How do you feel about inflicting pain on an animal? Co-worker

Well I was sitting at a luncheon with a co-worker last Thursday. Another lady at the table whom I am close with asks me if I am getting my children bows for the holidays. At that comment, another lady whom I have known for a year perks up. We have a good relationship and we always talk about our families and other things. She asks, "how do you feel about inflicting pain on an animal?". I could tell she was not happy to find out that I hunted. I just gave her a kind look and said, "you know, I really did not bring the subject up and I can tell it makes you feel uncomfortable so lets just drop it". She would not drop the subject. So as she sat there eating pork and beef, I tried to explain to her that the pork and beef she is eating came from animals that she paid someone to kill. At that point she looked shocked. It was like I said something that was false. She asked, "how can you kill an animal when you have no idea where your arrow will go?", I said, "sure I know where the arrow will go, because I aim it and fire the arrow exactly where I want it to go". Again, she looked like she could not comprehend what I was saying because she was so overwhelmed by emotion. This lady is very intelligent so it was suprising to me that she could not connect the dots with this entire conversation.

This example is just one of many from people I have seen over the years, but for some reason it just stood out to me. We have intelligent people in our society that eat meat themselves, yet cannot understand why people hunt. It is a crazy phenomenon to say the least. I am perplexed.

 

LOL....I broke out laughing when you said she was eating pork and beef. I thought forsure you were going to say she was a veggie head. I've run into people like that as well...it blows my mind that they can't figure out that what there eating came an animal as well.

 

Vent---I talk with this lady about many things, and guess what.......I actually talk about things like children, how I love animals, protecting people, etc. Then I am "exposed" as a big bad hunter man and all of the sudden everything we have bonded on erodes in a split second,and I am reduced to a blood thirsty killer. It was strange.

 

When I talk with people like that I let them know that, as far as I am concerned, when there are no more abused children in pain, no more sick children in pain, no more hungry children, etc. (you get the idea) then I will start concerning myself with whether my food feels pain.

I often wonder if these people, the ones so "concerned" about animals, ever go to the local shelter and save any of those animals. Usually people like that talk a good game about their concern for animals but when it comes time for the rubber to hit the road they are full of excuses. I usually make those people very sorry they tried to lay that BS on me.

 

I had one of our folks tell me "oh, your one of THOSE people..."

quote

so I asked her, would you rather have the deer on Quantico starve to death, or die humanely?

not that I am contributing...but I am trying

 

I just look and them and rub my belly and say umm umm, because they taste good.

 

We have a peta lover at work. I invited her son to hunt with me, LOL

I tell them pain has been in their world since they existed.

 

Sean, people really get MAD over this stuff. It is weird. Like I am killing babies with the heal of my boot or something. These same people do the craziest things in life, break the law, etc....yet crucify hunters.

Bruce, I hear you. I have been sick for about a week so my energy reserves were reduced to a minimum when I was confronted with this situation. I just layed low with the lady.

 

I love animals ...they're delicious

Intelligence is measured by more than book smarts

 

It sure is,lol

 

I know exactly what you mean BRETT , I have a male co-worker thats the same way. Sounds like you handled yourself very well I went through the same thing when he was chomping on a burger, I had to explain also

 

x 42,000

 

Uh Blood, this virginiashadow, the improved version of VaBowman...it is Brett.

 

:D I just caught that when I re read the title and thought OOPS :D I seen you was the last reply, and I already had a good idea that I was getting scolded :D my bad, my bad,,,,now to EDIT

 

You Va guys all look alike.

 

I live far enough out in the sticks that pretty much EVERYONE hunts or farms. If they don't kill their food, they personally know who did. Heck, they close all the schools for opening day of deer season..... the tree huggers are few and far between. :D

 

I desperately need to move away from this area.

 

It sounds like you handled it real well virginiashadow. When I get those types of questions I simply educate them. Usually by asking them a series of questions that make them give answers that ultimately make them come to the conclusion hunting is better than the alternatives. Therefore they effectively agree with me that hunting is a good thing.

 

Brett, I honestly, in all my life have never ran into a peta member, anti hunter (one that hates it and frowns upon those who do) or any of the sorts. I hear alot of the stories you guys tell and honestly I am unsure how I would handle myself. I think I would just avoid the conversation all together if it started out bashing my ways so to speak. I have had many co-workers that do not hunt ask me about hunting in general or say your crazy for sitting in that weather when Kroger has it already wrapped up...things such as this, never a personal attack against me and/or hunting in general. The more I think about it...yep Georgia born and Georgia bread and when I die I will be Georgia dead.

You could also show her that cute picture of Bambi and tell her that you are such the animal lover that you would never "harvest" Bambi at a quartering to angle...first he would have to get at least 3 more years under his belt or at the very least turn a little more to the right so that he is broadside. You can also remind them that in said book, you never read about Bambi's momma sufferring from the big bad hunter, she must have went quickly.