Cincinatti Zoo officials shoot and kill gorilla after child falls into enclosure

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

When a 400-500 pound ape is dragging a toddler across a concrete floor, with the child's head  bouncing up and down on the concrete floor, yes, it is time to kill the ape and save the child.

That doesn't mean the parents aren't at fault for allowing this in the first place. Or the obvious poor enclosure of the zoo as well.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

When a 400-500 pound ape is dragging a toddler across a concrete floor, with the child's head  bouncing up and down on the concrete floor, yes, it is time to kill the ape and save the child.

That doesn't mean the parents aren't at fault for allowing this in the first place. Or the obvious poor enclosure of the zoo as well.

Sometimes bad things happens and it's really nobodies fault. I think we often fail to accept that. Of course somebody may be to blame, but in that case we will likely hear about it in a few days or weeks.

If a 4 year old is able to get into such an enclosure, then either it's set up poorly, the parents weren't paying enough attention or (most likely) both. That sort of thing just doesn't happen as an accident. How many of these incidents occur at zoos frequently?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes, but what's wrong with shooting the gorilla with a tranquilizer??

They don't work like they do in movies. Tranquilizers take several minutes to knock out an animal that large. And shooting a dart into it would aggravate it in the meantime and likely put the boy in more danger.

The zoo actually did consider that but it wasn't a safe option.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Mind you what happens to animals that do kill humans? They get put down. If that kid was dead the gorilla would be dead or soon to be dead as well. You seriously think a zoo would allow a gorilla that killed a four year old to remain in an exhibit?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

As someone who really, really, really dislikes kids, I can see why choosing the life of some unnamed brat over that of one of the beautiful creatures you know and work with each day would be difficult for some.

Maybe I'm a bad person because of it, but hey, we've all got our priorities.

Says the man who wanted to be a pastor.

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