Internet Hunting
In this post I'm concentrating on the social issues. Also see the Ontario Technoblog.
From Government Technology:
California Bill To Outlaw Internet Hunting Goes to Governor
Sep 02, 2005 By News Staff
The sport known as "Internet hunting" would be banned in California under SB 1028 by Senator Debra Bowen (D-Redondo Beach), which was approved Monday by the Senate on a bipartisan 27-5 vote and now awaits the Governor for his signature.
"Killing animals over the Internet is about as sporting as shooting fish in a barrel and it ought to bother animal lovers and true hunters everywhere," said Bowen. "It takes absolutely zero hunting skill to log onto a web site and click a computer mouse to kill an animal."...
SB 1028 bans shooting at or killing any animal over the Internet, bans anyone from operating a business for the purpose of shooting live animals online and makes it illegal to import animals into California that were killed via the Internet. Anyone found guilty of violating the law could be sent to jail for up to six months and be fined up to $1,000.
Eight other states have enacted bans similar to SB 1028 and ten others are considering comparable measures. Earlier this year, Congressman Tom Davis (R-Virginia) introduced H.R. 1558 to outlaw Internet hunting nationwide. Under that measure, violators could be punished by up to five years in prison. The legislation has been assigned to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, but has yet to be heard....
Uh...perhaps because Hurricane Katrina has proven that our Federal, State, and local homeland security operations are somewhat inadequate?
Meanwhile, here's a story from March:
More than 300 people, including Scots, Londoners and other would-be marksmen from Australia to Peru, have put down money for a live game shoot. They will be able to see the view through the gun's sights on their computer screens and use the mouse to train the rifle on the target. A mouse click will operate the trigger. Catalina goats, Barbary sheep, fallow deer, red stags and blackbuck antelope are among the exotic species available for the remote hunts, which take place in Texas....
Dale Hagberg, 38, from Indiana, who has been paralysed from the chin down for 18 years, will use a joystick operated by his mouth to shoot at a blackbuck antelope.
"I'm very excited," said Mr Hagberg, speaking with the help of his father Bob, 68, who can interpret his murmurs. "The last time I was hunting was just before I was injured in a diving accident. I'll move the gun with my lips and when I'm ready to shoot, I'll puff. I decided on a blackbuck antelope because they're really pretty and they're also good to eat. I was a real outdoors guy but never thought I'd be able to hunt again."...
In other words, Internet hunting should probably be MANDATED under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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