its not up to you....
its not up to you....
I think that the realistic way to look at this is to imagine how it would affect you...
I think that its a little weird, and I can't imagine wanting to carry a rifle again because of that association with what happened. But I also think that I would still want to hunt again, the whole experience, the outdoors, the pursuit is all therapeutic for me and I can imagine looking for that again. I can't guarantee that I wouldn't feel like that again after some time had passed.
Personally I wouldn't consider it disrespectful to the victims, but neither would it be something that I considered doing again lightly. If I did it, I would almost guarantee that it would be a solo experience, even if I did have mates who supported me in doing it again. For me there is almost a spiritual connection to hunting and to deny that to somebody if they wanted to connect with that again, seems inequitable.
Maybe bowhunting or perhaps camera, possibly firearms but at this end of it its too hard to say. That is sort of the point though. The trauma of the event and the utter desperation prompts people to do and say things that they mean, but time passes. Any human person seeks to restore themselves. This isn't about excusing behaviour or justification. But perpetuating punishment is not the role of the state or the rest of us.
I genuinely believe that for most, they would be safer than any other hunter out there. Now Mr Dumber might not be and that is not for me to say. But I also believe its not for me to say whether he should hunt again, provided he can establish that he is suitable. The level of scrutiny that he is obligated to satisfy is going to be greater than it is for the rest of us, and he should have to conclusively establish that he is suitable. Part of that process might have to include psychological evaluation.
In many ways, going hunting again would provide constant reminders and that would not be easy. It may actually be easier to not go hunting again.
All of this stuff isn't as simple as most would like it to be...
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