Elephant Slaughtering CEO Disgraces Domain Company
By Dustin Garrett Rhodes
Bob Parsons, the GoDaddy.com CEO, posted a video of himself killing an elephant in Zimbabwe—a “rogue” animal who was, according to Parsons and villagers there, killing crops and therefore had to be killed.
It’s an all-too-predictable response to a commonly held view of non-human animals: if they are ever an inconvenience to humans, destroy them.
Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals—who has traveled to Zimbabwe as part of the delegation to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)—knows first-hand what the killing is really about:
“I am well- aware of the government’s support of the ivory trade — despite its decimation of elephants. The rogue, problem animal is Bob Parsons. Zimbabwe’s trophy elephant hunts are all profit-driven, nothing more.”
Elephants are the largest land animals on earth, and 25 years ago there were around 1.3 million of them in Africa. It’s now estimated that there are around 500,000 on the entire continent—and their primary predators are humans, who mainly kill them illegally for ivory; their populations have suffered because of habitat loss, too. Bob Parson’s motivation might be even more frightening: he kills because he enjoys it.
All animals are a vital part of the eco-system; if there is a rogue species, it’s human beings. That we disrespect elephants and the countless other animals killed in the name of sport, pleasure and profit is deplorable. Learning to co-exist alongside and respect other animals is key to human and animal survival.
Priscilla Feral sums it up succinctly: “Bob Parsons’ elephant-killing commands sympathy for elephants and scorn for trashy Parsons, who invested many thousands of dollars to feel powerful by stealing an elephant’s life.”
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21 Comments
On April 5, 2011, Martha Milne wrote:
Mr. Parsons no longer qualifies as a sentient human, if ever he was one. It’s incredible in these days of runaway extinction, such dark days for elephants and all life (please remember that very much includes the all important, all wonderful “us”), that anyone with the slightest grasp of daily living could make such a judgment, commit such an act and pose happily for such a tragic photograph.
On April 5, 2011, C. FINN wrote:
Bob Parsons is insensitive and disgusting! Why doesn’t he just donate all that $$$ that he spends going to Zimbawe, and improve the life of the residents with the resources to keep them fed all year long, rather than once a year? Doesn’t that make more sense? I’m sure they have to eat year round also just like big pudgey Bob! Feeding the natives is a poor sinful excuse for taking the life of an animal nearing extinction. I hope that anyone doing business with GoDaddy.com will take their business elsewhere along with any company affilitated with this barbarian!
On April 5, 2011, casey vogler wrote:
WE call ourselves “God’s children” when we are just upright, mostly hairless animals with a brain pan just large enough to create the conceit of entitlement. Elephants are a more spiritual, more “human” species than we are. I am ashamed.
On April 5, 2011, Raina Spaziani wrote:
Didn’t realize he was such a (jerk). Have 3 domains with him that will be moved at once!! Boycott People!!!
On April 5, 2011, Melissa wrote:
I would love just once to switch the roles and have the animal holding the gun………. Big Daddy is Big A-HOLE!!!!!!
On April 5, 2011, sharon wrote:
I would like to know, who determined that Mr. Parson was in charge os dispatching “Rogue” animals. A poor animal lost its life for crops?!?! What about the poor animals that are losing their homes, breeding grounds from “Rogue” people who are encroaching on their territory? I assume since they are only dumb animals they have no rights to territory or lands and have no say. We are their voice!! I will certainly pass this email and video to my friends who and let them see what kind of blatant disregard Mr Parson - GoDADDY! has for animals. So proud of himself. Yeah GoDaddy, Go to He____!!!!!
On April 5, 2011, Candace Hoover wrote:
Man, once again, has shown to be an animal with little regard for creatures that share this planet. Kill, kill the solution men embrace quickly as the power they lust for over all other living things.
On April 5, 2011, Risa wrote:
JERK. Nothing special about an ignoramus with a loaded gun, unless he slips and shoots himself. … The common expression that people use in disgust, how some people are ‘like animals’. It’s a pity there aren’t a lot more people who truly were like animals. They wouldn’t kill for thrills,or status or to impress. Only for necessity. Humanity is so very inhumane it makes it embarrassing to be human…
On April 5, 2011, Cinnamon Landman wrote:
I wonder if our planet will survive long enough, for those of us who understand and care about other species, to be in the majority. From all the groups I’m on, from everything I read and see, our numbers are growing. But it didn’t take long, historically speaking, for humans to evolve from a gathering, berry-eating species (for which our bodies were naturally created) to a hunting species; and then to a species which presumes dominion over all others, and now makes these other species the scapegoats for everything we (or they, the perpetrators) want—food, land, sport, entertainment.
We encroach on the land that belonged to them, and then self-righteously declare that we’re protecting what is “ours.” I’m sad for that elephant victim; I’m sad for all the elephants who die at the hands of man. I’m sad for the wolves, the seals, the polar bears, the primates…
Yes, the numbers of intelligent, compassionate people are growing. But those of us who care, who do everything we can at a personal level, to protect animals, are still in the minority. And we have to see pictures of people like Parsons, posing proudly over the animal he murdered. And he has to know, inside, that he’s a criminal, or he wouldn’t have to make the excuse of “protecting” the crops of these natives. He could just say, “I love killing. It’s illegal to kill humans; but if I make up excuses, it’s OK to kill animals!”
On April 5, 2011, Raina Spaziani wrote:
Just switched all my domains to Network Solutions. VERY pleasant, knew all about the elephant and they gave me a FREE YEAR on each account for doing the transfer. Call them or transfer on line. 1-877-632-2081 I feel better already!!
On April 5, 2011, Peter Hood wrote:
The “excuse” that this was a “rogue” animal destroying crops is just a sham, and the subsequent video a gross publicity stunt which Mr. Parsons misjudged. But in the end, the means to influence ths sort of profit-based decision-making is to change those profit metrics. There are innumerable other vendors to choose for web hosting, any of which can transfer an exisiting domain name over. Outraged consumers should take their business… elsewhere. If enough do so, the death of this elephant (and others) will not be in vain.
On April 5, 2011, Michele F wrote:
You would think with all his MONEY, he could build them a fence or some other cruelty free alternative to protect their crop. I imagine he must have a history of hunting….just an excuse to kill. BYE DADDY!!!!!
On April 5, 2011, LEO STELLA wrote:
More proof that Human Beings are the lowest Life-Form on the Planet. {:^)
On April 5, 2011, GDiFonzo wrote:
I’ll bet my life savings (well, almost) that Parsons is a member of Safari Club International—the millionaire trophy-hunt club that enables its members to write off slaughters like this as a tax deduction. I have not heard of any other group, nor any particular individual, who could facilitate a modern-day elephant hunt the way Safari Club can. I support the GoDaddy boycott entirely.
On April 5, 2011, Marjorie Hass wrote:
This is inexcusable. I’d like to do the same thing to him that he did to the elephant so he would know how it feels. It was none of his business what the elephant did.
On April 5, 2011, Barbara Bryan wrote:
Who does Mr Parsons think he is fooling? Clearly, he enjoys killing what he considers “big game”. Worse yet, he has concocted a ridiculous story where he comes off as a benevolent benefactor to the poor people of Zimbabwe. He is proud of what he has done and plans to go back again next year. He is a trophy hunter masquerading as a humanitarian. In reality, he is a repulsive little man who feels inadequate and compensates by shooting the largest living creature he can find. How pathetic!
On April 6, 2011, Geri Mellgren-Kerwin wrote:
CEO’s need to prove they have the capacity for life-affirming, non-selfish behavior—which this escapade fails to do. We already know his ilk are a threat to all living things; having taken down the US economy. they are now threatening our form of government.
On April 6, 2011, Kalico wrote:
It’s idiots like this who won’t be happy until all wildlife is extinct! I’d like to put him in hungry lion territory without any weapons. let’s see how he would like to be hunted!!!
Kalico
On April 6, 2011, Joan Bierman wrote:
I just do not understand why more cannot be done to protect these wonderful creatures. These killers of animals are getting away with murder. Can’t we have stronger legislation against these awful people? Stronger laws with some bite in them not just a slap on the wrist. We will see how the CEO in question brags about his endeavors when his company comes crashing down.
On April 7, 2011, Bridget W. Irons wrote:
Rachel Carson, biologist and author of SILENT SPRING, once said, “We cannot have peace among men whose hearts find delight in killing any living creature.”
On April 10, 2011, Rachel Raza wrote:
I think this a disgusting display of self pleasure at the expense of an innocent animal. This man disgusts me and he should lose his business through this as I cannot believe that too many companies around the world would want to be affiliated with such behaviour by it’s CEO