Would You Kill Bigfoot? Alternatively, Should Bigfoot be Killed?
The philosophical question usually arises in a classroom, with a purely hypothetical situation. However, Destination America’s new TV show Killing Bigfoot attempts to tackle it.
The first season, 6-part series Killing Bigfoot debuts on February 4th. It follows the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization (GCBRO) as they track down and ultimately kill Bigfoot. They justify this decision to fatally wound the elusive creature because it has reportedly been slaughtering farm animals and pets, while attacking homes. No actual proof exists to show this cryptozoological creature in the act, which has caused some tension in the field.
Bigfoot is a humanoid creature standing between 7-8 feet in height. He is a hairy beast who prefers a solitary life. Hence the inability to capture him on video, film, or camera phone. Native American legends told of such a beast, along with early American settlers. Since 1967, there have been over 3,000 sightings across the United States. However, no one has ever captured one. Nor have any skeletal remains been located.
In 2016, GCBRO started receiving reports on possible sightings. And the ethical/philosophical questions arose. Do they merely capture the beast? Or gun it down? Predictably, the club wants to kill it. They claim that a nuisance animal can be hunted down and killed. On the other hand, former group member Dr. Samuel Webb Sentell advises not to kill it. He argues that Bigfoot is classified as a humanoid, part man/part beast. Since these animals are reclusive, they show signs of intelligence. They live in families. Simply put: Killing Bigfoot equates to murder.
The GCBRO rebuttal is that a killing is required to show science that Bigfoot exists. Further, they would like to harvest him in the name of science. Wow.
The first obstacle is locating the humanoid. Seems that the 6 episodes spend most of the time attempting to find one. The pesky, elusive creature truly enjoys hiding. Maybe he can hear and understand just what the hunt is about. And he objects.
Tune in February 4th on Destination America at 9 PM. Let me know what you think.
