From Mr Nick Gray Sir: The number of foxes hounded
to death or put in mortal fear by a tiny minority — who, if Charles Moore is right, are engaged on a natural pastime — is infinitesimal compared with the number of creatures subjected to unnatural treatment in the name of public demand.
Because it is conducted in the open by red-coated people mounted on horses with large, baying dogs, fox-hunting is conspicuous. Nevertheless, most of us, including those who claim to represent our interests, have not seen, and are not personally affected by, the practice.
Nor do most of us see any part of the wholesale slaughter of the millions of animals killed daily in our name. Nor do most of us, nor those representing us, bother to inform ourselves about the inhumane processes contrived to brings bits of them to our tables. But we are all personally affected by the increasingly unnatural practices involved.
Despite their whips, worthwhile politicians can choose the quarry they want to pursue. Those who follow-my-leader in seeking to ban the pursuit of foxes while expediently disregarding the poisonous and cruel preparation of animals for their constituents' mass consumption demonstrate that personal level of enlightenment, courage and judgment which convinces me, when the time comes, not to vote for any of them.
Nick Gray
Spedlins Castle, Dumfriesshire
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