Newspaper Prints Letter Advocating Killing Hunters

Shameful is the word that comes to mind for the Burlington Free Press and its decision to print a reader's anti-hunting letter, "Take a few hunters along with the moose," that was written in response to the Vermont paper's story about the opening of moose hunting season.

The letter was placed in the newspaper's online letters section as well and has now been taken down after responses from outraged readers. Hunters and non-hunters alike should chastise the paper for its decision to run the letter, and take the opportunity to educate readers about the role hunting plays in wildlife management. It would be nice to see Vermont's fish and wildlife department weigh in, explaining that trained wildlife biologists determine how to best maintain the state's moose population.

Here's the letter:

Take a Few Hunters Along with the Moose

On this beautiful day we learn that about 1,251 hunters are taking to the woods with legal permits to "pursue prized quarry." Certainly the members of various humane organizations do not approve. I suggest that before the next annual killing season, other residents be awarded legal permits to kill hunters who will be out to kill these beautiful, non-destructive animals. Or the government could just rule out all this primitive killing.

ETHAN A.H. SIMS
Shelburne

Here's the apology from the newspaper's editorial page director that appears online and which had better be in the letters section of tomorrow's print edition:

Today's letters to the editor included a letter about the annual moose hunt ("Take a few hunters along with the moose") that violates the statdards [sic] of the Free Press by advocating for violence against hunters. The letter has been taken down. We apologize for our error in judgement.

Aki Soga
Editorial page editor
The Burlington Free Press

While local readers' complaints have forced an apology, you may want to weigh in with your own letter to the editor. Send to letters@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com

Comments

[joated]

Nice that they have all these fact checkers and editors to keep tabs on what they publish./sarc

[Al Quinn]

Should a hunter be hurt or involved in an "accident" in the coming years. It would be difficult to pass this off as a purely unintentional act or accident.

I believe the authorities would be wise to treat Dr. Sims as they would any terrorist that advocates the killing of others for a belief that they hold. Please tell me the difference between the two?

I find it interesting that Dr. Sims has published articles regarding end of life. While this is a necessary consideration in medicine, I believe he has become callous to the importance and value of life itself. He needs to be investigated at the very least by the medical review boards and the University.

[Korum Emrys]

Our government has already intruded upon our rights and now you want to encourage them to take away the remaining semblance we have of "Freedom of Speech"...We have the right to say anything we desire, and that should never be removed. the question of the Patriot Act is; Does the person making the "questionable statement" have the ability to fulfill whatever action they are suggesting? Mr. Sims is not stating that he is going to commit any harmful actions, just that he feels that such actions would be acceptable to him. Be very careful in monitoring the comments of others, as voting to encourage legal actions or punishments may just be granted upon & well lead our Big Brother Government to do it to us all! I support Mr. Sims right to say anything he likes, though I personally disagree with his statement. When the press wont print something it means that its owners/editors are afraid of Big Brother, a machine that should never have that kind of power. The press/media does absolutely NOTHING to represent the American peoples desire for the truth or its individuals truthful opinions.

[Dan]

Sims was a professor of medicine at the University of Vermont. Nice to know that if you were under his care you could trust him with your life.

[A.]

It is an undeniable truth, that all people in the U.S. have freedom of speech. However, one cannot abuse their rights to freedom of speech by violating others' rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This writer did not exactly do this, but he is essentially giving a death threat... such a statement is not to be viewed normally.