環保人士及動保人士、科學家、以及生計仰賴健全生態系的當地人民等。
當然以我對這複雜議題的粗淺理解，還沒辦法給出簡單而全面的見解，但在我看來這個連署的主張很明確合理，是早該踏出的重要一步。
https://www.change.org/p/council-of-the-european-union-ban-the-import-of-big-game-hunting-trophies