Sea Shepherd has a new 'fast' boat.

[Charlie99]

But if there is no applicable authority enforcing the applicable laws, without the vigilante more whales end up being killed.

If we say England was wrong to tax the Colonies without representation, was the Treason of the Colonies the second wrong that did not make a right?

(not intended as exact history, just a direction for contemplation)

Your philosophy on this could more succinctly described as "the ends justify the means".

That is an age old debate that has no universal answer.

What I don't know at this point is what legal challenges the Sea Shephards have attempted.

Another analogy for pondering ..... a guy rapes someones young daughter, but gets off on a technicality. Are the parents justified in shooting and killing the rapist?

Or another analogy..... how long does a homeowner have to wait after calling the police before he uses force to protect himself and his family? How much force can he use to protect his property?

Different people will come up with different answers. Most people, though, see a huge difference between defending oneself and family vs defending property.

Some people give equal status to whales and humans, and believe killing or seriously endangering humans to protect whales is justified.

======================================

The question I was originally answering was something like "Why do people dislike Paul Watson?".

I gave my reasons ..... the unprofessional, unseamanlike operation of the ship bothers me as someone who has spent years at sea; and I dislike his belief that he gets to decide whether or not the Japanese are in violation of laws and treaties on whaling, and that he gets to determine and execute the appropriate punishment.

You may applaud him for those same reasons (well, for the vigilante justice bit, probably not for the keystone cops operation).

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

What I don't know at this point is what legal challenges the Sea Shephards have attempted.

....

You may applaud him for those same reasons (well, for the vigilante justice bit, probably not for the keystone cops operation).

I believe it is safe to say that all legal challenges with regards to Japan's "scientific culling" of nearly 1,000 whales per year for decades(?) have been exhausted. If Greenpeace, Sierra Club, WWF and all the other hands off environmentalist groups have had any impact, at most it is only that humpback whales have been spared so far.

I don't necessarily applaud Watson, but I acknowledge that he is the only one really putting his entire reputation/career on the line to protect whales. As long as the collateral damage does not cross the line to serious human injury or human death, I support his rights to direct action.

I see no evidence that littering out car windows is ever enforced in the entire State of Hawaii. I have gotten out of my vehicle at stop lights and thrown cig butts back into litterers cars on numerous occasions. The last time the passenger may have had her dress burned; that is the collateral damage from my vigilante actions and I am OK with it.

 

[SDAnderson]

"Captain" Watson is a punk with a flair for the dramatic and an inclination to risk the safety of others in his quest. That is not cool. He's an ugly combination of self-promotion with no concurrent willingness to self-sacrifice. If he really wants to have an impact, maybe he'll stay with his new ship when it goes down. THAT would be dramatic.

FWIW, I think his actions are only slightly more reprehensible than those of the whaling fleets.

 

[DavidPT40]

The facts speak for themselves. Nobody has been killed. Whaling is probably down (from the statistics the Sea Shepherd has released), and there have been hundreds (most likely thousands) of news articles written on how whales are eaten (instead of studied) in Japan.

 

[Zippsy]

The fact that worries me the most is that the whales are still being killed in large numbers. My belief is that as long as Watson is around and using those tactics against the Japanese, that fact won't change.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Others seem to believe that if SS were to "give up" not only would Japan's take grow and include whales they are not currently whaling, the "whaling Nations" would then try to take the next step towards loosening the restrictions on whaling.

 

[Zippsy]

I know. I just disagree with them.

Actually, I don't want SS to "give up", just drastically change their tactics. I admire them for wanting to stop whaling but the direct, "in your face" confrontational approach won't work with the Japanese (or just about any other nation, I think). Imagine if some Indian vigilante showed up around the midwest and started "freeing" herds of cows and chaining the doors of slaughterhouses so that the cows wouldn't get killed for their meat. Not exactly the same thing I know, but Americans would throw the guy in jail and then nuke Delhi. We don't like being told what to do in that way either.

 

[DennisS]

Sea Shepherd is currently trying to suck Greenspeace into their game. They figure it will give them some credence. "See, it's not just whacky Watson doing this"

 

[DavidPT40]

Others seem to believe that if SS were to "give up" not only would Japan's take grow and include whales they are not currently whaling, the "whaling Nations" would then try to take the next step towards loosening the restrictions on whaling.

I know of many examples where similar situations have occurred.

 

[FreeDiverOne]

DENNISS AND REEFRAFF: What is wrong with you? You are the most embittered, self-impressed, emotionally immature, snide, tiny-brained, mean-spirited, little so-called "person" I think I've ever come across in any forum anywhere. Are you even certified, or is the Japanese government paying you to comb the internet and attack any post made by any supporter of the Sea Shepherds? If you were an avid diver with any appreciation of the ocean, you'd understand that it was in your best interest to support groups like the Sea Shepherds - they are after all fighting for the preservation of the oceans... you know... that big, wet thing you go diving in??? Or maybe you're just a bloody poacher with no humanity and not enough brains or courage to earn a living among people - much easier for your kind to slaughter defenseless animals from the deck of a ship. Whatever you are, or think you are, you aren't welcome in my waters.

Do you have any idea the kind of sacrifice, conviction and just plain cast-iron bollocks it takes to create the kind of life Paul Watson has committed to? I suspect you don't. Probably because you've never done anything worth anything with any part of your bloody pathetic life. Much easier to sit behind a computer and cry about Paul Watson wearing "captain's stripes" or question his qualifications as a captain or some pointless nonsense. Captain Watson has command of a FLEET, and has commanded that fleet successfully year after year in the most treacherous waters on the planet while performing the most dangerous work imaginable - and he never lost or cost one single life. What have you ever done besides post a bunch of crappy quality pictures of yourself underwater?

I have two boys, and when they start whining like a couple of spoiled little sheilas they get a smack upside the head. Pity you didn't have a dad to do that for you. Is he proud of the whiny little sheila you've grown into?