The alleged unlawful killing of two lions by two separate American doctors has caused an international outcry and demands for extradition to Zimbabwe for prosecution. (here and here). However, one American woman is using the controversies to taunt animal lovers and apparently drive up traffic on her Facebook site. Sabrina Corgatelli is believed to come from Boise, Idaho and is reportedly a university accountant at Idaho State University who also runs a clothing company called Racks and Ridges. She teased those objecting to the illegal hunts by saying “To all the haters. Stay tuned, you’re gonna have so much more to be pissed off about.” She then posted various photos from the “trip of a lifetime” posing with the corpses of a giraffe, warthog, kudu and impala during a trip to South Africa. To be sure to ignite those grieving over the death of Cecil the Lion, Corgatelli posted a series of pictures with such notes as “All you haters, This is for you!! Have a great day, cuz I know I will!!’
There is no indication that the killings by Corgatelli were illegal. However, the postings have deepened the debate over trophy hunts in Africa and other countries. What is most interesting in this public debate is the total disconnect in how both sides view the experience. Frankly, as a lifelong hiker, I journey great distances to see animals in the wild and could not imagine shooting them and posing with their dead bodies. Yet, this precisely the “beauty” that people like Corgatelli refer to in such “trips of a lifetime.” After shooting a large African antelope called a kudu, she wrote “Yesterday, day 1 an amazing day!!! Got my beautiful beautiful Kudu!! It was my #1 want on my list and I got him on the first day!!! Loving it there!!” Likewise, after killing a giraffe, she wrote “Such an amazing animal!! I couldn’t be any happier!! My emotion after getting him was a feeling I will never forget!!!”
Those postings leaves animal advocates and many environmentalists seething at the notion that one sees such an “amazing animal” and then extracts joy from killing it. After killing a huge warthog, Corgatelli rejoiced in killing “one of Africa’s icons.”
I am truly fascinated by the cultural and emotive divergence in such stories. Many hunters are in fact committed environmentalists and love and respect nature. The current debate has not seriously raised questions over deer, duck, and other common hunting game which are plentiful. It is focused on “big game.” Moreover, places like South Africa make a huge amount of money on eco-tourism, particularly photo safaris. These countries risk a backlash if they are also hosting people who want the joy of killing the very same animals. Notably, giraffe hunts are allowed for trophies despite the fact that the giraffe population has been reportedly falling. A package for wealthy hunters allows them to kill multiple animals for $5,400 while the giraffe carries a ‘trophy fee’ of $2,600 by itself.
Corgatelli has become the target of outrage but her postings have also generated more than 7,000 “likes.” In response to those leaving irate messages, she posted a biblical reference from Genesis 9:3 in which God tells Isaac: “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.” It is not clear if she ate warthog and the hundreds of pounds of meat that she killed or gave the meat to locals.
When actively seeking such notoriety, there is also a possible backlash at a university for an employee. Idaho is a big hunting state so the backlash is likely to be far less than at many other universities. Some people have posted demands that she be fired. As I have argued in the past, I do not believe that it is appropriate for universities to take action. Corgatelli has free speech rights and what she is doing appears perfectly legal. We have a disagreement for what is fun. Where some of us see the beauty in watching animals in the wild and leaving them in pristine locations, others like Corgatelli long to kill those animals. We disagree but that is no reason to seek to punish Corgatelli because she is open about his passion for big game hunting or her desire to participate in the international debate as a hunter advocate. I certainly believe that it is inappropriate for a university to chill such speech and punish those with different values. Ironically, the taunts of Corgatelli likely embarrass most hunters and work to the advantage of animal activists calling for new laws barring such trophy hunts in Africa.
For my part, I am still in Yosemite hiking with the kids in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. I would be thrilled to see a mountain lion today and enjoy not just watching it but leaving it in this wonderful place. Indeed, knowledge that it is still up in these mountains is part of my “trip of a lifetime.”
There are some wires crossed up and hooked to the wrong terminals. These people are perverted, cross wired, and don’t represent humanity’s accomplishments. Interesting that so far two have been doctors. It could be the massive ego and IQ capabilities that powers someone through to such a demanding position are left unfed when the daily routine sets in and saving lives and teeth doesn’t get it anymore. Ya have to stroke that ego somehow.
When one is young and powering along, one is a god. Then one arrives at the place only to find one is just another cog in the wheel. Killing magnificent animals serves a purpose for some.
Yeah, I hear ya Nick… though, I am equally outraged by BOTH…
JAG, Then we are simpatico. Here is my problem. Back in the late 80’s, there was a homeless man on the street in Chicago who was murdered by someone using a crossbow. It took awhile, but the killer was arrested and convicted, sentenced to 60 years. A young man in his 20’s was the killer. A psychiatrist testified this was a “thrill killing.” This story was just a local one. No outrage. No lamentations. This hunting is not my cup o’ tea. But, having worked seeing the savagery of people on other people, I reserve my outrage for that.
Paul has said it–sadism, not just different definitions of “fun”. Maybe she should not be fired, but certainly people should be free to voice their own disgust with her and to shun her for her actions. Those photos are repulsive. What kind of person does this, smiles for a photo, and then plasters it all over the Internet for other people to see?
Her stance and smirk exude confidence and bravery…….accomplished at probably at 300 yards with a high powered rifle. She should try it like the natives did originally with a six foot long spear. Then her smirk might be appropriate.
Ohhh Nick, you have me ALLLL wrong.. I totally support hunting…
I do NOT support TROPHY hunting….
Deer, duck, Moose…. etc.. etc… I am FINE with that…
She is truly an ugly and miserable person who should be ashamed of herself
Nick Spinelli
1, August 3, 2015 at 9:30 am
There’s a cop killer on the loose in Memphis. Can he be hunted?
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after reading this.. I am NOT so sure that hunting people is a bad idea….
JAG, I don’t hunt. But, I don’t hate people who do. I live in a big hunting state. The growth in hunting has been young women. I like people who hunt what they eat. That’s a sorta hipster movement in the US now. Upscale people from urban areas learning to hunt and only eating the meat they kill. I like women who hunt. I like women who skateboard. I like tough women. With this woman, I like her rack. Sue me!
There was a documentary on capital punishment in Texas. An executioner who had since quit was interviewed. He told of his job, of having terminated many humans, and the toll it had taken on him. There was a certain humanity and honesty in how what he had done, legally and sanctioned by society, had affected him.
Just as with the executions of humans the culling of animals to maintain a healthy environment for both the animals and humans is something that must be done. Lions, when targeting a village must be eliminated or the livestock and some humans will become food. Often times ‘Big Game Hunters’ were employed to do this job. It is all somewhat integrated and natural.
What is perverse, however, is the desire to kill and the thrill some people get from killing a magnificent animal. You don’t see many, if any, prairie dogs mounted on rec room walls. “I killed that.” seems to be a necessary part of the identity of some. Not, I worked to balance the nature of an area in Africa where Lions had been overpopulating and were becoming a threat to villagers as well as themselves, but I killed that and it made me feel great.
This woman and the others who receive so much pleasure from killing magnificent animals may fit in the great scheme of things, however, they are not necessary. It is hard to imagine her not getting a little moist if she were the executioner in Texas, pulling the plunger. It may be the same D N A found in psychotic killers who giggle as they watch their victims die. I don’t think our ancestors giggled and squeaked when they hunted their food. It was a job, a part of the great scheme of things, and most probably provided an adrenaline rush. I doubt that it was fun.
She is evil. Anyone who enjoys inflicting pain & death is dead inside.When I read the Pope’s encyclical, putting aside many of his economic criticisms, I was reminded of Matthew Scully’s “Dominion” (a conservative, BTW). The Daesh- and Nazi-like extermination of species proceeds around the world: communists do it best, but we capitalists are no slouches either. There are so many who enjoy this culture of death and turning the Earth into an immense pile of filth, as the pope said. Raping children is excused if you’re a Duggar. Selling body parts is OK unless you get caught on video. So enjoyment of killing animals – sadism – that’s just one more depravity that’s accepted, even admired.
My proposal for Trophy Hunting is an Open Season on the Varmits, who are the root cause of our worlds Mad-Dog killers having access to the helpless children, being left in and returned to toxic, fatal environments, through “WAACO”(Winning At All Cost Obsession) motivated Courthouse Gangs.
Yes it is YOU – the sociopathic Lawyers and Judges that I hold as most responsible for setting up these helpless innocents to be gruesomely murdered by your – “just doing my job” – as does the Mafia Hit man.
I am against hunting big game and hunting in general unless one is hunting for food; however, people seem more incensed about these kills than they are about the thousands of people being killed in wars or dying of famine or being poisoned by the pollution created by big corporations.
People need to get a grip. If the kills or hunts were illegal the individuals should be prosecuted; if not, we all need to calm down. African countries that encourage hunters should not be permitted to go after them once there is a public outcry.
By the way…. I HATE PETA activists… BUT, I hate people like this woman, MORE…
There’s a cop killer on the loose in Memphis. Can he be hunted?
What a disgusting POS…. It’s really sad that some people think that this is OK, in 2015… 🙁
Finally, a man’s woman!
Bravo. Can’t we all just get along?
ALL hunting is on deck, JT. PETA activists are salivating.
Tough broad w/ a nice rack.