Sea Shepherd condemned by International Whaling Commission.

[Kim]

I just realized something. If the dolphin meat is so much contaminated with mercury and pcb, shouldn't we worry more about the sources of that contamination? I mean, the Japanese hunt might stop not because of unhealthy meat but because the dolphins become extinct due to pollutants.

Mercury contamination in fish is quite an old fact. Tuna is especially affected. Dolphins and toothed whales eat other fish, thereby concentrating the substances in themselves - that's why it's there.....sometimes measured at 200 times what is considered a "safe" level.

Should humanity pollute less? You betcha.... Unfortunately our track record is appalling in our treatment of the planet. That's why it's ridiculous IMO to single anyone out - the entire world has contributed to the build up and concentrations of toxic elements in the oceans. This isn't something that's just happened recently - it's been going on since the Industrial revolution, and to a smaller degree even before that.

No one is in a position to act in a self-righteous, holier than thou manner. They're ALL part of the problem - just like me.

That's why I find people like Paul Watson such utter hypocrites. Even if he manages to save a few whales (which is highly debatable), he's still putting large diesel engines to sea with all the extra pollution that adds........just like any of us divers flying to our diving destinations.....then going on dive boats etc. (like I will be doing next week)

I KNOW I live in a glass house.

How about everyone else?

 

[Aquatic Eagle]

That's why I find people like Paul Watson such utter hypocrites. Even if he manages to save a few whales (which is highly debatable), he's still putting large diesel engines to sea with all the extra pollution that adds........just like any of us divers flying to our diving destinations.....then going on dive boats etc. (like I will be doing next week)

I KNOW I live in a glass house.

How about everyone else?

But why is he any worse that the rest of us? I agree with what you're saying about the ship's engines and I've thought of that before but like you say, we are all part of the problem. Why don't you agree that he is doing his part to help? Sure the ships' engines add their share of pollutants but so does my car and most everyone else's. In his defense, he and his crew HAVE saved many many whales. That is observable. If he is chasing the whalers, they can't stop to do the whaling so the whales aren't dying.

Look at this through his eyes and tell me what you would see.

 

[Kim]

But why is he any worse that the rest of us?

Because he portrays himself as BETTER than everyone else......BETTER than the whalers or other people he tries to terrorize.

In his pursuit of what he believes to be right, he endangers peoples lives, causes criminal damage, disregards International law - while all the time he's no better than anyone else and in point of fact probably causes more environmental damage than you or I do!!! That's pure hypocrisy in my book. Anyone in mainstream conservation like Greenpeace disavows him completely. There are several countries that he can't go to because they'd throw his sorry butt straight into jail - and quite right too!!!

Any dispassionate examination of the facts suggests that it's pollution and global warming that are the main threats that marine life, including (maybe especially)whales face. Suspected starvation of tens of thousands of whales due to changes in krill populations and disappearance of other fish is hugely more contributory to the problems than a tiny percentage of animals hunted by the wahling nations. And he just adds to that by driving his ship all around the planet pretending he's an ecological hero!!!

I don't know where you dive but I dive in the tropics mostly. Every year the coral is in worse shape - and when the coral goes the reef fish do too. I'm going to Thailand next week, and I've been hearing some horror stories already of the situation in Hin Daeng & Hin Muang. I guess I'll get to see for myself, but I fear the worst. I've seen dead coral before - it's a truly sickening sight. It's a real indication of problems in our oceans......and it's not caused by a handful of Japanese whalers.

I don't need to look at it through his eyes....I've seen it already very clearly through my own.

 

[ekremer]

We've already addressed both of these things earlier in the thread.



They do NOT endorse a deliberate policy of sinking or sabotaging any vessels. This makes it sound like they just pull up next to a whaling vessel and begin destroying it right away. They ALWAYS try to negotiate and peaceful end whatever the vessel is doing. They always announce why they are there and try to keep communication open.



SSCS has never said that they will use violence and put people's lives at risk.



I don't think that most terrorists try to communicate and negotiate with people before taking action. SSCS always repeatedly tries to communicate with whoever they are dealing with before taking any action. I hardly call destroying nets terrorism.

With all due respect I am quoting an article in wikipedia if you find any problems with the article go ahead and fix it, make sure you cite sources. But for now I think ill trust the article.

Secondly I wanna make sure I get where you are coming from...Lets use an anology that your average American may be able to understand.

Lets say there a bunch of teens in a parking lot eating some food they got at the local McDonalds. Teens being what they are start throwing the trash on the floor. Just then some Passerby who is sick of seeing trash decides to then shout at the teens to stop. Who being teens laugh ignore him and actually go into their cars to find more trash to throw around.

As a result the man decides to get out of his car with a baseball bat and utterly destroy the kids car. removes the door, pops the hood, smash the engine, destroyes the tires, and overall makes the car unusable.

Is this ok? obviously not, its up to the City and the Police to stop these teens, not this man.

However this is very similar to what your heroes are doing, and you think its ok. "just because they give them warning" that is the most retarded excuse I have ever heard. And as the wikipedia article points out, they have no commission with the international bodies that control the waters they are currently in.

 

[Charlie99]

Scuba diving doesn't have quite the same inhumane, barbaric, insensitive, inexcusable effects as shooting an explosive harpoon into a whale's hide or walking up to a defenseless seal and repeatedly clubbing it in the head.

That's YOUR point of view. What if some else has a radically different point of view and feels that scuba diving is disrupting the natural harmony of the oceans.

If they feel strong enough about it, do they have the right to interfere with your scuba dives?

I hardly call destroying nets terrorism.

What DO you call it?

 

[BTravlin]

Of course not!

And they probably wouldn't link foreign aid to abortion issues or abstinence programs or other stuff like that either!

It's our money to give away and we can put any restrictions we like on that.

 

[Geoff_H]

Sure the ships' engines add their share of pollutants but so does my car and most everyone else's.

Some of us make the choice not to own cars, and not contribute to the pollution.

 

[Kim]

It's our money to give away and we can put any restrictions we like on that.

I agree. That's why the Japanese can also link foreign aid to whaling votes if they want. So what? (I think you read my post out of context. It was in answer to someone who tried to portray the Japanese as "baddies" because they supposedly link foreign aid to some countries in return for their votes in the IWC. My point was simply that they really aren't alone in that type of behaviour!)

If other countries felt strongly enough about it they could do the same thing...... maybe that says something!!

 

[wardric]

But why is he any worse that the rest of us?

Because he endangers sailor's lives and if he sinks a ship, i'm sure you can figure how much diesel and other pollutants will be spilled in the environment, killing numerous sea birds and possibly marine mammals.

I know what it's like, I worked for an environmental agency and was on oil spills sites like the Rio Orinoco's (an oil tanker) shipwreck.

 

[BTravlin]

I agree. That's why the Japanese can also link foreign aid to whaling votes if they want. So what? (I think you read my post out of context. It was in answer to someone who tried to portray the Japanese as "baddies" because they supposedly link foreign aid to some countries in return for their votes in the IWC. My point was simply that they really aren't alone in that type of behaviour!)

If other countries felt strongly enough about it they could do the same thing...... maybe that says something!!

You're right, I did read it out of context and posted too soon without reading further into the thread as well. Yes, they are entitled to give away their money with policy strings attached as all nations do. I oppose Japan's whaling but I also believe Sea Shepherd takes opposition measures to dangerous extremes.