By Judi McLeod ——Bio and Archives--August 6, 2015
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Any serious attempts by the Obama administration to extradite Cecil the Lion killer Walter Palmer would be more far more laughable than laudable.
When Michelle Obama took herself off on safari at the Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa in June of 2011--with her personal hairdresser and makeup artist in tow--she was hunting publicity rather than big game."As outrage grows over the killing of Cecil the lion, Zimbabwe has called on the United States to extradite the American dentist who shot the prized big cat." (CNN, Aug. 3, 2015) "Zimbabwe has started extradition proceedings and hopes the U.S. will cooperate," said Oppah Muchinguri, the African nation's environment minister. "Walter Palmer had a well-orchestrated agenda which would tarnish the image of Zimbabwe and further stretch the relationship between Zimbabwe and the U.S,," Muchinguri said." "Palmer's whereabouts are publicly unknown amid the uproar over the hunt, though his representative contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday, the agency said."The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the circumstances of the lion's death. (NewsWeek, Aug. 3, 2015)
"MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, South Africa --The first big game that Michelle Obama and her family happened on here was an elephant." (Washington Post, June 25, 2011) "It was a young buck only meters from the two open-air off road vehicles she and her entourage of security and aides sat in. "It was an unusual sighting, the family's guide said Saturday. Elephants are rarely in the particular area of the sprawling park that the Obama family spotted them. They do not like the taste of the brush in the western region of the park. The soil is full of tannins and it makes the brush bitter to the elephant's palate. "The sighting lasted only a few seconds. The first lady and her family, including daughters Sasha and Malia, mother Marian Robinson, and niece and nephew Leslie and Avery Robinson, were on their way to a photo op with the press traveling. "As they ooohhhed and awwwwed at the elephant, a photographer and video camera man approached hurriedly hoping to get a shot of the first family looking at the elephant. "The first lady's game reserve guide saw the press moving toward them on foot and called out: "It is dangerous for you to be out here." "The photographer and camera man turned to run. The young elephant did the same. "The press scared the elephant," the first lady said. "Her aides erupted in laughter, said the first lady's communications director Kristina Schake. "Aside from hippos, elephants are the most dangerous animals in the reserve. If spooked, they begin to run and trample anything in their path. "After the frightened young elephant ran away from the first family, they posed for a picture quickly then headed back to their vehicle. "Let's see the animals," Obama said with a smile as her vehicle drove away quickly into the brush to hunt more big game.Zimbabwe officials should not hold their breath waiting for extradition cooperation from President Barack Obama. "The U.S. State Department said that as a matter of policy, it would not comment on specific extradition requests. (CNN)
"Privacy considerations prevent us from commenting further on the status of the U.S. citizen allegedly involved," it said. "For inquiries regarding any law enforcement aspects of the case, we refer you to the government of Zimbabwe or the Department of Justice." "The Department of Justice declined to comment on the extradition request." "Meanwhile, a White House petition requesting that Palmer be extradited to Zimbabwe may receive a response from the Obama administration. "The petition needed to receive 100,000 signatures by August 27 to get a response. It had more than 175,000 signatures by Friday afternoon. "Muchinguri said that there was also much outcry in Zimbabwe and that nearly 500,000 people via Facebook had called for Palmer's extradition. "We are taking this issue seriously," she said, adding that Palmer should be tried in Zimbabwe. "Hundreds of protesters have gathered this week outside Palmer's dental practice in Bloomington, Minnesota, CNN affiliate WCCO-TV in Minneapolis reported. "In an email obtained by WCCO, Palmer wrote a letter to his patients, saying, "I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion. That was never my intention."As things turn out Cecil didn't have to go on the hunt looking for publicity. He already owned it as "Africa's most famous lion". "Why such an outpouring of grief in the West over one lion? This is certainly not the first successful lion hunt in Zimbabwe, Africa or the world over, and will not be the last. So why so much interest? The name Cecil, perhaps, given its historical significance for white monopoly capital in Southern Africa and the West? Many believe the lion was named after Cecil John Rhodes, the celebrated forerunner of British colonialism in Southern Africa, explaining the saturation coverage on the demise of his namesake. (Chronicle, July 30, 2015)
"Those who believe the interest is bigger than a mere lion could be justified as Cecil, who roamed the Hwange National Park, was the focal point of a research project by Oxford University, Cecil the colonialist's Alma mater. Rhodes learnt at Oriel College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England, for only one term in 1873. "But the Western media's obsession with Cecil gets us thinking. Why only him? What's going on? "Yet in the cloud of suspicion and overreaction, it is also true Zimbabwe can make profit out of this incident. The world must know we have tens of thousands of Cecils, only they are not wearing collars, and are not named after colonialists."Meanwhile, animal lovers should not wait for Barack Obama to avenge Cecil the Lion's death. Obama knows that it is not only the Walter Palmers of this world who get to go off on safaris.
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