The following was written by Mark Huber, a data analyst with the Convention of States Project.America is under attack! Cancel culture is constantly striking civilians across America. The latest attack is on an 18-year-old girl who traveled to South Africa on a conservation hunting trip with her father. The Ozier family has a rich history of hunting dating back to Celie’s grandfather. With lots of family experience, they participate in responsible hunting that’s beneficial to the environment. One morning, Celie Ozier found herself under fire for sharing a harmless picture on her social media of her day out on a private hunting preserve. “I had posted a few photos of my trip to South Africa, and a typical game shot with the plains zebra I acquired,” Celie states, adding that it is legal to hunt these animals with the company of a professional hunter, who monitors the population of the zebra. Waking up to her alarm, she found many Instagram notifications ridiculing the event that she was proud of. She encountered numerous comments and personal messages filled with personal threats, hate comments, and students trying to get her kicked out of her dream college, The King’s College. Some comments and direct messages she received as a result of this one picture people took offense to read: “You a racist white girl. End of discussion.” “You’re absolute garbage (:” “Are you f**king mental????” “You are absolutely disgusting. I hope you rot.” “Hey I hope you get your a** beat by a group of zebras b*tch” “Electric chair for that one bb” The same people who preach for animal rights by attacking this young girl are the same people who showed up at her house and “pointed guns” at her dog. If this doesn’t scream hypocrites, I don’t know what will. SEE ALSO: The Cancel Culture is Costing Innocent People Their Jobs Cancel culture is the root of many problems in America. All over the news, we see people call for the end of the lives of good people, simply because they disagree. But what is the cause for cancel culture in our society? Is it pure evil? Yes, but also the ignorance in the people who participate. Celie gave her own reflection on the situation: “We should not be thinking with our emotions, we should be thinking with our brains,” she exclaimed. “A lack of thoughtful, logical conclusions shows how something well-known to be beneficial in Africa can be seen as insanity in a place like the United States.” Hunting helps balance the wildlife in ecosystems and makes sure that no one species dominates over the others. Some call this the circle of life. However, hunting does get a bad rep due to the problem of poaching. But if you talk to any responsible hunter, like Celie, they recognize the value of controlled hunting. According to Celie, “70% of wild animals in South Africa are on PRIVATE reservations. Meaning, organizations and governments don’t protect those animals.” Hunting provides a responsible way to control the population on these reservations. It is an effort to ensure the best possible chance for ecosystems to thrive. Hunting also has economical benefits. Here in America, hunters spend thousands of dollars on equipment. A well-known fact is that the money spent on ammunition is funded for wildlife conservation. SEE ALSO: Irony Alert: Disney’s Firing of Gina Carano is Super Anti-Feminist Similar actions can be found in Africa when it comes to harvested meat. On all preservations, the meat from the animals is nothing short of being entirely used. According to Celie, whose father has been hunting in South Africa for 6 years, the meat from animals that have been killed by hunters is either sold to outside butchers, kept for the preservation’s own butchers, or even donated to local communities. “America, let’s do better at understanding how hunting is conservation,” Celie exclaims! This is a great start to learning the benefits of hunting and a topic everyone should research. Canceling someone simply because of a lack of knowledge about a topic is not right and needs to change in our society. C.S. Lewis once said, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality.” Celie courageously stood strong as haters attacked her from every direction, a lesson that will undoubtedly benefit her for life. Despite the attempt to have kicked out of college, she will start her first semester in New York this fall, where she has a bright future ahead.
