Nickolas Kristof's 'Environmental Balance, Pick Up A Rifle'

Mo Roga
Ms. Duffy
English 112
11/28/13
“For Environmental Balance, Pick Up a Rifle”
Nickolas Kristof starts out his article by briefly quizzing the reader on general knowledge that he soon tries to challenge. Followed by his main argument led by an interesting title he chose when he decided to incorporate “picking up a rifle” with “environmental balance”. In doing this, the author makes it clear from the get-go that he stands firm with the belief that hunting is a logical solution to the issue of environmental balance. His solution to this problem is simply, Achieving environmental balance by the means of hunting; which could also be seen as the main thesis to this essay. Immediately, the author identifies the issue that he is set
out to provide a solution for in his argument.
Kristof makes the claim that the overpopulation of deer possesses a greater danger to humans than common predators do. He supports this claim by stating the damage this issue is already causing to the environment with these statistics to go with it “One result is ticks and Lyme disease, but deer also kill people more directly. A study for the insurance industry estimated that deer kill about 150 people a year in car crashes nationwide and cause $1 billion in damage.” This number compares to the other supported claim he makes of how predators such as bears, wolves and cougars are only responsible for about 3 to no deaths a year. In respect to these claims, it’s clear that the author is trying to shed some light so that the reader can identify the unnatural characteristics that the current environmental imbalance is causing.
Although Nickolas Kristof stands firm on his beliefs that hunting is the more logical solution for this problem he still remains mindful of the fact that people nowadays might see hunting as a primitive or as he puts it, a “barbaric” means of dealing with this issue. Nonetheless Kristof continues his argument by pointing out how people nowadays may be more comfortable with the deer population declining because of reasons like disease or hunger. This credible author does great job in including credible opinions like those belonging to environmentalists who also lean towards the idea that “hunting could be green”. Sticking to his main focus of concern for the environment, Kristof makes a very solid point when linking hunting with the outdoors; pointing out how much more of a positive impact it may have on our environment in comparison to other activities we deem necessary but in turn have a negative impact on the environment such as “logging, mining, or oil drilling”. I completely agree with argument set by the author when he points out how if humans wipe out a great number of predators, resulting in a “unnatural” growth in deer populations, we should be the ones that take on the job we’ve given ourselves as top predator.
To do our part in keeping balance to the populations we’ve offset. As Kristof put it “it’s an abdication of environmental responsibility to eliminate other predators and then refuse to assume the job ourselves. In that case, the collisions with humans will simply get worse.” I also found myself in compliance with Kristof’s assumption that people these days would look at hunting more as a barbaric action rather than a necessary one for ecological balance. Looking at both sides of the opinion of hunting in today’s society the authors makes it clear that he doesn’t expect the idea to make sense to people who may hold an ignorant stance when challenged with his proposal. Kristof was sure to include this when talking about where people may stand on this topic in an everyday life setting “Granted, hunting isn’t advisable in suburban backyards, and I don’t expect many soccer moms to install gun racks in their minivans.” I believe his humorous tone while explaining his opinion of the need to kill animals in to achieve positive environmental results is appropriate in the way he expresses the logical irony of his claim. A Claim made strong by ending it with a real example of how this problem can literally come crashing into our homes of not dealt with in the right way, the way the Author deemed as a logical
solution.

Work Cited

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing: A Brief Guide to Argument by Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau, Bedford/St. Martin 's. Page(s): (183-185), NOOK Study (Mo Bourogaa, [e-mail]).
KRISTOF, NICHOLAS. For Environmental Balance, Pick Up a Rifle. The New YorkTimes: December 4, 2005. Print