Austerity, what's that? Spanish King Juan Carlos slammed for £27,000 elephant hunting trip as his country drowns in debt and half of youngsters are jobless
Posted on 04/16/2012 5:45:32 PM PDT by SJackson
MADRID – In one fell swoop, King Juan Carlos of Spain has managed to unite right and left, young and old, those with jobs and those without in universal outrage over his tone-deaf African hunting safari.
As Spain foundered amid economic woes, what did the 74-year-old monarch do? He slipped away to hunt elephants in southern Africa. Let's count the ways that miscalculation of elephantine proportions has turned into a public relations disaster.
— A lavish trip amid severe economic pain at home.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
That reminds me of someone else, but I just can’t quite place who...
If I'm not mistaken during the Panic of 1907, aka the Bankers Crisis, TR took time off to go hunting. He was a lot more important than the King of Spain. Then and now.
Where is Generalissimo Francisco Franco when you need him?
The King of Spain may be politically tone-deaf, but he's a King. He's not there because he's skilled. And he's not there because he is what the Spanish people want. He's there because he's there.
Spain has deep problems. Getting angry at the King's elephant hunt tells me that Spain is desperately trying NOT to focus on the things they should be focusing on.
I know I am going to get flamed but....I just don’t understand why anyone would want to shoot an elephant. I love guns as much as the next guy, but elephants? Really?
“I just don’t understand why anyone would want to shoot an elephant.”
Homicidal big pickup truck syndrome?
Having seen the majesty of East Africa and several of its national parks I can’t support “big game” hunting there.And no,I’m no animal rights tree worshiper.
Hmm, well the political tone-deafness is rather Obamanoid, but the sheer stupidity is pure Biden.
The only living being (human or animal) I would ever shoot is one that was threatening me,my family or an innocent person.I,too,enjoy target practice but the thought of killing something that wasn't a threat has never appealed to me.
This is in South Africa, where controlled hunting is partly how they pay for maintaining some of these parks.
He’s been hanging around with Obama too much.
In some places in South Africa and reserves in Kenya there is something of a population explosion of elephants, to the point that they are pests or are damaging their environment. Controlled hunting is a way to limit their numbers to conform with the available space and financially support the parks.
Useful article -
http://greatunclebill.hubpages.com/hub/Elephant-culling-in-Africa
The guy shot an elephant for a lot of money that probably was picked to be culled. Hey...he’s probably supporting a lot of conversation projects there with his $$$$. However, I would be more impressed if he had gone after it with a bowie knife or a baseball bat.
that is the most bizarre and dumb looking animal pose ever. mashed against a tree with trunk folded? you got to be kidding.
Certainly is politically tone-deaf.
But the Spanish royal budget (iirc, under $10m) is extremely low by most standards, and a fair person would probably see it as a poor trade for the state taking over pretty much all the immense real estate and other property holdings of the royal house, which were confiscated without other compensation.
Compared to the British royals, who own immensely valuable property, the Spanish ones are paupers.
They are poorer even than much of the Spanish aristocracy, who are also great property owners - and to whom Franco returned the holdings confiscated by the Republic. There are plenty Spanish nobles much wealthier than the king.
Thanks for trying to inject some informed sanity into the emotional hype on this topic.
The fact is these controlled hunting preserves and programs are necessary for the preservation of many of these species. Without them there would be no protected sanctuaries and wardens where herd numbers can be maintained and sustained. The poachers would move in and destroy them.
I guess I will go up in flames w/ you, but I think it’s disgusting.
Boy howdy, I know I’m seriously impressed when a man kills an elephant w/ a baseball bat. Are you serious or did you accidentally leave the sarcasm tag off?
Real men kill animals for food & have dogs & cats they love.
I’ve seen a lot of elephants out in the bush. I could no sooner shoot an elephant than I would a cow out in some farmer’s field. I’m not a very good marksman, but even I could hit an elephant. Not a whole lot of sport involved.
Yeah, I agree. someone thought that was a good idea and then convinced 3 or 4 other people to put that dead elephant in that position.
Shooting an elephant is easy. Killing it, before it stomps you to death, is the tricky part.
I was once out in the bush in Cameroun with a couple of colleagues and an Ibo guide. We came across a herd at a watering hole. The guide kept us from getting any closer than a hundred yards or so. The best way to avoid getting stepped on by one of those brutes is not to get too close to them and not get too far away from your Land Cruiser. Oh, and DON’T wear a white t-shirt.
I know what you mean......
Many years ago I attended a party of the daughter of the guy who founded and owns Magna Port in Mt. Clemens, MI.
I have never seen such a display of mounted animals in my entire life, they were everywhere! Foot stools made out of elephants feet...etc.
While the company was raking in money, I guess all this guy did was go on safaris........His particular thrill was killing these exotics with high powered, scoped handguns.
Yep, you wouldn’t understand, even when elephants are over populating their range, and the locals need the income and meat for their own survival... SHEEESH
JC
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