Goose love, in sickness and in health

Giving us a respite from the tons of propaganda dross they usually peddle as legitimate information, CBS Sunday included this morning a little story about an injured goose whose companion would not abandon him, after the humans had "captured" him.  (In this case, fortunately for all, it was professional wildlife rehabilitators at The New England Wildlife Center who assisted the injured animal, baptised Arnold by the rehabbers, while his mate was called Amelia).  Arnold's story, therefore, ended pretty well. Now, we don't want to be killjoys, especially when so many need a bit of hope about fellow humans as we confront one of history's greatest crises, but it is I think) our duty to provide some of the broader context relating to this story.  And the context is simply "goose hunting", a legal activity in which millions engage every year using all manner of death-dealing tools trained on all types of waterfowl: ducks, geese, etc. It's a veritable industry in which arms and ammo manufacturers, guides and "outfitters", and the states' departments of wildlife management participate, all to the detriment of these defenseless animals, conveniently tagged as "fair game", literally to do as humans please.

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Incidentally, while many hunters will tell you they hunt to eat the meat that is usually a less than honorable excuse. While no doubt in a nation with increasing numbers of poor folks some people will indeed hunt animals to eat, the vast majority of hunters spend sizable amounts —from hundreds to thousands of dollars (or far more than that when we talk about safaris to Africa, or other exotic places)—supposedly on a hunt for meat they could easily buy at the local supermarket. So, educate yourself about hunting.