Instant Lion

Paradoxically, South African Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk will soon be presenting legislation that harms not only the tourism industry, but also the rich animal diversity the country offers.

According to Business Day, the regulation will probably ban "canned hunting," which is just a strange way of saying "breeding animals so people can shoot them later." Sounds like canned hunting is great for the environment. There are clear private property rights established over the animals, prohibiting the tragedy of the commons. Just like sheep, cattle and pigs are unlikely to go extinct, allowing people to raise lions and elephants ensure they never will, either.

The "problem" with the old system was it lacked coherenty. Filled with loopholes and difficult to enforce, they might as well not exist. But like a madman bent on jumping out of a window, the government is now reworking the laws to create "national uniformity." Sameness. Conformity. Solidarity.

It's just tragic.