To the best of  my understanding, far from being endangered, the seal population in question is TOO LARGE and contributing to the problems in the fisheries.  (They are not the ONLY contributing factor, but one of them) As for sustainability, there are yearly quotas, which are adjusted up and down depending on the size of the population, and the cute little white furred baby seals the protesters like to show are strictly off limits. 

The other picture protesters like to use is the one of the ice covered in blood.  Not a pretty picture, to be sure.  But the fact is, the seals are skinned right there (yes, after they are dead) so ya, the ice gets bloody.  But I'm sure there are those who enjoy a nice medium rare steak who wouldn't like to see the inside of beef slaughter house. 

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In the social order, I accept the bottom rung, until the wine is pouring and the Lord commands a song!

The seals hunted in Newfoundland are mostly harp and hooded.  Much of the discussion these days is focused on the impact of climate change on not only these populations, but also on the fish species on which they feed, and on the polar bears which feed on them in turn.

Love, Columbine 

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Thank you everyone for the responses they are great points of research, and have reassurd me that not everyone outside of the "hunting zones" are insainly against it, I didn't mean to rustle any feathers though.  but I have noticed how many site feed on false facts, and have tarnished the hunt for many people around the world, in my essay I'm relating the hunt back to two novels (Myths to Live By, by Joseph Campbell, and Billions and Billions by Carl Sagan) and how the hunt is a necessity, and a tradition that is at least honored at the basic level as with any other types of hunts (Deer, Turkey ect...). However I have found many sites and information on the hunt that have come directly from the government and have shot down many of the reasons why the activists are so strongly against it. As for the Larry King interview, I printed out the transcript for the portion that Williams was part of ( I skipped over much of what the McCartney’s or former McCartney’s had to say in the beginning since so much of it had already been stated on various animal rights web sites. ) but I have yet to read it.

Thanks again, Emily

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"There's no other life but to sail the salt sea"

 To address your question posted earlier in the thread.

I would not want you to use anything in this discussion on your paper and you do not have my permission to use my words.

 

 

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

Emmy, Andi doesn't speak for all of us.  If you may not use her words, fine, but you are welcome to use mine, if they are of any use to you. 

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In the social order, I accept the bottom rung, until the wine is pouring and the Lord commands a song!

Sharneliz:

Emmy, Andi doesn't speak for all of us.  If you may not use her words, fine, but you are welcome to use mine, if they are of any use to you. 

Same here - use mine, attributed or not, as you like.  This is a topic of interest to me, and I'm psyched that other people are interested!

Love, Columbine 

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Andi thanks for your posts, and I will not quote you out of respect for your wishes, thanks for your posts though.  As for Sharneliz, and Columine, thansk for your efforts as well, this paper really is starting to take form, and with attributes from others, it is benifiting greatliy.

 

Thanks again,

Emily 

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"There's no other life but to sail the salt sea"

McCartney & Wife Protest Just in case folks missed this second time around I'm puting up this post I made a year or so ago about seal protesters....... I know celebrities think they can save the world. Like Bono for instance, I respect him for that . In fact if a celebrity that does not try to do at least some good in my mind waste their cultural influence. That being said I must tell you all now of a disturbing intruision in to the gritty routine of my life by a man from liverpool with a habit a writing sappy songs and a woman with a leg that might well have been used as a club . It was two years ago and I was just trying to go about my life, to make the way for my my family safe. To make my home secure throught the fruits of my labor. To use the coats, to use the seal to make my life better. Better for my wife, my pets and yes, for myself! My neighbors have been sealing, my friends too, I have seen them when they return from a day of it, satisfied, but covered with the sticky ooze as such a pursuit entails. We are not ashamed of the honest toil to gain the rewards it offers. But still outsiders judge us. The morn I embark on the task who shows up? Paul, Holier than thou, McArtney and his wife! What do they know of the life we face? But even more to the point, how had he heard that I was sealing, why should he care about me? Why the heliocopter over head? Why revile me in the press? I was going sealing, I needed go sealing. He wanted to stop me from the pursuit but would have non of it. So I gathered close to me those tools that I would need, tools that this city man found repulsive, tools he need never touch. Tools he judges me for using. "Very well, " I said "Life for you McArtny is all smoothly paved. No bumps in it, no cracks in the facade, but I will go about my business and you must stand aside!" One last time he asksed I stay my hand, one more time his wife, leaning to the left, demanded I do not go on sealing. But my course was clear, I frimly grasped the oversized squeegie, dipped it in to buckect of black and foul ooze, and turned to the busybodys from another land and proudly said... "This Is My Driveway, I'll Seal It As I Please." Whack Fall The Day Nick, Drivewayland Sealer ps please dont park in my driveway for at least 24 hours

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Whack Fall The Day
Nick

You had me all the way to the end Nick...too funny.

D.

Sorry becaues my text editor went south, that post has line breaks to it but something happened to make it a run on sentence. And it was copied and pasted from a time when it worked.

 

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Whack Fall The Day
Nick

I haven't emailed Paul Watson yet this season, just keeping an eye on the news.

 

But, for your paper, try this out; It came from this website,

http://brianoconnor.typepad.com/animal_crackers/2005/04/dr_jerry_vlasak.html   

lots of information on exposing Sea Shepherd's finances and various other methods of making their point.  Jerry Vlasak is a good read.

 

 

 

Paul Watson was a member of Greenpeace and is not a part of them anymore due to his violent tactics. As for why he's been protesting the hunt for 30+ years, read this excerpt from a CBC interview from 1978; enlightening stuff...

"[02:55]Female voice Mr. Watson, how easy is it to raise money against the hunt?

Watson Well, I think that of all the animals in the world or any environmental problem in the world the harp seal is the easiest issue to raise funds on. Greenpeace has always managed to — to raise more money on the seal issue than for the campaigns than has actually been spent on the campaigns themselves. The seal hunt has always turned a profit for the Greenpeace Foundation. And then other organizations like IFAW, API, Fund for Animals, also make a profit off the seal hunt.

[03:29]Female voice You suggesting that they fight for seals rather than other animals because it's easy, or easier to raise money that way, or because it's a profit maker for them?

[03:38]Watson Well it's definitely because it's easier to make money and because it's easier to make a profit because there are over a thousand animals on the endangered species list, and the harp seal isn't one of them. [My emphasis . . . ed.]

Female voice Did anyone in Greenpeace ever express that aloud, that it was easy to make some hay on the seal hunt so let's get into that?

[03:55]Watson Well, a lot of people have done that. See the thing is the seal is very easy to exploit as an image. We have posters, we have buttons, we have shirts, all of which portray the head of a baby seal with the tears coming out of its eyes. Baby seals are always crying because — its — they're always — the salt tears keep their eyes from freezing. But they have this image — they're baby animals, they're beautiful, and because of that, coupled with the horror of a sealer hitting them over the head with a club, it's — it's an image that just goes right to the heart of — of animal lovers all over North America. [ . . . ] And now we have a dozen people this year from Greenpeace California — I mean they're coming from the highest standard of living region in North America — they're traveling to the place with the lowest income per year on this continent telling them not to kill seals because they're cute but not endangered species. Yet off the coast of California there are three species of dolphin — the spinner the spotted and the white belly — and they're being slaughtered towards the brink of extinction by American tuna boats. And then the slaughter of (unintelligible) sea turtles in (unintelligible) in Mexico."

Ramming ships and outright lies about the hunt are Watson's signature tactics.

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Cheers!

Futon