My point was that in this woman's lifetime, it has not been considered out of place to kill an animal that impinges on human territory -- even an animal that is sweet-looking and small. This woman and her husband probably worked hard and sacrificed to own a nice house and have a yard and garden, even more than most considering the racial, social, and financial obstacles they must have faced during their lives. Now she is old (though strong!) and probably, judging from her interview, somewhat impaired and paranoid. Her neighbors should help to to keep the deer out of the yard, since they seem to frighten/anger her so much.
Well, I don't either! For one thing, when I'm out in my yard I don't have a shovel handy. I might toss my drink at it and run, though.
The little old lady is lucky she wasn't attacked by the fawn's mother. The fawns around here are always accompanied.
I honestly do not think this lady was afraid of the fawn. Maybe the adults moved too fast for her to hit them with the shovel. She doesn't seem very timid to me.
However I do not think that any charges ( or at least only light charges) will be brought against her. For every person who thinks this is a cruel senseless act deliberately done in anger, there will be one person who believes this elderly widow woman was defending herself against a marauding wild animal.
Not to take away from the injustice of this little dear's demise, BUT this topic reminds me of one of the funniest threads I have ever read on Websleuths: http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58702&highlight=trap+deer
Not to be argumentative, but in this old woman's lifetime, it was also not considered out of place to have a grandparent (or great grandparent) who was a victim of slavery (she is African American). (Note, I didn't say it was acceptable, only that it was not "out of place"). Just because something was commonplace, doesn't make it right.
I sure wouldn't want her for my neighbor. She's a nut.
I doubt if her family considered slavery to be "right" at any time. Many people didn't consider slavery to be okay. But, if you go back not even that far, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that would think it wrong to kill an animal eating things in your garden.
My great grandmother would casually walk out into the yard, grab a chicken and wring its neck right in front of us. My father once beat a mole to death with a shovel. Up until just a few years ago, killing household vermin by a neck-breaking trap was routine (maybe it still is.)
Even today, paying someone to come out to your house and poison thousands of insects is not going to garner any headlines.
Don't know how I've ended up being this woman's defender, since, if my husband, say, beat a fawn to death, I would divorce him, get a restraining order and start commital proceedings. There's just something about an old lady all alone trying to hold it together that tugs at my heartstrings.
I doubt if her family considered slavery to be "right" at any time. Many people didn't consider slavery to be okay. But, if you go back not even that far, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that would think it wrong to kill an animal eating things in your garden.
My great grandmother would casually walk out into the yard, grab a chicken and wring its neck right in front of us. My father once beat a mole to death with a shovel. Up until just a few years ago, killing household vermin by a neck-breaking trap was routine (maybe it still is.)
Even today, paying someone to come out to your house and poison thousands of insects is not going to garner any headlines.
Don't know how I've ended up being this woman's defender, since, if my husband, say, beat a fawn to death, I would divorce him, get a restraining order and start commital proceedings. There's just something about an old lady all alone trying to hold it together that tugs at my heartstrings.
Oh man - nothing about this old battle-axe tugs at my heartstrings. I guess you are softer than me.
Flowers = not worth killing for.
Maybe it's because I'm a confused old lady myself.
Maybe it's because I'm a confused old lady myself.