Iceland Breaks Ban, Kills Endangered Whale

[Kim]

That's why I said that we're wiping ourselves out.

No.....you said:

For me, a whale's life is just as important as a human's life.

and I can't see you having many friends on that one!

 

[Zingtea]

Anyway, if most people cared, we wouldn't be racing towards extinction like we are now.

Actually, I did say we're wiping ourselves out. Try learning to read better.

and I can't see you having many friends on that one!

Are you saying that not many people would agree with me, or are you trying to call me a loser?

 

[Kim]

Are you saying that not many people would agree with me, or are you trying to call me a loser?

Not many people will agree with you. I generally try not to call people names.

 

[Zingtea]

I think most would agree that if everyone thought the same thing, it would not be very pleasant.

 

[the_cat_keeper]

I don't think there is a right or a wrong here. Everyone has their own perspectives and the reasons/ rationale for the action they take. I don't have the details of the ban that has been lifted and neither do I know if Iceland intended to resume whaling with restrictions.

An ecosystem needs to be balanced with preys and predators. Human beings are just part of a big web; as long as Iceland (or any country for that matter) can maintain an equilibrium in the ecosystem while taking care of its people, fine. There needs to be recognition that once a species is extinct, it's gone forever and adequate controls need to be in place to manage/ avoid that situation.

This is our earth. Not the icelanders, norwegians, etc... neither is it of the whales. Extinction of either men or whales or treees or birds would upset the ecosystem and drove another (more) species to extinction.

My 2cents worth.

 

[Rip Drifter]

I guess if my diet consisted of grilled Puffin and rotten shark meat that I´d be looking for something different once in a while too. I don´t wish to make any cultural condemnation of any peoples, but I feel that this is wrong as it goes against an international ban, a ban which was established for a reason. I wish that it (the ban) could be enforced by whatever paramilitary means necessary in every country, but until the US, for the love of it´s V8 engines signs the Kyoto agreement, it´s basically irrelevent what species we wipe out because we´ll all die soon anyhow. It´s also hard to condemn Iceland for the same reason. `Let he who is without guilt cast the first stone´.......

 

[CBulla]

OK.....there's one starving guy with a gun, a knife, a box of matches, and a pile of wood......and one whale

Do I really need to spell it out?

I'm still reeling at that attitude....written in black and white as well....no way to think, hmmmm "maybe that didn't come out quite right!"

Kim, I think the problem and 'outrage' or 'outcry' here is from the inability to ascertain why a limited hunt is necessry in these times when food is so plentiful that we freely waste it every day. Cannibalism, shrunken heads, being drawn and quartered, etc., have all gone the way of history books as their very nature is viewed as barbarism within the human race. Recent wars have been fought over genocidal practices creating outrage. This is among the most populating and adaptive animals on the face of the earth.

The thought process being laid out by those wishing to pass the protection onto other sentient species is to attempt to ensure their survival a little while longer. I hope that some day we can create the technology capable of communicating better with these creatures... who knows what worldly or galactic secrets they may be carrying. In these times, the killing of some of these sea mammals is nothing more than wanting to be defiant of others, nothing more. As a race, we're already more than contributing to unnecessary deaths of these animals without having to go out and shoot a strong, healthy surviving one in the process.

 

[Kim]

Kim, I think the problem and 'outrage' or 'outcry' here is from the inability to ascertain why a limited hunt is necessary in these times when food is so plentiful that we freely waste it every day.

My "outrage" or "outcry" here is when a human life is valued the same as a whale. For the rest I have said nothing to support Iceland in this thread. Actually I think that what they've done is a little silly as they don't even consume the catch themselves. Given that it's one of the only historical industries they've got though, I can see their reluctance to give it up just because others tell them to. Human nature is funny like that - every country I know reacts the same way. That said - they're breaking an International ban which that they actually agreed to. That's not OK.

There is absolutely no evidence that I'm aware of that whales have more than animal sentience - like pigs for instance. Pigs have been shown to possess extremely high intelligence, but most people don't seem to have a problem eating them!

 

[Zingtea]

Pigs have been shown to possess extremely high intelligence, but most people don't seem to have a problem eating them!

Does that mean it's ok?

 

[TexasZR2]

C'mon....did y'all not see Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home? Without the whales we are really screwed!!!