Submitted by ANIMAL RIGHTS MALTA’S BLOG

In reply to my letter, a more detailed version of which may be found on this blog under the heading “Lies, misrepresentation and confusion for the defense of slavery“, hunter Mark Mifsud Bonnici, who thinks himself so important that he always writes his name in all capital letters in comments to The Times (online version), writes:

“Your letter demonstrates your strangeness when compared to all rational thinking persons. You do have a right to your opinion as much as we have a right to ours. The only difference between us is that your beliefs make you totally intolerant towards those that don’t share your beliefs”.

It is an unfortunate fact that people who habitually think with their guns, and not with their brain, will find my letters “strange”. However, what I find truly strange, is a claim such as Mr Mifsud Bonnici’s (please note that this is the way normal people write names - not MR MIFSUD BONNICI), where he says that my beliefs make me totally intolerant towards those who don’t share them.

Now, hold on a second. My beliefs make me intolerant towards those who don’t share them? And in what way, may I humbly ask? Do I ever go about beating up people who disagree with my views? Now I won’t say that it is actually hunters who go about beating up people who disagree with their views (and destroy or steal their photographic equipment), which certainly makes them intolerant, since I will immediately concede that perhaps such thugs in the hunting community are a minority.

However, let’s examine the facts for a moment. When I rationally and consistently argue that the use or treatment of non-human animals as if they were human property is immoral, it’s not as if I am forcing my beliefs on anyone, am I?

I’m confident that my letters or articles will be read by people, some of whom understand and agree with what I write, some who are convinced by my arguments, some who misunderstand what I write, and some who do not even take the trouble to try to understand what I am saying, but only read my letter just so that they will have something to say in their rebuttal letter. This latter type is evidenced by the fact that some people who reply to my letters (and Mr Mifsud Bonnici is one of them), apart from contradicting themselves, sometimes go as far as quoting me in a manner that defeats their own argument (like he did in his repetition of my claim that someone advocating the rights of non-existent animals would be advocating the rights of sperm - see further down).

Mr Mifsud Bonnici, of the “St Hubertus” Hunters, whose patron saint apparently was ordered by God to stop hunting or else burn in hell, writes:

“How do you expect to be taken seriously when as you state we should care for dogs in existence and not breed, sell etc. does this not mean that after all dogs in existence die no more dogs will exist”.

Now, even if someone disagrees with the proposition that we should breed no more “domesticated” animals, what makes such a claim not to be taken seriously?

Apparently, Mr Mifsud Bonnici himself takes it so seriously that he devotes some of his time to write letters and comments and struggling to find reasons that would show that by not bringing non-existent beings into existence we would be infringing animal rights, while by using and selling them as if they were human property, we would not.

Mr Mifsud Bonnici then writes:

“Or when stating that animals are raped…”

So according to Mr Mifsud Bonnici, I should not be taken seriously because I know that thousands of non-human animals get raped worldwide. This ranges from female dogs being forcibly raped to produce offspring for dog breeders (where many times these dogs are actually forcibly held in position while they are being raped) to cows being constantly raped to produce milk or offspring, where such cows (or other animals) are usually held in human contrivances designed so that they would be unable to move or escape while being raped. I should perhaps add that forced artificial insemination is also rape.

Perhaps, when he starts reading before playing the part of the “intellectual”, he himself would actually be taken seriously.

Mr Mifsud Bonnici continues:

“…and that anyone might be advocating the right of sperm to become animals. Indeed Mr. Cassar, stop preaching rubbish”.

Now, here, perhaps, I am starting to suspect that I am giving Mr Mifsud Bonnici too much credit. Perhaps he really is insufficiently mentally endowed to understand antecedents and their consequent. For what other explanation could there be for someone not to understand the simple fact that for one to say we would be infringing animals’ rights if we do not bring non-existent animals into existence, in effect means that such a person would be advocating the right of sperm to become animals.

In what other way can one bring an animal into existence except by somehow making sperm meet the egg, thereby making conception possible? Mr Mifsud Bonnici should know this by now. Babies are not dropped through chimneys by storks!

Let me explain it once more, hopefully in a simpler way.

If non-existent animals have a right to exist, then sperm (which is the only way animals can come to exist) has the right to meet the egg. Elementary, dear Mr Mifsud Bonnici.

Mr Mifsud Bonnici concludes his comment by writing:

“As for your persistent reference to your website, apart from the free advertising you are trying to achieve I suggest that readers do log on when in need for some comic amusement”.

Well, it seems that free advertising is not simply what I am “trying to achieve”. It is what I have actually achieved. Of course, I take the opportunity to thank The Times for giving me the free publicity for my work from which I do not earn a single cent. In return for the favour, I promise to keep sending “controversial” letters that will provoke interest in The Times’ readers.

As for readers logging on to this blog for some comic amusement, I feel I need to thank Mr Mifsud Bonnici for providing me with excellent amusement for my readers. However, since I did not ask for his services, I will not pay him anything.

So yes, dear Mr Mifsud Bonnici, keep on sending your letters and comments. We all need a good laugh every once in a while.

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