Hunting.

Is it necessary?  Is it barbaric?

The lion.  A beautiful animal.

It conjures up many emotions.

People love animals.  And lions – as the king of the beasts – rises above the rest.

So the story of Cecil the Lion and the hunter-dentist who killed this beloved animal hits home with many.  It went viral with the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show.

https://youtu.be/_LzXpE1mjqA

And people have been commenting about the horror of it and pointing their ire at the dentist.

Is it right?  Is it fair?  Are those who are opposed to the lion’s killing going to far?

Cecil the Lion Killing Backlash

An interesting question.

Not just because of this particular controversy.  But because with the advent of the internet.  And later FaceBook, Twitter, and gossip-oriented quasi-news channels, emotions rule.  Public opinion rules the day.

And that can be both a good and bad thing.

A good version is when Susan Boyle auditioned for the British version of American Idol and stunned the world with her amazing voice.  She benefited…and the world did too.

In this instance the opposite happened.  It is highly likely that this dentist (besides possible criminal prosecution) will lose his dental practice.  Who wants to get their teeth worked on by  “Cecil the Lion” killer?

And that is the challenge in today’s fast-paced, instant media opinion world.  Information flows fast.  And both good and  bad publicity often turn into public awareness and action.

And I think this also brings focus to the fact that your actions have consequences.  And particularly in this age where YouTube videos, social sharing, and an assumption that if you are comfortable with posting something online, everyone should be – is dead wrong.

The world is a big place.  But not that big.  And bad deeds or poor choices can truly haunt you for a lifetime.

When you’re putting that next picture on FaceBook.  Or tweeting your next rant.  Or texting that “private” message for someone special.  Realize that someone other than you, your friends and loved ones, might end up seeing it.  And there could be consequences – either good or bad – depending on how it is viewed.

Looking back at the Cecil the lion story I’d assume the dentist would have gone another direction had he known the full consequences of his actions.

How will you take this knowledge and make good decisions in your life?