Does this bother anybody else?
And, Van was receptive to the DNR's plan to handle the swans by destroying eggs in the spring.
"It's better then shooting them," Van said. "I'm happy with that solution. It's a good compromise. If they can convince me that the swans really are hurting the lake, then I say shoot them or whatever you have to do, but you have to convince me of that before I change my mind."
So, the mute swans are seen as a pesty problem, and the DNR announces a killing program. People get up in arms -- "How could you be so cruel to these beautiful creatures?" -- and the DNR responds with a "non-lethal program" that involves destroying as much of the next generation of swans as it can, and people are all right with that. Seems like it's not about the swans at all, but about people just wanting to be able to keep seeing the swans, at least for now. Kinda selfish?
