| We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Whale Wars; Where do you stand? | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Sep 10 2009, 11:10 PM (229 Views) | |
| Curst Saden | Sep 10 2009, 11:10 PM Post #1 |
One of the Last True Trekkies..............
  ![]](http://209.85.62.24/static/1/pip_r.png)
|
For those who haven't seen or heard of Whale Wars, the Sea Shepherds are a group of enviromentalists dedicated to defending the oceans, in this case to protecting whales in the whale sanctuary of the southern ocean. Captain Paul Wattson and the crew of the Steve Irwin protect the whales by directly harassing the Japanese whalers. They do this by throwing rotten butter at the ships to distrupt work, attempt to tangle propellers with cables and anything else short of getting a cannon and sinking the ships. This may seem like outright piracy, but the Japanese aren't quite as innocent. The United Nations has banned whaling, with the exception of killing whales for scientific research. In addition, whaling nations are allowed to set a quota for how many whales they want to kill per year. Japan usually sets it's quota at around 900 whales-for "scientific research". Of course this is complete nonsense; they are merely exploiting the loophole. So, with both organizations claiming to be operating under the law, every December through March the Sea Shepherds attack and harass Japanese Whaling operations. So...what is your opinion on this matter? Are the Sea Shepherds right? Or are they acting illegally? I personally have mixed views. I think they're both wrong. The Japanese (or anyone else for that matter) should not be killing so many innocent endangered animals under the fake cause of research. They're not fooling anyone when they say they're going to kill almost a thousand whales a year just for research? Just what the heck are you researching with all that whale meat?! So when I watch Whale Wars I root for the Sea Shepherds and hope they drive the whalers off. But at the same time the Sea Shepherds are in the wrong too. What they ought to be doing is getting the UN to change the loophole instead of outright attacks. I do commend them for taking action and trying to save whales and getting the word out and on top of that not actually hurting the whalers, but come on there's got to be a better way. So, what do you think? (Please note I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING against the Japanese, I just don't like Japan's whaling fleet). |
 |
 
|
| Moonface | Sep 11 2009, 05:40 AM Post #2 |
|
Member
|
As much as the Shepherds fight for a good cause, there are probably better methods to stop this happening. Nothing is going to be resolved by just throwing butter and whatever else they've got at each other and whatnot. 
|
|
|
|
| cvn-tv-dip | Sep 11 2009, 12:50 PM Post #3 |
Retired Soliloquist
|
I agree with Moonface. If someone's doing something wrong, have them stop doing it. Sabotaging it with terrorist-like tactics is not the way to do it. |
|
|
|
| Baffled | Sep 19 2009, 04:48 PM Post #4 |
Obey his Noodlyness
|
I haven't acctually seen the show, but I also think both sides seem to be in the wrong over this issue. While the Japanese should be prevented from killing the whales, it's not within anyone's rights to harass them, as it may lead to more stern counter-measures. |
|
|
|
| dscuber9000 | Sep 27 2009, 07:45 PM Post #5 |
Member
|
Supporting the"Sea Sheppards" is literally supporting terrorism. It's a shame that five people in the world support them. |
|
|
|
| OcelotJay | Sep 27 2009, 07:55 PM Post #6 |
<3 mine Miaow
|
I can't say I'm familiar with "Whale Wars" so I'll have to look 'em up (I am familiar with the general subject of whale hunting of course) but I'm curious as to why people draw comparison between the Sea Shepherds and terrorists? I assume we're all old enough to know the difference between harassment, piracy and terrorism - so what is it they do that makes them terrorists (or near-terrorists)? It sounds as though disruption is their primary weapon rather than coercion through fear. |
|
|
| Aaron | Sep 27 2009, 08:39 PM Post #7 |
Green Rocks Blue Socks!
|
There is no one agreed definition of "terrorism" the more common usages are the use of fear, are done as part of ideology (not counting single one time attacks, hence Sea Sheppards fall under this usage), along with the dis-regard for the safety of non-combatants (again the Sea Sheppards fall under this). It should be noted that the Sea Sheppards have in the past sunk ships to achieve their goals. The group also tried to cause an international incident not too long ago by two Sheppards members boarding a Japanese ship to serve some type of paper to them as the ship owned by the Sheppards left the area as to try and create a "hostage" issue. |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Community Chat · Next Topic » |
6:53 PM Nov 22
