Or as Oscar Wilde so aptly wrote: 'The unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable'. Yet another of our ridiculous 'traditions' I'd be glad to see the back of, frankly.
I disagree, I was born in the country and would be very sorry to see the hunts disappear, another of our old traditions going back centuries being abolished purely from class envy. What on earth are our politicians thinking of to waste time on such a trivial issue when they have so many much more important issues they need to concentrate on. My sympathy is with the hundreds of the hunting dogs that will need to be put down and the loss of all the jobs involved. I don't give a fig about the foxes, hunting is a way of culling the old and sick ones.
It has nothing to do with class envy. I am glad I'm not a fox. As for Father Christmas there was one in the foyer at ASDA bellowing out HO HO HO. Rather scary I thought. Same with clowns - terrifying!
Now here's one tradition I would be VERY sorry to lose: The Guardian view on sending letters: the writing’s on the wall
I don't think it's class envy. My mother grew up in the country and she mucked out the horses for the local hunt as it was the only way she got to ride horses. She never took part in the hunt because she didn't like it. It was an ingrained tradition by the upper classes and the lower class were just there for work. Today people's dislike is because they find it cruel. I'm sure there are plenty of people who dislike it because it's a toff's sport, no different to grouse shooting but most want it banned because the human race has moved on from barbaric practices. In the past we killed pigs with pickaxe's and I'm sure that would be frowned upon now.
Why class envy? The pro hunting lobby has spent years emphasising that many of the hunt supporters are ordinary people like working farmers. What? Arent these the very people we trust to raise the livestock for our food in as humane a way as possible? How do they reconcile this with culling an animal by chasing it for miles and allowing it to torn to shreds by a pack of out of control dogs? If you deliberately set your dog on a neighbours cat with fatal results, the dog might well have to be confiscated and destroyed, and you could be banned from keeping animals for years. So how could anybody reasonably argue that the equivalent behaviour from an organised ‘gang’ of animal abusers should be treated any differently?
Class envy is rolled out as justification whenever the wealthy don't want their damaging and selfish behaviour challenged.
Dog fighting, cock fighting, bear baiting, hare coursing all traditional "sports" at one time, and a few still going on illegally. Personally I'd bring back public execution.
There are those who do not like the toff class but without class distinctions we would not have the world we live in today. And I, for one, am grateful to live in these days rather than hundreds of years ago. I like my creature comforts too much Also, I wonder what folks would think if the toffs wanted something banned that we mere mortals do?! Would there be the same furore?
Sorry, but I dont get that, Toffs? what has that got to do with it? Its just banned because its cruel, end of.
The class system in the Uk has always been hugely damaging to the life chances of many. Without it, we would have progress based on merit, not privilege conferred by accident of birth. Many, many people across the centuries have lived miserable lives of want and poverty because a few have control over the majority of the available resources. Their hold over the institutions of power is as great today as it ever has been and is likely to remain that way. There's nothing wrong with earned wealth and position, and all societies have many levels, but it doesn't need to be based on class.
@ViewAhead How has the class system helped or hindered you in your life? Personally it's not made a jot of difference to me. I'm a minion always have been always will be; never wanted to be anything different.
