Morrissey has vented his disgust at photos of TV presenter Melissa Bachman’s recent lion hunt – in which she tweeted pictures of herself with a lion she had shot – in a media statement.
“I am not ashamed to admit that newspaper photographs in recent days of American TV presenter Melissa Bachman laughing as she stands over a majestic lion that had been stalked and shot dead by Bachman herself left me tearful,” he wrote. "Although I have previously felt enraged by the asininity of U.S. congressman Paul Ryan, and political fluffhead Sarah Palin – both of whom also kill beings for fun, there is something especially lamentable about the Bachman smile of pride as the lion – a symbol of strength, heraldry and natural beauty, lies lifeless in answer to Bachman’s need for temporary amusement. The world struggles to protect the rhino and the elephant – both being shot out of existence, yet Bachman joins the murderous insanity of destruction without any fear of arrest.
“Animals who are free (or, if you insist, ‘wild’) lead lives of struggle; their every moment absorbed by the need to find food for themselves and their offspring. They have a natural instinct to survive – as do animals in abattoirs, but they cannot compete against the loaded hunting-guns of Pippa Middleton or David Cameron. It is by no means a fair game. Has Melissa Bachman considered hunting without a shotgun? We might then be impressed if she manages to bring a lion down.
“In lordly London, a proudly moral statue stands on Park Lane. It honors animals that “served” during the war, boldly telling us They Had No Choice.
“There is no statue that states: ANIMALS IN ABATTOIRS – THEY HAVE NO CHOICE.
“The homicidal mania of the abattoir, the murderous insanity of the badger kill (‘cull’ is far too soft a word for what takes place – not in order to protect cows – who are butchered, anyway, but in order to make more money for farmers); and from this, we wonder how the human race can make any claims of humanity. We must ask why it is thought that animals deserve such horrific treatment. No British government has ever had an Animal Protectionist MP, yet animals outnumber humans on the planet.
“Thank you to Russell Brand for standing up and speaking out in recent weeks. Like anyone who speaks out in modern Britain, he has been shot down. Nothing must interfere with the depressive psychosis of modern Britain, which has become a most violent and melancholic country, with no space for measured debate. Like Russell, I believe that the most powerful vote you can give is No Vote; for the days of Prime Ministers have gone, and it’s time for a form of change that is far more meaningful than simply switching blue to red.
“I write this without outburst; a staunch non-terrorist, quietly, calmly and composedly, as I mourn the loss of the land.”
To read the full statement, click here.
