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  • From: "Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Whale Wars
  • Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:55:48 -0800

I'm of two minds on this. The first thing that comes to mind is that it has been shown repeatedly that the Japanese aren't doing things legally. *They* say they are but those folks have about depleted the whole blooming sea of anything that vaguely resembles a fish.

Now, this gets tricky when you get into territorial waters issues. The U.S. for the longest time only claimed 3 miles. Most countries claimed 12 miles plus 12 miles for customs, pirating and so forth and so on. Then it became "in" to claim 200 neutical miles.

At anyrate, while Japan claims the now standard of 12 and frequently claims the 200, they also fish where ever they darn well please right up to the old 3 miles which is what they claim is traditional for the U.S.

Japan is one of the, if not the worst offender on the overfishing with their factory ships. They are also big on bottom netting, gill netting, poaching and waste. They are supposed to be limiting their quota on bluefin and whales but it sure doesn't seem like it is happening.

Now, on the other hand, I find all these "reality" t.v. shows to be nothing but puke! Well, some of them are entertaining but the stuff like this show and the dating/marriage things, and other stuff where you know darn well most of it is for show. Yuck, yuck, yuck! And how much of that would they do if there wasn't a chance of getting another 15 minutes of fame?

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>


I watched this show tonight on Animal Planet and I don't know what to
think. I'm actually kind of repulsed. Maybe repulsed is too strong of a
word, but I do believe people should take responsibility for their
actions, and I think these guys are reckless. I think it is another
example of a good intentions gone amok-people caught up in paving the
road to hell. Maybe I am wrong, maybe that's just a knee-jerk reaction
because I don't know enough about this, but that is what I think right
now. Basically, the premise is that the crew of the Sea Shepherd vessel
Steve Irwin goes out looking for Japanese ships who are whaling-legally
whaling I might add. The Japanese vessels are also apparently
conducting research on whales, doing what looked to me like harvesting
whales for organs, etc. (I don't know what kind of research, but it is a
common practice to look at the livers of animals for toxins and
pollutants) The Sea Shepherd (SS) organization is run by
Paul Watson who was the co-founder of Greenpeace, who was kicked out of
said organization because he was considered too aggressive. They have
one mission, to save the whales,,,,all whales...Here is his side of the
equation:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/02/01/18476380.php
http://www.counterpunch.org/watson02082008.html
I personally can't decide whether he is a hero or terrorist, or in the
more benign words of Bill O'Reilly, a pinhead or a patriot... :) I mean
if Greenpeace thinks you are too aggressive, then you are practically a
terrorist, right..lol.. ;) Seriously, these people are way out there on
the edge..I think they must have more money than sense.
They chase down the ships, and toss "love bombs" onto the decks of the
ships to make the decks slippery, board vessels without permission, and
on the show tonight, they also used a device designed to foul
propellers. That would cause thousands of dollars of damage to a large
ship. Also on the show, they chased and had two volunteers board the
vessel. When the Japanese crew tied up the SS members, SS called
everyone they could creating an international incident related to the
'kidnapping'. Now, I personally think that if you chase down and board
another ship, you can't exactly call that kidnapping.
At any rate, I'll watch a few more shows before I make a final
judgment, but thought I would mention it here, knowing that most of us
have an environmental soft spot. Friday night at 9 is the time slot.
The question is, how far is it ok to go and are they really justified in
trying to stop all whaling by any means necessary, including whaling by
indigenous peoples? Remember, they are against all whaling, even if it
is legal.

Bev
--
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to
hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda
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