The Associated Press reported in April, George W. Bush
lead a tour of his ranch for hunting, fishing and land-conservation
advocates. He met with representatives of about 20 groups that the
administration called "wildlife conservation organizations." A
partial list showed hunting and fishing groups including Ducks Unlimited,
Quail Unlimited, the Safari Club International and the National Rifle
Association.
Another group, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, says
it "provides direct lobbying and grassroots coalition support
to protect and advance the rights of hunters, fishermen, trappers
and scientific wildlife management professionals."
They say that Bush is an avid fisherman and hunter
who picked up the “sports” from his father. On New Year's Day, he
went quail hunting with George H.W. Bush, a member of Ducks Unlimited.
It was reported that Bush told Tomke how much he enjoys
hunting ducks on the Texas Gulf Coast.
One of Bush's own aides has strongly criticized the
practices of some of the hunting groups. Matthew Scully, a presidential
speechwriter, wrote in his book, Dominion, that hunting is animal
abuse.
Scully describes a convention of Safari Club International,
whose members pay up to $20,000 to hunt elephants, lions or other
animals, either abroad or in American "safari ranches," where
the animals are fenced in pens.
Scully wrote: "Nature and this holy rite is transformed
into an endless theme park and the creatures into so many animatronic
figures ingeniously designed to jump and flee and fall for the giddy
delight of the boys."
Far from conceding the NRA vote, Democratic presidential
contender John Kerry is also an avid hunter, and is vying for the
hunters’ votes.
However, the NRA is not impressed. While Kerry strives
for gun owner votes by stressing his Vietnam service and love of
hunting, the NRA is no friend to Kerry. Reuters reported that at
its convention ”Freedom’s Steel”, NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam
said Kerry would “run the American firearms industry into financial
ruin.”
They seem to be right: The Senate killed a bill protecting
gun makers. Kerry helped to kill it. That kind of killing C.A.S.H.
doesn’t mind at all!!!
“Just remember it’s the birds that’s supposed to suffer,
not the hunter.” – George W. Bush, advising quail hunter and New
Mexico senator, Pete Domenici, Roswell, NM, Jan. 2004
