I have often wondered how humans throughout history have allowed sadistic dictators and other evil people to brainwash them and participate in the most heinous of acts. Psychopaths from Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and to a lesser extend David Koresh and Jim Jones have been able to create a "lynch mob" mentality among otherwise "normal" people. We are seeing the exact same thing now with the obsessed wolf killers and anti-wolf trolls.
I can relate to this article. Because I have defended coyotes in my area I have also endured harassment. It is the killers sense of entitlement that I find most surprising. No one is allowed to speak out against what they do and if they do they will pay the price. This is classic bullying and it is encouraged in our society by others silence and the lack of political will to enforce existing laws that defend our environment and wildlife.
All kinds of violence, from domestive abuse on up to serial killing and mass murder are motivated by a strong sense of entitlement. We pass laws to try to prevent this kind of behavior toward humans, but when they claim entitlement over wildlife we call it custom and culture.