This is not the best week to share a name with Walter Palmer, the part-time dentist / full-time asshole and confirmed killer of Zimbabwe's much-beloved Cecil the Lion. In case the continued saga of Meek Mill vs. Drake has (understandably) dominated your timeline, let's turn to the New York Timesfor the murder summary:
According to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, the lion was shot with a crossbow after he was lured out of the sanctuary, following the scent of food. Cecil, well known to those who visited Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe for his jet black mane, was only injured by the arrow. The hunters tracked him for about two days before he was killed with a gun, conservation officials said. He was beheaded and skinned, his corpse left to rot.
Almost immediately upon news of Cecil's murder, the internet swarmed the Yelp page of Palmer's dental practice with various photos of his long and disturbing affinity for brutally murdering animals for sport. Palmer eventually closed his dental offices and remains — as of Thursday — nowhere to be found. Serving as the proverbial cherry atop Palmer's mountain of assholery? He reportedly paid out more than $100,000 in a sexual harassment case back in 2005.
Through it all, one of our nation's greatest voices has remained silent — until now. Speaking to The Associated Press on Thursday, Golden GirlBetty White — a longtime advocate for the advancement of animal rights — expressed anger and disbelief regarding the curious case of Walter Palmer. "You don't want to hear some of the things I want to do to that man," says White. "It's such a heartbreaker. You can't even talk about it, and to see this king of the jungle and personifying it in every way, this gorgeous creature. How can somebody do that?"
Protect Betty White at all costs.
