Purposefully swerves to hit box turtle!

[Jacqui]

Damage control.

That is my thinking too.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

What I've read about Buddhism includes not harming living creatures, which would include Blake Shelton, as a precept. That's the main reason why I'm not a Buddhist. I'm a gopher huntin', ant poisonin' gal who only feels good if she eats a few ounces of beef every couple of days.

There's also the notion in Buddhism that all living things are absolutely equal, human or not. So, him swerving to hit the turtle was as morally wrong as if he were to swerve to hit a child. And I certainly wasn't saying I'd do it, just that maybe I'll dream about doing it for the next few days

We're also allowed to eat meat, which keeps me happy.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

What I've read about Buddhism includes not harming living creatures, which would include Blake Shelton, as a precept. That's the main reason why I'm not a Buddhist. I'm a gopher huntin', ant poisonin' gal who only feels good if she eats a few ounces of beef every couple of days.

There's also the notion in Buddhism that all living things are absolutely equal, human or not. So, him swerving to hit the turtle was as morally wrong as if he were to swerve to hit a child. And I certainly wasn't saying I'd do it, just that maybe I'll dream about doing it for the next few days

We're also allowed to eat meat, which keeps me happy.

Siddhartha Gautama certainly wouldn't encourage such thoughts, but I'm fairly sure he'd understand them and forgive them.

 

[Tom]

It drives me crazy that idiots like this exist. I have taken direct action against these "swervers". Bad behavior needs to be punished. I also exchanged some very heated words with a moron like this who shot a bat at the Sporting Clays range during a night shoot and then loudly exclaimed, "If it flies it dies...hahaha". I wasn't laughing and neither was he when I got done "educating" him about the benefits of mosquito eating bats, like the one he stupidly shot out of the sky for no reason. The bats come in and eat all the bugs attracted by the lights and my friend and I and our children rather enjoy their company. My nephew had never seen uncle Tom get so mad before, I think it scared him a bit. 99% of the people at that range are good people, but there is a freakin' moron like this Blake idiot in every crowd.

BTW, nothing wrong with stopping on 75 mph highways to rescue turtles and snakes. I do it all the time! I had to buy a new snake hook one time since my other one got lodged in a swerver's fender and the idiot kept going. Good thing he did. The law frowns on attempted hit and run on a pedestrian and thats what he would have been charged with had he come back with my snake hook...

 

[Tccarolina]

Not excusing Blake, but most of the people that live in areas where box turtles are still very common, consider them as common as spiders or snakes, and have no idea that they are long-lived creatures that take a long time to mature. They pretty much think of them as one might think of rodents. I know many people who swerve to kill ground squirrels. I've done it myself before in country where they are major agricultural pests.

I think the bad publicity will teach Blake a thing or two, and it'll be good for him, but in reality, swerving to hit what one considers vermin probably doesn't qualify someone as a bad person.

I don't like spiders, they give me the heeby-jeebies, and I have no problem killing them (although I kind of like the little jumping spiders). I guess in buddhism, I'm no different then Blake.

Steve

 

[CJSTorts]

I found this article which I thought was good. He is claiming he was not even in OK at the time but I think it is damage control too. I article mentions people now killing turtles in his honor!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/13.7/2012/07/28/157528291/why-blake-sheltons-animal-cruelty-tweet-matters

 

[Edna]

He was at the ND State Fair yesterday, and will be at Cheyenne Frontier Days tonight. I doubt he was in OK yesterday. Still a stupid thing to tweet.
Yes, Cheyenne is a drinking town with a rodeo problem.

 

[dmmj]

Please feel free to express your outrage, but refrain from making threats to said country western singer.

 

[jojodesca]

well I will admit i blew up his twitter

 

[jaizei]

Not excusing Blake, but most of the people that live in areas where box turtles are still very common, consider them as common as spiders or snakes, and have no idea that they are long-lived creatures that take a long time to mature. They pretty much think of them as one might think of rodents. I know many people who swerve to kill ground squirrels. I've done it myself before in country where they are major agricultural pests.

I think the bad publicity will teach Blake a thing or two, and it'll be good for him, but in reality, swerving to hit what one considers vermin probably doesn't qualify someone as a bad person.

I don't like spiders, they give me the heeby-jeebies, and I have no problem killing them (although I kind of like the little jumping spiders). I guess in buddhism, I'm no different then Blake.

Steve

While I do not agree with the idea of purposefully swerving to hit an animal, I think you made some good points.

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The way it was worded, I lean more towards it being a joke, but you never know. Agree with it or not, the notion of killing animals for fun and sport is common. Otherwise, hunting wouldn't be as big of a multi billion dollar industry as it is. I think it is hard to draw lines saying it is ok to kill certain animals [whether for fun, sport or convenience (pests)] but not others without drifting in to hypocritical territory.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

but in reality, swerving to hit what one considers vermin probably doesn't qualify someone as a bad person.

I think a lot of people would disagree with you there. Here in NE, deer are considered vermin, but I, as well as a lot of people, still think you are a sick human being if you swerve to hit one.

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BTW, nothing wrong with stopping on 75 mph highways to rescue turtles and snakes. I do it all the time!

I probably will, too, but my mom was driving and she's not an animal person. Once we were on an interstate overpass in rush hour traffic, there was a very tiny kitten on the wrong side, trying to cross the traffic to get to the grass on the other side. My mother REFUSED to stop and I didn't talk to her for a week. I will probably turn into one of those crazies that stops in rush hour traffic for stuff like that.

 

[Tom]

I will probably turn into one of those crazies that stops in rush hour traffic for stuff like that.

Then you and I would get along great on a road trip.

We would be stopping for any kittens in the road...

 

[mctlong]

Some of his fans are no better - "Just a turtle?" - what is wrong with people! This really pisses me off! Are country singers protected in Oklahoma? If so, I'm not gonna swerve to the shoulder of the road to smash this one -

Hmm. See, you really shouldn't threaten to harm people.
For some people, and Blake Shelton might be one of them, just being who they are is really the worst punishment.

---

---

Sometimes violence is warranted. I'm going to Oklahoma to visit family next weekend. He better stay out of my way.

---

I will probably turn into one of those crazies that stops in rush hour traffic for stuff like that.

Then you and I would get along great on a road trip.

We would be stopping for any kittens in the road...

I'd go on a road trip with you guys anytime.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

I will probably turn into one of those crazies that stops in rush hour traffic for stuff like that.

Then you and I would get along great on a road trip.

We would be stopping for any kittens in the road...

I'd go on a road trip with you guys anytime.

We could go on a cross country kitten and box turtle saving vigilante spree.

 

[mctlong]

I will probably turn into one of those crazies that stops in rush hour traffic for stuff like that.

Then you and I would get along great on a road trip.

We would be stopping for any kittens in the road...

I'd go on a road trip with you guys anytime.

We could go on a cross country kitten and box turtle saving vigilante spree.

Yes!

Ooooh, then we'll need superhero costumes - something with an awesome cape!

 

[Tom]

I did save a great big female pond turtle of some sort in Georgia one time. Some sort of cooter or slider. I don't know them all, I just know she was not a RES. I had to hold her in one hand and drive with the other. She was pretty calm about the whole thing and didn't pee on me or try to bite, but she bolted when she hit that pond water...

 

[Jacqui]

I probably will, too, but my mom was driving and she's not an animal person. Once we were on an interstate overpass in rush hour traffic, there was a very tiny kitten on the wrong side, trying to cross the traffic to get to the grass on the other side. My mother REFUSED to stop and I didn't talk to her for a week. I will probably turn into one of those crazies that stops in rush hour traffic for stuff like that.

Hey, if we can stop our semitrucks and walk back the distance it takes to stop one of those to get an animal off the road, then you can do it with your car and much faster/easier.

---

I remember reading a study they did once using rubber snakes, turtles, ect.., I was rather eye opening to read the high percentage of American drivers who will swerve to hit an animal on the road.

 

[Edna]

I remember reading a study they did once using rubber snakes, turtles, ect.., I was rather eye opening to read the high percentage of American drivers who will swerve to hit an animal on the road.

It is amazing to me that any agency could get away with endangering motorists by conducting such a study.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I did save a great big female pond turtle of some sort in Georgia one time. Some sort of cooter or slider. I don't know them all, I just know she was not a RES. I had to hold her in one hand and drive with the other. She was pretty calm about the whole thing and didn't pee on me or try to bite, but she bolted when she hit that pond water...

I'm glad to hear that. Back in Florida, I have also stopped to rescue turtles and tortoises that were trying to cross the road. Once it was a big female softshell turtle. You're supposed to pick them up by the back legs so they don't bite you, but it was tough to get a good hold on her. Still, I managed to toss her into the grass before a big semi truck drove by. She didn't hurt me, but she did hiss and stink up my hands with her musk. Well worth it.

Another time it was a gopher tortoise crossing the road near where I lived. He was a big, handsome guy. I picked him up and took him to the other side where he was headed, and he went on his way.

 

[lisa127]

Not excusing Blake, but most of the people that live in areas where box turtles are still very common, consider them as common as spiders or snakes, and have no idea that they are long-lived creatures that take a long time to mature. They pretty much think of them as one might think of rodents. I know many people who swerve to kill ground squirrels. I've done it myself before in country where they are major agricultural pests.

I think the bad publicity will teach Blake a thing or two, and it'll be good for him, but in reality, swerving to hit what one considers vermin probably doesn't qualify someone as a bad person.

I don't like spiders, they give me the heeby-jeebies, and I have no problem killing them (although I kind of like the little jumping spiders). I guess in buddhism, I'm no different then Blake.

Steve

I disagree. In my mind, swerving to purposely hit a living breathing creature does qualify someone as a bad person. It sure does not qualify them as a good person, and it says alot about that persons general character.