SEA SHEPHERD OFFERS $25,000 REWARD FOR WHALERS' COORDINATES

[flvegan]

New Zealand Air Force Spotted Japanese Whalers but Won't Release Location of the Fleet

ABOARD THE FARLEY MOWAT, Southern Ocean, January 31, 2007 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Chris Carter, the New Zealand Minister for the Environment knows where the Japanese whaling fleet is illegally slaughtering whales. But New Zealand is not sharing this information with the public and especially not with anyone who wants to defend and save whales.

Why? Because the Japanese have asked them not to. "This is like a Police Chief finding out that a bank robbery is in progress but refusing to tell the his officers which bank because the thieves asked him not to," said Captain Paul Watson from the Sea Shepherd flagship, Farley Mowat. In response, Sea Shepherd has offered a reward of USD$25,000 for anyone who will provide them with coordinates which lead them successfully to the Japanese whaling fleet.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force recently spotted and videotaped the illegal Japanese whaling operations while on patrol for illegal fishing operations in the Ross Sea. According to Sea Shepherd, the illegal taking of commercially valuable Antarctic toothfish is a concern to New Zealand because they fish for the toothfish, but since New Zealand does not have a whaling industry, the Japanese are not competition. The Japanese are, therefore, free to ruthlessly slaughter whales in areas where third world fishing vessels are seized and confiscated for similar illegal operations.

"Chris Carter seems to be taking his orders from Tokyo," said Farley Mowat crewmember Jaime Brown from Dunedin, New Zealand. "There are New Zealanders down here in hostile conditions trying to stop the illegal slaughter of whales and our environment minister is more worried about Japanese commercial interests. He will find that he won't be getting many votes from the land of the rising sun and less from New Zealanders who care about whales."

More:

http://www.world-wire.com/news/0701310003.html

http://www.cdnn.info/news/eco/e070131.html

http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_070130_1.html

[Kagemusha]

1. Has Sea Shepherd offered this newly, or is this just the same repeat

that has appeared in LBN, General Discussion and other places multiple times over the entire week?

Edit: And who the bloody hell made Captain Watson an officer of the nation of New Zealand?...

[flvegan]

3. What's your problem, Kagemusha?

This was released in the last 24 hours. This is LBN, like it or not.

I find it sad that you can support whaling and seal clubbing, but an alternative view gets this response from you.

[Bonobo]

5. His problem probably is...

That the "anti-whalers" et al. seem to paint the Japanese with the broadest most disgusting brush...

They say the "Japanese this..." or "The Japanese that..."

Try to imagine if another country painted a monolithic picture of America based on the evil, evil, much more evil shit that WE do!

Kagemusha, like me, knows something about Japan (unlike you, I suspect) and he or she is probably hurt and offended by what he/she sees as an unfair portrayal of a truly wonderful country as being bloodthirsty killers because of a small sub-set of people/lobbyers.

The Japanese are great, terrific, people, loving caring people. Even after 20 years back and forth to this country, I never fail to be moved by their kindness, warmth and concern for each other. They make Americans look cold and ruthless by comparison.
Frankly, it is highly ironic that a country that has killed millions in the last decade could condemn and entire nation based on this issue.

As for the "Sea Shepherd", last time I checked, they were pirates without a flag to fly under. And know it looks like they are pre-meditated terrorists since state openly they will try to sink an unarmed vessel and are offering a reward to "hunt them down".

[flvegan]

6. You answering for him...

or just looking to pick a fight?

Last time I checked, the Japanese government owned/sanctioned whale "hunt" was illegal.

I didn't speak about the Japanese people. I don't know them.

"Terrorists"...that's a funny right wing bullshit talking point in this case.

[Bonobo]

7. I'm trying to defend that Japanese against what I see as unfair generalizations.

That's all.

As for the "terrorists" comment, you're right. Bad choice of words. I sort of admire them, but I sort of think they are self-aggrandizing thrill seekers too.

[flvegan]

19. I'd not generalize the Japanese people.

I don't know them, therefore I wouldn't lump them into some group. Much like I'd not lump us into some sort of Bush-loving morans based on our nationality, were I from another country.

I don't want anyone to see my post as one against the Japanese people.

[Bonobo]

30. Thank you for that. I appreciate the conciliatory note.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

42. Personally, I didn't read it as a statement against the Japanese people but rather...

the Japanese government.

I strongly oppose the illegal whaling of the Japanese government and applaud Captain Watson, but I have no issue with the Japanese people. I find their culture quite fascinating actually.

[Kagemusha]

8. Bonobo's points aren't ones I dispute

But I'm not Japanese, I just learned the language and appreciate the culture. I have no love of whaling but um, I'm sure you remember me saying that and have long ignored it. Not the point.

I honestly have seen this story many times over the last several days. That was my original reason for commenting but... something else just randomly ticked me off.

That something:

"Why? Because the Japanese have asked them not to. "This is like a Police Chief finding out that a bank robbery is in progress but refusing to tell the his officers which bank because the thieves asked him not to," said Captain Paul Watson from the Sea Shepherd flagship, Farley Mowat."

Excuse me, but Captain Paul Watson is not a commissioned officer, police or military, of New Zealand. This is just inane babble from the man. Last I checked he was sailing without a national flag and proud of it...

Edit: And lookie here, we're in General Discussion because as I said in the first place, it wasn't Late Breaking. Just how it is.

[flvegan]

14. Last time I checked

the whaling fleet was breaking the law.

Don't attack my knowledge of your love of whaling, or lack thereof.

"Inane babble" is opinion. SSCS may sail without a flag, but I think we all can check into reality here as to why that's the case.

It's like Halliburton in another hemisphere. OH, and regardless, it doesn't belittle what Capt. Watson stated. Does it?

[Kagemusha]

20. Watson is not a military or police officer of New Zealand. Fact.

He is a vigilante. He is comparing not giving information about suspects for a bank robbery to police officers, to not giving information about suspects for a bank robbery to non-police officers.

That is fallacious.

[flvegan]

25. Watson is acting in regards to the United Nations World Charter for Nature.

Your post is more than suspicious.

[nam78_two]

44. !

:applause:

[MonkeyFunk]

46. Is he doing so

under the auspices of the UN, or a member state?

[slowry]

53. Do your research.

21. States and, to the extent they are able, other public authorities,
international organizations, individuals, groups and corporations shall:

(a) Co-operate in the task of conserving nature through common
activities and other relevant actions, including information exchange and
consultations;

<...>

(c) Implement the applicable international legal provisions for the
conservation of nature and the protection of the environment;

<...>

(e) Safeguard and conserve nature in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Your analogy is meaningless, given the fact that the law is on his side and he has the authority. Paul Watson has stated many times that he welcomes, and would prefer, governments to step up and take his place.

[MonkeyFunk]

56. Sorry

a 25-year old document from the UN does not give individuals the right to "enforce" the provisions of that document.

[slowry]

57. What?

It has been upheld, much like your constitution. Er.

And yes, it does. Why do you take the side of the whalers, who are the ones acting illegally, not to mention immorally?

What is so offensive about a group of people wanting to do good?

[MonkeyFunk]

64. I'm not taking the side of the whalers

I oppose whaling.

I also oppose vigilantism, and I think Watson is a dangerous man who is risking lives.

And I don't believe that he would be immune from prosecution if he rammed a whaling ship, and god forbid, killed people.

What's so offensive about him and his group? The same thing that's offends me about people who target abortion doctors: the extreme belief that the rightness of one's cause allows them to violate the law.

[slowry]

67. He's not the one violating the law.

Stop staying that, please.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

[MonkeyFunk]

69. Threatening to ram a ship

is, in my mind, a terrorist threat.

He is also violating maritime law by flying without a flag.

[slowry]

71. The flag was struck

after they'd left port and guess who was behind it? I guess we should just let the criminal whale killers have their way, because they have the money and influence to smear and demonize those on the side of the law.

Ramming is intended to let the criminals know they are serious. Plenty of warnings are given, before any such action is taken.

[MonkeyFunk]

72. So what?

Sailing without a flag, AND ramming ships are still illegal.

[Kagemusha]

70. The relevant law is admirality law, isn't it? (Law of the sea)

The open ocean isn't an area devoid of ANY jurisdiction, else piracy would have remained legal throughout the last several millenia. It's not a super-authority trumping all other law; you can be authorized to do lots of things to conserve nature in a national jurisdiction but, that authority doesn't necessarily include being able to violate other laws like, say, if you took a lead pipe and took out the kneecaps of someone littering in a public park, or shot out the wheels of the car of the person concerned, firing near women and children in a public area. Even police aren't allowed such powers, let alone members of the general public.

[bridgit]

75. Admiralty and Maritime Law...

http://www.csum.edu

http://www.resourcehelp.com/marine_law.htm

[Little Wing]

2. Whalers and finners should be ground into cat food

[WindRavenX]

4. yessire

:thumbsup:

[pinniped]

50. Boo!

[originalpckelly]

17. OH NO! You're avatar looks like a fucking bomb!

Call the bomb squad!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. ROFL!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. Hmm.

Isn't that a bit like the "wanted" posters with the abortion doctors?

[Kagemusha]

11. I doubt admirality law was written with abortion doc posters in mind

If it was, giving info to pirates on where to find their targets might be a crime of some sort. I doubt it is, and besides, such actions are on land where things like constitutional rights apply, so I don't think there's any dog that hunts on that one.

I just hope to hell that Sea Shepherd doesn't do anything *really* stupid when all this is said and done.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. I was talking about the morality of the thing.

Not the legality.

[Kagemusha]

13. Well, if someone gets hurt the morality won't look so hot.

Right now everyone's in denial and I'm just crossing my fingers.

[flvegan]

16. You're going to have to be VERY specific here.

Which "wanted" posters?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Does it matter?

[flvegan]

22. Yes it does.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

23. Why?

Are there good "wanted" signs of abortion doctors and bad ones?

[flvegan]

26. Check your comparison.

C'mon...you are better than this.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

28. Comparison's valid.

You've got two groups of loonies so sure of their own agendas that they're willing to hurt people in order to further it.

[flvegan]

29. Apples and oranges

One kills people and takes pride in it.

One has never hurt a single person.

Check your loonies at the door.

Comparison is invalid, regardless of your opinion. And that, is exactly what it is.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

31. ...

"One kills people and takes pride in it.

One has never hurt a single person."

One intends to ram their boat into another, in order to sink it. Meaning their willing to kill over their ideology. And they're taking pride in their intentions.

"Comparison is invalid, regardless of your opinion."

If it's invalid, give me a good reason. I'd like to hear it.

[flvegan]

32. One intends to ram their boat into another

in order to disable it.

Buy into something valid, k?

[Harper_is_Bush]

36. And if people get killed, so be it. It's not like it's not a dangerous action /SARCASM

Has the "captain" not bragged about sinking ships before?

[LeftyMom]

37. Was anyone on ANY of those ships?

Ever?

Great pains were taken to sink the damned things while they were deserted.

[Reterr]

51. Head meet brick wall

regarding representing animal activists as anything but extremist "terrorists", with some...

Watson and others have always worked in ways to avoid hurting a single person, but lets pretend they are terraists :eyes:..sheesh...

Even lefties fall for this disinfo.

[LeftyMom]

55. That's okay. Some of us get it. The truth is on our side.

In the end, we will win.

[nam78_two]

45. Watson has never killed a single person

This is a myth propagated by the right wing....
This is why they monitor vegans and other "scary people"...

c'mon...

[MonkeyFunk]

47. Not yet

[LeftyMom]

48. He and others acting on behalf of SSCS have taken great pains to do so. nt

[nam78_two]

49. Yup.nt

[slowry]

54. He has been at it for 30 years.

Not a single injury. How many law enforcement agencies can make a claim like THAT? Yet they're more legitimate in your eyes... why?

[nam78_two]

63. Good question

Welcome to DU :)...:toast:

[nam78_two]

61. ....

:eyes:
C'mon google is your friend here...

[MonkeyFunk]

65. What did I say that was incorrect?

I said "not yet". That's true.

[Harper_is_Bush]

35. LOL, exactly. Watson is a known liar, and a pirate on the high-seas

My respect for him is zero.

[MonkeyFunk]

40. Yes, it's very much like that

There are people on the extremes of both political poles that believe the pure rightness of their cause allows them to supercede the law.

They are wrong.

[slowry]

60. You're talking about the whalers right?

The pure rightness of their "research" on thousands of whales allows them to supersede international law?

You are wrong.

[Kagemusha]

73. Doesn't that whaling commission have a say what passes for

international law concerning whaling?

[MonkeyFunk]

74. Nope

I'm talking about the vigilantes. They don't have jurisdiction to "stop" Japan from doing this, and threatening to ram a ship is a terrorist threat.

Sometimes bad things happen in the world - you have to convince the people, and the governments, involved to change it. Taking the remedy into your own hands and threatening violence to achieve your goals is wrong.

[nam78_two]

10. K&R.nt

[Reterr]

15. Recommended.eom

[judaspriestess]

24. If I had the coordinates I'd give them for FREE

and sink the effing whalers ships!!

[leftchick]

27. I would too

they could keep the money for ship repairs. Go Sea Shepherd!!

[flvegan]

33. As would I.

Cheers.

[LeftyMom]

38. Yeah, me too.

Hell yeah. :)

[BreweryYardRat]

39. Ditto.

I don't agree entirely with Shepherd's methods (whaling's sponsors in the Japanese government should be the target-sinking whaling ships just means more will get made, and it'll be a long time before the cost makes the whalers come to their senses), but their goal in general is a worthy one.

You'd think people would be more willing to do the right thing.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

41. Same here.

The actions of the Japanese government are appalling.

[LeftyMom]

52. oops

meant to pm

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

58. It's okay.

Valley Girl.

[LeftyMom]

59. Aaaagh!

:grr:

Must. kill. Oedi.



Okay, not really, he's sweet.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

62. Yeah, I like the dude, too.

He's one of the good ones.

[nam78_two]

43. Me too-Watson has never done anything that has resulted

in the death of a single person no matter what those upthread are insinuating :eyes:....

[Kagemusha]

66. I'm just hoping he doesn't start.

I'm just not a complete optimist about that. And if he does, we'll see how far that piece of paper that he thinks authorizes him to safeguard nature through paramilitary action without a flag goes.

[LeftyMom]

68. It's pretty unlikely.

Very few people within the AR community are that fucking retarded, and those that are get shouted down.

[Harper_is_Bush]

34. "Captain" Watson can't find the whalers?

snif.