It amazes me how so many of my fellow conservatives who, last year, advocated rewriting the law to keep a brain-dead Terri Schiavo alive, and who demand respect for unborn fetuses, also happen to be in favour of this useless killing spree.
For Canada to register a blip on the American media radar nowadays, it usually takes something really outlandish. So when CNN’s Larry King devotes an entire show to chatting with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife about Canada, as he did recently, you know there has to be some major moronic activity registering north of the border.
Indeed, there is. In the next few days, some Canadians will cover their eyes while others, like myself, cringe in embarrassment as east coast Newfoundlanders kick off their annual clubbing season. Not because they have the rhythm of a first round reject from American Idol, but because some Newfies’ idea of getting jiggy with it consists of hitting the ice floes and driving giant spikes through the skulls of fuzzy little newborn seals.
Is there no McDonald’s or Taco Bell in Newfoundland? Is food so scarce in during the wintertime that these folks have to chow down on seal meat? Hardly. The seal hunt exists for a single reason: So Gucci, Versace, Prada, Marni, and Petit Nord can deck out their runway models in seal fur or skin, and impress the last remaining twenty or so mouth-breathing morons with more money than brains who haven’t heard of faux-fur.
You won’t hear much criticism of the seal hunt in the Canadian media—if only because no one wants to be accused of picking on a group of people about whom there are already enough jokes to fill five HBO Dennis Miller pay-per-view specials.
If Newfoundlanders want to curtail the Newfie jokes, may I suggest refraining from whacking defenseless critters over the head just because someone pays you to do it? A lot of things pay well—sliding naked up and down a brass pole in front of a beer-chugging audience, for example—but, come on, whatever happened to moral standards and a sense of decency?
Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams argued on the King show that the seal population is booming and there aren’t enough fish for both Newf and seal. Does this guy even realize what the heck he’s saying? Biology 101: If there were no fish, the seals would be dying, not thriving. Nature had no problem balancing itself out long before God created Newfies.
But for the sake of argument—given that this was a major point of debate between Williams and the McCartneys during the King show–let’s say the seals really were handing you your butt on a platter during fishing season. How about showing a tad more gamesmanship? Why not rip a page out of the Survivor playbook and try to “outwit, outplay, and outlast” the seals, rather than, say, showing up at the first tribal council, bashing in the skulls of all your competitors, and then sitting back and cracking open a Budweiser. If you’re trying to dispel the stereotype of the “lazy Newfoundlander”, this isn’t helping your cause.
Between 300,000 and 400,000 seals are brutally and senselessly slaughtered every year because my country—the same one that so righteously views itself as a global defender of justice and humanity–can’t bring itself to keep whack-happy Newfs off the ice floes. Others like Italy, the USA, Greenland and Mexico have already banned seal products, yet Canada continues to demonstrate its inhumanity with one of the few issues over which it has absolute control.
Our government also doesn’t have a problem with free assembly—as long as the gathering doesn’t happen to occur between a seal hunter and his target. Eleven members of the Sea Shepherd Society were recently sentenced to 22 days in jail as a result of hanging out too close to the slaughter.
While the previous Liberal government may have allowed the hunt for east coast vote buying reasons, the new Conservative regime under Prime Minister Stephen Harper has missed a prime opportunity to act on all that “respect for life” talk. I didn’t think that Harper would be quite so quick to cop-out and hide behind Williams’ hip waders—sending a provincial representative to speak on behalf of the Prime Minister, on an internationally televised program, about an issue that reflects so poorly on all Canadians.
And Harper isn’t the only self-described right-winger to play the hypocrite on this issue. It amazes me how so many of my fellow conservatives who, last year, advocated rewriting the law to keep a brain-dead Terri Schiavo alive, and who demand respect for unborn fetuses, also happen to be in favour of this useless killing spree.
This is one of the few issues where I consistently see right-wingers acting like liberals. Either you’re a conservative who respects life, or you aren’t. Smarten up.
Utterly and contemptibly ludicrous! How can an article of this caliber be posted on a website purporting to be "Intellectual"?
Ms Marsden makes a major error of definition when she equates the value of the life of humans with the life of seals. From that point on, she lost any credibility I might have given to her viewpoint. I suspect Ms Mardesn has never recovered from seeing Bambi’s mother shot.
I can understand not enjoying the thought of thousands of seals being senselessly slaughtered. But, give me a break, I would rather seen hundreds of thousands of dead seals than one human life murdered because some woman wanted sex with a man from whom she did not want a baby, and she was too inconvenienced to use birth control, or insist he use a condom.
Finally, the diagnosis and prognosis of Terri Shiavo, was not consensual. It was disputed by many expert authorities, far too few of whom were allowed to testify. The reason she died was not because she was "brain dead." She died because greedy and/or power hungry politicians, lawyers, justices, anti-Bush media and an unfaithful and greedy husband wanted to pursue their happiness without the inconvenience of her presence. I am confident Terri will rest in peace. As for those responsible for her murder, I fear they may never find peace, in this life or in eternity.
When Ms Mardsen can convince me that seals have the same right-to-life as humans, then I might revisit this issue. Until then, Ms Mardsen, if you truly want to save seals, start by not equating their value with humans.
Uh, equating the fact a woman can rip apart limb by limb unborn babies to clubbing cute little seals doesn't compute.
What a disappointment!!! Who know that Rachel Marsden was a closet liberal. The
What a disappointment !! Who knew that Rachel Marsden is a closet liberal. What a pile of
drivel. At this rate, she will know longer allow the killing of chickens or beef cattle.
Al Gore is beginning to look good at this rate.
I am a conservative that respects life, but please, how can you compare the dignity of a human life to that of a seal
Rachel Marsden is one of the most hard-core Conservative commentators I have ever come across. She is also an independent thinker who isn't averse to criticizing her fellow Conservatives or pointing out hypocrisy. I see this as another one of those cases. Matthew Scully, George W. Bush's former Deputy Director of Speechwriting, is one of the strongest animal advocates and has also written about his disgust of the Canadian seal hunt. Instead of being idiots and calling tried-and-true conservatives "liberals", how about trying to actually make an argument that dispells what they're arguing? So far in this thread, no one has.
Sorry Rachel, not this time. I'm a big fan and a Canadian, but you "missed the boat" this time.
A seal life does not equal a human life. And who's looking out for the Newfoundlanders and their way of life?
Let's smarten up. Conservatives respect all life, but they respect human life first and a baby seal is not a human fetus.
I hope Ed has a daughter who is raped at 13 and ends up pregnant from it. Then he can be a grandfather to a bastard child born from an act of violence. Or she can go have an abortion and Ed can be shot (by some anti-choice looney) while accompanying her to an abortion clinic..
As far as seals go—all life should be respected. Unless, of course, it is a 9 week old fetus with no brain activity.
Mr. Joe Page,
I clicked your name and it linked me to the Britisch Columbia Health Employees Union. That figures. I should have been able to tell by your semi-retarded liberal rant that you were a unionized health care worker. My condolences to your parents for ending up with such a brain dead monkey f*ck for a gene carrier. You belong at the bottom of the food chain with the seal. Of course killing in this way is brutal. Not nearly as brutal as partial birth abortion of which you are obviously a champion. Kind of interesting that you would hide such a strong opinion behind the skirt of a government union website. My money says you are a Josephine and not a Joe.
JG
Hi John
5 bucks says either you are a child-molesting priest or one of the 27 people recently charged in the child porn ring.
If you can call a 9week old fetus that is the size of a 25cent piece a human life (around the typical gestational age of a theraputic
abortion), then maybe you should get a vasectomy before you over-populate the Christian trail park you live in.
No, I am a physician (not a member of HEU). And it's Joseph.
Thanks for your opionion. You can go "phoque" yourself.
calling one of the most rabid conservatives on the planet a 'liberal'??? are you people insane?
to the people who say animal life isn't the same as a human life, oh ok – i say your life ain't as valuable as mine then. morons.
To add another ad hominem to these ridiculous thread, but liberals also have been shown to have no brain activity. I say let's abort them, no?
There's actually no need to, since abortion lovers will die off because they can't stand to procreate. Self-defeat is conveniently built into their ideology. Fine with me.
Maybe that's why they whine and protest so much; they can't pass their worldview onto their own children.
Good luck with that, libs.
Hi Jay
Speaking of protests…
Does your thread have anything to do with the seal hunt (or are you just spending some free time away from your knitting circle comprised of bomb-making anti-choice protesters?)
It's time to put this one to rest. Have a great weekend!
Ms. Marsden
Research Research Research… you should try it sometime. It certainly makes for more influential reading than simply regurgitating propaganda spouted by the flavour of the month celebrity activist. Consider this Biology 102, perhaps you skipped that class, a seals diet can be diverse and consist of more than simply one type of fish… If there's no cod, they'll eat redfish, flounder, whatever is available. Seals, like all animals on this planet, will adapt to their environment. Also, could you answer one question for me? Where were all you bleeding hearts when Cod and other species of fish were being decimated? I guess a Cod fish isn't cute enough for you. Another class you've obviously skipped is Sociology 101. You're blatently clueless regarding Newfoundland culture and the seal hunt itself. For starters, the seal hunt is not limited to Newfoundland, it's an Eastern Canadian event. Sealers from Nova Scotia and PEI also actively partake. Secondly, seals are SHOT, not clubbed. It makes more sense to do so. Despite the best efforts of the propaganda machines of the IFAW and Greenpeace to paint them as such, seal hunters are not barbarians, and do not take joy out of the suffering of animals. It's unfortunate that you and the McCartneys of the world are gullible enough to buy into it. How does it feel, as an "intellectual" to be a pawn of these organizations?
Ms. Marsden
Research Research Research… you should try it sometime. It certainly makes for more influential reading than simply regurgitating propaganda spouted by the flavour of the month celebrity activist. Consider this Biology 102, perhaps you skipped that class, a seals diet can be diverse and consist of more than simply one type of fish… If there's no cod, they'll eat redfish, flounder, whatever is available. Seals, like all animals on this planet, will adapt to their environment. Also, could you answer one question for me? Where were all you bleeding hearts when Cod and other species of fish were being decimated? I guess a Cod fish isn't cute enough for you. Another class you've obviously skipped is Sociology 101. You're blatantly clueless regarding Newfoundland culture and the seal hunt itself. For starters, the seal hunt is not limited to Newfoundland, it's an Eastern Canadian event. Sealers from Nova Scotia and PEI also actively partake. Secondly, seals are SHOT, not clubbed. It makes more sense to do so. Despite the best efforts of the propaganda machines of the IFAW and Greenpeace to paint them as such, seal hunters are not barbarians, and do not take joy out of the suffering of animals. It's unfortunate that you and the McCartneys of the world are gullible enough to buy into it. How does it feel, as an "intellectual" to be a pawn of these organizations?
My, my, my. Look at all the conservatives who have been forced to question what they stand for – and by one of their very own! Ha ha.
Thank you, Rachel Marsden, for using your brain…instead of just mindless talking points.
Dear Rachel,
After reading your article, I can not believe the number of inaccuracies in your article. For that reason and the fact that you will most likely not even read my e-mail, I will keep my reply as short as I can while addressing all the great points you highlighted in your article.
You talk of giant spkies going through the skulls of fuzzy little newborn seals. For one, 90% of seals are killed by riffle. One shot to the head, killing them instantly. A lot more human then a mouse trap, but i've yet to see your article on catching and killing the common household mouse. I also liked how you described the seals as fuzzy. Do you think that if they were scaley this topic wouldn't be an issue. Noone seems to care when every year people go out and jigg for Cod, but Cod just aren't that cute are they. You then followed up fuzzy with Newborn. OBviously you saw the Larry King special if you were to comment on it, but how come you don't remember anything Danny William's said. Newborn seals are called pups, and pups are not killed. So all those cute fuzzy white seals you see on t.v….don't worry, they get to live.
Yes, there is a McDonald's, and unfortunately a Taco Bell, but not everyone is a total slob and eats fast food for every meal. Your statement here also contradicts your later statement about the only purpose of killing a seal is for the fur. So, do we only do it for the fur, or do we eat it also? Please tell us. We need an answer before the meat goes bad. The fact that parts of seal are being used in the research of curing illnesses is also something you left out of your article. But i'm sure that was just a coincidence.
Your highschool science teacher must be very proud that you are still using the great biology skills you learned in his 101 class. We can not go back in time and replace the fish stocks that have been depleted, but what we can do is keep the seals from eating what is left of the fish that we need to breed and repopulate those stocks. If seals are left to grow in numbers, eventually there will be no fish, instead of the little we have now, and then we Newfies will get even lazier because we won't even have to kill the seals. They will all die of starvation. Sounds like you're trying to make our job easier in the long run. And for a second there I didn't think you thought past this moment.
You ask us to show a tad more gameship. I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that you've never gone seal hunting. So, you are assuming that it is pretty easy. Think about the consequencesof jumping around on ice pans. If you fall, there's no getting back up. You're trapped under the ice. What else do you want us to add to the hunt? I don't see u telling Bush to give Iraq half of his troops to make it a fair fight.
Again you try to make people laugh by saying Harper is hiding behind William's hip waders. What at all does William's hip waders have to do with anything. Hip waders sure as hell aren't used during the seal hunt. I'd like for someone to give you a pair of them and send you out on the ice. You wouldn't be long slipping off and having two anchors drag you to the bottom of the ocean.
Finally you complain how your country can't bring itself to keep whack-happy Newfs off the ice floes. I complain how my Country can't bring itself to keep senseless Americans writing articles.
Yours Truley, T. Humphrey
Hey Humphrey, are you a thicko? Nowhere in that article does Ms. Marsden "contradict herself" by saying Newfies eat seals. It's called a rhetorical or hypothetical question, moron. Look it up sometime. And oh so some of the barbarians use rifles. So what. If I shoot u in the head, is that "compassionate"? I guess so. Why don't u come over here so I can show you how "compassionate" I can be, asswipe? And oh, I guess the "hip waders" point is SOOOOO out of place – because Newfies like Danny Williams NEVER FISH, don't they?
I see this column has brought the "redneck/neanderthal conservative" faction out of the woodwork.
Thank goodness for conservatives like Marsden who actually have a brain.
Thank you to "T. Humphrey" for pointing out that Newfs aren't all slobs who eat at McDonalds. Although Rachel Marsden's article doesn't address this point at all, I've always wondered if that was true.
Oh yeah, like this Marsden woman who wrote THIS article below is really a "liberal". Right. Nice try. How about developing some real arguments??
http://www.rachelmarsden.com/columns/scooter.htm
Josephine Page,
If you are a doctor I would hate to have you writing scrips for anyone in my "trail"park because you can't spell..moron.If in fact you are a doctor which I highly doubt, I have always found your class to be so morally self righteous and insufferable. Condescension is the order of the day for anyone who doesn't have Phd or MD after their name. Based on the Provincial average in BC, I make almost double what you do little man and I will never have to break my oath to earn my pay ..you hypocrite.As for religion and priest barbs..they are cheap and easy along with the "27" comment. It also shows a lack of intellectual prowess that you assumed I was some kind of religious fanatic. I am in fact a Libertarian. But I digress. JG
Ummmm… a fetus isn't a human life. End of story. That being said, I agree that it's surprising that Rachel's article is published here, for two reasons. One, she certainly isn't an intellectual. Her columns are published in the most low-brow paper in Canada and in the most colloquial, irritating, "this 17-year-old-knows-best"…
… style. She's loud, but she ain't too bright. Two, since when is conservatism intellectual? I always thought it was simply moral elitism and a bunch of privileged know-alls attempting to force their morality on others for their own benefit. Ah well, I'm sure I'll be educated in subsequent posts.
If I could comment on the following statement:
"It amazes me how so many of my fellow conservatives who, last year, advocated rewriting the law to keep a brain-dead Terri Schiavo alive, and who demand respect for unborn fetuses, also happen to be in favour of this useless killing spree."
Terri Schiavo's life could have been renewed early on by a simple procedure of draining off the pressure and fluid build up in her skull. The husband in this case showed servere negelect and abandonment to Terri. My heart goes out to Terri's mother, father, brother and sister. Terri's life had meaning to them and should not have been ripped away from them. As for killing seals, I agree that these clubbings go over board. I would much rather watch and pay a beautiful women going up and down a brass pole. Thanks!!!
I'm a recent and huge Rachel fan and generally agree with her opinions but not in this case (but it doesn't affect my fan status!). I think there are points to be made on both sides of this argument and since I don't have all the facts I can't refute what many of you have written. It does seem to me that in this day and age there must be a better and more humane way to kill the seal than hit it over the head so I rather doubt they do that. What baffles me most is why we are so concerned about seals? What about Pam Anderson and her defense of the defenseless chickens? How more inhumane could you be to an animal than we are to these chickens and yet we happily devour them 3-4 times a week. Anyway what really drives me nuts is the way some of you believe that calling the other guy a moron, or making fun of their background somehow adds points to your argument. The fact is when you resort to name calling and disrespect it usually means you can't think of anything intelligent to say!
Who is questioning their values? Most of the posters simply do not get the fallacy of equating a baby fetus to a seal? Nor do they get the argument that tearing apart limb by limb little babies is some sort of biological necessity for the convenience of our pampered western women. Its ridiculous comparisons such as made by a woman in this article that the comments are directed towards.
Sorry Rachel, I agree with your critics. Better rethink some of your values if you want to retain your membership in the Club.
Ok. I've been reading all of your comments and am becoming slightly nauseated. I am a Rachel Marsden fan, regardless of her recent topic choice. I'm not even concerned about debating the articles accuracy and relevancy. I would like to pose this question to all of the baby killers…er… I mean liberals, who have expressed their favor of abortion. At what point does the "fetus" become a baby? 10 weeks? 24 weeks? Or is it when the baby takes it's first breath of air after birth? I'm curious to know what change takes place for a "fetus" to become a baby. Calling the defenseless unborn a "fetus" de-humanizes the victim, doesn't it? You can sleep better at night knowing you didn't murder a baby – it's just a fetus!! So, you might not like this one… did you know fetus means "young one". That's right and did you also know that at 10 weeks, these young ones begin to suck their thumbs? A blob of cells sucking it's thumb… strange, isn't it? AS A FORMER FETUS I OPPOSE ABORTION.
Rachel Marsden is one of very limited number of "journalist" that have the brains and the courage to tell it like it is. Most journalists follow the liberal agenda without ever engaging their brain or use any common sense. Rachel is not only smart but she has a real talent for making her point.
Many of you are off topic, this has nothing to do with abortion or conservatism. I applaud Ms. Marsden for taking a stand, but her research is flawed and as a result, she is giving Newfoundlanders an underserved reputation. (Please don't call us Newfies, it's derogatory, please treat us with respect). The facts are that yes, Seals are hunted off the coast of our province, but given the ice conditions and the species being, it is much safer and economical to shoot them rather than use a club. It is elsewhere in the Maritime provinces where the club is still the main weapon of choice. As for the seal hunt itself, I may not agree with fur, but seals do have other uses. Further, I trust the science behind reports from DFO (Under both Liberal and Conservative governments) that suggest their be a controlled hunt. Rather than the propaganda machines of the IFAW and Greenpeace. So while there continues to be a scientifically supported seal hunt, I would prefer the more humane way of shooting them which is practiced off the coast of Newfoundland. It's ugly yes, but at least it's humane.
Well, it would seem that Miss Marsden has stirred the melting pot successfully yet once again – unfortunately it is not only the most welcome and entertainingly intelligent cream that has risen to the top, but also the gormless and uninformed rubbish of the great unwashed as well!
Rachel Marsden has been a consistently accurate writer of well researched subjects for many years, and while she includes no pictures some of the more ignorant subscribers to the "Comments" section should maybe enlist the help of their Grade One buddies to explain the points she is making – before they open their hitherto air-wasting yaps.
For those of you who can somehow approve of the totally un-necessary slauughter of baby seals may I suggest a quick viewing of the well documented videos showing the skinning of live baby seals by the more sadistic of the so-called "hunters" before you leap to attack Miss Marsden.
The annual seal hunt is certainly a tradition in Newfoundland, and equally certainly had it's roots in necessity. But this is no longer the case and it has degenerated into anothing other than a cruel and highly lucrative venture for which both skilled and un-skilled Newfies line up to sign on. The latter, presumably well fortified with whatever Screech they can smuggle on board, are for the most part uncaring and the epitome of "red-neck-cruelty" space wasters. Were the hunt restricted to the skilled and professional hunters who are of necessity compassionate harvesters, it would be a more "acceptable" – if still a cruel and totally un-necessary version of The Killing Fields (Newfie Version). But as it is the shame of it all will forever cloud one's otherwise wonderful memories of a lovely land (mostly) full of truly beautiful and life-loving people.
Oh, and don't argue with Miss Marsden until you have a glimmer of understanding of that which you are yammering on about – ever heard of road kill?
John F.H. Lupton
St. Albert, Alberta, Canada.
Well, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and Rachel Marsden certainly is entitled to hers.
Many people outside of Atlantic Canada don't understand the seal hunt, sealers, or for that matter seals.
Firstly, it is illegal in Canada to hunt baby seals. The "seal hunt" is actually of adult seals. Secondly, the seal hunt is closely regulated activity that requires licensing and an apprenticeship of two years.
As the Premier of Newfoundland Labrador, Danny Williams, explained on Larry King Live to Paul McCartney, the seal hunt is less cruel that any other animal slaughtering activity. The difference is that a sealer is working on an ice floe rather than an industrialized meat packing plant.
The whole arguement about the seal hunt always astounds me because usually Canadians are dismissed as "herbivore boyscouts" but iin the case of Canadian sealers, we are portrayed as cruel, knuckle draggers.
The fact is, the Canadian seal hunt provides a legitamate commercial activity for many remote, rural communities in Eastern Canada, albeit dangerous and economically problematic.
These people deserve respect, not derision.
Terry Mulcahy
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Well, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and Rachel Marsden certainly is entitled to hers.
Many people outside of Atlantic Canada don't understand the seal hunt, sealers, or for that matter seals.
Firstly, it is illegal in Canada to hunt baby seals. The "seal hunt" is actually of adult seals. Secondly, the seal hunt is closely regulated activity that requires licensing and an apprenticeship of two years.
As the Premier of Newfoundland Labrador, Danny Williams, explained on Larry King Live to Paul McCartney, the seal hunt is less cruel that any other animal slaughtering activity. The difference is that a sealer is working on an ice floe rather than an industrialized meat packing plant.
The whole arguement about the seal hunt always astounds me because usually Canadians are dismissed as "herbivore boyscouts" but iin the case of Canadian sealers, we are portrayed as cruel, knuckle draggers.
The fact is, the Canadian seal hunt provides a legitamate commercial activity for many remote, rural communities in Eastern Canada, albeit dangerous and economically problematic.
These people deserve respect, not derision.
Terry Mulcahy
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
On the ranch, we raise cattle for human consumption. Every part of that cow is used. The hide, the hoof, the bone (ground up for meal in livestock feed and dog food) The stock is trucked to the slaughterhouse. They are in put in a chute and then they are put down quick and humanely. Like Rachel, I am not sure that I am "buying" the fish story. PLEASE IF I EVER AM IN THE SAME STATE AS TERRI SCHIAVO — PUT ME OUT OF THIS PATHETIC STATE AND SHOOT ME. MY ESTATE WILL BE LEFT TO PROTECT THE SEALS. Thanks Rachel, you know how to cowgirl up!
All that stuff earlier about abortion brings up an interesting point as to liberals' ideas about life. Libs animals have as much right to to life as humans do and that we are not set above the other animals in any way. This belief stems from the secularist idea that we naturally evolved with the other animals without the aid of any sort of higher intelligence. So first, liberals tell us that animals are equal to us because we all evolved together and what not. Liberals then go on to blame mankind for what they view as disturbance in nature, as if our actions are somehow "unnatural." Basically, they believe that we naturally evolved from naturally occuring pondscum into something that unnatural that affects the environment in an "unnatural" way. The secularist left has no right to accuse loggers, developers, etc. of disturbing the natural equilibirum when they believe we naturally evolved. A little off topic,I know, but I find their views to be ironic.
I saw my little fetus at 9 weeks and he's still the same little person at 15 mos. You ought to see the new ultrasound technology. Watching a tiny human stretch and yawn andflip is quite fascinating. Human life is still a precious gift.
I wonder if Joe Page would mind telling us how big a fetus can get before she is human and can't be killed? Or maybe, how small a person has to be before they aren't human? Or even, what kind, amount, and frequency of brain waves a person has to have to be able to continue living (even in a hospital)?
I'm also wondering why it is murder for a teenage mother to leave her newborn in the high bathroom garbage can, but it's not murder if she had dropped by her local abortion mill the week before and had it chopped up "therapeutically"?
Looks like Marsden followed this column with one today in the Toronto Sun about "Why Men Shouldn't Have a Say on Abortion". Wow that oughta really piss off all you misogynist neanderthals!
http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Marsden_Rachel/2006/03/18/1493566.html
Rachel;
I am 100 % on your side of most issues however, You are 100 % wrong on the Seal Hunt. I lived in Newfoundland for many years and got to know the history of the hunt, the people, the economy, the politics and social values.
You could not be more wrong. You could not be further from the truth. I will not go into the subject in depth but to set a few things straight I will tell you this: The Hunt is an honorable thing. NO baby seals are harvested. Yes Harvested. They are a foodstock from the sea the same as Cod, Lobsters and shellfish.
Yes there were two fellows that skinned two seal pups alive many years ago and it was filmed by Greenpeace. They were paid $5,000 each and they both went to jail and paid heavy fines. The film crew that paid for the skinning also received the justice they deserved. It was outrageous! We have people that would do anything for a dollar — take a look at the Hookers in downtown Toronto! Or, look at the politicians in Ottawa !
Miss Rachel — You need to do the journalistic ethical thing and investigate the entire story before spitting in the face of honorable people before you do another story.
You have a talent for getting to the right story at the right time however, you were way off the mark on this one.
Sincerely,
A Canadian Fan in Florida
The "Fishermen" that harvest seals are putting their lives on the line every time they go out on the ice pans. They harvest seals to make a living.
Hey, Marie… You're not a man so you shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion about them.
I like how she used the article as a rant against newfies, saying they're known as lazy but the seal hunters, who work and pay taxes, she wants them to stay home (and live of the government?). Also as a pipefitter in Ft. McMurray, Alberta (second biggest newfie city), and an albertan, i worked with plenty of Newfies and i guarantee that they work way harder and longer then she does.
Also if you stop the seal hunt, in a few decades there will be so many fish that they'll slow the boats, only this time the fish will be seals instead of cod.
Man , aren't those the most ugliest , vile looking creatures you ever laid eyes on !
To John Lupton
My I suggest you take your own advice, and do not speak about something you know nothing about. You talk as if an expert of the seal hunt and the people of Newfoundland, yet the only facts I hear coming from your "air-wasting yap" is the propaganda trash spit out by IFAW, Greenpeace and the stereo-typical albertan who believes his own province to be the center of the known universe. The videos you speak of are trash, many of them decades old, replayed by spinsters to convince the self-rightious bleeding hearts to jump on their worn out band wagon and pad their bank account so that they can stay in business for another year.
Your own ignorance and lack of knowledge on the entire subject by using tired stereo-types of Newfoundlanders. Perhaps your grade 1 buddies can teach you some respect of your fellow man. I suggest you research your topics a little more indepth before you speak of them, so at least that way your argument will carry more weight, instead of being passed off as useless drivel from a hot head.
Mark
Ms. Marsden
Been to many swim meets lately?
Anyone who puts a club in their hands and bashes in the skulls of defenseless baby seals is disgraceful.
There all spineless cowards. One of the most disgusting practices I have ever heard of. The left and the
right are to blame, I agree. And ALL who are involved in this barbaric and gruesome crime have blood on
their hands. That includes those who silently turn their backs and those in the Canadian government who have rubber stamped this slaughter.
Ok – are we sucking or blowing here.
First Ms. Marsden writes that the fur hunt is only needed to "impress the last remaining twenty or so mouth-breathing morons with more money than brains who haven’t heard of faux-fur".
Then she writes that "Between 300,000 and 400,000 seals are brutally and senselessly slaughtered every year". By my Math 101 calculations that means 15,000 – 20,000 seals are being killed per moron.
That's one heck of a fur coat!
I think Joe Page is crazy…He also has some problems with dangling participles…It's, "Christian trail park in which you live." It is not, as you said, "Christian trail park you live in." How does it feel to be corrected by a college freshman, doc?
Haha you libs get me every time! Keep 'em comin!!
I think someone should check Joe Page's credentials. It's more likely he is an escaped mental patient than a medical doctor.
But hey, every Conservative site gets it's retarded Liberal trolls to help everyone else sound extremely intelligent.
If a little baby fetus was as cute and furry as a baby seal (instead of looking like a roswell alien) would we be so cavalier about clubbing it (the human) to death? If terry Shiavo looked like the female teacher rapist would she still be alive?