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You don't have to go to the Amazon to find broken hearts amongst hunter fisher gatherers.
The latest fashion amongst extreme greens is to describe hunting, fishing and gathering as "extractive" activities. This creates an image of anglers ripping fish out with backhoes. It makes it easier to ban these activities in our reserves.
Hunter fisher gatherers are better called "environmentally sustainable harvesters" because they do not damage the environment.
Evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond says that hunter-gatherers have a higher average intelligence than people in the developed world. They also understand the natural world better than anyone else. They know they can't damage nature and hope to survive.
It is a part time way of life for millions of Australians. We do it at weekends and feel smart. At work on Monday we are dumb again.
Hunting fishing and gathering is the prime motivator for our traveling grey army. These people have made their final career choice. They don't want to look at nature, they want to be part of it.
Aboriginals get considerations because of their heritage so why don't we. We've been supplementing our diet in this way for generations. Some Aboriginal groups have already said that they don't want exemptions in parks as they are divisive. You see, hunting fishing and gathering is a brotherhood. Aboriginals are just like us and we are just like them, except that the Government feels otherwise.
Hunter fisher gatherers have lost huge tracks of country in recent years and the pace is accelerating. Lockout zones in the Cape Byron Marine Park sterilize all the decent fishing. The Snowy Mountains National Park is virtually being treated as wilderness in part to hide the irreparable fire damage caused by their management systems. Apparently leaving footprints and taking your rubbish out isn't acceptable any more. And they have even slaughtered the "Man from Snowy River".
History tells us the people will not give up hunting fishing and gathering. Emperor Justinian tried to stop it and lost. Much later King John swiped fishing grounds from the people to sell to French. Then we had the war at Runnymede and the Magna Carta. Emperor Carr has taken notice of this and is set to flee to New Zealand.
New Zealanders are farmer hunter-gatherers and closer to nature than us. It makes for smarter politicians. They don't mind "extraction" in their parks. It means the people love their parks more. The Emperor in Exile will be continually reminded of this and will come to understand the socio-environmental damage that has occurred during his reign.
Rod Burston
ECOFishers