The Canadian Seal Slaughter

[wardric]

I thought the song was corny and pretty stupid and am kinda surprised SS would use this as a form of publicity. The seal hunt isn't a game it's a very serious matter and animal and human life hang in the balance. From what I have learned about the seal hunt the ice is not a safe place and both the conservationists and the seal hunters are taking on risk by partaking in the activity.

That said, as I have mentioned before on scuba board I support SS. Do I support them 100% all the time no questions asked, no. Anyone who supports any organization 100% all the time no questions asked is likely making a mistake. Will I condemn Paul Watson, someone whom I feel has done a tremendous amount of good for the oceans over a silly song, no. Personally I think the song was meant to be tongue and cheek at best and wasn't pointing at any person's death.

Am I glad 4 sealers died in the process of killing up to 350,000 seals, no I think it's a terrible tragedy. I also disagree that you can compare seal hunting to child prostitution

I am glad you think this way.

but I will say that seal hunting represents an oddly barbaric and violent way of making money. Paul Watson said in Sharkwater, "That future societies will look at the way we have destroyed and abused our planet the same way we look at the culture of slavery." I am not from the future but I certainly agree with Captain Watson. Hundreds of years ago it was acceptable to own slaves though today the action is not only illegal but greatly detested by society as it should be..

that sounds like a quotation from the bible. Watson is no god I tell ya. sealing is not an abuse of the planet. destroying the dodos or the tasmanian tigers certainly was and elephant poaching is too. Destroying the amazonian forest is too. We humans do abuse the planet in many ways. But killing seals is certainly not one of these. And btw, who knows what you are doing right now (like driving a car) will not be seen as stupid in a future society? Dont believe those Telus guys, the future is NOT simple )

While seal hunting is legal, it's also (without any doubt) a very violent and disturbing part of society. Would you want your young child to watch a video of sealers mashing in the heads of seals? Likely with many young people the sight would induce nightmares or tears.

to live, you need to eat. To eat you need to kill. Killing is always violent.

Here's an anecdote. My kids were watching the discovery channel. They saw a lion killing an antelope. They said the lion is mean (bad). I told em' that the lion is not bad or good, he just needs to feed itself and it's babies. They understood. Later, they saw a snake eating a mouse. They told me: it's sad for the mouse... but the snake needs to feed itself and it's babies. I'm proud of my boys. 5 and 6 yo, and they already understand a big lesson of life. Now when I go hunting, they are a bit sad for the deer (they did watch Bambi after all). But they know i'm not bad or good for doing so, I just need to feed myself and my family.

oh, and btw, it's watching Harry Potter II that gave them nightmares...

Paul Watson has assumed a great amount of risk to protect the oceans. His work at stopping shark finning in the Galapagos and Costa Rica was impressive and if you hear him speak he certainly isn't stupid and IMO very in line with his beliefs. I don't think Paul Watson is a radical or wacko as he has been called on this forum. I think Paul Watson is one person who got sick and tired of talk, talk, talk and wanted action. A person who decided that if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. Our society is full of people like that. Often in their own time they were prosecuted, mocked, and called liars and traitors. Later on though once society progressed and caught up with their beliefs they were called heroes.

Wow, are you comparing Watson to Jesus???

 

[StevenN]

"sounds like something Watson could say:

The gun is good. The penis is evil. The penis shoots seeds, and makes new life to poison the earth with a plague of men, as once it was. But the gun shoots death, and purifies the earth of the filth of brutals. Go forth... and kill! --from the movie Zardoz"

That is so hilarious! Wardric what are you thinking with that ridiculous reply? I bet you would like to reel that one back in and try again.
__________________

 

[wardric]

"sounds like something Watson could say:

The gun is good. The penis is evil. The penis shoots seeds, and makes new life to poison the earth with a plague of men, as once it was. But the gun shoots death, and purifies the earth of the filth of brutals. Go forth... and kill! --from the movie Zardoz"

That is so hilarious! Wardric what are you thinking with that ridiculous reply? I bet you would like to reel that one back in and try again.
__________________

nah, I still think it was funny.

Point is, Watson has no respect for human life. Just like his "followers"...



and this one:

 

[StevenN]

It was funny. I didn't realize you were going for humor over substance.

 

[wardric]

wanna see something cruel? That is cruel and useless.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/no...229883-artist-starves-dog-death-work-art.html

 

[Kim]

Paul Watson is a complete hypocrite.

When the Canadians boarded his boat he screams "piracy"......

....but it's OK when HIS guys try to entangle another boats propellor....and board it themselves!!

He needs to get a clue......

 

[terrillja]

Paul Watson is a complete hypocrite.

When the Canadians boarded his boat he screams "piracy"......

....but it's OK when HIS guys try to entangle another boats propellor....and board it themselves!!

He needs to get a clue......

OK, BIG difference between 2 guys boarding with a letter as a publicity stunt and just standing there and a commando team with automatic weapons which stormed the ship and handcuffed the crew.

 

[Kim]

OK, BIG difference between 2 guys boarding with a letter as a publicity stunt and just standing there and a commando team with automatic weapons which stormed the ship and handcuffed the crew.

Not at all. Illegally boarding a boat on the high seas without the Captain's permission is an act of Piracy according to Watson. Not to mention that the guys "delivering the letter" first tried to disable the ship by entangling it's propellor...... and threw bottles of butyric acid onto the deck.

Some way to "deliver a letter".

The difference is that in Antartica it WAS International waters - and in Canada it's NOT.

 

[terrillja]

Not at all. Illegally boarding a boat on the high seas without the Captain's permission is an act of Piracy according to Watson. Not to mention that the guys "delivering the letter" first tried to disable the ship by entangling it's propellor...... and threw bottles of butyric acid onto the deck.

Some way to "deliver a letter".

The difference is that in Antartica it WAS International waters - and in Canada it's NOT.

So you don't see a difference between 2 guys with a letter, unarmed and a commando team with weapons seizing a ship? SS never seized the ship or had any intention to. The issue at hand is that Canada boarded the ship and seized it. I never saw SS try to seize the ship...

As for where the incident took place, that's still up in the air depending on who you talk to. Sounds like the Iran and Britain incident not too long ago. Once the GPS from the ship has been examined, the position will be known. This isn't the first time two parties have disagreed about the position of a ship, posting one way or the other as fact makes no sense until the data from the GPS is released.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Originally Posted by aquaman_06
While seal hunting is legal, it's also (without any doubt) a very violent and disturbing part of society. Would you want your young child to watch a video of sealers mashing in the heads of seals? Likely with many young people the sight would induce nightmares or tears.

What about having your kids watch a bus load of innocent people blown up by a terrorist bomb in Iraq or women and children hacked to death in Rwanda? There are a lot more humans killed and maimed in far more horrific ways every day than seals killed in this legal hunt although I think we would all agree that cruelty is cruelty whether it be man or beast. Personally I think the cost of fighting the seal hunt could be put to far better uses.