What a shame King Juan Carlos broke his leg badly while killing elephants in Africa

[cali]

Fuckwad. Too bad it wasn't worse. Oh, and his grandson just shot himself in the foot.

Warning: The picture at link is heartbreaking.


By Fiona Govan, in Madrid

5:17PM BST 14 Apr 2012


He was operated on for four hours to replace his hip at a hospital in Madrid on Saturday morning, after suffering a triple fracture which the Royal Palace said was "linked to arthritis".

The accident happened in Botswana during what the palace described as a private hunting trip.

Many Spaniards reacted with anger, with criticism of his expensive hobby at a time when his nation is mired in economic crisis with high unemployment and real suffering, especially for the young.

Adding to the embarrassment for the royal family, a few days ago on Monday his eldest grandson, Felipe Juan Froilán Marichalar y Borbón, 13, shot himself in the right foot with a shotgun during target practice at a family estate north of Madrid.

<snip>

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/9204680/King-Juan-Carlos-of-Spain-operated-on-after-elephant-hunting-accident..html

[snagglepuss]

1. How utterly despicable. I hope his fucking leg falls off.

[teddy51]

2. Why can't these idots use a damn camera instead of a gun? I don't understand there pleasure

in killing something beautiful, just because they can!

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. I'd carry both

And try hard to stick to film. But having one that propels a projectile is common even in photo safaries

[joeybee12]

3. The only shame is he didn't break both...inbred POS

[Peregrine Took]

27. Ugly old snake! Bad karma for him!!

[edhopper]

4. Let's crucify him!

After all he is only responsible for Democracy in Spain.

[RebelOne]

8. So what!!! He is a hunter and I hate hunters!!!! He should have broken his neck. n/t

[cali]

11. really? so he didn't support Franco? And democracy wouldn't have come to Spain without him?

[Peregrine Took]

28. You are giving him a pass for this atrocity?

What kind of person are you?

I don't want to know.

[Johnny Rico]

40. "Atrocity"? Oh, please...

He killed an animal. That's doesn't rise to the level of an "atrocity".

Words do have definitions, y'know.

[itcfish]

5. Juan Carlos Rey de Espaņa

Is a very good person who led a peaceful transition from a dictatorship to a democracy. I hate his hunting but overlook it because he and his family are good people. His grandson is only 13, please don´t start cursing a child.

Yes Juan Carlos does suffer from Arthritis since he had a total knee replacement a few months ago. We hate his hunting vice, but all in all we respect the man. (We as in Spaniards)

[cali]

7. sorry, in my book good people don't kill beautiful intelligent animals for the thrill of it

and frankly with his record he should just fucking put down the gun. If I'd killed a sibling with a gun, I certainly would.

<snip>

In 1956 Juan Carlos, then 18, accidentally shot and killed his 14-year-old brother Alfonos while handling a gun in Estoril, Portugal.

The king has had eight operations since the 1980s, three of them following accidents while practising sports.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2129715/Spains-King-Juan-Carlos-emergency-hip-replacement-falling-Botswana-elephant-hunting-trip.html#ixzz1s2nmSQQc

[2on2u]

17. Sounds like he could use more practice..... clumsy twit, perhaps

this elephant could paint him a pair of crutches.... or not. They don't need anyone trying to exaggerate their manhood by harming them.

[Edim]

39. OMG. Amazing!

[Ecumenist]

6. HUH? What does Arthritis have to do with his leg get broken? I've never heard of that

and I have had rheumatoid Arthritis since I was 12 years old. Something's wrong with that information.

[SDjack]

16. Yep, something is wrong with the info. After the break and surgery to put the bones

back into place and plates and rods to hold the bones together, he will have severe osteoarthritis. When the first X-ray shows that the broken bones have mended, it will also show that arthritis is present. It will get worse and hurt more every day for the rest of his life. Each day, with every step, he will think of his hunting trip.

[cali]

21. I know just how much it hurts

No, I didn't break my femur and I sure as fuck wasn't hunting but I suffered a compound segmental tibial fracture and a segmental fibular fracture last September along with attendant and extensive soft tissue damage and I am in pain every damned day and still on crutches. I've had subsequent surgery after having a titanium rod inserted in the tibial bone from ankle to knee.

It sucks.

[dixiegrrrrl]

29. So, there IS a positive side to all of this, then.

good.

[Politicalboi]

9. These pieces of shit

Deserve the worst. Men who kill like this deserve to die a horrific death IMO. Piece of shit. I would rather see us go war over this than oil. I HATE "hunters". DTH!

[superpatriotman]

10. Is there an Elephant problem in Botswana?

Why in the world would you want to kill an elephant?

[cali]

13. I don't know. He likes to kill bears to

Juan Carlos also enjoys bear hunting. In October 2004, he angered environmental activists by killing nine bears (of which one was a pregnant female) in central Romania.[21] In August 2006, it is alleged that Juan Carlos shot a drunken tame bear (Mitrofan) during a private hunting trip to Russia. The Office of the Spanish Monarchy denies this claim, which was made by the Russian regional authorities.[22]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Juan_Carlos

[superpatriotman]

18. Try to kill them in hand-to-hand combat

That would be sport.

[KamaAina]

12. Note that the Torygraph is reporting this with barely disguised glee

Britain's own royals suddenly have competition for the coveted title of "Goofiest Royals in Europe".

[cali]

15. I don't care who's reporting it. And I find this disgusting, not goofy.

[KamaAina]

31. Prince Philip's undisguised racism is disgusting, too.

The point is that the British royal family isn't the only one completely out of touch with the rest of us here in the 21st century.

[cali]

33. Sure but then you have Charles who champions organic growing and

preservation of landscapes- sort of the opposite of Juan Carlos.

[AtomicKitten]

14. I don't get the "sport" in killing these beautiful creatures.

And I can't help thinking a broken leg is a karmic response to the egregious nature of this "sport."

[2on2u]

19. In order to get a "sport" hunting license..... you should have to

go through some sort of being hunted yourself by creatures that could make a meal out of you. The sport would be seeing the sport hunter wannabe trying to defend himself/herself with oh say a piece of bamboo.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Now that is an excellent idea!

Welcome to DU 2on2u!

[niyad]

24. my standard question to trophy hunters is "what would you do if your target could shoot back?"

[xchrom]

20. Disgusting bastard. Somebody should send a link

Of this thread to the Spanish Embassy.

Let them know what Americans think.

[cali]

23. Here's the website address of Rann Safari. The King paid 30 grand for his elephant

they'll also assist you in killing such animals as white rhinos, zebras, leopards and lions.

http://www.safarisouth.org/

[graywarrior]

25. grrrrrrrr

that picture makes me vomit. i want to smack the fuck out of the two of them.

[alterfurz]

30. "When a man wantonly destroys one of the works of man we call him a vandal...

...when he wantonly destroys one of the works of God, we call him a sportsman." -- Joseph Wood Krutch

[jsmirman]

34. Great quotation

never read it before. Thanks.

[KamaAina]

32. I had no idea that "Juan Carlos" was Spanish for "Cheney"

[Vattel]

35. What do you expect from the king of a nation that still allows bullfighting?

I always cheer for the bull.

[Kaleva]

36. Legal, controlled trophy hunting or poaching.

Locals whose economic livelihood is tied to the trophy hunting business are far more likely to assist authorities in controlling poaching.

[cali]

37. I don't believe that one has to allow trophy hunting in order to diminish poaching

what about photographic safaris, etc as far as income producing?

[Kaleva]

38. I'd consider all possibilities

Those involved in legal trophy hunting have a vested interest in maintaining the overall welfare of animals in sub-Saharan Africa and that includes their environment. Organizations in the U.S. such as Ducks Unlimited and Whitetails Unlimited have done tremendous work here.

[Johnny Rico]

41. How dare you introduce logic into such an emotionally-driven subject?

[Zorra]

42. People that get their jollies by killing people or critters are sick

in the head and belong in an institution.

Killing for sport.

How lovely.

I don't see anything wrong with hunting, fishing, or farming for food if it is done responsibly and with respect.

But causing terror, pain, and death to a living being because it provides enjoyment?

Eeeewww.

That's totally sick in the head fracked up.