Should've the gorilla been shot?

[Alnitak]

maybe the gorilla should have been put down but the guardian of the child should be charged with endangering a child.

It was certainly neglectful. I've never raised a child so I can only imagine how difficult it is to know at all times the precise location of one's children every second of every hour, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

 

[zoltanspawn]

If there had been any other way, the zoo would have taken it.

Oh, but there were other ways, right?

They could have planned for such a problem with the zoo staff and primate experts.

They could have tranquilized the gorilla.

Or they could have built effective barriers in the first place.

Or they could have decided that exhibiting animals in this manner was the wrong way to interact with nature.

Were ANY of these a better choice?

 

[xbuzzerx]

This was a horrible accident, and obviously preventable, but there is no cheering for a boy to die as payment of man's abuse of nature. That's flawed logic, and punitive.

Everyone who supports the shooting uses this exact flawed argument.

I'm unaware of anyone out there saying "the child deserved to die and should have been made to." That's a complete straw man position. Many of us don't agree this was the "only option." I'd say it was "the only option within acceptable liability concerns on the part of the zoo."

We're talking about slaughtering a member of a species that has almost been wiped off the earth. Shooting him dead to utterly absolutely guarantee beyond any shadow of a doubt no possible harm to a single human was the "only possible option?"

 

[zoltanspawn]

And it isn't a question of justice, but of mercy for a human. It is an ancient ethos.

The 'ancient'-ness of an ethos does little to justify it.

Mercy ought to apply to animals, too. Especially those we are on the verge of destroying entirely.

 

[Kahaih]

I am appalled.

Had they any sense, they would have thrown the child's mother into the pit as a decoy so they could save the child and wait for a team of Canadian seal clubbers to arrive and beat the animal to death.

Far too often, in this sort of situation, a hastily made bullet hole spoils the pelt.

 

[MorrisseyX]

I think the Gorilla should of been tranquilized first! I think the boy parents should be charged they were irresponsible.

 

[unloadonme]

There are more than enough humans in the world and not enough Gorillas. I would have tried tranquilising the Gorilla despite the increased risk to the child rather than shooting him.

 

[Kahaih]

If there had been any other way, the zoo would have taken it. Afterall, the loss to them and the future offspring this gorilla would have produced is major. I bet it was the most difficult decision the zoo officials will make in their lives.

Oh for heaven's sake.

The beast just turned 17 this last Friday. I'm sure that over the years zookeepers had plenty of opportunities to blow Harambe and spit the load into a Ziploc freezer bag.

 

[Alnitak]

The cheapness with which so many are willing to confer to human life explains so much tragedy in our history.

 

[eastofeden]

^^^Actually...the lack of awareness of the greedy locust like humans will eventually kill all of us as we destroy the delicate eco-system and kill off thousands of species..one after the other....

One life lost does not justify what we have done..neither does one million.....

 

[Alnitak]

^^^Actually...the lack of awareness of the greedy locust like humans will eventually kill all of us as we destroy the delicate eco-system and kill off thousands of species..one after the other....

One life lost does not justify what we have done..neither does one million.....

But that is all life. Every species would dominate if it could do so. That's evolution of which we are the pinnacle. To suggest that humans are evil, while suggesting that viruses, parasites, and predators eliminating other species is just nature, is inconsistent.

 

[eastofeden]

But that is all life. Every species would dominate if it could do so. That's evolution of which we are the pinnacle. To suggest that humans are evil, while suggesting that viruses, parasites, and predators eliminating other species is just nature, is inconsistent.

Yes..evil..and stupid. Destroying the planet that gives you life is stupid...and the stupid will not inherit the earth. The ultimate stupidity is destroying the one thing that brings you life....and for what? Greed.

 

[Alnitak]

Yes..evil..and stupid. Destroying the planet that gives you life is stupid...and the stupid will not inherit the earth. The ultimate stupidity is destroying the one thing that brings you life....and for what? Greed.

It doesn't follow that the aforementioned incident is some greedy scheme to destroy gorilla species. In fact, the containment of gorillas and the education provided about them is an insurance policy.

 

[zoltanspawn]

But that is all life. Every species would dominate if it could do so. That's evolution of which we are the pinnacle. To suggest that humans are evil, while suggesting that viruses, parasites, and predators eliminating other species is just nature, is inconsistent.

No, it's not inconsistent.

Humans have an awareness of what ought to be done.

Viruses, predators and parasites don't.

If there is some tragedy in history, it's the cheapness which we are willing to confer to endangered lives, not abundant human life.

 

[zoltanspawn]

It doesn't follow that the aforementioned incident is some greedy scheme to destroy gorilla species. In fact, the containment of gorillas and the education provided about them is an insurance policy.

Our greed isn't intentional.

What does this "insurance policy" protect against?

Could there be alternative educational goals? Could people be contained instead of gorillas?

 

[eastofeden]

It doesn't follow that the aforementioned incident is some greedy scheme to destroy gorilla species. In fact, the containment of gorillas and the education provided about them is an insurance policy.

It isn't much of an insurance policy..is it?

GREED brought us to this place...selling animal parts and killing them for "fun"...taking away their habitat so we can be the "superior" beings that we are...because we are the dominant species and we are entitled to destroy everything else?...which was your point....

So we kill off most of the species and put the remainder of them in captivity so some stupid fucking bitch who can't watch her children that SHE chose to have and take care of can throw peanuts at them and then get it killed because of her own irresponsible ass?

Seriously..I would rather throw her in and save the gorilla and the child....

I think the zoo and the mother are completely responsible for this tragedy....

 

[Alnitak]

It isn't much of an insurance policy..is it?

GREED brought us to this place...selling animal parts and killing them for "fun"...taking away their habitat so we can be the "superior" beings that we are...because we are the dominant species and we are entitled to destroy everything else?...which was your point....

So we kill off most of the species and put the remainder of them in captivity so some stupid fucking bitch who can't watch her children that SHE chose to have and take care of can throw peanuts at them and then get it killed because of her own irresponsible ass?

Seriously..I would rather throw her in and save the gorilla and the child....

I think the zoo and the mother are completely responsible for this tragedy....

We are not just dominant; we are sentient. Our pain is uniquely distressing.

But that was not my point. My point was to criticize ideologies that justify sacrificing human life.

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What does this "insurance policy" protect against?

Destruction of endangered species by humans.

 

[zoltanspawn]

We are not just dominant; we are sentient. Our pain is uniquely distressing.

But that was not my point. My point was to criticize ideologies that justify sacrificing human life.

- - - Updated - - -



Destruction of endangered species by humans.

Zoos don't protect against destruction of endangered species by humans.

They keep an idiotically small number of samples alive for statistical purposes.

And what about "ideologies" that justify sacrificing the lives of endangered species? What's so special about us?

 

[eastofeden]

But that was not my point. My point was to criticize ideologies that justify sacrificing human life.

- - - Updated - - -

Do you support the ideology of Dick Cheney and the Canned Hunt Boys?...or the Dentist who killed Cecil?...because we are the most dominant species and since we can destroy everything around us all is well and good?....

...and honestly..I don't think a lot of us are worth saving...

I'd get rid of the greedy stupid people who pretend global warming is a hoax first....so they can make a few more dollars (greed..again)

 

[Alnitak]

Do you support the ideology of Dick Cheney and the Canned Hunt Boys?...or the Dentist who killed Cecil?...because we are the most dominant species and since we can destroy everything around us all is well and good?....

...and honestly..I don't think a lot of us are worth saving...

I'd get rid of the greedy stupid people who pretend global warming is a hoax first....so they can make a few more dollars (greed..again)

Man you have got to blow up a brown paper bag. I'm serious.

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Zoos don't protect against destruction of endangered species by humans.

They keep an idiotically small number of samples alive for statistical purposes.

Not true. Zoos routinely are involved in breeding programs and store genetic material.

And what about "ideologies" that justify sacrificing the lives of endangered species? What's so special about us?

Already treated this subject in an earlier post.