How do we feel when the king of the jungle is pimped out and killed by one of our own?
Yesterday, during this astrological month of the Leo, we discovered that the king is not infallible.
Dr. Palmer, a dentist from Minneapolis, shot down a lion in Zimbabwe for the small price of $54,000, his national reputation and the lives of the remaining cubs, expected to succumb to their environment sans protection.
The criminality of Dr. Palmer’s action is not based on the killing of the sacred Leo, but merely the killing of the wrong lion, a lion protected by law in a National Park.
Leos are known to make an impression, to magnetize and take center stage with dignity and strength, hence the lion, ruled by the sun, as their symbol.
Yet, we are all, every zodiac, animal and human alike, vulnerable to the Dr. Palmers of the world, the insecure, and uninspired weaklings propelled by inanimate objects (bows, arrows and guns) or false manifestations of character (strength, power and fearlessness) often bolstered by paid subservients (the professional hunting team otherwise known as sycophants).
At what price do we destroy others, break the laws, the commandments, the social mores to overcome or cover our own deficiencies and fragility?
How much is enough to break the rules?
Do we quantify and approve of cheating and deceit at some cost?
Dr. Palmer went so far as to murder one of the most highly honored creatures of the land, beheaded and skinned for future display of prowess.
He claims he didn’t know. Though the lion was lured from park territory and shot on nearby grounds after a two-day hunt, he says it was unplanned.
Dr. Palmer is the proverbial powdered donut eater (worse than Ariana, the donut licker) with powder all over his face!
His claims of innocence didn’t stop the lion from being beheaded (park collar and all) and skinned, his body left to rot in the sun of his honor.
Apparently, lions are most often killed in their beds during midday naps using a “stalk and spot” style of hunting.
I’m also told, by hunter friends (yes, I have hunter friends), that guides often purchase old zoo mountain lions in the United States and “turn them out” for the hunt.
Is Dr. Palmer simply a cruel and vivid manifestation of the oppressor, the bully, and the person who uses intimidation as a tool to diminish, weaken and even kill?
Does he represent the overriding view that’s taken over our country and media that immigrants are not worthy, that black lives don’t matter, that women aren’t worthy of equality?
Is Dr. Palmer the little boy on the playground who harasses other kids because he was, in fact, bullied, abused or filled with self-doubt?
As we come to the rescue of this precious Leo far too late, perhaps we seek redemption and wisdom.
As we sign the petitions, shut down Dr. Palmer’s website and shame him into submission, I hope we will remember the human beings all around the world who experience great atrocities at the hands of inadequate power mongers.
I hope, as we listen to and watch Donald Trump (another rich hunter with a team) stalk his prey, this lion (#CecilTheLion was his name) will remind us to protect what is right, to stand up for peace and to aim for unity.
It would be improper not to mention that hunters in the United States and around the world pay millions of dollars each year in licensing fees used for species protection and catchments for sustainable water for animals. Hunters who follow the rules are actually considered conservationists.
This man gives hunters, particularly those who are environmentalists and preservationists, and who also want to see Dr. Palmer punished, a bad name.
As my hunter friend said, bad people exist in all walks of life and while there is no excuse for such misdirected aggression, it does serve as an example for all of us of what not to do in our roles as both leaders and followers.
Let us not be the hunted or the hunter, but the Leo, optimistic and strong, the protector of this jungle, the unifier of mankind.
To all of my Leo friends, I wish you a safe and Happy Birthday.
~
Author: Seanne N. Murray
Editor: Caroline Beaton
Image: YouTube Still
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