E-Mail from a Reader (Posted by Permission)

A gorilla for the killing (paraphrase of a whale for the killing)

I've seen a lot of pain, suffering in which we would like to wish or imagine doesn't occur, but life is oh so full of it, you see raised as I was it was it was there to see, not hidden, not concealed, not even really scrutinized upon, man, huh why must we create such embittered hate.

The suffering that, of which I speak of, involves human upon human violence, I do say that I seem to have become quite desensitized to it, even callous I dare say. I can see a dead person on the news with out so much as a flinch, suicide bomber blows up restaurant, 18 killed, plane crash kills 67, friendly fire kills 4, negotiations broken off after attack on embassy, 6 killed, starving children on T.V., you see every time I turn around it's staring me in the face, what's a person to do.

Sadly I have come to accept and tolerate this violence, unbridled hate that only humans can muster up, to me seeing it leaves me with out much thought, I realize that it is wrong, but I seem lost as to any solution, actually I don't think there is one, lets be frank here, I'm not uncaring, it does sadden me the whole world down the tubes thing and all, but I accept it to a point, man is man, need there be more said.

This brings me to the title a gorilla for the killing, and what seems like an unpredictable response that I had to it. It happened quite sometime ago, I like watching those oh so many wildlife programs that cable can throw at you, anywhooo this particular program was on the possible extinction of the species we call gorilla, and mans encroachment on to them, you see man is the gorillas only enemy, sad isn't it, you think killing each other would be enough, but no because we have the use of guns that fire high speed projectiles, why not see what it can do to a gorilla. During the program it was discussed how family oriented they are, how they communicate with each other, how gentle they can be, what they eat, how they spend their days, it was really very interesting a lot can be learned from perhaps our not so distant cousins ; ), then it happened, they showed some snuck out black market tapes of poachers shooting these, what came to be defenseless 500 lb primates, how can a 500lb gorilla be defenseless eh, well they are when man owns a high powered rifle that can deliver a bullet that hits with 3500 ft lbs. What transpired was, and I think of my self as pretty much self controlled and not overly emotional, there it was, a tear in my eye, this is the truth, an actual tear, this killing, to me seemed so bloody senseless that I couldn't find any reason for it, not even in a, they need it for bush meat sense. I always try to make some sort of unattached judgment on most things but this, this I couldn't, I JUST couldn't.

In closing, man is mans worst enemy, but further more to that, man is everyone's enemy, is there intelligent life else where, perhaps, it is a big universe, but maybe the intelligent part is what will keep us from ever knowing, would you like to know us?

Bill