Sea Shepherd vs Greenpeace

There's a good article over at Sea Shepherd about animal rights activist, Allison Lance. The article discusses how she came to be an activist and her involvement with the Sea Shepherd organization.

One thing she said: "We go out and we find a long (hooked) line, it could be 100 miles (160 km) and (the net) catches everything: there's swordfish, there's marlin, there's albatross," she says. "And then sharks. Sharks are very important to our ecosystem and we are losing them at a great rate, just for shark fin soup. They take the shark, cut the fin off and throw the body back still alive. Imagine the pain."

How does this sort of cruelty serve a "scientific purpose," according to Japan?

Read more here: Making a difference

In further news on the whale hunt news of late, the good folks at Sea Shepherd have publicly spoken out about wanting to work in communion with the folks at Greenpeace. Both organizations have stated they are on their way out to the Antarctic waters to meet the Japan whaling fleets and to intervene on Japan's plans to kill more whales.

Sea Shepherd has never had a violent interaction with anyone on their issues. They believe in peaceful, non-violent means of intervening.

Greenpeace, on the other hand, has and continues to, unfortunately, be controversial in their methods.

Ultimately, I admire what both organizations are trying to do here and I pray for everyone's safety and that no one gets hurt, even the Japan whalers. And finally, I hope to God that there is minimal, if any, killing of any whales out there in the waters.

In other related Sea Shepherd news, the founder and President Paul Watson, wrote an interesting commentary yesterday about the Makah tribe, located at Cape Flattery, Washington.

Here is an excerpt:

And now five extremely inept members of the tribe, men who reportedly were considered the most competent and skilled modern whalers of their people have together displayed an exhibition of gross dishonor, unbelievable disrespect and colossal incompetence with their cruel and tragic murder of a defenseless gray whale.

Read more here: Five Incompetent Makah Make a Mockery of Traditional Whaling

One last thing I'd like to get responses on.

Is it possible for someone who is not a vegetarian, to be respected as an animal / wildlife rights activist? Why or why not?

Post your thoughts please. As long as there is no hate and no vulgar language, I will publish all comments.

Mahalo,

Dolphin