Sea Shepherd Provide Classical Soundtrack While Escorting Whalers Out Of Sanctuary

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by Michael dEstries February 10, 2010
Categories: Animals, Causes
Tags: .
Photo: Glenn Lockitch / Sea Shepherd

Sea Shepherd Provide Classical Soundtrack While Escorting Whalers Out Of Sanctuary

Much to the delight of the Sea Shepherd, the Japanese whaling fleet has left the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

While the move is something of a mystery, the Japanese appear to be headed towards Africa. Speculation abounds on the Sea Shepherd forum that it’s being done for repairs, refueling, or some kind of elaborate trap involving Somali pirates. The way this campaign has been going, I wouldn’t be surprised by any of those theories — though common sense points to the first two.

Since the MV Bob Barker intercepted the fleet on February 6th, not a single whale has died. “We intend to turn these three whaling free days into three whaling free weeks,” said Captain Paul Watson. “I am confident that once again we will severely cut their kill quotas and we will once again negate their profits.”

Watson estimates that some 350 whales have been harvested since the hunt began in December — well short of the target quota of 935. “I am quite confident that we are going to have a serious impact on their kill profit,” he added.

Check out a video below of the MV Steve Irwin injecting a bit of levity into the campaign by blasting “Ride of the Valkyries” while escorting that Japanese ships out of the whale sanctuary.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • ddpalmer

    If they are out of the whale sanctuary then why is the SSCS still following and harassing them?

    I thought the big problem was them ‘illegally’ whaling in the sanctuary? If they are out of the sanctuary the problem is solved. But if the SSCS is upset by whaling anywhere then; first why do they keep harping about the sanctuary, second why don’t they do anything about JARPN II where the Japanese do whaling in the Northern Pacific, third why don’t the do anything about Norway and Iceland.

    It seems like they just have a problem with whaling in the southern hemisphere during the northern hemisphere winter. I guess that is why they are going to spend the northern hemisphere summer in the Med rather than opposing whaling by Norway, Iceland or Japan.

    • billy jean is my lover

      WTF? DDpalmer?

      “Harassing” man. Yeah good choice of ICR words there. Following ships is certainly classed as violent harrasment!!! Yeah right.

      It’s a damn good thing that whaling operations have ceased by the time being. They should keep heading north, go around Australia and go home! and never come back! Whaling anywhere is unacceptable.

      Iceland and Norway mostly sell the meat to Japan anyway – so Japan is the engine room of global whaling. Yes , the North pacific hunts are condemned too.

      Oh wait, I should have ignored you, you propanganda puppet. you have offered nothing useful here.

    • ddpalmer

      No Iceland and Norway don’t sell most of their meat to Japan. And yes the SSCS ‘condemns’ the other hunts but doesn’t do anything about them.

      Whaling may be unacceptable to you, but it is legal.

      But you just can’t help yourself and you responded anyway. And believe me I am glad because gives me something to read and laugh about.

      The ICR is made up of Japanese, so they would use harass. And since the definition is ‘to annoy persistently’, I think even Paul Watson would agree that he is harassing the whalers.

    • From MN, with hope…

      ‘If they are out of the whale sanctuary then why is the SSCS still following and harassing them?’

      Wow. Uh, have you EVER been around people? Ever? They want to make sure the whalers dont come back. When a criminal gets banned from an area, you watch them to make sure they dont come back!

      Yes, whaling does go on elsewhere, but Japan by far kills the most whales.

      ddp, I have to applaud you though for one thing. Thank you dearly for not being one of those who call Sea Shepherd terrorists.

    • Nel

      Because if they just go home the whalers may turn back!
      Because whaling in those areas isn’t illegal!
      Because the bluefin tuna is almost extinct and there are illegal fishermen taking what few are left!
      PS You do know that Sea Shepherd has a permanent unit in the Galapagos Islands trying to stop illegal fishing and raping of the islands too don’t you? (and they are there at the request of the government)
      Whaling gets the attention – but if you look a little deeper and scratch beneath an unprejudiced surface – you’ll find there’s more to Sea Shepherd!

    • Jack Malsin

      Who do you work for.

      • timmy

        who do you work for?

  • CBDunkerson

    ddpalmer, Sea Shepherd has acted against whalers (and other ocean life damaging groups) in many other countries… including both Norway and Iceland. The reason they are still following the NM seems fairly obvious… if they do not then there is nothing to prevent it from turning around and resuming whaling.

  • don miguelo

    Ah well we all know where this thread is heading: (who shot what water and what the content of it was and who is not in violation of intergalactic rules despite technical exceptions and who here is a paid blogger blah blah blah).
    Might as well get off some reference websites, don’t like them– fine post your own perfect reference material, lol. I’m trying here to prevent some of the nu-uh’s and yeah-huhs of former threads on this issue. We’ll see what happens.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Whaling_Commission

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_of_Cetacean_Research

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritime_law

    http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/convention_overview_convention.htm

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling

    And for the record, love the classical music touch. V and Guy Fawkes would be proud.

  • georgina0912

    ddpalmer, who do you work for? Who has you on their payroll?

    • orcalove

      Georgina,
      ddpalmer has been trolling ecorazzi amongst others always twisting things around and trying to sell his propaganda where it is not wanted or believed. ignore him, don’t feed him. He obviously is involved with the whaling fleet.

      • Jack Malsin

        Hi Georginia we should ask ecorazzi for who this guy is.

    • Kimitake Hiraoka

      Ooh must be the Japanese mafia. Or perhaps the Somali pirates are paying him off? Hard to tell these days.

      Moron.

      • sidewinder

        Who you calling a moron?

      • come si come sa

        Kimitake Hiraoka, nice language. Are you one of these cherry pickers that drops a useful post only where you can use your immature language?

        Nothing useful to say? You know what to do.

    • timmy

      I’m pro-whaling myself. Guess that means I must be paid too huh!

      Easier for anti-whalers to attempt character assassination than to provide rational rebuttal.

      Only the chorus is impressed, georgina .

  • http://www.ecorazzi.com Michael d'Estries

    I think it’s fairly obvious that the Sea Shepherd are keeping watch on the Japanese regardless of where they are. As CBDunkerson noted, what’s to say that they won’t be back?

  • Chastity

    I’d like to know the same thing as georgina0912.

  • ddpalmer

    Sorry CBDunkerson. The SSCS hasn’t acted against Iceland or Norway in over 15 years and they have never acted against Japans Northern Pacific whaling fleet.

    Well georgina0912 and Chastity I work for a Great Lakes shipping company. If you read my posts you would know that. Who do you work for? Who has you on their payroll?

    So their keeping watch on them to make sure they don’t go back into the sanctuary? Then if the Japanese decide to whale outside the sanctuary it would be OK and the SSCS wouldn’t do anything to stop them?

    I asked a legitimate question. The SSCS complains about whaling in the sanctuary and issues a press release because the forced/chased the Japanese from the sanctuary. Yet the say ‘…turn these three whaling free days into three whaling free weeks.’ So they seem to be saying they plan to stop whaling outside the sanctuary also. If that is the case then why do they make a big deal about the sanctuary and why don’t they do anything about all the other whaling that occurs outside the sanctuary.

    • orcalove

      What have you done for the whales?

    • come si come sa

      Hi DDpalmer,

      I see you posting everywhere. And its always the same old broken record playing with you.

      always the first to attack anything the SSCS has done. always backing Japan no matter what. That is fine. I’d expect no less of you and the likes of Hideyoshi, Glenn Innwood etc and the rest of the blind, narrow minded fools of the ICR. You are a big tough man online arent you?

      You propaganda doesnt wash with us.

      • Gavin MacQueen

        Funny, when ddpalmer gets called on his shiz, you don’t get a response from him. I’ve also noticed that you can post something with several good and valid points, he will cherry pick what point he will respond to…in most cases picking a point that has the least or nothing to do with the subject.

    • sidewinder

      Well then who scuttled those whaling ships in Norway? 5 or so ships have been wiped off the map in Norway in last 15 years. Soem vigilantes? some eco-terrorists? Perhaps another group against whaling? Maybe SS doesn’t need to claim credit for that. Who knows who sunk them, point being is they are where they belong.

    • ddpalmer

      No those ships where damaged 15 years ago with 1 3 years ago by Agency21 not the SSCS. And they were all replaced or refloated.

      I haven’t done anything fior the whales, why should I?

      Yeah I know, come si come sa, I just keep posting the same old facts and the SSCS supports just keep posting the same old opinions and lies. But it keeps me amused during the long boring watches I stand.

      • orcalove

        you obviously haven’t seen the photos on their website. you need to do some homework while you are “on watch” instead of having diarrhea of the mouth.

      • agent orange

        Another long boring watch?

        I’m sure you employer would love to know how bored you are.

        Someone needs to scuttle the whaling ships just like what happened to the Rainbox Warrior! Send in the French spies!

        Dialling: +1 (269) 375-3650

        Operator: “Hello, Great Lakes Shipping Co”
        Clone: “Yes, Hi, I’m after one of your employees”
        Operator: “Yes Sir, name please?”
        Clone: “Umm, D. Palmer, or D.D. Palmer, Mr Palmer… Something like this”
        Operator: “I’m sorry sir, can you be more specific, and what in regards is this too?”
        Clone: “Well can you tell his boss that [besides being bored at work] he is a propaganda merchant who will be destroyed!!! ”

        …

      • ddpalmer

        My bosses know I am bored at work. In fact that is part of the reason I got another raise this year. You see I am bored because my men and myself keep the engines running smoothly and when they are running smoothly there is nothing to do but listen to them hum.

        And I don’t understand what photos you are referring to orcalove. Maybe you could be more specific.

      • http://www.seashepherd.org/ Rolf Larsen

        Because of SSCS and Agenda 21, all whalers still have to pay wartime insurance on their ships here in Norway, which is too expensive for a lot of them, so alot of whaling ships remain uninsured here in Norway because of these two organizations.

    • http://www.asianracing.nu/vb/forum.php? IMFORTHEWHALES

      No doubt DD Palmer is a ” cash for commenter”.

      Always hanging around like a giant whale fart, and a tad smelly.

      Ginza glen would be proud.

      • timmy

        You work for Sea Shepherd huh? How much of their 3 million $ operating budget do you get?

  • Kimitake Hiraoka

    “… or some kind of elaborate trap involving Somali pirates”

    Why must the anti-whaling industry resort to such idiocy?

    Is it for lack of fact and reason to support their delusions?

    Please advise.

    • billy jean is my lover

      Kimitake Hiraoka, is your new name for Hideyoshi Toyotomi? (ginza Glenn associate?, aka ICR PR propaganda puppet)

      Most oddly amusing. Your comments apply directly to the Whaling industry and the ICR. Confused? Sounds like you are.

      You have been advised as requested.

  • Heinz Guderian

    Ride of the Valkyries eh. Just like in Apocalypse Now when the white people flew in and butchered a whole bunch of yellow people.

    Seems also that Sea Shepherd shares its initials with Hitler’s Schutzstaffel (SS). Not to mention the black colour scheme. And the heightened “concern” for animal welfare whilst happily attacking peoples of other races.

    Gosh the evidence is stacking up…

    • From MN, with hope…

      Wow. Nice and racial.

      And the SS? America has an SS. Its the Secret Service. Beyond pure coincidence Sea Shepherd and hitlers shutzstaffel have the same initials. Really reaching there dude. No evidence there. And black is just a color. My dad has a black truck, does that make him a nazi? America’s Secret Service uses black cars and SUVs, does that make them nazis? No.

      Really stretching there pal.

      • truthseeker

        nice MN. I dig it.

    • Chastity

      Oh god. Heinz, I would have never expected someone to commit Godwin’s Law on EcoRazzi. You proved me wrong.

      • ddpalmer

        You need to go back and read this site a little closer Chastity. The anti-whalers compare the Japanese to Nazis all the time, the anti-fur people use that comparison a lot also.

    • Gavin MacQueen

      Heinz Guderian is just exhibiting more evidence of how narrow minded and moronic the japanese poacher supporters are.

  • Mick

    The comments from the Japanese crewman on the NM who was filming the SI were quite interesting. First he mentions that he can see the Japanese flags painted on the SI with the word “rammed”. Then he wonders why they start playing music and figures that they are playing it as background music for their TV show. He seemed amused.

    • From MN, with hope…

      He does know the music is added in production, not while filming, right? If it was recorded while filming it would turn out hazy and distant. They will enhance the sound in production to make it sound right.

      • Mick

        “He does know the music is added in production, not while filming, right?”

        I don’t know. You’d need to ask him.

  • From MN, with hope…

    Ha! Classical music. More entertaining than annoying. Who cares if they play music! Do a music war! Hook an ipod up to one of your LRADs and blast back! It just goes to show Sea Shepherd has fun while chasing the whalers.

    Maybe the whalers read Sea Shepherd’s blog which said both ships have enough fuel to chase them for the remainder of the season, and decided to pack it up and go. But still, where is the Yushin Maru 3?

    Keep it up Sea Shepherd! The season will soon be over!

    PS: Can anybody explain why in this picture the caption reads “cockroach-infested” http://www.icrwhale.org/gpandsea-img224.htm
    Are they just being rude, are they trying to call the ship old and unsanitary, or similar to the first idea, calling the activists cockroachs?

    • billy jean is my lover

      music, flags – whatever! Keep those whale slaughtering cowards on the run!

      • whiplash

        Good one Heinze.

        I think you have lost the plot. You sound paranoid and confused. Have a lay down.

    • timmy

      The boat is actually cockroach-infested.

  • Sid E

    DDpalmer is a paid pro-whaling propagandist – check out similar online news threads and his name is mostly there supporting whaling in one form or another.
    Regardless of their nautical position the japanese fleet is still technically operating in a whaling capacity until they reach Japan and offload their mercury tainted whales.
    ddpalmer should actually take the time to reach his posts before posting them and amusing us LOL.

    • ddpalmer

      Minke whale has lower mercury levels than almost any other seafood. So it is better the people of Japan than the mercury tainted tuna that Australia sells them.

      Oh no you have caught me, I post at other sites that talk about whaling and the SSCS using the same name and posting the same truths. That must mean that I use Google News and search ‘Sea Shepherd’ to see what the latest news is.

      So you are saying the SSCS are still following the Japanese because they are still technically whaling. Which just goes right back to my question. Why don’t they use direct action against any other whaling operation than the Japanese in the southern ocean? They don’t use direct action against the Japanese whaling in the Northern Pacific or any of the other nations that conduct whaling.

  • animal.lover

    I keep trying to get to a place where I can maybe get on the SSCS side even a little and then Paul Watson just keeps opening up his mouth. I wish he would stop while he was ahead. I get that his supporters like this stuff and people who are inclined to get riled up by this stuff like it but I can’t see how the regular person wouldn’t cringe at stuff like this. His note about having Africans (I believe though white South Africans) and Asians on his ship still doesn’t rationalize this tone or make him sound less “racist.” I thought his opposition is to whaling not the Japanese people. Other countries consider SSCS action terrorist and aren’t know for “schoolgirls in bondage…” Maybe I’m missing something but I don’t see the relevance.

    His latest from the SSCS website:

    “It’s all really quite silly isn’t it, calling us terrorists without a shred of credibility to back your accusations up, and you wonder why the rest of the world looks on your slaughter of the whales and your massacre of dolphins with such disgust?
    It’s because Japan tolerates, and in fact encourages, some of the most barbaric and horrifically disgusting activities on the planet. Yes, I know your country is famous for schoolgirls in bondage and street machines that dispense used panties from young girls, but the savage spearing and slashing of dolphins and the incredibly cruel and painful slaughter of highly intelligent and socially complex sentient beings like the whales is perversion of the highest order.
    Now at this point I expect the usual accusation of racism. Sorry I’m not buying it. My crew includes Asians (specifically Japanese and Chinese), Africans, North and South Americans, Europeans and Australians. We cut across all cultures united in our common opposition to illegal activities that cruelly exploit marine wildlife.”

    • billy jean is my lover

      Animal Lover,

      Just support the anti-whaling effort. You dont need to um and arr about what side to be one.

      Its a terrible thing what the Japanese are doing. Someone has to stand up to them.

      • Mick

        That’s right, Animal lover. Don’t think. Don’t question. Just support anything watson says or does. Truth is irrelevant, morals are irrelevant and the law is irrelevant. Just blindly accept whatever watson says. Don’t think for yourself, watson will think for you. Just start goose-stepping along with the rest of the mindless SS supporters.

      • billy jean is my lover

        Geez Mick, you have really jumped the gun on this one. Only someone with a chip on their shoulder would be pulling the trigger so quickly…

        I never said blindly follow watson.

        Theres enough people putting out propaganda that puts SS into a different light. All they are doing is important conservation work. Round table diplomancy doesnt work. Dollars do. Action does.

        Do what you like Animal lover, but we both know that the cruel slaughter of earths largest mammals is squarely not on.

        And mick, think before you post.

      • Mick

        Billy jean,

        “I never said blindly follow watson.”

        I didn’t claim that you did “say” that.

        “..but we both know that the cruel slaughter of earths largest mammals is squarely not on.”

        You should tell the “cruel” Americans, Russians and Greenlanders. Maybe then they will stop their “cruel slaughter of earths largest mammals”, too.

        “And mick, think before you post.”

        Thanks for the advice.
        Please do yourself a favor and just think.

      • animal.lover

        billy jean, unfortunately I just went and read some more of his rants and confess that long ago I had read posts on his personal myspace page but thought it confined to his personal page. The guy should just focus on the job he has been hired to do and focus on the mission he has set forth for the SSCS. Give people facts, statistics, etc about whaling.

        What it seems he has done has gotten a lot of people who are opposed to whaling and used that as a platform to spread his message (gospel?) about other stuff pretty unrelated to saving whales, sharks, seals, etc. If I support him, I am giving him a larger platform to affect (infect?) young minds with stuff I just don’t support. Do other leaders of conservation groups post multiple rants daily? Again, he has done some good things (like in the Galapagos). If he wants the focus on whaling, he’s got a tv show. Dude, you’re good. What do all these tirades add? Why add all this other op-ed stuff? What’s this need to talk all the time? Even his poetry is kind of creepy. I hate to say it but it is like he is trying to create some movement by taking advantage of folks who agree with his stance re ocean conservation. If it were a save the oceans movement, I might be ok with it but it is so much more and there are so many impressionable kids nowadays. So while you, billy jean, may not blindly follow him others will.

        While he may be saving whales, I suspect he could be saving a lot more by bringing more people to his side if he was just focused on the “anti-whaling effort.” I appreciate that some of you think he is the only one doing anything for the cause and by not supporting him that you are not supporting your cause but I can’t help but see his cause as something more. Also, I don’t agree with his methods and his assertion that whaling is illegal (as much as I wish it were true). I think I am going to stick with supporting theactivism such as that in The Cove. Please don’t call me a pro-whaler or someone who works for the IWC. Thanks.

      • ddpalmer

        Your so right Billy.

        Diplomacy didn’t bring the seal hunt to a virtual halt. Because it never works.

        Diplomacy didn’t get the Japanese to cut their Tuna quota to about 25% of its original level. Because it never works.

      • Allison157

        Mick,
        You’re thinking too much into politics. What billy jean’s lover is trying to say is that this fight isnt about where we fight whaling or who we’re against, its about who we’re fighting it for, the whales. Its always been the whales and it will continue to be the whales. Let’s leave the politics out of it. Yes, lots of countries continue to whale, its not just Japan, thats just the country that the sea sheperds are currently exposing, and if you look deeper into their previous good deeds, youll see theyve exposed many other countries and its always been about the amimals. Don’t blindly support the sea sheperds, support the saving of innocent lies, lives that have been told they have no right to decide whether or not they live or die. Yes there are laws but id like to believe a few of us have morals that feel for the killed animals also, and in Martin Luther King’s Letter to Birmingham Jail he states that in some cases, morals are more powerful than laws. I believe thats what the sea sheperds are doing, theyre not going against the laws to be rebels theyre going against the law because they find more validity in their morals.
        Also, viciously attacking another’s beliefs will get you no where, you will immediately lose any receptivity and shut out the other person. As an educated 17 year old, i suggest you handle this more maturely if you wish for your ideas to be received, even if you are passionate about them

  • whalestalker

    Thanks for the amusing article. The part about this being “an elaborate trap involving Somali pirates” was just too hilarious!! ROFL

  • Sid E

    And that Kimmytart Haroka is another of ddpalnmers split personalities. Get a real job you can be proud of instead of being a hired mouthpeice for illegal poaching.

  • http://www.asianracing.nu/vb/forum.php? IMFORTHEWHALES

    You dont have to like paul watson to support anti whaling.

    • animal.lover

      You are right if Paul Watson were to just stick to the facts about whaling. Does he need to educate kids who are anti-whaling that the Japanese are into schoolgirls in bondage or used panties? Please don’t tell me that you are fine with this, even if it is true.

      • animal.lover

        whiplash – Am I not allowed to write what I think and what got me there? This is a comment section after all. Other people give their opinion on here all the time. I’m pretty sure it’s not a requirement to posting here that the people they comment about or that other people who read this forum care what they have to say. For example, I see from the Jonathan Safran Foer post that a bunch of people who support animal rights have a difference of opinion on whether he is helping the cause and they aren’t telling each other to stop posting.

        By the way, I apologize but I have no idea who the collective “we” that you refer to as not caring is. You don’t identify yourself as affiliated with an organization.

    • animal.lover

      Also, I can be anti-whaling without supporting Paul Watson.

      • whiplash

        Animal lover, Mick:

        yawn

        yeah yeah, ok, enough ranting on how you dislike Paul Watson. Whatever, he doesnt care, and nor do we.

        enough said? Anything else you need to add? Good

        Cheers for the insightful never before read info.

      • Mick

        Not according to watson or his lemming followers. As far as they’re concerned, if you are against him you are for the whalers. Which fits rather well with his and their narrow and close-minded view of the world.

        A few facts from the IWC website. In 2008 Greenland killed 14 Fin whales and 153 Minke whales. The U.S. killed 50 Bowhead whales. Russia killed 130 Gray whales and 2 Bowhead whales. I guess those whales don’t deserve “saving”.

      • animal.lover

        whiplash – Am I not allowed to write what I think and what got me there? This is a comment section after all. Other people give their opinion on here all the time. I’m pretty sure it’s not a requirement to posting here that the people they comment about or that other people who read this forum care what they have to say. For example, I see from the Jonathan Safran Foer post that a bunch of people who support animal rights have a difference of opinion on whether he is helping the cause and they aren’t telling each other to stop posting.

        By the way, I apologize but I have no idea who the collective “we” that you refer to as not caring is. You don’t identify yourself as affiliated with an organization.

        Sorry for the double post but I posted in the wrong place the first time.

      • ddpalmer

        Yeah Paul Watson doesn’t care about the people who dislike him.

        Of course a fair number of his commentaries are long discussion of the people who don’t like him. But he never thinks about them and he really doesn’t care.

  • Ed

    The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is the only one prepared to go down to the southern ocean and put words into action – that’s what separates them from the armchair banner-waving Greenporkers.

    • ddpalmer

      Yeah but they won’t go to the northern oceans.

  • billy jean is my lover

    Good night Mick. Thanks – I’ll crunch those numbers in my sleep.

    Damn whalers and their puppet followers.

    • Mick

      Good night, billy jean.

      I hope the screams of the poor dying whales being slaughtered in their homes by those savages in Greenland, Russia and America doesn’t keep you awake.

  • ddpalmer

    agent orange are you really that clueless?

    I said I work for ‘a’ great lakes shipping company, so you went and found the phone number for ‘The’ Great Lakes Shipping Company which is a restaurant.

    Are you not capable of telling the difference?

  • eric

    It is clear by their history that the Sea Shepherd organization is nothing more than a terrorist organization.

    I guess the countries of the world are only worried about some terrorists, not terrorism in general.

    • don miguelo

      “GI Joe- A real American hero
      GI Joe is there

      GI Joe is the codename for American’s daring, highly trained
      special mission force.
      It’s purpose, to defend human freedom against Cobra-
      a ruthless, terrorist organization determined to rule the world.”

      Now there was a terrorist organization: they didn’t mess around with ropes and boat propellers, they employed ninjas and their leader was a snake! And then Destro even had a completely metal head!

      Maybe we (I’m looking in your direction eric) should define the term Terrorist before using it so sloppily. SSCS are not exactly bombing the green zone in Baghdad or blowing up trains in Madrid. Should I call the French Govt terrorists in that they bombed the 1st Rainbow Warrior boat and killed photographer Fernando Pereira? By your definition you should.

  • vegard

    In case nobody has mentioned this (I didn’t read all 60+ comments), the argument that whaling is legal, ergo it should not be disrupted, is a specious one. The same argument has been used to defend slavery, child labor, and discrimination against women, among other horrors. It takes revolutionaries (and revolutions) to change unfair laws, and that’s where the Sea Shepherd and other environmental/animal rights activists come in.

    The other thing is, most people who possess even a modicum of compassion AND rational thinking are against whaling. I suspect that those who are arguing for it here are under the employ or influence of groups like Rick Berman’s CCF (Center for Consumer Freedom) Berman makes it his business (literally) to speak for corporations and against the environment, animal rights, human rights/health, etc., and he makes quite a bundle off of them.

    • ddpalmer

      Except in a few isolated cases the horrors you mention where NOT changed by
      ‘revolutionaries (and revolutions)’ but by legislative action.

      And of course everybody who has a different opinion than you is getting paid by the opposition, becuase your opinion is so correct that no one could believe anything different.

    • timmy

      I’d happily see cow farming banned and whaling retained. Whaling is not a horror comparable to slavery etc, cow farming on the other hand is a lot closer.

  • ddpalmer

    According to the Sea Shepherd website the Japanese fleet has reentered the ‘whale sanctuary.’

    There is a rumor that the Japanese wanted the SSCS to chase the Nisshin Maru, so the Yushin Maru #3 could rendezvous with the supply ship Hiyo Maru (former Oriental Bluebird) and picked up some ‘new equipment’. The Yushin Maru #3 is expected to rejoin the fleet in the next day or so.

    • whiplash

      Yep – same arguments have been used to support slavery etc. Same puppets blindly supporting a cruel slaughter. I think DD, Mick, Eric etc are probably just the same paid blogger using multiple names. Might even be ginza glenns propaganda puppets.

      You do need action. You do need a revolution. Look what it took to stop Japan and Nazi Germany in WW2?

    • billy jean is my lover

      Fighting stubborn selfish pride is one huge uphill battle.

      Arguing perpetually against mindless zombies is an uphill battle.

      Heres hoping that SS impact on their profits and the Japanese govt remove the huge subsidies it gives the Fisheries / ICR. Perhaps that will help to end this cruel, terrible practice.

    • agent orange

      Well lets hope the Yushi Maru #3 collides with the Hiro Maru, I’m sure somehow it would be the SS’s fault.

      Pretty cunning stuff from the whalers with their multiple ships, armed security force etc etc.

      I’m sure these whalers love it. After all, they are very brave, noble warriors on the high seas. Very dangerous, very skills need to operate high tech explosive tip harpoons.

      They come home heroes and sit around drinking saki talking up how brave they are. Perhaps dreaming of times past when Japan could have ruled the world!!! hahaha

  • ddpalmer

    Yeah those huge subsidies.

    $5 million less than 0.0001% of their GNP.

    Also the same amount that the SSCS got from Bob Barker.

    • whiplash

      lol DD,

      Another long boring watch? Don’t fall asleep fella and don’t lose your job – boy, what would you do then? become a full-time propaganda machine???

    • billy jean is my lover

      0.0001 – are you sure?

      You might be off a small amount dd. and since you are obsessed with getting every little detail right (because you have WAY too much time on your hands) life must just be so annoying being a one of a kind. Awkward and just dicky.

  • Mick

    Some facts that bear repeating:

    Scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean is legal and allowed under IWC regulations.

    SS has not been granted the authority to act as law enforcement in the Southern ocean by any government or police organization.

    SS’s actions such as attempting to foul the props of other ships at sea, throwing or launching glass bottles filled with acid at other ships at sea, ramming other ships at sea and boarding other ships at sea without permission are all illegal.

    These are all facts. Can any SS supporters provide evidence refuting these facts? Lame insults and name calling or emotional rhetoric that whaling is “wrong”, “murder”, “cruel” or “barbaric” does not constitute “evidence”.

    • Mick

      Sorry I take that last post back. The whaling is legal – that doesnt mean that it should go on. Slavery was legal once too. Buying and selling blacks was legal once too. Transporting Britains criminals for sale in North America was legal also.

      You get my point. Legal right.

      • Mick

        Hmmm. As I expected. That is the best the SS-supporters could come up with. No facts, no evidence and no counter arguments. Just someone who is using my screen name in a childish and pathetic attempt to silence the fact that SS’s actions are, in fact, illegal.

    • come si come sa

      And now these ICR whaling clowns claim that some of their crewmen got acid in their eyes and they are injured.

      YEAH right scum bags!

      • timmy

        If I walk down the street and throw a bottle of acid at cars or people, irrespective of the acidity of the acid, I will be arrested by the police.

        Sea Shepherd are a bunch of terrorists and the 35,000 people who donate money to them are jus a part of the big personality cult that Paul Watson has built up around his fatself.

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  • don miguelo

    Whales rule, haterz. Good news about all them law thingys:

    “New regulations from the United Nations International Maritime Organization due to take effect in July 2011 will make it illegal for the Nisshin Maru to operate below 60 degrees south but all of the Japanese pelagic whaling is done inside the area. The new rules prohibit ships using heavy oil in the Antarctic Treaty System area because of the harm a spill would cause. Furthermore, the IMO’s Guidelines For Ships Operating In Ice-Covered Waters put requirements on safety and hull-strength which the Nisshin Maru does not fulfill.”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling_in_Japan

    • ddpalmer

      I won’t post it all here again the full text is at http://www.ecorazzi.com/2010/02/12/whalers-return-to-sanctuary-epic-battle-erupts/comment-page-1/#comment-436934

      But the heavy oil issue has not yet been approved. The MERC(Marine Environment Protection Committee), a part of the IMO, will take up the issue again in March from the 22-26.

      The other issues, as the document says, are GUIDELINES for ships operating in ice-covered waters. They are not regulations. They only apply to existing ships to the extent the flagging nation deems practical. The Nisshin Maru is flagged by the Japan so I doubt they will stop the Nisshin Maru.

  • u-boat

    What will stop the Nishin Maru is a torpedo or 2 or 3 but hey who’s counting !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Poacher News

    Help Captain Peter Bethune. Sign the “Free Sea Shepherd Captain Peter Bethune” Petition.

    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/free-sea-shepherd-captain-peter-bethune

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