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Having read the survey and editorial about spring shooting in the Sunday Times dated 16 April, I would not like to question or doubt its authenticity as I am sure that a paper of such repute would not dare publish untruths. It is however more than obvious, that the person commissioned to carry out this survey and the prominence given to its coverage in the paper reflect a very biased opinion with a single aim in mind, that of influencing public opinion against spring shooting.
Being a shooter for many years and surely for many years to come, I take pleasure through this survey in realising how popular my pastime is. The fact that two-thirds of the population is against spring shooting obviously leaves the remaining third in favour. If my arithmetic is correct this would amount to over one hundred thousand people. A very healthy result as surveys goes.
So quite frankly, I cannot see the point of this argument unless of course it implies that any pastime, hobby or political belief practiced or supported by a minority (in the case of spring shooting a third of the population) should be stopped.
It would please your readers to know that the majority of hunters are law-abiding citizens who believe in a democracy and are prepared to tolerate those members of the public who do not support their pastime. In order to guarantee the future of our sport as promised by the political party currently in power, it is also our wish to rid ourselves through the intervention of the authorities of extremists on both sides of the fence, namely the so-called hunters who consider themselves to be above the law and the anti-hunting supporters who through their exaggerated actions are seriously damaging Malta’s image overseas.
Hopefully now that the authorities know that a third of the population favor shooting in spring the matter would be taken more seriously.
Mark Mifsud Bonnici
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