An open letter to Kendall Jones

I’ve spent the last few days standing by watching heartless people attack a 19-year-old girl for her passion and promotion of ethical hunting. It's difficult to express just how much my heart hurts when I read the onslaught of comments and posts that are emotionally charged rather than constructively thought out.

If Kendall ever reads this…I hope you know that there are a whole bunch of folks out here that support you! Hang tough and stay strong!

Hey ya’ll. Do you remember Miley Cyrus? That public figure who took her clothes off, humped a mic, and was as unlady like as imaginable? Well, in compairison, how is it that a fully clothed preservationist is such a bad thing in the publics’ eye?

Unbelievably, abuse, verbal attacks and even death threats have been directed towards a young, skilled woman with a love and passion for conservation through hunting.

Let’s examine a personal experience of mine to explain the type of the folks we’re dealing with here, shall we?

I was walking to class the other day wearing an ankle-high pair of vintage, brain-tanned, fringed moccasins, with a pair of rolled up jeans and a cowhide purse. As I walked by the library a girl with dreads (this isn’t being derogatory to what her style is, I could care less how she does her hair-so long as she showers so I don’t have to smell her in class) started screaming at me.

“You f*$%#@@!

Killer!

MURDERER!

F*#&$^ B*$^$^!

GO TO HELL!

These were just some of the things she screamed at me. Now, I’m pretty ok with folks getting upset, but getting screamed at by someone I don’t even know, well I’m not ok with that. In fact I pretty much dislike that.SO, I calmly asked her what she is so worked up about.

“You are a f*#&% murderer, killing innocent animals to wear on your feet like trophies!”

Big mistake.

First, I’m proud of these moccasins. Second, her leather tennis shoes under her long skirt are JUST as 100% leather as my moccasins. Hers just had coloring added. Also, own a computer? Yeah….animal by-product. Next time try coming at me with a decent argument and a non-hateful attitude. I would have taken her a lot more seriously.

Hearing the hate spewing from someone who had not only NO facts to back up what they were saying, but also to be so HATEFUL when they hadn’t even attempted to talk to me in a decent manner beforehand, made me flip out. I wanted to call my good friend Katie Stroud (Previous National California Beef Ambassador) and ask her to write a speech for me, as I was too mad to think straight!

ASIDE from the arguments and completely unfounded, uneducated assumptions these people make about hunting and hunters, this is a 19-year-old girl. Why are folks writing Kendall HATE mail telling her that they want to kill her? I don’t care who you are, that is just WRONG. I’ve lived with a small amount of hate email since I was 14, and there are days when I take it to heart more than others and don’t even want to get out of bed because of it…I cannot imagine the sheer volume and overwhelming outpouring of criticism and abuse this girl is going through and still she has maintained her composure.

Kendall, I have something to say to you. You do not know me, I’m a no-body cowboy singer from the Great Basin who has hunted and trapped since I was little. I love conservation and the appropriate handling and care of the wildlife we are charged with to protect. You are showing immeasurable maturity and grace in the face of degrading individuals who would love nothing more than to see you be bothered. They forget they are simply talking to a real, 19-year-old girl who is passionate about hunting and conservation. The majority of the people sending you death threats have never stepped foot outside a city or been involved in anything that has to do with wildlife or real understanding of how the natural world functions beyond a classroom or a “wild” safari where they oo’d and aww’d over Disney-like animals they felt a “connection” with.

Do not listen to them and do not be discouraged.

The world needs women like you.

Those of us who are still hunters, trappers, conservationists and supporters of REAL people protecting our wildlife admire and stand behind you. We live in a crazy and out-of-control world that places more importance and emphasis on Kim K what’s her name’s wedding than the actual issues surrounding our world today.

I admire and commend you Kendall, don’t listen to the negativity and hate. Shallow people say shallow things.

We support you and believe in you and what you do.

Ps. Wanna go huntin sometime? I’m game! (Some pun intended)

Hugs from another hunter,

~Adrian Buckaroogirl 


www.buckaroogirl.com