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  • From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Whale Wars
  • Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:11:37 -0500

In the show, it is hard to tell what is happening. The show claims they
are legally taking the correct number of minsk whales, etc., but also
shows that they are profiting from the sale of whale meat. One minute,
they make it all sound illegal, in the next minute, it is legal, but
immoral. I don't know what the truth is. However, on the websites,
Paul Watson states he is opposed to whaling, period. He opposes whaling
by Native Americans, by commercial industry, everything.

The show is following the Steve Irwin into waters around Antarctica. On
the bullhorn, they address the Japanese whaling ship and tell it that it
is in violation of law under Australian courts. ??

I've done additional reading on SS and Greenpeace since I posted this an
hour or so ago. It is kind of funny...Watson blasts Greenpeace as the
'other whaling industry' saying it makes money off of dead whales, but
what is he doing??? He now has his own TV show!!


Lynda wrote:
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


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