Oh, and you have to love the interview they did for our local community radio. Keep in mind we're in rural Alaska, where thousands of people still rely on subsistance fisheries to support their families. I love their answers when they were asked how their campaign would affect people in our community - shows how out of touch with reality they are, if not somewhat racist.
Does that apply to traditional Native subsistence users of fish, or Alaska residents who live in remote communities where produce, fruit and other non-meat options are either not always available or prohibitively expensive?
Obviously the bulk of campaign is aimed at average people who have resources available to us that most of us have.
So “Save the Sea Kittens” is aimed at average Americans … It doesn’t apply to Native or rural Alaskan communities?
We are always against killing, exploiting or abusing animals in any way.
We encourage absolutely everyone to make compassionate choices when they can. I think that in the 21st century, most of us are in the position to choose not to cause pain to an animal when we’re deciding what to eat.
If it’s not a question of opting out, if one’s survival depends on it is it then is it cruel to kill an animal for consumption?
Looking at these kinds of theoretical situations is missing the point that we can make simple decisions every day to do the right thing.
What would you say to a community where their entire industry is based on fishing?
As times have changed and as our sense of what is ethical evolved, we’ve had to make major shifts in different industries. Child labor used to be a major part of society and economy. Obviously that is now unthinkable.
Losing demand for one thing we eat creates demand for another thing, which creates new jobs, sources of income, and opportunity.
So crab fisherman could go on to become parsnip farmers?
There have been so many times in our history where we’ve had to adjust as things that were major parts of our society have become things we’re ethically not comfortable with anymore.
Source:
Dutch Harbor Fisherman
-B