Ignorant townies
From The Duke of Buccleuch, KT Sir: It is often claimed that fox-hunting is opposed by a majority of the population. It would be surprising if it were not. After all, that majority lives in towns with limited knowledge of the countryside beyond anti- hunting propaganda meted out by massive- ly well-funded animal rights activists. They know as much about the countryside as Scottish shepherds know about the London Underground. Why should they know more than what they are told? The majority of journalists are equally townsmen, so happ- ily print what they, too, are told. And are MPs any more enlightened about country matters?
In contrast, the voice of the countryside has hardly been heard: the great Country- side March of 1998 has been almost the only significant response. The Countryside Alliance does have a huge task if it is to turn a majority against into a majority for. But is that an absolute necessity?
The UK has an admirable reputation for tolerating and respecting the rights and freedoms of minorities. Genuine country people are just as valid a minority as Asians or West Indians. If fox-hunting people were black, brown or yellow instead of being pink, no one would dare lift a little finger to shut down their perfectly harmless activities. (Incidentally, there is one black master of foxhounds.)
LETTERS
Furthermore, if all fox-hunters happened to be homosexuals, this broadminded govern- ment might even pass new legislation to facili- tate hunting activities rather than ban them.
Of course, it all comes back to 'cruelty' and how it is defined. Everyone's view is different. I happen to deplore bull-fighting as others deplore fox-hunting. But I do most sincerely believe that the matter of cruelty and trauma in fox-hunting is often proclaimed for purely political reasons. If cruelty really did occur, as the opponents of hunting claim, where are all the prosecu- tions? Surely the messy band of hunt-sabo- teurs would have secured dozens of prosec- utions if there really were cases of cruelty.
It is so easy for the self-appointed judges of morality to cry out 'barbaric', but are they any less barbaric for tolerating chil- dren being led into the drug world, or patients being left in hospital corridors? And is this noisy, intolerant group to be the final arbiter of who does what in the coun- tryside?
Buccleuch
Bowhill, Selkirk
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