Seal Slaughter

[Guest Laurent.]

This was posted today on Frank Spotnitz's blog.

I don't want to reply immediately to this post on Frank's blog for two reasons:

1. I really don't think it is the place for this kind of discussion.

2. I'd like to see what he comes up with if he tries to make up his own mind about it.

I'll just go straight to the different points I thought I should make (if anyone is interested):

Truth is: since the beginning of limitations of importations from Europe and the U.S.A. on seal products (mainly fur in the case of the E.U. and all sea-mammals products in the U.S.A.); seal populations have tripled in Canada's main seal-hunting grounds (ex: Les Îles de la Madeleine in Québec).

Their main predator are constantly being pushed back north by the climatic changes. Without the government funded hunts, seal populations are a major threat to fish populations in the Atlantic provinces (Canada's main fishing region).

Truth is: the seal hunting methods are no less barbaric than pig and cow slaughter all around the globe.

The imagery is just more poignant because they are very cute animals and their blood sticks out on the snow and on their white fur.

Problem is: with increasing limitations from other country to the amount of seal products being exported from Canada, some seals killed to control populations cannot be sold (the local consumption being way too limited).

My conclusion: boycott may well be the worst possible solution to the problem.

Possible middleground: better hunting method (if possible) and the end of all embargoes on seal products.

Major edit: the post on Spotnitz's blog said: "Every year, hundreds of thousands of defenceless baby seals are killed in Canada...", but the hunt of blanchons ("baby seals" in French, no idea if you have a word in English for them) has stopped 20 years ago in Canada. It's basically just another case of using the most poignant phrasing and imagery to make a point, whether that phrasing or imagery is accurate or not. I know it seems less natural for most people to kill a white seal than to slaughter pigs and cows, but trust me: for those living up North with thousands of seals, there is no difference at all. And seal-hunting is a lot more regulated than the conditions of farm animals and slaughterhouses seems to be.

[Beerbelch]

BEER---> Ahh, we don't want to go into PETA or other political areas. There's plenty of other sites out there for these things.

BELCH

[Guest Laurent.]

BEER---> Ahh, we don't want to go into PETA or other political areas. There's plenty of other sites out there for these things.

BELCH

Maybe, but it's the only site where I like to discuss.

You're probably right though (which probably explains why I couldn't find any fitting sub-forums). I'll see if I can delete the topic.

edit: nope.

Anyway, I got to say what I wanted and to relax a bit after being outraged by the useless post on Frank's blog... so no need to discuss it here any further. Like beerbelch said, it's probably not the place for it.

[Earthnut]

Laurent, as you know, we here are all about voicing our opinion and creating new topics, and maybe someday our opinions will have some power with them for change. If it isn't one animal that is being slaughtered, it's another. It is said that man is the cruelest animal, and I agree, cruel to animals and cruel to his own kind. God has given mankind guidelines but man just won't follow them. Deer hunting for example. If they don't hunt the deer they will over-populate and then starve to death. But there's a right way and a wrong way to hunt as there's a right way and a wrong way to slaughter, and man just doesn't seem to want to do things the right way. Slaughtering an animal for food is one thing, but torturing it is another, and there is so much torture going on, and even needless killing. At the rate man is destroying this planet with his pollution and neglect, we won't have any animals left to talk about anyway, except in the past tense.

The world itself is a mess, and there are so many things going wrong in it then ever before. More and more people are speaking out, and whether I, or anyone, agrees with you or not, I commend you for speaking out with a new topic, one that is somewhat similar to "Broken World."

[ethsnafu]

Laurent,

If you would like the topic deleting please do leave word and the first available Elder will do so. This is not to imply that I personally feel it should be deleted this is simply in respect of Laurent's own attempts to do so.

Eth

[Libby]

I think this situation gives us moderators the opportunity and duty to consider the protocols in respect to deleting a topic where the originator of the topic has concerns. I think this is something that's worth discussing amongst the moderators, so we're all on the same page in terms of how we should best support and serve our members.

[Walkabout]

BEER---> Ahh, we don't want to go into PETA or other political areas. There's plenty of other sites out there for these things.

BELCH

I quite agree, this not the forum for domestic animals vs wildlife rights

[Guest Laurent.]

Well I guess the moderators have my blessing to delete the topic then...

at least I was able to let my frustration out. I can only hope that the X-Philes who will visit Spotnitz blog will have the same reaction as you guys did. Neither TIWWA or BigLight are the place for this discussion (but it's even less appropriate when it is based on blind arguments).

@Earthnut: Thank you for the kind reply. I also think that we should allow discussions on any subject. People can always avoid some discussions if they think they are inappropriate. TIWWA should be a place to discuss Millennium, but since everyone here loves MM, it's also fun to get into different subjects and get to see the multitude of different opinions, ideas and backgrounds of the MM fanbase.

(This last paragraph shouldn't stop any moderator from deleting the topic, as I understand this is a sensible subject which may not be the best way to get into serious off-topic discussions... we had problems with death penalty debates before no?)