Tsk Tsk on Tusks

Governments have long “crushed” ivory, allegedly to stop the slaughter of elephants for their tusks (and not because bureaucrats enjoy stealing priceless objects they could never afford from wealthy serfs. Yes, I know that’s what you were thinking, you cynic, you). And writers here at LRC have excoriated the utter “insanity” of this War on Ivory for just as long. So I hope you’ll indulge me as I add my two cents, because this barbarity will strike close to home in August: “A ton of confiscated [sic for ‘purloined’] elephant ivory will be destroyed by an ‘enormous rock crusher’ in the middle of Central Park next month – and you can watch it happen.” (Thanks to Felix Bronstein for the link.)

It’s not enough for “New York State and the Wildlife Conservation Society” to “[team] up to pulverize items such as ivory trinkets, statues, jewelry and tusks,” nor for them to brag about this horrific destruction of beauty in a press release. They also expect those of us paying their salaries to turn out and cheer their theft and vandalism.

However tragic this senseless robbery and wreckage, it’s not surprising. The Amerikan police-state learned well from its mentors. Next up: burning books.

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