Hawks and Doves
Doves are generally regarded as a symbol of peace. But in Argentina many view them as vermin. I'm assured this by the Assembly's countryside sports enthusiast Jim Shannon, who is just back from a dove shooting holiday in South America.
An anonymous source suggested to me that Jim had bagged 9000 doves. I found this hard to credit so gave Jim a ring and he assured me that his total was nothing like that. He says Argentina has 60 million doves, also known as Argentine pigeons, and he barely made a dint on the dove population. But he never gave me an actual figure.
According to this hunting holiday website, a shooter can expect to fire 1000 - 2500 rounds a day.
Jim says the holiday was an experience he'll never forget. The doves weren't available for comment.
I'm 
颁辞尘尘别苍迟蝉听听 Post your comment
What a shooter! He'll turn into a pigeon, having consumed all those pigeon-pies, if he's not careful.
SHAMEFUL SHANNON鈥
Disgraceful鈥o Jim Shannon has admitted to you that he enjoyed a 鈥榮porting鈥 holiday for the pleasure of dove shooting in Argentina. Presumably he did not reveal to you whether he used an Armalite or a Kalashnikova. I trust Mr Shannon will not be planning another sporting holiday to Northern Canada with a borrowed hurley stick for some more 鈥榮port鈥 at the annual cull.
Seriously - Shame on Shannon.
Mark
DOVE HUNTING: THE DEGENERATES IN PURSUIT OF THE DEFENCELESS
Jim Shannon鈥檚 life is bound up in animal death. His occupation is in pork retailing and a hobby is shooting innocent, defenceless creatures. On its own, his occupation is defensible but when combined with recreational hunting of animal life one wonders what goes on inside the man鈥檚 head. I shall not try to assess his state of mind (I haven鈥檛 the stomach) but his actions certainly show that he has fallen well below acceptable moral standards.
Perhaps we should not be surprised that Jim is so open about his vile hobby. After all, he is a member of a Party that has turned a blind eye to the Murder of Paul Quinn (not to mention the Murders of Robert McCartney and Denis Donaldson). That same Party is now happily sharing power with a Sinn Fein Minister who, unashamedly, admits to consulting with the IRA in South Armagh as part of his campaign to disprove their involvement in Paul Quinn鈥檚 Murder. In accepting murderous IRA internal housekeeping without demur, the DUP are hardly going to be too concerned about wanton cruelty directed towards defenceless animals.
Picking up on Pandora鈥檚 point, I wouldn鈥檛 bet against Jim going on a 鈥榮porting鈥 trip to Canada. Indeed he would have no difficulty in rationalizing the annual seal cull as a necessary wildlife protection measure that has many pleasing aesthetic aspects. Pandora鈥檚 condemnatory 鈥淪hame on Shannon鈥 is not harsh enough for me. If it were in my gift I would have him electronically tagged by the Courts so that the USPCA would be in a position to call him to account for his cruelty to animals.
Quite frankly, Jim鈥檚 participation in Animal-killing Tourism to Argentina fills me with the same disgust that I feel towards Sex Tourists to Thailand.
Susie
Carryduff
Just a quick reply to point out the obvious to Susie and all others who are jumping on the bandwagon as an excuse to do a little DUP bashing.
a) The birds shot on the hunting trip are pests which the Argentinean farmers spray with pesticides to kill due to the fact that they eat entire fields of crops. When the farmers use pesticides it kills the birds in a painful manner and the birds cannot then be eaten as they are effectively poisoned. When birds are shot, they are collected by the 'bird boys' (who are paid more for this than 'professionals' in the city centres) and the birds are then used for food and other uses. Having been myself to shanty town in neighbouring Brazil, ~I fully understand the difference that a dove will make to a family who has no money for anything else and it seems more cruel to human life and the animal life alike to have them die a very painful death and be used for no purpose rather than to be quickly killed and used to feed and sustain human life. TO me the moral compass of someone who suggests this is severely off course.
b) My second obvious point is for you to equate Jim's Job as a pork retailer and his hobby of country side sports together as a indicator of his mental state is absurd. I take it that you would not shop in any shop which sells meat or indeed uses any animal product as you would not agree with the mental state of those who - shock horror - would be a part of supplying the basic need of sustenance for humans at the expense of animals? Never mind trying to delve into the mind of Jim Shannon - perhaps a closer look at home may be more appropriate as there is a clear lack of logic on display.
c) Thirdly, the very real difference between a hunting holiday and a 'sex tourism holiday to Thailand'. To be quite frank Susie, I find this offensive and disgusting and instead of highlighting a supposed lack in Jim Shannon, would suggest to me a deeper lack of understanding and comprehension and common sense on your behalf. The two cannot sensibly be linked as similar and the attempt to do so by someone who is usually so articulate, tells me that you were really grasping at straws in your attempt to demean Jim Shannon.
d) Finally Susie, I would ask that before you write your witty comments, that you would take the time to research what you are saying. Had you taken the time to do so in this case I think that you would have found that the truth of what happens on these shooting holidays is far removed from what has been portrayed and I would have expected more from some one who is usually so on the ball. Rather than thinking less of Jim Shannon (as my representative, I am more than happy with the work he does both in and out of the Assembly) I think rather less of you for jumping on the bandwagon and spewing bile and uninformed nonsense. To make suppositions of anyone's opinion (re; the Canadian adventure) in order to make them fit into your perception is unworthy of any commentator.
It is well within your rights in this democratic state to hold and express your own opinion, but likewise it is well within my right to think your vitriolic opinion baseless and offensive. Jim Shannon is one of the few representatives we have who actually cares and works tirelessly for his people, I find it shameful that this has not been recognised and so I would like to put this statement on record for Jim - should he read this blog.
I appreciate your work and believe in your right to enjoy countrysports. I also recognise that as a constituent, we the electorate can hold you accountable for word and actions in the Assembly - in which I believe you are doing an exemplary job - but your personal time is you own and has no reference on your ability to do you job. Thank you for the time and effort that you put into your job and let me assure you of my vote again and the vote of my family for a man of integrity and purpose.
To Susie in conclusion - shame on your disgusting display of ignorance and malice, I had come to expect better, but I have learned by my mistake.
Just a quick reply to point out the obvious to Susie and all others who are jumping on the bandwagon as an excuse to do a little DUP bashing.
a) The birds shot on the hunting trip are pests which the Argentinean farmers spray with pesticides to kill due to the fact that they eat entire fields of crops. When the farmers use pesticides it kills the birds in a painful manner and the birds cannot then be eaten as they are effectively poisoned. When birds are shot, they are collected by the 'bird boys' (who are paid more for this than 'professionals' in the city centres) and the birds are then used for food and other uses. Having been myself to shanty town in neighbouring Brazil, ~I fully understand the difference that a dove will make to a family who has no money for anything else and it seems more cruel to human life and the animal life alike to have them die a very painful death and be used for no purpose rather than to be quickly killed and used to feed and sustain human life. TO me the moral compass of someone who suggests this is severely off course.
b) My second obvious point is for you to equate Jim's Job as a pork retailer and his hobby of country side sports together as a indicator of his mental state is absurd. I take it that you would not shop in any shop which sells meat or indeed uses any animal product as you would not agree with the mental state of those who - shock horror - would be a part of supplying the basic need of sustenance for humans at the expense of animals? Never mind trying to delve into the mind of Jim Shannon - perhaps a closer look at home may be more appropriate as there is a clear lack of logic on display.
c) Thirdly, the very real difference between a hunting holiday and a 'sex tourism holiday to Thailand'. To be quite frank Susie, I find this offensive and disgusting and instead of highlighting a supposed lack in Jim Shannon, would suggest to me a deeper lack of understanding and comprehension and common sense on your behalf. The two cannot sensibly be linked as similar and the attempt to do so by someone who is usually so articulate, tells me that you were really grasping at straws in your attempt to demean Jim Shannon.
d) Finally Susie, I would ask that before you write your witty comments, that you would take the time to research what you are saying. Had you taken the time to do so in this case I think that you would have found that the truth of what happens on these shooting holidays is far removed from what has been portrayed and I would have expected more from some one who is usually so on the ball. Rather than thinking less of Jim Shannon (as my representative, I am more than happy with the work he does both in and out of the Assembly) I think rather less of you for jumping on the bandwagon and spewing bile and uninformed nonsense. To make suppositions of anyone's opinion (re; the Canadian adventure) in order to make them fit into your perception is unworthy of any commentator.
It is well within your rights in this democratic state to hold and express your own opinion, but likewise it is well within my right to think your vitriolic opinion baseless and offensive. Jim Shannon is one of the few representatives we have who actually cares and works tirelessly for his people, I find it shameful that this has not been recognised and so I would like to put this statement on record for Jim - should he read this blog.
I appreciate your work and believe in your right to enjoy countrysports. I also recognise that as a constituent, we the electorate can hold you accountable for word and actions in the Assembly - in which I believe you are doing an exemplary job - but your personal time is you own and has no reference on your ability to do you job. Thank you for the time and effort that you put into your job and let me assure you of my vote again and the vote of my family for a man of integrity and purpose.
To Susie in conclusion - shame on your disgusting display of ignorance and malice, I had come to expect better, but I have learned by my mistake.