Here's a disturbing video for you today -- some idiot parents thought it would be a good idea to let their baby play with a cobra. A COBRA. Ace's readers point out that, as a performing cobra, it is probably defanged, but I still call major asshattery on the part of the parents... and whoever else was standing around laughing at this obviously pissed-off cobra (check out the hood) trying to strike a baby.
Defanged my ass. That's still just awful. Besides the actual cobra strikes to the head, why on Earth would you want your child to grow up with no fear of dangerous, deadly snakes? Not every snake you come across is going to be defanged, yet you want to indoctrinate the notion into your children from infancy that snakes are living toys??
And how lovely that the camera stopped filming once the snake wrapped itself around the baby's neck -- was it then, and only then, that the "responsible adults" decided it was time to pull the snake off? Or did they stop filming because something actually happened to the baby? I vote for -- and certainly hope for -- the first option. But if you're willing to let a cobra, defanged or not, strike your baby on the head repeatedly, and then laugh about it, there's something not right about you. These people, these pitiful excuses for parents, shouldn't have been allowed to breed.
Oh, but wait, all cultures are equal, so clearly we should just respect this. It's probably something our greedy, stupid Western minds just can't understand.
Hat Tip: Ace
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Asshats, WTF?
Comments (22)
"...why on Earth would you ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Synova | April 10, 2008 11:53 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"...why on Earth would you want your child to grow up with no fear of dangerous, deadly snakes?"
That's actually the only reason I can possibly see for this. Fear isn't useful. Considering how many people are terribly afraid of entirely non-dangerous snakes and considering how fear doesn't actually make a person safer, I'd prefer my children not be afraid of snakes, at all.
When someone hacks a garter snake or green grass snake to death because some idiot is having a panic attack I'm pretty dang disgusted, actually. In fact, I'd say that I revile a person who hacks a harmless animal to death because they're too panic stricken to tell the difference between one that can hurt you and one that can't. And even the ones that can hurt you *won't* and can be moved.
So long as you aren't a screaming ninny.
Not being afraid and bound by fear allows the rational mind to both keep a person *safe* and deal effectively with dangerous situations to keep other people *safe*.
1. Posted by Synova | April 10, 2008 11:53 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 11:53
2. Posted by karen | April 10, 2008 12:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm at a total loss for words.
2. Posted by karen | April 10, 2008 12:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 12:01
3. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 12:16 PM | Score: -9 (11 votes cast)
Having a child play with a de-fanged, and thus harmless, snake is certainly better than telling children they can handle deadly snakes and will not be harmed if they have sufficient faith. But that happens among Christians here in the US, so it's not worth getting upset about.
3. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 12:16 PM |
Score: -9 (11 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 12:16
4. Posted by LaMedusa | April 10, 2008 1:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It looks like this spectacle was primarily for the ones behind the camera. That is pretty whacked. They don't have anything better for that kid to play with?
4. Posted by LaMedusa | April 10, 2008 1:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 13:01
5. Posted by Conservachef | April 10, 2008 1:17 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Mantis,
1)per your wiki link, that group has 1-5000 members. Hardly mainstream Christianity. In fact, Pentecostals alone number around 10 million. Southern Baptists alone make up around 16 million, and Catholics, around 67.
2)Regardless of the number of members, it is pretty bad for kids to play with venemous snakes. In fact, most states have outlawed it. (also per your wiki link)
Please don't paint Christians with the same brush as these folks. It's a very big leap.
5. Posted by Conservachef | April 10, 2008 1:17 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 13:17
6. Posted by ClobberGirl | April 10, 2008 1:22 PM | Score: -3 (5 votes cast)
You guys are getting worked up over nothing. The snake obviously could not bite the baby and there were plenty of adults nearby ready to intervene. The baby wasn't hurt or crying and did not even look afraid. I'm sure there are more pressing issues out there threatening the welfare of babies to be outraged about.
6. Posted by ClobberGirl | April 10, 2008 1:22 PM |
Score: -3 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 13:22
7. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 1:26 PM | Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
I wasn't talking about Christians in general, just snake-handler Christians (and yes, there aren't that many of them). And that ain't a leap at all. They're worse.
7. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 1:26 PM |
Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 13:26
8. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 1:30 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
If you are gonna feed a snake, you need to pick food that is small enough to fit in its mouth.
8. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 1:30 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 13:30
9. Posted by Peter F. | April 10, 2008 3:12 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Be they Christian snake handlers or Hindus tempting a defanged cobra, somebody's heading for a Darwin Award sooner vs. later.
9. Posted by Peter F. | April 10, 2008 3:12 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 15:12
10. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 3:40 PM | Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Given that you have a habit of mentioning the exact same sect repeatedly mantis, I suspect that there is an obsession on your part.
10. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 3:40 PM |
Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 15:40
11. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 3:43 PM | Score: -2 (2 votes cast)
I've never mentioned them. Nice try though.
11. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 3:43 PM |
Score: -2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 15:43
12. Posted by Oyster | April 10, 2008 4:57 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
You know, mantis, here's the part of your comment that is fatuous and just plain snide:
"But that happens among Christians here in the US, so it's not worth getting upset about."
Shame there wasn't some specific disclaimer there about Christians who do ridiculous stunts with snakes. But then you wouldn't have had the opportunity to be a putz.
12. Posted by Oyster | April 10, 2008 4:57 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 16:57
13. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 5:04 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Guess I'm going to have to do some searching mantis, as I have a recollection of you making previous anti-christian comments with reference to snake handling sects.
13. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 5:04 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 17:04
14. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 5:08 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Shame there wasn't some specific disclaimer there about Christians who do ridiculous stunts with snakes.
If there was, it would kind of contradict this:
Oh, but wait, all cultures are equal, so clearly we should just respect this. It's probably something our greedy, stupid Western minds just can't understand.
---
Guess I'm going to have to do some searching mantis, as I have a recollection of you making previous anti-christian comments with reference to snake handling sects.
You recall things I didn't write. Happy hunting.
14. Posted by mantis | April 10, 2008 5:08 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 17:08
15. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 5:09 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Well, I found the comment I had in mind, and it was indeed not mantis, but another commentor since banned.
My apologies to mantis for my error.
15. Posted by SPQR | April 10, 2008 5:09 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 17:09
16. Posted by Oyster | April 10, 2008 5:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Nice try at deflection there, mantis. Whatever contradiction you may see there has nothing to do with your implication that anyone here thinks children playing with venomous snakes is not worth getting upset about simply by virtue of which religion is involved.
16. Posted by Oyster | April 10, 2008 5:36 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 17:36
17. Posted by Mattnu | April 10, 2008 6:16 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Things were going well for baby Mowgli, until the Cobra said, "Let me show you what KAa the Python taught me."
Alas, poor Mowgli...
17. Posted by Mattnu | April 10, 2008 6:16 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 18:16
18. Posted by 914 | April 10, 2008 7:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Boy, they sure start them Hindu snake wrastlers at a young age.
18. Posted by 914 | April 10, 2008 7:02 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 19:02
19. Posted by Cassy | April 10, 2008 7:32 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Mantis, weren't you banned?
Jay, wanna be the judge on this one?
19. Posted by Cassy | April 10, 2008 7:32 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 19:32
20. Posted by Jay Tea | April 10, 2008 7:46 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Cassy, not only was mantis never banned, but he's had several invitations to come on board as a regular author.
Yup, I'm serious.
mantis getting banned? Four simple words:
Not. On. My. Watch.
Unless, of course, he goes completely BarneyG or muirgeo or astigafa or Lee Ward... but I really, really don't think that's gonna happen.
If he does, though, it'll be my problem. (Think Atticus Finch/Old Yeller here...)
J.
20. Posted by Jay Tea | April 10, 2008 7:46 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2008 19:46
21. Posted by Elven Phoenix | April 11, 2008 1:47 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Okay, my baby is a year old, and I would NEVER let her near a cobra even if it was defanged. The cat narrowly escaped death when he scratched her last week. Granted, he was justified, as she took a huge bite out of his a$$, but if I had been there instead of my husband he might not have survived.
In short, babies do not have very good survival instincts. One of our responsibilities as parents is to MAKE SURE THAT THEY SURVIVE. These parents were obviously not living up to their primary duty as parents.
21. Posted by Elven Phoenix | April 11, 2008 1:47 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 11, 2008 01:47
22. Posted by TGScott | April 11, 2008 10:49 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Despite the cobra being defanged, this Christian finds that video totally disgusting. They need to send that baby to me so I can keep her safe.
22. Posted by TGScott | April 11, 2008 10:49 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on April 11, 2008 10:49