Paul McCartney Backs Anti-Whaling Campaign

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by Michael dEstries June 22, 2010
Categories: Animals, Causes
Tags: .
Photo: PR Photos

Paul McCartney has become the latest celebrity to sound off on the proposed lifting of a ban on commercial whaling.

The legendary musician has joined fellow UK singer Leona Lewis in supporting an anti-whaling campaign by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

“It’s time to end the cruel slaughter of whales and leave these magnificent creatures alone,” he said in a statement. “In the 21st century how can we even contemplate killing whales – or any animal – in such barbaric ways? Governments should act on their responsibilities and protect these beautiful creatures. The best future for our relationship with whales is watching, not hunting.”

The lifting of the ban is currently being discussed behind closed doors at the annual International Whaling Commission’s meeting in Morocco. If passed, it would allow limited catches for those countries which continue to hunt the mammals despite the ban.

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 →
  • Kimitake Hiraoka

    Let’s just take a moment to think of the poor critically endangered Southern Bluefin Tuna, which gets no love from the Hollywood millionaires or the Sea Shepherd Criminal Syndicate.

    OK, now back to shedding crocodile tears for the plentiful minke whales! yay

    • georgina0912

      Kimitake, sometimes you sound like a four year old and most times you crack me up. Your wicked ways of looking at the whaling situation both fascinate me and disgust me at the same time. I do not think you are a bad person, but i do think you are the product of your culture and also that you have tunnel vision when it comes to whales, but i do wonder if you have a shred of love or compassion for other non-human animals at all.

      Just curious.

    • Kimitake Hiraoka

      How nice to hear my many years have not wearied my youthful disposition. And I’m glad to be a source of your amusement, dearest Georgina. I know you don’t think I’m a bad person. Perhaps for you I am like a car wreck; you watch in horror but you can’t look away all the same…

      Indeed, perhaps I am a product of my culture – to some extent, we all are. We renounced violence as a means of coercion a long time ago and no longer think it’s OK to force your opinion upon others by means of force. But it seems our countries are diametrically opposed in this regard. Perhaps this is a reason for some of the ideological differences between you and me.

      However I suspect the primary driver of our disagreements is how our compassion for animals is manifested. I believe we both have a great deal of compassion for animals and are absolutely opposed to unsustainable or cruel practices. But for me, the cow, chicken and whale are equally magnificent, dignified and worthy of protection where required.

      Furthermore, I worry that should one of these species be arbitrarily elevated above the others, it will necessarily have an adverse effect on other species that require protection. A prime example of this is the minke whale vs the bluefin tuna. One of those is critically endangered, the other is the single largest “conservation” issue on the planet (and indeed this forum). Can you see the unhappy irony here? I think you can.

      We are separated by geography, culture and many years. But we are not so different, you and I.

  • Cho cho ma

    Once again, you show that you have little compassion for anything. To you everything is a matter of numbers, while it should be a matter of animal welfare.

  • http://www.Seashepherd.com Frank Larsen

    Do some research Hiraoka, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society just freed some 800 Bluefin tuna from the nets of poachers off the coast of Libya. To suggest that Sea Shepherd is doing nothing for the endangered Bluefin is ignorant. It is also not a question of numbers of Minke whales. It is opposing the killing of whales including endangered Fin in an established international Whale Sanctuary in violation of a global moratorium on whaling. Keep flapping your jaws and doing nothing as Sea Shepherd continues to take action to defend our oceans. What have you done?

    • David

      Do some research Frank. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society SAYS the just freed some 800 Bluefin tuna from the nets of POACHERS. They have no proof that the tuna were caught illegally. It was just their opinion that something didn’t seem right so they decided they would commit more illegal acts. Keep flapping your jaws and doing nothing as Sea Shepherd continues to break laws to defend their donations. What have you done?

  • Cho cho ma

    Laws control the lesser man. Right conduct controls the greater one. ~Chinese Proverb

    • David

      “No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor.”
      Theodore Roosevelt

      • Annie

        Segregation and apartheid were THE LAWS until some brave people broke the laws to bring to light the horrors of racism. There are laws right now that protect these animals but are not being enforced by protective agencies in existence. We’re talking about destroying species to possible extinction and whether anyone likes it or not, that WILL effect mankind. So you could look at it another way and say the protectors of these animals are ultimately fighting to protect you and me.

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