BY DOMINIC WIGHTMAN
Animal rights activists are fully on board the train of Cancel Culture. They have taken each and every opportunity via social media to hunt down in packs companies that are associated with hunting, using fabricated film where impetus was lacking. With the Glorious Twelfth upon us, animal rights activists have been busy breathing down the necks of companies with grouse moor interests in an attempt to ban grouse shooting. It is interesting that in the morally relativist campaigns run by these anti-capitalist crusties, Truth seems to have become so blurred and distant a concept that these days they seem to think that conjuring and publicising strategic lies will suffice to win them the day. Telling porkies is in fact their Achilles’ heel.
Of course, without their dishonest TV presenters and celebrity cronies, without their compromised journalists and suspect politicians, without their tug-heart crowdfunding dishonesties and reliance on felons, and without the BBC turning a blind eye, the animal rights activists would be nowhere. Just think about that.
Their latest lie to do the rounds featured in the Yorkshire Post on 30th July and involved the company Yorkshire Water. As the erudite Matt Cross wrote in the Shooting Times, Grace Newton’s article headlined “Yorkshire Water to end grouse shooting tenancies on two of its moors, with eight more up for review” was untrue. Yorkshire Water confirmed as much. What was actually taking place was a scheduled review of fixed term leases.
The Yorkshire Post is one of the most prestigious provincial papers in Britain. It should have a word with Grace Newton and formally apologise. The paper then publishing an attempt-to-please-all piece on 9th August was beyond feeble. Maybe the key editorial team were on a beach somewhere?
The lack of verity did not prevent the usual suspects from spreading this poppycock:
And, despite many informing them that they were propagating lies…
The offending tweets are still up!
Time to quote Jonathan Swift:
Besides, as the vilest Writer has his Readers, so the greatest Liar has his Believers; and it often happens, that if a Lie be believ’d only for an Hour, it has done its Work, and there is no farther occasion for it. Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it; so that when Men come to be undeceiv’d, it is too late; the Jest is over, and the Tale has had its Effect…
And who was the source of the deceit this time? A dodgy TV presenter? A spread-betting chubby-chops? A co-opted celebrity or politician? A wee sporter of dungarees? A fake film generator? A felon?
All fingers point to Wild Moors founder Luke Steele. And who is he?
That’s who.
A felon.
Accused of being “economical with the truth”.
Another absolute charmer then – the lies of whom the likes of Packham and Wild Justice are happy to retweet despite even some hardened antis finding Steele beyond the pale:
“A writer who says that there are no truths, or that all truth is ‘merely relative,’ is asking you not to believe him. So don’t. Deconstruction deconstructs itself, and disappears up its own behind, leaving only a disembodied smile and a faint smell of sulphur.”
― Roger Scruton, Modern Philosophy: An Introduction and Survey
There will be no sensible debate as long as these unhinged activists lie and are given platforms they do not merit. They will cheat and dissemble until they get what they want. That is why they must be exposed, Truth shone upon them and stopped.
It is time the countryside – not the anti-capitalist, anti-landowner, anti-farming, anti-countrysports fringe – clubbed together, built a fighting fund and wiped these fibbers and fabricators from the key areas of debate. Carve open a watermelon with the sword of truth – it makes for the most delightful of breakfasts.
Dominic Wightman is Editor of Country Squire Magazine.