The latest social media outrage surrounds a controversial episode of NBC’s sports show “Under Wild Skies,” in which NRA lobbyist Tony Makris shoots an elephant in Botswana, and afterwards drinks a glass of champagne to celebrate.
Huffpost at least was honest enough to report on the legality of the hunt, and how it actually helps fund conservation:
Controlled big game hunting still goes on in Africa and many reserves are set up by governments, who use money paid by rich safari hunters to fund broader conservation efforts. Elephant numbers in Botswana, however, have declined so greatly that a ban on hunting has been legislated. That ban won’t come into force until next year.
But other media outlets spewed only outrage and few facts under headlines like, “NRA Lobbyist Shoots an Elephant in the Face Then Drinks Champagne to Celebrate His Kill.”
https://twitter.com/sortofprofound/status/383024481590992896
Gun Lobbyist Kills Elephant in NRA-Sponsored NBC Sports Show http://t.co/PPZrtDqUSJ via @HuffPostPol WRITE NBC!: http://t.co/qNuKH9X9gF
— Kristin Bauer (@IamKristinBauer) September 26, 2013
I own guns, I was an NRA member but have they gone insane??? Promoting killing the LAST Bull elephants…. http://t.co/42d8W1GPl4
— Kristin Bauer (@IamKristinBauer) September 26, 2013
Worthless Cunt Kills Elephant In NRA-Sponsored TV Show http://t.co/1BhjCS6uy0
— Philip Eisner (@phubar) September 25, 2013
Recommended
NBC should cancel that fucking show!!! #NBCSports airs an NRA-sponsored show where the host kills an elephant http://t.co/dcZmShzBjQ
— jkmurray (@MexicoSecuestra) September 25, 2013
Gun Lobbyist Kills Elephant In NRA-Sponsored NBC Sports Show (VIDEO) http://t.co/xZ5E9teiNK via @HuffingtonPost WHAT THE FUCK FUCK FUCK?
— Cassandra Tells You So (@MissAbsinthe) September 25, 2013
SHAME ON YOU !! @NBCSports for airing a show where an NRA dickhead kills an elephant in Botswana.http://t.co/B66n60blDw
— Eva Chan (@bunster10) September 25, 2013
Jesus. "NRA Lobbyist Shoots Elephant in the Face on NBC Sports Show http://t.co/9RyevxvvjX"
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) September 25, 2013
WTF?!! @NBCSports! You AIRED this?? As what?! A sport?!! http://t.co/kBTabP9glK Fuck you. Seriously. Fuck. You. #animalrights #p2 #ctl
— Irish Stewart (@NakedAxiom) September 25, 2013
https://twitter.com/MarthaPlimpton/status/383027729504813056
@MarthaPlimpton @huffpolitics absolutely disgusting. Senseless. @NBCSN should be ashamed!
— Melissa Gilbert (@MEGBusfield) September 26, 2013
.@nbc On #elephant killing episode on @NBCSports Who was paid in #Botswana? Which safari camp? Does @BWGovernment know? #NRA @NBCSports
— Gregg Chadwick (@greggchadwick) September 26, 2013
https://twitter.com/MCL1VE/status/382850221304057856
https://twitter.com/Oshianna2U/status/383005793550749697
Really? People in all countries other than the U.S. oppose Big Game hunting? That guy needs to stop watching MSNBC and get out more.
Then there’s this charming woman, whose reaction to the show was to hope that Africans starve:
https://twitter.com/sandrabooker/status/382921065632391168
At the time this post was published, a petition being circulated had gathered only 2,141 signatures to cancel the show.
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