# GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons' Elephant Hunt Sparks Outrage... You got to be kidding



## Kalina (Mar 31, 2011)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/31/bob-parsons-godaddy-ceo-elephant-hunt_n_843121.html

The video below is pretty graphic.

GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons is taking a lot of heat for the video, which details his recent elephant hunt. However, the CEO originally tried to frame the hunt as almost a "humanitarian" expedition. Many disagree.

In the middle of the night, Parsons, along with his African guides, ambush and shoot what Parsons calls a "problem elephant": "[Zimbabweans] have very little," says Parsons. "Many die each year from starvation and one of the problems they have is the elephants, of which there are thousands and thousands, that trash many of their fields destroying the crops."

Then the video gets really graphic, as Parsons records villagers who come out in the early morning to slaughter the dead animal, stripping it of its flesh. Oddly enough, this part, which is set to AC/DC's "Hell's Bells," is almost a shameless plug for the company, zooming in at one point on the company's logo.

Whether or not Parsons' point is right (that the villagers could really use the meat and protein) hasn't really been contested, but the manner in which he presented the whole endeavor seems a bit odd to many.

PETA has launched a campaign urging people to join them in closing their GoDaddy.com account and e-mailing Parsons to express their outrage.

Parsons provided an explanation of the video, but what do you think? Is it inappropriate? Share your thoughts in the comments. 
---------------------------------------------

Honestly, I couldn't watch the video, why are there so many bad people out there? Everywhere i turn there's someone hurting something.


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## Angi (Mar 31, 2011)

I think (after watching the video) that if he really cared about the villagers he could help them without killing an elephant. How much did he really help them? I doubt much. I believe he did it just for the thrill of the kill and that is sick. Then to try and make himself look good while doing it. Really sick. People who really care about doing good for others don't need to video it. That is just my 2 cents.


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## Madkins007 (Mar 31, 2011)

I am not a hunter and I love elephants, but if he followed the local rules then so what? It may be a tasteless video but I'm not planing to have lunch with the bozo and would not shut down my GoDaddy account because of it.

If I had an Outrage-O-Meter, this would rank about a 2 out of 10, and believe me, there is a lot of stuff that hits 11 out of 10 easily. Rich guys being idiots just ain't one of them. 

Kalina, I admire your convictions (if not always your issues), but humans DO behave well quite often- many of them even behave well most of the time. If you are going to focus on the bad stuff, you'll make yourself sick. 

You can argue that we as a culture are getting desensitized to violence, and I would not argue with you, but one way to help stop it would be to stop watching and posting the negative videos.


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## CtTortoiseMom (Mar 31, 2011)

*RE: GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons' Elephant Hunt Sparks Outrage... You got to be kidd*



Madkins007 said:


> I am not a hunter and I love elephants, but if he followed the local rules then so what? It may be a tasteless video but I'm not planing to have lunch with the bozo and would not shut down my GoDaddy account because of it.
> 
> If I had an Outrage-O-Meter, this would rank about a 2 out of 10, and believe me, there is a lot of stuff that hits 11 out of 10 easily. Rich guys being idiots just ain't one of them.
> 
> ...


Well said, agreed.


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## Az tortoise compound (Mar 31, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> I am not a hunter and I love elephants, but if he followed the local rules then so what? It may be a tasteless video but I'm not planing to have lunch with the bozo and would not shut down my GoDaddy account because of it.
> 
> If I had an Outrage-O-Meter, this would rank about a 2 out of 10, and believe me, there is a lot of stuff that hits 11 out of 10 easily. Rich guys being idiots just ain't one of them.
> 
> ...



Very well put Mark.


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## Laura (Mar 31, 2011)

This argument and debate has SO MANY ANGLES it could take.. 
Should we just Cull the animals when they get to many so they dont starve to death? and let the meat go to waste? 
Should we do nothing and just let nature take its course? Most of the animals problems are Man Made....
or should we allow rich fools who want to hunt pay mucho bucks to people who have nothing, and hunt these animals and donate the meat to hungry villages? 
Making a video is tastless, documenting his vacation is not. 
I dont like PETA, but that doesnt mean some of the things they have done or brought to light are good.. Premarin Mares for one.. 
They are a bit too radical for me.. taking in puppies and kittens and killing them and dumping them in a dumpster because they dont think animals should be Pets... is wrong in my book... yes, they did it,, yes they were caught.. I dont recall what the punishment was or thier excuse.. 
but thats a whole other debate/ topic/ issue.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Mar 31, 2011)

Interesting!


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## B K (Mar 31, 2011)

Now this is spam


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## exoticsdr (Mar 31, 2011)

Thank you Mark for being so eloquent and to the point. I applaud you.

doc



Madkins007 said:


> I am not a hunter and I love elephants, but if he followed the local rules then so what? It may be a tasteless video but I'm not planing to have lunch with the bozo and would not shut down my GoDaddy account because of it.
> 
> If I had an Outrage-O-Meter, this would rank about a 2 out of 10, and believe me, there is a lot of stuff that hits 11 out of 10 easily. Rich guys being idiots just ain't one of them.
> 
> ...


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## Yvonne G (Mar 31, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> You can argue that we as a culture are getting desensitized to violence, and I would not argue with you, but one way to help stop it would be to stop watching and posting the negative videos.



One reason us humans ARE becoming desensitized instead of outraged is because we DO watch these negative videos. I know that's not going to change. Most people do love a train wreck. But I choose to NOT watch them. Only reason I read these threads are to check for spammers. I have to look at every thread. But I hardly actually READ any of them, and I NEVER click on the links. 

What can I do about turtles in China or Elephants someplace else? Nothing. I can only take care of my own, and do what I can do.


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## Laura (Mar 31, 2011)

I just watched the video.. and except for the song ( im not a hunter, but not against it if done right and the animal is respected and not wasted) I see nothing wrong with what he did. He is taking out a problem animal. Not an entire herd. He is not stuffing it and putting its head on the wall.. he is saving the farmers crops.. and feeding the locals.. I bet that entire animal was used and nothing went to waste. 
The kill seemed quick. Two other young bull elephants ran off, unhurt and didnt come back. 
If anyone wants to spend energy on a cause.. I think birth control for a country who cant feed itself, and maybe looking into fencing to keep animals out.. might be a better one. 
my 2 cents.


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## Robert (Mar 31, 2011)

Agreed. 




Madkins007 said:


> I am not a hunter and I love elephants, but if he followed the local rules then so what? It may be a tasteless video but I'm not planing to have lunch with the bozo and would not shut down my GoDaddy account because of it.
> 
> If I had an Outrage-O-Meter, this would rank about a 2 out of 10, and believe me, there is a lot of stuff that hits 11 out of 10 easily. Rich guys being idiots just ain't one of them.
> 
> ...







B K said:


> Now this is spam


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## terryo (Mar 31, 2011)

I hate watching things like this. I feel so sorry for those poor people with no food, and I think of the children starving. Yes, I feel so bad for the elephants too. As for humans behaving well most of the time......not in my book.


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## Candy (Mar 31, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> I am not a hunter and I love elephants, but if he followed the local rules then so what? It may be a tasteless video but I'm not planing to have lunch with the bozo and would not shut down my GoDaddy account because of it.
> 
> If I had an Outrage-O-Meter, this would rank about a 2 out of 10, and believe me, there is a lot of stuff that hits 11 out of 10 easily. Rich guys being idiots just ain't one of them.
> 
> ...



And if you do that Mark then who wins? The idiots that think it's manly to go and kill off innocent animals? Those people did not look like they were starving to me and I would never keep my account with anyone who did this for his so called "Vacation Time." Kalina and others like me are the type of people who make people aware of what's happening out there so don't try to stop us from doing that by making telling them that they'll make themselves sick by being activists for it. More people should become involved and then disgusting people like this guy wouldn't be flashing their so called "Animal Prizes" around. To bad the elephants didn't get the chance to turn on them in the dark, that's the way I see it.


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## terryo (Mar 31, 2011)

Well, it looks like Bob Parsons has lost a lot of accounts by posting about the great time he had on his vacation. I read all the comments, and about 90 % think he's a jerk and are pulling their business out.


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## Candy (Mar 31, 2011)

Thank you so much for posting this Terry. I have belief in humanity again.


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## Cameron (Mar 31, 2011)

i don't have a problem with it. i believe that God put animals here for us to eat and use. do i want to see animals abused? no. do i have an issue with people hunting them, killing them and eating them? no. if i could afford it, i would be on the first plane to africa on my own big game hunt...


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## efciv (Mar 31, 2011)

Red Earth Exotics said:


> i don't have a problem with it. i believe that God put animals here for us to eat and use. do i want to see animals abused? no. do i have an issue with people hunting them, killing them and eating them? no. if i could afford it, i would be on the first plane to africa on my own big game hunt...



Took the words right out of my mouth.


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## dolfanjack (Mar 31, 2011)

I graduated from Oregon state in wildlife biology and I can tell you this happens behind close doors all the time. Candy, people have did all kids of stupid stuff just because they didn't know better and now we have to fix it. The feds killed thousands of mountain goats in Washington states Olympic Natl. forest. Why? because people a hundred years ago thought it would be cool to have them there and no one new better. The goats where destroying native plants and the feds are trying to get the forest back to more natural origins. This includes letting natural fires burn. Since goats aren't endangered and the feds don't want them to spread disease they had to be destroyed. The same thing applies to dangerous elephants in Africa. Humans for the most part are trying to keep a balance. This guy might be an idiot for posting but its better he pays big bucks for the kill and then share the meat then to have a govt official kill it and let it rot. My two pennies, Jack


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## dolfanjack (Mar 31, 2011)

I graduated from Oregon state in wildlife biology and I can tell you this happens behind close doors all the time. Candy, people have did all kids of stupid stuff just because they didn't know better and now we have to fix it. The feds killed thousands of mountain goats in Washington states Olympic Natl. forest. Why? because people a hundred years ago thought it would be cool to have them there and no one new better. The goats where destroying native plants and the feds are trying to get the forest back to more natural origins. This includes letting natural fires burn. Since goats aren't endangered and the feds don't want them to spread disease they had to be destroyed. The same thing applies to dangerous elephants in Africa. Humans for the most part are trying to keep a balance. This guy might be an idiot for posting but its better he pays big bucks for the kill and then share the meat then to have a govt official kill it and let it rot. My two pennies, Jack



dolfanjack said:


> I graduated from Oregon state in wildlife biology and I can tell you this happens behind close doors all the time. Candy, people have did all kids of stupid stuff just because they didn't know better and now we have to fix it. The feds killed thousands of mountain goats in Washington states Olympic Natl. forest. Why? because people a hundred years ago thought it would be cool to have them there and no one new better. The goats where destroying native plants and the feds are trying to get the forest back to more natural origins. This includes letting natural fires burn. Since goats aren't endangered and the feds don't want them to spread disease they had to be destroyed. The same thing applies to dangerous elephants in Africa. Humans for the most part are trying to keep a balance. This guy might be an idiot for posting but its better he pays big bucks for the kill and then share the meat then to have a govt official kill it and let it rot. My two pennies, Jack


Not sure why this posted twice, sorry


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## DocNezzy (Mar 31, 2011)

Good to go Mark! Nicely said.


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## B K (Apr 1, 2011)

Candy said:


> Madkins007 said:
> 
> 
> > I am not a hunter and I love elephants, but if he followed the local rules then so what? It may be a tasteless video but I'm not planing to have lunch with the bozo and would not shut down my GoDaddy account because of it.
> ...



Well Iâ€™m an avid hunter so I guess that makes me a Disgusting Person


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## harris (Apr 1, 2011)

Laura said:


> If anyone wants to spend energy on a cause.. I think birth control for a country who cant feed itself, and maybe looking into fencing to keep animals out.. might be a better one.
> my 2 cents.




Bingo! However, it would never be accepted.


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## Robert (Apr 1, 2011)

An interesting search result below. (Hopefully none of us use any of these products.). I do use many of these products on a daily basis. For me, the important key is to limit any animals suffering and hope to avoid useless suffering. But I am not willing to give up many of these items. 


Approximately 45% of each food animal is actually used to make products other than food. Many of these products are part of our every day lives. For example:

Household: Paint, wallpaper, carpet, plywood, drywall, refrigerators, air conditioners (freon, a cooling agent), ceramic tiles (egg whites), foam rubber (catalase enzyme ), detergents, fabric softeners, many disinfectants, household cleaners, polishes, credit cards

Travel: asphalt, concrete blocks, steel, lubricants (fatty acids and proteins) and fluids, brake fluid and anti-freeze (glycerol), and tires (stearic acid).
Personal: sunscreens, deodorants, soaps and shampoos, cosmetics, toothpastes and mouthwashes. 

Health: Over 350 pharmaceuticals come from animals. Stomach remedies, vitamins and mineral supplements are also derived from animals. Many lifesaving drugs such as cortisone and insulin, and treatments for anaemia, emphysema, malaria, stroke and heart attacks are animal-based.

Work: computers, photocopiers, electrical circuit boards, ink toners, copy paper, steel ball bearings, lubricants, industrial cleaners, fire extinguishers 

Entertainment: photographic films, filters, inks, papers, brushes, art supplies, instruments


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## Madkins007 (Apr 1, 2011)

Candy said:


> And if you do that Mark then who wins? The idiots that think it's manly to go and kill off innocent animals? Those people did not look like they were starving to me and I would never keep my account with anyone who did this for his so called "Vacation Time." Kalina and others like me are the type of people who make people aware of what's happening out there so don't try to stop us from doing that by making telling them that they'll make themselves sick by being activists for it. More people should become involved and then disgusting people like this guy wouldn't be flashing their so called "Animal Prizes" around. To bad the elephants didn't get the chance to turn on them in the dark, that's the way I see it.



1. Who wins? Tell me who is loosing first. I know that it reduces the number of elephants, but apparently the government in that area has decided that there are enough elephants to support some hunting, but who (as in a human) is loosing in this scenario?

2. Killing innocent animals is what ALL predators do, and like it or not, humans are a predatory species. It is your opinion that we should not. You are certainly welcome to hold an opinion, but the flip side of that is to respect the opinion of others- and I don't see a lot of that in this sort of discussion. 

3. Don't tell me to get more involved. 
a.) You have no idea what I am involved in. I put a lot of time and money in several causes, some animal related. To assume that just because I am not with you on this one, I must be an uncaring jerk that does not care about issues is just plain wrong of you. Shame on you for making such an arrogant assumption. Shame on you!
b.) Real activists choose their battles and fight them in the real world. Posting a video and telling is all to get mad about it does very little to actually fix anything. It is like fighting AIDS by wearing a ribbon. Good for you- you have an opinion. The important thing is to ACT on that belief in a way that makes a real difference for that issue.
Let's use Japan as an example. For all practical purposes, posts like the OP here are showing videos of the tragedy and trying to get is all to feel sorry and emotional. A REAL activist would be posting info on what we can do to REALLY help- links for donations, for example. I rarely see that in these posts.
You may say that your 'actions step' here is to take business away from GoDaddy. OK, that punishes the hunter, but how does that help the elephants you claim to be supporting? Or the problems the villagers have living with the elephants?

4. 'Too bad the elephants don't get the chance to turn around in the dark'? I can admire the empathy you have for the animals, but this does not show a lot of empathy for humans. Why would it be OK for the elephant to kill the human but not the other way around?
I think this sentence said a lot about you, Candy, and the kind of person you are.


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## Angi (Apr 1, 2011)

This may be a dumb question, but arn't elephants endangered?
I also do not have a problem with hunting or eating animals, though I think Americans over do it and it is unhealthy to eat so much meat. I think if he built a trench around the crops it would have been more effective. Then he could have treated the villagers to a BBQ with hot dogs, beans and cole slaw. But that would not have been as exciting for him.


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## Angi (Apr 1, 2011)

This may be a dumb question, but arn't elephants endangered?
I also do not have a problem with hunting or eating animals, though I think Americans over do it and it is unhealthy to eat so much meat. I think if he built a trench around the crops it would have been more effective. Then he could have treated the villagers to a BBQ with hot dogs, beans and cole slaw. But that would not have been as exciting for him.


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## terryo (Apr 1, 2011)

The thing I didn't like about it was he not only seemed to enjoy the kill, but seeing these poor people struggling to get at the food. If the Government approved, why couldn't it be more organized. That was insane with all those people. It was like a piranha frenzy. I also agree with Laura. There are other ways to help these people if he really wants to help. 
If meat is a necessity of life, for food, I can understand, but I could never understand people who just go out and kill for the fun of killing. To see something standing there so beautiful, and then watching it struggle to live and then die. (And then put it's head in your living room.) Such a sad world we live in when killing of any living thing is done for fun and enjoyment. Just my 2 cents, and of course everyone is entitled to their opinion.


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## CtTortoiseMom (Apr 1, 2011)

*RE: GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons' Elephant Hunt Sparks Outrage... You got to be kidd*

I think it is really pompous to assume people don't know what's going on. Everyone I know is actively involved in many different causes. With all of this grandstanding, oops I mean informing, i question whether "bringing awareness" is the best method to help. I live in a very results oriented world and would never email a bunch of people or post a thread about a situation unless I was able to show real contributions to the cause or in order to ask like minded people to help achieve a specific goal. To me the above is more of a character assignation on a random CEO that someone probably got paid big money for. Anyone can type "cruel acts against animals" in google and come up with millions of sad stories but how does that help?


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## dmmj (Apr 1, 2011)

*RE: GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons' Elephant Hunt Sparks Outrage... You got to be kidd*



CtTortoiseMom said:


> I think it is really pompous to assume people don't know what's going on. Everyone I know is actively involved in many different causes. With all of this grandstanding, oops I mean informing, i question whether "bringing awareness" is the best method to help. I live in a very results oriented world and would never email a bunch of people or post a thread about a situation unless I was able to show real contributions to the cause or in order to ask like minded people to help achieve a specific goal. To me the above is more of a character assignation on a random CEO that someone probably got paid big money for. Anyone can type "cruel acts against animals" in google and come up with millions of sad stories but how does that help?


Actually it was on huffingPo so more than likely the person wasn't paid to write it.


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## CtTortoiseMom (Apr 1, 2011)

*RE: GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons' Elephant Hunt Sparks Outrage... You got to be kidd*

Right but I am sure the CEO did not give it to him to write about.


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## Candy (Apr 1, 2011)

Enough said, PETA is involved now, this moron is going down just like that elephant that he shot.


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## dmmj (Apr 1, 2011)

Ooooh PETA I am sure he is shaking in his boots.


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## Candy (Apr 1, 2011)

I do know how you feel about PETA David, but at least they get things done. It's more then anyone on here does by just arguing over the points. You actually have to take action (like I did last night for 1 hour) to do what's right for animals. All you need to do is to look at what PETA has done in the past and you'll find out that yes I'm sure he's taking notice to what he's done now, or at least the people who are in business with and around him will and that's fine because that will affect him. I'm sure he's already received the message.


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## terryo (Apr 1, 2011)

I can't get over how many people, in the comments section after the latest video, that are against him and pulling out their accounts. Amazing! The PETA is relentless, and they'll never stop bothering him now.


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## jaizei (Apr 1, 2011)

I do not understand why people in America are outraged about an elephant in Africa or turtles in China when there is so much at home to be concerned with. 

And yes, PETA gets things done. If killing animals is wrong, start your protest with PETA.


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## Laura (Apr 1, 2011)

PETA gets things Done.. this is one of the ways:
http://articles.sfgate.com/2005-06-23/opinion/17379611_1_peta-s-web-animal-cruelty-dead-animals

Careful who or what you support...


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## terryo (Apr 1, 2011)

Sorry if this is OT.
Yes, but remember there are different branches of the PETA all over and each is run by different people. In other words....the Carvel near me is very clean and well organized and you get really big portions of ice cream. The one in the next town is filthy, and you are lucky if you get half of that. So we can't say that all Carvel's are cheap and dirty. I usually weigh everything...if something does more good than bad, then I'm for it. I don't know of anything that is 100% perfect.


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## Edna (Apr 1, 2011)

Candy said:


> To bad the elephants didn't get the chance to turn on them in the dark, that's the way I see it.



Seriously? Because animal lives are more valuable to you than human lives? 

It really bothers me when people make statements like this because usually I think that if forced to choose, it would be people over animals. I mean, say you're in a car and in your path there's a deer and a person. Which are you going to take out? Hmmm.


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## ChiKat (Apr 1, 2011)

terryo said:


> Sorry if this is OT.
> Yes, but remember there are different branches of the PETA all over and each is run by different people. In other words....the Carvel near me is very clean and well organized and you get really big portions of ice cream. The one in the next town is filthy, and you are lucky if you get half of that. So we can't say that all Carvel's are cheap and dirty. I usually weigh everything...if something does more good than bad, then I'm for it. I don't know of anything that is 100% perfect.



This is important to remember. Great post.

PETA can be a bit too extreme at times. But I think their original intent is admirable, and I agree with their slogan that animals are not ours to eat, wear, use for entertainment, etc.



Edna said:


> It really bothers me when people make statements like this because usually I think that if forced to choose, it would be people over animals. I mean, say you're in a car and in your path there's a deer and a person. Which are you going to take out? Hmmm.



I would swerve and miss both  I don't want to harm a person OR an animal.


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## Robert (Apr 1, 2011)

terryo said:


> remember there are different branches of the PETA all over and each is run by different people.



With all do respect, I disagree with this statement. This is like saying that some factions of the KKK weren't that bad. PETA is a centralized organization with a concise mission. PETA is a radical organization. I'm sure that some members of PETA are 'nice people', but they choose to be members of a radical organization which supports and promotes violence against human beings.

Lets also remember that PETA promotes 100% animal liberation, including liberation from pet ownership. I assume most of us on this forum are pet owners. 

I do not support PETA, but they they get some things done:
"PETA also has given $2,000 to David Wilson, then a national ALF â€œspokesperson.â€ The group paid $27,000 for the legal defense of Roger Troen, who was arrested for taking part in an October 1986 burglary and arson at the University of Oregon. It gave $7,500 to Fran Stephanie Trutt, who tried to murder the president of a medical laboratory. It gave $5,000 to Josh Harper, who attacked Native Americans on a whale hunt by throwing smoke bombs, shooting flares, and spraying their faces with chemical fire extinguishers. All of these monies were paid out of tax-exempt funds, the same pot of money constantly enlarged by donations from an unsuspecting general public."


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## dmmj (Apr 1, 2011)

I would choose the person say 99% of the time, I hold most human life higher than I do animals. This question was asked many years ago in a study (not on here) If people had to choose between saving their dog's life over a human's (stranger) life a lot of people chose the dog's sad but scary that some people hold animal life higher than a humans life. I hope the people who choose animals over humans are never put in the position to save my life. Rest assured I would save anyone here over my animals any day of the week, even people I may not agree with all the time.


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## Robert (Apr 1, 2011)

terryo said:


> remember there are different branches of the PETA all over and each is run by different people.



With all do respect, I disagree with this statement. This is like saying that some factions of the KKK weren't that bad. PETA is a centralized organization with a concise mission. PETA is a radical organization. I'm sure that some members of PETA are 'nice people', but they choose to be members of a radical organization which supports and promotes violence against human beings.

Lets also remember that PETA promotes 100% animal liberation, including liberation from pet ownership. I assume most of us on this forum are pet owners. 

I do not support PETA, but they they get some things done:
"PETA also has given $2,000 to David Wilson, then a national ALF â€œspokesperson.â€ The group paid $27,000 for the legal defense of Roger Troen, who was arrested for taking part in an October 1986 burglary and arson at the University of Oregon. It gave $7,500 to Fran Stephanie Trutt, who tried to murder the president of a medical laboratory. It gave $5,000 to Josh Harper, who attacked Native Americans on a whale hunt by throwing smoke bombs, shooting flares, and spraying their faces with chemical fire extinguishers. All of these monies were paid out of tax-exempt funds, the same pot of money constantly enlarged by donations from an unsuspecting general public."


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## Robert (Apr 1, 2011)

terryo said:


> remember there are different branches of the PETA all over and each is run by different people.



With all do respect, I disagree with this statement. This is like saying that some factions of the KKK weren't that bad. PETA is a centralized organization with a concise mission. PETA is a radical organization. I'm sure that some members of PETA are 'nice people', but they choose to be members of a radical organization which supports and promotes violence against human beings.

Lets also remember that PETA promotes 100% animal liberation, including liberation from pet ownership. I assume most of us on this forum are pet owners. 

I do not support PETA, but they get some things done:
"PETA also has given $2,000 to David Wilson, then a national ALF â€œspokesperson.â€ The group paid $27,000 for the legal defense of Roger Troen, who was arrested for taking part in an October 1986 burglary and arson at the University of Oregon. It gave $7,500 to Fran Stephanie Trutt, who tried to murder the president of a medical laboratory. It gave $5,000 to Josh Harper, who attacked Native Americans on a whale hunt by throwing smoke bombs, shooting flares, and spraying their faces with chemical fire extinguishers. All of these monies were paid out of tax-exempt funds, the same pot of money constantly enlarged by donations from an unsuspecting general public."


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## ChiKat (Apr 1, 2011)

Don't believe everything you read, Rob. 
The truth about the Roger Troen incident.



> We have also provided vigorous defenses for other animal activists, including Roger Troen, a former school teacher who, despite our efforts, was eventually convicted of harboring rabbits who had been stolen from a laboratory at the University of Oregon where grotesque experiments were being conducted.
> 
> Expert testimony in that trial revealed that the rabbits had not been the only animals to suffer in that lab: A number of monkeys had died after 14-hour brain surgeries; animals had been strapped by research staff to a table and photographed with bottles of beer in their mouths; and cats were being blinded and forced to perform frightening tasks, such as balancing over a drum filled with water. Although Mr. Troen was found guilty of receiving â€œstolen goods,â€ the presiding judge declared that, after hearing the evidence, he felt ashamed to call the University of Oregon his alma mater.



I don't know about the other events you listed, but it just goes to show there are two sides to every story. I would have supported Roger too.

eta: Sorry for the thread hijacking


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## Robert (Apr 1, 2011)

ChiKat said:


> Don't believe everything you read, Rob.
> The truth about the Roger Troen incident.
> 
> 
> ...



What I've read is that Roger Troen was involved in criminal activity. The courts supported that claim. YOUR quote supports that claim. PETA used tax exempt donation money to help defend him. What am I missing here?

I would also caution not to believe everything you read. PETA is a radical activist group that supports violent action against humans, and the majority of the money that they collect under the guise of "helping animals" is used to fund these violent crimes. They are not, and have never been, a group of nice animal lovers trying to help animals. 

In my opinion, this is not the type of organization that should be applauded or defended by anyone who values life. (Human and non human animal life.)


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## terryo (Apr 1, 2011)

"What I've read is that Roger Troen was involved in criminal activity. The courts supported that claim. YOUR quote supports that claim. PETA used tax exempt donation money to help defend him. What am I missing here?

I would also caution not to believe everything you read. PETA is a radical activist group that supports violent action against humans, and the majority of the money that they collect under the guise of "helping animals" is used to fund these violent crimes. They are not, and have never been, a group of nice animal lovers trying to help animals." 


We could argue about this all day. It all comes down to what we each believe in and why. When I was younger I myself have been involved with and done radical things to save animals from horrendous conditions, and I would do it all over again. I have seen tapes of these events, and underground tapes of what these animals had to endure in the name of science in the hands of sadistic people who enjoyed inflecting pain. They were actually laughing...saying "Awww does that hurt?" Radical? Against the law? You bet!! These things are all a matter of opinion. I respect your opinion, even though I disagree with it. 
As far as being against the law. How many here have licenses to own and collect your animals? I'm sure not everyone. Everyday I see things that are against the law.....every day. Sad, but this is the world we live in now.
Like I said...we can't all agree, but we should agree to respect each other's opinions.


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## Madkins007 (Apr 1, 2011)

Oh, boy! PETA is going to after a rich schmuck who did not break any laws and is just one doofus doing this out of thousands! I am so relieved. Now the elephants will be safe.


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## Candy (Apr 1, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> Candy said:
> 
> 
> > And if you do that Mark then who wins? The idiots that think it's manly to go and kill off innocent animals? Those people did not look like they were starving to me and I would never keep my account with anyone who did this for his so called "Vacation Time." Kalina and others like me are the type of people who make people aware of what's happening out there so don't try to stop us from doing that by making telling them that they'll make themselves sick by being activists for it. More people should become involved and then disgusting people like this guy wouldn't be flashing their so called "Animal Prizes" around. To bad the elephants didn't get the chance to turn on them in the dark, that's the way I see it.
> ...



Gee Mark let me turn this back around on you, shame on you for saying that one sentence will tell you what I'm all about. I thought that you were more intelligent then that, but maybe I'm wrong. You say to know about your cause, but can you tell me what does anyone on here know about these people, probably not much, that's what. I dare to make the comment that very few even watched this video and if they did I would like to know what kind of crop that was that the elephants were stomping on? Can you also tell me what happened two years ago in this village or even 5 years ago in this village and if they've always had problems like these, no you can't. This idiot films a video of killing a innocent animal just doing what it does naturally and nobody has the intelligence to question any of it. There are other ways to deter elephants away from areas did anyone research how to do this before they pulled their guns out, no they didn't. That's obvious by watching the video. Reread what I said Mark, "More people should get involved." Did you see your name personally written in this comment. Am I supposed to know you that well that I think you would take this to heart? If you did then maybe you have something else to think about. Real activists would post for donations, are you serious? Then they would just say (like they always do) that we're just trying to get the money and not fight for the cause. If you don't understand what I mean then try reading Laura's thread about the dog that was abused and needed a new home. Whenever any activist organization brings up money (like Peta) they always fall back on "Their just trying to get money again." Well Duh! How would they run without any support funds? And about helping the elephants by taking the humans away, the only thing that I can say to that is if the humans were not there we would have one more elephant in Africa today. I don't post things for people to blinding follow what is said, that would be up to you to now find out if I'm right or not. I'm talking about facts here not emotional opinions. People need to ask their own questions and don't just believe what you are told. Just because you think someones opinion is not right does not mean that it doesn't have merit to it. They just might see it differently and in different times in our lives so do we. Throughout our lives we change our thought patterns and we hopefully tend to grow both in intelligence and hopefully empathy and emotionally, this is why it's called growing up. I will not stand back and watch animals be brutally killed for one mans ego. This is who I am Mark, so don't pretend to know me either just by what you read. I will not apologize to anyone for standing up for what I believe in where animals are concerned, or children or anything else that I feel needs my help and I certainly will not turn a blind eye to it just because others have insults and think that they can intimate with that instead of real facts. And wearing a ribbon for a cause is a good thing because it makes people ask questions Mark and that's where it all starts!



Laura said:


> PETA gets things Done.. this is one of the ways:
> http://articles.sfgate.com/2005-06-23/opinion/17379611_1_peta-s-web-animal-cruelty-dead-animals
> 
> Careful who or what you support...



Please Laura repost this as it didn't come through and I'd like to read what you posted.



Oh, boy! PETA is going to after a rich schmuck who did not break any laws and is just one doofus doing this out of thousands! I am so relieved. Now the elephants will be safe.
Mark, in Nebraska. Librarian of the Tortoise Library, helping keepers raise healthy Red-foot and other tortoises.


Mark, I don't even know how I would post a comment to this kind of post. Wow! All I could say is it starts with one step. I've got to admit though I'm really surprised at the childish way this is written.


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## Candy (Apr 1, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> Oh, boy! PETA is going to after a rich schmuck who did not break any laws and is just one doofus doing this out of thousands! I am so relieved. Now the elephants will be safe.




Wow Mark that is very immature comment from you. Haven't seen this side yet. Very interesting though.


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## Candy (Apr 1, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> Oh, boy! PETA is going to after a rich schmuck who did not break any laws and is just one doofus doing this out of thousands! I am so relieved. Now the elephants will be safe.



Mark I don't even know how to comment on this post. Wow!


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## Candy (Apr 1, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> Oh, boy! PETA is going to after a rich schmuck who did not break any laws and is just one doofus doing this out of thousands! I am so relieved. Now the elephants will be safe.



Mark I don't even know what to say to this kind of a post, wow!


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## B K (Apr 2, 2011)

Itâ€™s easy to insult and call people names when you donâ€™t know them and will ever meet them.


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## Laura (Apr 2, 2011)

(Yesterday 02:13 PM)Laura Wrote: 
PETA gets things Done.. this is one of the ways:
http://articles.sfgate.com/2005-06-23/op...ad-animals

Careful who or what you support...

Please Laura repost this as it didn't come through and I'd like to read what you posted.

worked fine for me by clicking on the link: i just googled PETA kills animals etc.. ang get all sorts of stuff. Not all legit.. but lots is..

Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread...ge-You-got-to-be-kidding?page=4#ixzz1IP3qUpkr




DON'T BE FOOLED by the slick propaganda of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The organization may claim to champion the welfare of animals, as the many photos of cute puppies and kittens on its Web site suggest. But last week, two PETA employees were charged with 31 felony counts of animal cruelty each, after authorities found them dumping the dead bodies of 18 animals they had just picked up from a North Carolina animal shelter into a Dumpster. According to the Associated Press, 13 more dead animals were found in a van registered to PETA.



The arrest followed a rash of unwelcome discoveries of dead animals dumped in the area. According to veterinarian Patrick Proctor, the PETA people told North Carolina shelters they would try to find the dogs and cats homes. He handed over two adoptable kittens and their mother, only to learn later that they had died, without a chance to find a home, in the PETA van. "This is ethical?" Proctor railed over the phone. "I don't really think so."

This is not the first report that PETA killed animals it claimed to protect. In 1991, PETA killed 18 rabbits and 14 roosters it had previously "rescued" from a research facility. "We just don't have the money" to care for them, then PETA-Chairman Alex Pacheco told the Washington Times. The PETA animal shelter had run out of room.

The Center for Consumer Freedom, which represents the food industry, a frequent target of PETA campaigns, released data filed by PETA with the state of Virginia that shows PETA has killed more than 10,000 animals from 1998 to 2003. "In 2003, PETA euthanized over 85 percent of the animals it took in," said a press release from the lobby, "finding adoptive homes for just 14 percent. By comparison, the Norfolk (Va.) SPCA found adoptive homes for 73 percent of its animals and Virginia Beach SPCA adopted out 66 percent."

The Center's David Martosko considered PETA's hefty budget -- reportedly, $20 million -- and many contributions from well-heeled Hollywood celebrities, then figured, "PETA has enough money in the bank to care for every unwanted animal in Virginia (where it has its headquarters) and North Carolina."

PETA prefers to spend donations, apparently, not caring for flesh-and- blood animals entrusted to it but on campaigns attacking medical researchers, meat-eaters or women wearing furs. It is as if PETA prefers the idea of animals to animals themselves.

Why does PETA kill animals that might otherwise find a home?


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## kimmer (Apr 2, 2011)

Here is a link with a statement from a conservationist in Zimbabwe about Elephants and the recent publicized killing of a bull by CEO Bob Parsons. 
http://aol.it/frhP2j

Zimbabwe's premier conservationist, a 62-year-old man who says he's endured assassination attempts for trying to preserve wildlife in one of Africa's poorest and most repressive countries, can't watch the video showing Bob Parsons, the billionaire CEO of GoDaddy.com, shooting and killing an elephant.

"I've seen so many of the atrocities against elephants and other wildlife here that it sickens me to the bottom of my soul," Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, told AOL News today on the telephone from Harare.

"But I have read what Parsons said, and he is totally misinformed about what is going on here. I wish he knew the truth."

Parsons, whose video sparked outrage when it circulated Thursday, is shown shooting a bull elephant on a recent hunting trip in Zimbabwe and then posing triumphantly next to the carcass. He called the animal a "problem elephant" that was in a herd attacking local crops and houses.

Some villagers, sporting GoDaddy caps, are also shown in the video carving up the dead elephant and eating the meat, as AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" plays on the soundtrack.

Parsons brushed off criticism in interviews and said that only a few animal rights groups like PETA were upset.

The villagers "are on the brink of starvation," he told CBS News. "They need their crops and need to eat. Elephants are not endangered and probably there are too many of them. A lot of people are up in arms about this. Their hearts are in the right place, but they don't understand the situation. If they'd go on one of my trips to Zimbabwe, they'd understand."

But Rodrigues, who grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe, said hunters like Parsons don't understand the level of government corruption in the country, how it's led to the collapse of the economy and how it's affected the wildlife.

AOL News spoke with Rodrigues about the plight of elephants in a country that was once a top destination for tourists who could enjoy wildlife protected by strong environmental policies -- but has deteriorated under an increasingly lawless regime.

AOL News: Bob Parsons said killing the elephant was justified because there are too many of them in Zimbabwe and they're attacking farmers and their crops who have no way of getting rid of them. True?

Johnny Rodrigues: No. For one thing, the government deliberately inflates the number of elephants so they can allot a certain number to be killed. Last year they said 500 elephants could be killed. They say there are 100,000 elephants. From what I have found, the figure is more like between 30,000 and 35,000. They lie about the number so they can allow hunters to kill them. They use the income generated to pay the wages to the park staffers and to keep the parks running because they have no money. The villagers don't see a penny. [Park authorities] just sell them the meat.

Illegal poaching occurs all over Africa. How is the situation different in Zimbabwe?

The problem in Zimbabwe is the guardians of the wildlife are the perpetrators. We're the only country in Africa that shoots game to pay wages to national park guardians and ration meat to their staff. It's sick. You wouldn't tolerate it. Zimbabwe is the only country where some of the park guardians are politically connected and don't care about the animals. They're the ones benefiting economically from their killing, even though they are the ones who are supposed to protect them.

Are elephants actually killed in the national parks?

They are not supposed to be, but they are. The government uses claims that elephants are destroying crops and attacking villagers to allow them to be hunted in national parks and safari areas.

Why are the elephants coming into villages and threatening the farmers?

Elephants are the most traumatized animals in Zimbabwe. They are being shot even in supposedly safe areas. Elephants travel in family units, and when one of their loved ones are shot and killed, the rest of the family remembers and they are traumatized and they will attack. They are very intelligent animals with phenomenal memories. When they see humans now, they remember.

What do they remember?

They remember it is humans who have caused all their stress, who have taken away their family members. They either attack or run away when they see a vehicle. It's very sad because we could co-exist. But humans, especially in Africa, are encroaching on land reserved for the animals, and the animals are running out of land.

What would you say to Bob Parsons if you could speak to him?

I would tell him he is supporting a terrible system that is not helping the poor people on the ground. Coming here with all his wealth for these unethical hunts and killing elephants is not helping anyone. It's perpetuating a horrible cycle in this country of traumatized animals and desperate people. And by telling them to eat meat the way he did and giving them his caps is like treating them like slaves.

What would you tell him about the bull elephant he killed, based on what you know about them?

Elephants are all part of families. The bull elephant Parsons killed has a family. It's the same as a robber coming into Parsons' house and shooting him in front of one of his kids. Parsons should look at some of the incredible research on elephants and elephant family behavior. He'd be shocked. Elephants are among the smartest, most sensitive animals alive.

How many elephants were there, say 100 years ago in Zimbabwe. Do you even know?

There were at least 700,000 to 800,000, but there's no comparison to today. They roamed all over. Man has totally encroached on their territory.

Can you report illegal poaching crimes to officials in Zimbabwe?

You will see some illegal poaching in Zambia, say, but it is a country with law and order. The authorities will do something about it. Here when you bring in a dossier of documents about illegal poaching to the attorney general, nothing happens. Even if you get to see a police investigator once, you'll never see them again. They disappear. It's what happens when there is no democracy and a breakdown of law and order.

People get killed in Zimbabwe for speaking out. Why do you take the risk?

It's very dangerous, but I've been exposing what's going on in this country for 12 years. I have death threats and attempts on my life. Strange things happen here to people like me.

Sponsored Links
What kind of strange things?

People coming around, beatings, being locked up, disappearing for a few months. But somebody has to speak out. I fought for this country in the war, so I feel I have a right to be a voice for the voiceless. I am trying to preserve our wonderful wildlife in this beautiful country. That's more important than anything that happens to me.

Have international wildlife groups reached out to Zimbabwe?

Unfortunately not really. The political situation is so difficult that it keeps people away.

What about those who believe that man comes first and while it's unfortunate that animals suffer, we are more important and this is a bit of a non-issue?

Preserving our wildlife and our flora and fauna is not only part of our heritage in Zimbabwe -- it was also the biggest foreign currency earner. The government is destroying a self-sustaining industry that all the people here benefit from. The communities that live around the wildlife areas benefit from selling their wares. No tourists want to come here and see all this bloodletting and miserable animals.


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## terryo (Apr 2, 2011)

Dishonest Politics and propaganda go hand in hand as usual! Isn't there one place on this earth that we can find an honest form of government? Nope! But let's not break any kind of law, especially one that could help the poor animal's. PETA!!! I can't read any more of this. I had nightmares last night.


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## dmmj (Apr 2, 2011)

Sorry I like living in a society where people follow the law, call me kooky, but I do. What happens when an animal activist decides that aldabraman is abusing his tortoises? or me? or yvonne? does the ends justify the means when it is directed at you? to PETA's most hardcore members we are all abusing animals by keeping pets, so where do we draw the line when it comes to violating the laws? You don't like the law get it changed don't break it, once you do you end up on a slippery slope. PETA's goal is rights for animals and once animals have rights you won't be able to have pets, eat them, see them in zoos, or use their byproducts,I could never belong to an organization whose main goal is to say I can't do something,and I don't see how anyone who has a pet can support an org whose main goal is to take your animals away from you.


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## B K (Apr 2, 2011)

Just think 1000s of tortoise have died and many are still dying in the reptile business. It took many years for us to figure out the proper lighting and nutrition and care to be able to keep them healthy and thriving. What do you think PETA thinks about that, it is only a matter of time before they turn their attention to us. But what do I know Iâ€™m one of those Idiot Disgusting people who hunt and take pictures and showâ€™s my friends.


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## Robert (Apr 2, 2011)

dmmj said:


> "Sorry I like living in a society where people follow the law, call me kooky, but I do......."
> 
> "to PETA's most hardcore members we are all abusing animals by keeping pets, so where do we draw the line when it comes to violating the laws? You don't like the law get it changed don't break it, once you do you end up on a slippery slope."



I agree. 

If an individual chooses to break the law of the country in which he/she lives, that is up to that individual alone. That person is then responsible for living with the consequesces of those actions, be them legal, moral, etc...

PETA uses tax exempt donors money to defend criminals. PETA, as an organization, considers each and every pet owning member of this forum to be animal abusers. PETA advocates and supports "direct action" which translates into VIOLENCE AGAINST HUMANS. This is an opinion which I do not respect. 

- â€œIn the end, I think it would be lovely if we stopped this whole notion of pets altogether.â€ -Ingrid Newkirk, PETA

- â€œPet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation.â€ -Ingrid Newkirk, PETA

Like it or not, anyone reading this thread right now is currently using animal byproducts to do so. 

I do not, and will not ever, advocate hurting any animal simply for pleasure.


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## Angi (Apr 2, 2011)

I don't think this started as a PETA thing and I didn't see where Candy said it is okay to break the law or bad to hunt. In fact one post talked about the African goverment being corrupt and breacking the law. Maybe I missed it. I think who ever started this thread just wanted to make us aware of what is going on. There is nothing I can do about the killing of elephant in Africa, but being aware of it is not hurting me and maybe someone will see this that can help make a difference. Candy and Kalina feel passionate about animal rights I feel passionate about Sudden Cardiac Arrest in children. So SCA is one of the causes I donate my time to, but I can still learn from them and their posts. I dont post about SCA because this is not a health forum or childrens causes forum. If it was I would post about the things I have done to help prevent SCA. Being part of this forum has changed the way I think about animals. I still don't have a problem with hunting, but I no longer look forward to finding a rattle snake so I can kill it. I am not sure what I will do the next time I find a rattle snake. I used to think rattle snakes were just bad and should all be killed. They used to really scare me. Now I see them as part of nature in a place I move to because I like the open space. I also don't care for PETA. There is also not much I can do to stop PETA, but being aware of the things they do makes me more informed and less of an idiot. Just saying.....


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## Madkins007 (Apr 2, 2011)

Candy said:


> Madkins007 said:
> 
> 
> > Candy said:
> ...


*

I did not say it said it was what you were all about. I said it says a lot about you that you wished the elephant would have killed the human.

*


> I thought that you were more intelligent then that, but maybe I'm wrong. You say to know about your cause, but can you tell me what does anyone on here know about these people, probably not much, that's what. I dare to make the comment that very few even watched this video and if they did I would like to know what kind of crop that was that the elephants were stomping on? Can you also tell me what happened two years ago in this village or even 5 years ago in this village and if they've always had problems like these, no you can't.


*

I know MY causes. I also know something about the problems farmers have had in Africa with the megafauna for the last 50+ years. It is a deeply complex problem rooted in culture, politics, and poverty. (By the way, the crop in the videos is sorghum- it even says it in the video.) 

*


> This idiot films a video of killing a innocent animal just doing what it does naturally and nobody has the intelligence to question any of it. There are other ways to deter elephants away from areas did anyone research how to do this before they pulled their guns out, no they didn't. That's obvious by watching the video.


*

Sure- expensive techniques that work sometimes and most of the villages cannot afford. Have you sent any the villagers money for the protections systems to help protect the elephants?

Our local nature center has a massive overabundance of White-tail deer- they were damaging native plants badly and getting diseases from over-crowding. They researched options and most cost several hundred to over a thousand per deer- here in a well-industrialized place with lots of options and money. 

There solution was a managed hunt- quick, cheap, effective. Many people protested, heavily, but none of the protesters responded when given the chance to help fund other options. This is just one example I have seen that makes me uninterested in activists or protesters that support causes verbally, but not with money or time spent on the issue itself (rather than just protesting it.)

By the way, we kill animals here in the US for the same reasons- doing what they do naturally, but doing it too close to us. I love reptiles, but I know people who kill rattlesnakes on their property to protect their families, and I am OK with that, even though the snakes are locally endangered and there are other ways to control them- but they are not very effective and are expensive. I bet you would do the same thing in similar circumstances.

*


> Reread what I said Mark, "More people should get involved." Did you see your name personally written in this comment. Am I supposed to know you that well that I think you would take this to heart? If you did then maybe you have something else to think about.


*

You made a comment implying that people need to get involved. I pointed out that people ARE involved and you were being arrogant in assuming they were not. The issue seems to be that people are just not involved in what YOU think is important. 

*


> Real activists would post for donations, are you serious? Then they would just say (like they always do) that we're just trying to get the money and not fight for the cause. If you don't understand what I mean then try reading Laura's thread about the dog that was abused and needed a new home. Whenever any activist organization brings up money (like Peta) they always fall back on "Their just trying to get money again." Well Duh! How would they run without any support funds?


*

I think that says more about you and PETA than the generosity of people here and in other places. There are other programs that are less controversial that are accomplishing the same things, like the African Elephant Trust, or the World Wildlife Fund. At least groups like this work on the ground with a better understanding of the whole issue.

*


> And about helping the elephants by taking the humans away, the only thing that I can say to that is if the humans were not there we would have one more elephant in Africa today.


*

Heck, why stop there? Human hunters probably caused the extinction of most mammoths and mastadons in the New World. 

*


> I don't post things for people to blinding follow what is said, that would be up to you to now find out if I'm right or not. I'm talking about facts here not emotional opinions. People need to ask their own questions and don't just believe what you are told.


*

LMAO! It is so much fun to wind you up and let you go! 

*


> Just because you think someones opinion is not right does not mean that it doesn't have merit to it. They just might see it differently and in different times in our lives so do we. Throughout our lives we change our thought patterns and we hopefully tend to grow both in intelligence and hopefully empathy and emotionally, this is why it's called growing up.


*

I've never said or thought otherwise.

*


> I will not stand back and watch animals be brutally killed for one mans ego. This is who I am Mark, so don't pretend to know me either just by what you read. I will not apologize to anyone for standing up for what I believe in where animals are concerned, or children or anything else that I feel needs my help and I certainly will not turn a blind eye to it just because others have insults and think that they can intimate with that instead of real facts.


*

Nor is anyone asking you to change your concerns. I'm just suggesting that you are not approaching your concerns in a way that is helping your causes. Has anything you or Kalina done here really made a difference to the actual lives of living whales, elephants, etc.? Have you managed to raise funds for PETA from here? 

Not really, and it has nothing to do with the worthiness of your causes, it is all in how you are presenting yourselves. You are not winning over hearts and minds. You are an adult and you already know this.

There are ways you guys could have presented these causes and rallied the entire forum behind you, but you guys made the choice to approach it in a more aggressive way. 

*


> And wearing a ribbon for a cause is a good thing because it makes people ask questions Mark and that's where it all starts!


*

There are not many 'ribbon causes' that people have a lot of questions about, and people are pretty well trained to not ask questions like that of strangers. It is a bit like inviting a Jehovah's Witness to chat about the literature they are carrying. Again- there are better, smarter, more effective options.

*


> (snip)
> "Oh, boy! PETA is going to after a rich schmuck who did not break any laws and is just one doofus doing this out of thousands! I am so relieved. Now the elephants will be safe."
> 
> Mark, I don't even know how I would post a comment to this kind of post. Wow! All I could say is it starts with one step. I've got to admit though I'm really surprised at the childish way this is written.


*

And you don't think PETA going after him is not childish? It is a grandstanding action that is not accomplishing anything specifically to help elephants although it is going to get some press. He already got his elephant- taking action against him is not going to stop the next guy. 

How does dropping GoDaddy accounts help elephants? It sends a message to the CEO to not do it again, but what does it do about the actual conflict between elephants and locals? *


Before this goes too much further, a quick reminder... I do not think either of us have posted anything here in anger, and I like to think that people like us can disagree, even on issues that are important to us, but still respect each other as individuals.

In other words, I hope we can discuss things like this in these threads, and still help each other in tortoise care or question forums= and I think we can.


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## Candy (Apr 3, 2011)

kimmer said:


> Here is a link with a statement from a conservationist in Zimbabwe about Elephants and the recent publicized killing of a bull by CEO Bob Parsons.
> http://aol.it/frhP2j
> 
> Zimbabwe's premier conservationist, a 62-year-old man who says he's endured assassination attempts for trying to preserve wildlife in one of Africa's poorest and most repressive countries, can't watch the video showing Bob Parsons, the billionaire CEO of GoDaddy.com, shooting and killing an elephant.
> ...



Thank you Kimmer for this post, excellent. I didn't even know half of this. This is the kind of posting that I wanted. I wanted to have the other side of these elephants. This was not about PETA although I know a lot of you seem to think that it is. It is about getting to the truth of the killing of an animal. 



Angi said:


> I don't think this started as a PETA thing and I didn't see where Candy said it is okay to break the law or bad to hunt. In fact one post talked about the African goverment being corrupt and breacking the law. Maybe I missed it. I think who ever started this thread just wanted to make us aware of what is going on. There is nothing I can do about the killing of elephant in Africa, but being aware of it is not hurting me and maybe someone will see this that can help make a difference. Candy and Kalina feel passionate about animal rights I feel passionate about Sudden Cardiac Arrest in children. So SCA is one of the causes I donate my time to, but I can still learn from them and their posts. I dont post about SCA because this is not a health forum or childrens causes forum. If it was I would post about the things I have done to help prevent SCA. Being part of this forum has changed the way I think about animals. I still don't have a problem with hunting, but I no longer look forward to finding a rattle snake so I can kill it. I am not sure what I will do the next time I find a rattle snake. I used to think rattle snakes were just bad and should all be killed. They used to really scare me. Now I see them as part of nature in a place I move to because I like the open space. I also don't care for PETA. There is also not much I can do to stop PETA, but being aware of the things they do makes me more informed and less of an idiot. Just saying.....



Angi I would love to hear more about SCA. Maybe you could either start a thread in the "Off Topic Chit Chat" or pm me some of the information on it. I think I know what you're talking about, but I think it would be very informative to hear it from you. 

Before this goes too much further, a quick reminder... I do not think either of us have posted anything here in anger, and I like to think that people like us can disagree, even on issues that are important to us, but still respect each other as individuals.

In other words, I hope we can discuss things like this in these threads, and still help each other in tortoise care or question forums= and I think we can. 




Of course Mark. We can agree to disagree that's o.k.  Thank you for posting that.


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## Madkins007 (Apr 4, 2011)

I knew you knew that, Candy- I think you've always played nicely, even when people disagreed with you. You still help in the tortoise threads, etc. And I hoped you saw that my comments were not meant in heat or anger, although I will admit to some dramatization and poking fun.

I've been amused at the sound bites both sides are doing for this issue. What bothers me is how focused it is on the idiot CEO and how little attention, comparatively, is being given to the larger situation. Sad.


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## dmmj (Apr 4, 2011)

Personally I wish people would focus more on the starving people than the animals.


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## Robert (Apr 4, 2011)

dmmj said:


> Personally I wish people would focus more on the starving people than the animals.



+1

Focus on educating the people, especially the young girls. The trickle down will be an increase in education, a decrease in hunger, a decrease in uncontrolled population increases, etc. All of this leads to compassion, which in turn will help the animals in and around the community. 

I'll take this opportunity to link to my shameless promotion link: our next trip is next week: Ethiopias Daughters Link


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## B K (Apr 4, 2011)

I personally found some of Candyâ€™s remarks to be mean and spiteful.


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## terryo (Apr 4, 2011)

B K said:


> I personally found some of Candyâ€™s remarks to be mean and spiteful.



I have never known Candy to be mean or spiteful. She is passionate in what she believes in and is always trying to educate people....one step at a time. There have been many heated debates on this forum, but in the end, everyone respects each other's opinions and always remains friends no matter what is said. One of the reasons I love this forum and why I'm still here after four years.

Robert...I think what you are doing is wonderful.


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## B K (Apr 4, 2011)

terryo said:


> B K said:
> 
> 
> > I personally found some of Candyâ€™s remarks to be mean and spiteful.
> ...




And if you do that Mark then who wins? The idiots that think it's manly to go and kill off innocent animals? Those people did not look like they were starving to me and I would never keep my account with anyone who did this for his so called "Vacation Time." Kalina and others like me are the type of people who make people aware of what's happening out there so don't try to stop us from doing that by making telling them that they'll make themselves sick by being activists for it. More people should become involved and then disgusting people like this guy wouldn't be flashing their so called "Animal Prizes" around. To bad the elephants didn't get the chance to turn on them in the dark, that's the way I see it.



Well I hunt so that makes me an Idiot,and I have mounts on my wall and show people so Im a Disgusting Person sound mean and spiteful to me.[/u]


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## Laura (Apr 4, 2011)

Eudcation is the key.. in SO many things.. 
I have been involved in Conservation issues and support several groups. They dont just go in to save the animals, they also Help the native people, give them jobs and reasons to Protect the animals. Tourism brings in Money.. Touch the Jungle in Ecuador, CCF Cheetah Conservation Fund,, I worked with cheetahs and helped raise over 1million dollars that went into cheetah conservation. They work with native people, show them ways to protect thier livestock, breed livestock gaurdian dogs and give them to the farmers, Wildlife Conservation Network WCN.. they support many different projects all over the world. Cheetahs, Elephants, African Wild Dogs, Andean Mt Cat, Bongos, Chimps etc etc.. the projects they help support also help the people in the same area the animals live. Another is Project Survival. They help several different conservation efforts. Google any of those and you can become part of the Solution! Project Survival is building a new cheetah center in Kenya.. they need people to help..they need $$These people GO TO the area and Educate the public and the people about how to live WITH the animals and not kill them. You can donate money, spread the word, go volunteer, go on safari, stay at the lodge etc etc.. Eco Tourism is also something. Go on vacation in one of thses areas and help support the local people and animals. it can be done.. its IS being done..


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## CtTortoiseMom (Apr 4, 2011)

*RE: GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons' Elephant Hunt Sparks Outrage... You got to be kidd*

I agree 100% that education is the key to changing the world, but what is even more amazing is that just by educating girls you can change the most deeply rooted ignorance. Girl's become mothers and empowered respected mothers become community leaders and so forth...


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## jackrat (Apr 4, 2011)

I have to put in my two cents here,for what it's worth.I don't care for the kind of hunting this guy is doing.I am a hunter and have been all of my life.For me,it's simply a way of putting meat on the table.When I kill an animal,it is done swiftly,without suffering.I know that this animal has led a good life,not crowded in some factory farm where supermarket meat comes from.Tell me which is more cruel.I feel no different harvesting an animal than I do picking a tomato or catching a fish.My children have grown up knowing where meat comes from,and that something has to die to provide it.Getting it from the supermarket is just paying someone else to do your killing for you.I'm not saying any of this to upset anyone,it's just the way I feel.


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## Candy (Apr 4, 2011)

dmmj said:


> Personally I wish people would focus more on the starving people than the animals.



We can do both David. Sometimes it's not so easy to get involved and help starving people as their governments will take it right from under them.


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## CtTortoiseMom (Apr 4, 2011)

*RE: GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons' Elephant Hunt Sparks Outrage... You got to be kidd*



Candy said:


> dmmj said:
> 
> 
> > Personally I wish people would focus more on the starving people than the animals.
> ...



That is true but there are many ways to help in spite of these corrupt governments.
The harder it is to help, the more it is needed!


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## Candy (Apr 4, 2011)

jackrat said:


> I have to put in my two cents here,for what it's worth.I don't care for the kind of hunting this guy is doing.I am a hunter and have been all of my life.For me,it's simply a way of putting meat on the table.When I kill an animal,it is done swiftly,without suffering.I know that this animal has led a good life,not crowded in some factory farm where supermarket meat comes from.Tell me which is more cruel.I feel no different harvesting an animal than I do picking a tomato or catching a fish.My children have grown up knowing where meat comes from,and that something has to die to provide it.Getting it from the supermarket is just paying someone else to do your killing for you.I'm not saying any of this to upset anyone,it's just the way I feel.



And this I can totally understand. My own father hunted although I only went with him once and I don't remember him killing anything that time. I did get to shoot a gun so that was cool. I am not trying to tell people that they can't hunt, but it's the way this guy did it. It was only a power play to him and I myself don't believe it was anything but that. That I don't agree with and it is disgusting to watch on that video. 




Laura said:


> Eudcation is the key.. in SO many things..
> I have been involved in Conservation issues and support several groups. They dont just go in to save the animals, they also Help the native people, give them jobs and reasons to Protect the animals. Tourism brings in Money.. Touch the Jungle in Ecuador, CCF Cheetah Conservation Fund,, I worked with cheetahs and helped raise over 1million dollars that went into cheetah conservation. They work with native people, show them ways to protect thier livestock, breed livestock gaurdian dogs and give them to the farmers, Wildlife Conservation Network WCN.. they support many different projects all over the world. Cheetahs, Elephants, African Wild Dogs, Andean Mt Cat, Bongos, Chimps etc etc.. the projects they help support also help the people in the same area the animals live. Another is Project Survival. They help several different conservation efforts. Google any of those and you can become part of the Solution! Project Survival is building a new cheetah center in Kenya.. they need people to help..they need $$These people GO TO the area and Educate the public and the people about how to live WITH the animals and not kill them. You can donate money, spread the word, go volunteer, go on safari, stay at the lodge etc etc.. Eco Tourism is also something. Go on vacation in one of thses areas and help support the local people and animals. it can be done.. its IS being done..



Just last night I watched a special on Cheetahs, what awesome animals they are. I learned a lot about them. This sounds like a wonderful organization Laura. How wonderful that you got to have that experience up close with Cheetahs, I couldn't imagine after seeing how big they can get.


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## ChiKat (Apr 4, 2011)

jackrat said:


> I have to put in my two cents here,for what it's worth.I don't care for the kind of hunting this guy is doing.I am a hunter and have been all of my life.For me,it's simply a way of putting meat on the table.When I kill an animal,it is done swiftly,without suffering.I know that this animal has led a good life,not crowded in some factory farm where supermarket meat comes from.Tell me which is more cruel.I feel no different harvesting an animal than I do picking a tomato or catching a fish.My children have grown up knowing where meat comes from,and that something has to die to provide it.Getting it from the supermarket is just paying someone else to do your killing for you.I'm not saying any of this to upset anyone,it's just the way I feel.



Thank you for sharing. I can respect that more than people supporting factory farming.


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## Candy (Apr 4, 2011)

B K said:


> terryo said:
> 
> 
> > B K said:
> ...



I didn't call Jackrat an idiot did I? Now that you've posted about hanging their heads on your walls I've got to ask you, why do people do that? I've always wondered this even as a child, it's just that I've never met anyone who has done this before. Is it because they're more of a trophy then food for your family? Can you explain this to me?



terryo said:


> B K said:
> 
> 
> > I personally found some of Candyâ€™s remarks to be mean and spiteful.
> ...



Terry you are one of the nicest people that I've met on here. Thank you for all of your support. I know that we're very similar where animal rights are concerned. 



Madkins007 said:


> I knew you knew that, Candy- I think you've always played nicely, even when people disagreed with you. You still help in the tortoise threads, etc. And I hoped you saw that my comments were not meant in heat or anger, although I will admit to some dramatization and poking fun.
> 
> I've been amused at the sound bites both sides are doing for this issue. What bothers me is how focused it is on the idiot CEO and how little attention, comparatively, is being given to the larger situation. Sad.



I think that the point that I was trying to make with the CEO is that he seemed so proud of what he was doing. And the second thing that bothered me was that I wasn't seeing anyone question if what he did was needed. That actually bothered me more than anything.  When people hunt they need to respect the animals in which they are hunting. I don't think that this man respects anything but his ego.


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## B K (Apr 5, 2011)

Candy said:


> B K said:
> 
> 
> > terryo said:
> ...






Never said you caled Jackrat an Idiot what you said was 
(The idiots that think it's manly to go and kill off innocent animals) so if you hunt your an Idiot .And no I'm not going to explain why I have mounts to you. You have already said how you feel about them. 
(Disgusting people like this guy wouldn't be flashing their so called "Animal Prizes")


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## Candy (Apr 5, 2011)

I was merely asking you to explain why you mount dead animals heads on your walls after you kill them. I fully understand you not wanting to explain that to anyone.


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## exoticsdr (Apr 5, 2011)

Candy said:


> I was merely asking you to explain why you mount dead animals heads on your walls after you kill them. I fully understand you not wanting to explain that to anyone.



I'm curious as to what your objection is? It might not be what you would do and that is understandable, but what would happen to the horns (rack) and pelt (the skin and horns are mounted on a foam likeness of the animal) if they are not mounted, they would otherwise just go to waste. They are still providing enjoyment to those who do own them, even though it might not be your idea of enjoyment.

(This is not directly related to this poster's comments) As for the PETA cooks....they are now trying to outlaw FISHING for God's sake!!! Beats me, how ANYONE that supports or condones PETA's antics can look anyone in the face and say that they own a pet of any kind....seems kind of hypocritical to me.

Doc


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## ChiKat (Apr 5, 2011)

exoticsdr said:


> (This is not directly related to this poster's comments) As for the PETA cooks....they are now trying to outlaw FISHING for God's sake!!!



That reminds me of a comic I saw the other day 






Regardless of personal views, I like his sarcasm.


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## african cake queen (Apr 5, 2011)

i can understand both sides ,like if you eat chicken, would or could you kill it for your dinner table? i would not like that, but i do buy chicken & meat in the store! l never seen elephant in stop & shop. i do get hunting deer , bird, elk ..etc. but this guy said he was doing a good deed. good deeds go to the heart not on video. lindy


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## dmmj (Apr 5, 2011)

sarcasm rocks


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## Angi (Apr 5, 2011)

I wish I could hunt or raise my own meat, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't do the butchering and skinning and cleaning YUCK. This is a bit off topic but the thread is heading this way....my concern is how unhealthy store bought food is. The hormones pumped into the animals and the antibiotics. The filth chickens live in is really sicking. Even the veggies are full of pesticides and chemicals. The food industry is scary and we wonder why food alergies and cancer are increasing. Okay so that was my soap box comment for the day

BTW Candy~ the people I know who have mounted animals on their walls or stuffed or skinned animals concidered it to be a trophy. I knew someone who had a son that had his own freezer full of animals he planned to stuff or skin or something. A little strange huh....


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## Angi (Apr 5, 2011)

I wish I could hunt or raise my own meat, but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't do the butchering and skinning and cleaning YUCK. This is a bit off topic but the thread is heading this way....my concern is how unhealthy store bought food is. The hormones pumped into the animals and the antibiotics. The filth chickens live in is really sicking. Even the veggies are full of pesticides and chemicals. The food industry is scary and we wonder why food alergies and cancer are increasing. Okay so that was my soap box comment for the day

BTW Candy~ the people I know who have mounted animals on their walls or stuffed or skinned animals concidered it to be a trophy. I knew someone who had a son that had his own freezer full of animals he planned to stuff or skin or something. A little strange huh....


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## Terry Allan Hall (Apr 10, 2011)

Kalina said:


> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/31/bob-parsons-godaddy-ceo-elephant-hunt_n_843121.html
> 
> The video below is pretty graphic.
> 
> ...



I'm an avid hunter, but I also respect that many folks prefer not to hear the details...

And, yes, the Zimbabwean villagers can certainly use the meat, and it's very unlikely that even a scrap was wasted...still, many folks, particularily city-folks, are so very far removed from the reality of their dinner that they find the whole thing greatly disturbing.


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