Have you heard the hubbub about GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons? It seems as if Parsons was in Zimbabwe recently, I suspect hunting, and was asked by local villagers to shoot a rogue elephant raiding their crops. That's a common request these days. Parsons obliged and dispatched the elephant saving some crops and putting lots of good meat in the hands of locals. According to Parsons, villagers walked from as far as 25 miles away to get a chunk of the red-meat raider.
To me this sounds practical and admirable. Parsons didn't break any laws and helped out villagers with a problem that is more and more common as elephants rebound on the Dark Continent. The issue raised questions with anti-hunters when Parsons posted a video account of the incident on his Twitter account.
Of course the level-minded folks at PETA immediately had something to say about the CEO's actions. They hit back by saying he should have used his money for "nonlethal methods" to solve the issue instead of shooting the poor animal. They also asked PETA members to boycott GoDaddy.com and they pulled their business from the site. And like schoolyard bullies they labeled Parsons "scummiest CEO of the year."
Spokespeople for GoDaddy.com said the boycott has had "no significant change in business." I'm keeping my account open. These days, finding a CEO who appreciates hunting and firearms is as rare as a PETA member joining me for lunch at KFC.
No crop raiding today. GoDaddy is in town.