Be Careful With The Dutchwoman

[Rick van Opbergen]

[Translated from www.planet.nl, LINK]

Seal Hunter Chases Socialist Party MP With Knife

CHARLOTTETOWN (ANP) - A seal hunter in the Canadian Charlottetown has threatened Socialist Party MP Van Velzen with a knife Saturday. "He was chasing me with a knife. His hands were full of blood. It was very scary" according to Van Velzen, who had to run really fast to escape her attacker.

She's in Canada to see with her own eyes how the seal hunt is going. The annual seal hunt started back there this week. Van Velzen was there along with activists from American and Canadian animalrights organisations and a Dutch employee from "Bont voor Dieren" (Fur for Animals).

The man prevented the helicopter in which Van Velzen would leave from taking off for a total of 45 minutes. "He was swaying around with his knife in the air" according to the Socialist Party MP. The pilot was scared the man would get caught up in the rotor. The man afterwards called the police. "He wants to sue us" according to a highly indignant Van Velzen.

She is upset about what she saw. She describes the seal hunt as a "Auschwitz for seals".

It has made national headlines (but it's not "breaking news" or anything) back here. Has it also been news in Canada?

 

[Gonzo]

It has always been a big deal here. Most Canadians dont want the seal hunt. It's cruel and pointless. Why does it happen? These neanderthals who hunt seals are sick, and by the way this hunter threatened Van Velzen, they're not very bright. The seal hunt should be made illegal.

 

[Rick van Opbergen]

Do you think there is any form of overpopulation when it comes to the seals? That is an argument frequently used to support the seal hunt.

 

[peapod]

Its the way they slaughter them. There is nothing that can justifly a blood bath set againist a white background. There is nothing they can say when the world see those pictures.

 

[Gonzo]

There is no over population of seals. Humans are over populated. The seals have been fine for a long time, long before we settled here.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Be Careful With The D

There are a lack of seal predators, but part of the reason there aren't more predators is a lack of prey. Leave the seals alone and you'll see the predators coming back.

 

[MMMike]

It has always been a big deal here. Most Canadians dont want the seal hunt. It's cruel and pointless. Why does it happen? These neanderthals who hunt seals are sick, and by the way this hunter threatened Van Velzen, they're not very bright. The seal hunt should be made illegal.

Is it cruel? Did a baby seal tell you that? I agree clubbing them over the head is a very low-tech way of killing, but it seems to be efficient. Would it be more 'palatable' somehow if the seals were lined up and sent through a slaughterhouse? If the seals don't suffer, what is the difference in how they are killed?

Is it pointless? It puts food on the table for a lot of sealers. Ask them if it is pointless. These people are not sick, or sadistic - they are just trying to provide for their families. Maybe you could suggest some alternatives??

Seals are not endangered. If there is a legitimate market out there, why should we oppose the seal hunt? Just because they are cute? By the way, I don't buy the argument that this hunt is to protect the cod stocks. I also suspect that this might be a taxpayer subsidized make work program - a far greater offense in my books.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Be Careful With The D

They could make more money taking rich Americans and Europeans on tours of the seal fields. The seal hunt is not needed to produce income because more income could be produced through tourism.

The reason the hunt continues is a lack of innovation by the sealers and two levels of government.

 

[Gonzo]

No need to make the same post on two threads, MMMike. I read your post on the other one. I'm not so sure that it puts food on the table. They're mostly selling the pelts to China. These aren't Inuit taking part in the seal hunt. It's a government sponsored slaughter.

 

[Rick van Opbergen]

There is no over population of seals. Humans are over populated. The seals have been fine for a long time, long before we settled here.

I already had that feeling. It seems that in many stories when the word "overpopulation" is used by people who are in favor of killing off a certain proportion of a population, whether this population is compromised out of seals, elephants or foxes, it are the humans themselves and not the animals who are "overpopulated".