Whale Wars Season/Round II

[mle]

First let me say I am not trying to start a fight, just a friendly discussion. Please lets try to keep it to that and not bash everybody else's beliefs/ethics.

Season 2 has just begun and the crew of the Sea Shepard is off to an ... interesting start.

What says the community about his daredevil group?

Peace love and chaos! :hmm3grin2orange:

[Drumachine09]

If this is that show where they harass the whalers, I love it. That is on my top 10 list of things to do before I die.

[LadyHatred]

I haven't seen the Whale Wars show yet but, I have seen a documentry on the Sea Shepard.

They were going after shark-finners. Used their "can opener" to sink the boat, rescued the poachers and brought them to shore to be charged. Another was was too fast so they shot a harpoon into the poacher's boat and dragged them back! Love it!

[bigbad-ratman]

well, i will try to be nice: but i think these people are insane!!!!!!!! they have refered to themselves as modern day pirates. PIRATES!!! didnt they just shoot a handful of pirates a couple of weeks ago. the one and ONLY episode i watched, they were a bunch idiots operating in the most hostile enviorment in the world. for example, they capsized they small boat they were trying to launch, almost killing i think 3 people. and during that one of the other crew damage their helocopter. so a fourth person they endangered.
even though i dont watch the show i am familiar with what they do. in the military as security and normal sailor, we would recognize their actions as TERRORISM!!! and that is what these people are. they using different levels of fear to stop people from doing their job, which is completely legal under international law. they are terrorists. i lived in the northwest and actually talked to people who lost loved ones and limb dues to eco terrorists. who are same tree different branch. but as society, since they are working toward what we have decided to be a "noble cause," we are more forgiving towards them, than say the taliban.
i know i am not gonna convince anyone to change their mind, but just be aware of the facts. and that is these people are TERRORRISTS!!! and not to say that i am a puppet, but the largest employer of personel in the world happens to agree with me, and that would be the US government.

[scotty]

This will probablt get me a bashing , i think if the fishing/ whaling boats are not breaking the law ( wich most are not ) then these people should be shot!
the problem isnt with the guys tryin to makle a living , it is with the laws .
so they should start harrassing the law makers like they do the workin stiffs.
oh , wait , that wouldnt be advisable they would be shot !
mind the fact i havent seen the show so i dont know if the boats they are harassing are law abiding or not (and neither do the viewers because they wouldnt tell you if they were )

so this oughta get things stirred up

[bigbad-ratman]

i am not saying they should be shot. i will say that either through their own stupidity or incompetance, they will get someone killed before they are done. and that person will become a martyr. but they will still be dead. i am sure the whales would apreciate that.

[gm72]

Come on, folks, keep the tone level please.

[jackson17]

I was actually watching it last night lol. Interesting show, feel bad for the whales. One I saw last night was where they collidided by accident with a harpoon ship. Great show, good to know at least they are going after the people. As I write this, to the left of me on my TV it just came on LOL

[AABatteries]

I watched most of it last season. I found the show interesting.

I believe they have every right to be out there stopping whalers who are fishing illegaly. I'll stop right there so I don't start something again.

[smaug]

well, i will try to be nice: but i think these people are insane!!!!!!!! they have refered to themselves as modern day pirates. PIRATES!!! didnt they just shoot a handful of pirates a couple of weeks ago. the one and ONLY episode i watched, they were a bunch idiots operating in the most hostile enviorment in the world. for example, they capsized they small boat they were trying to launch, almost killing i think 3 people. and during that one of the other crew damage their helocopter. so a fourth person they endangered.
even though i dont watch the show i am familiar with what they do. in the military as security and normal sailor, we would recognize their actions as TERRORISM!!! and that is what these people are. they using different levels of fear to stop people from doing their job, which is completely legal under international law. they are terrorists. i lived in the northwest and actually talked to people who lost loved ones and limb dues to eco terrorists. who are same tree different branch. but as society, since they are working toward what we have decided to be a "noble cause," we are more forgiving towards them, than say the taliban.
i know i am not gonna convince anyone to change their mind, but just be aware of the facts. and that is these people are TERRORRISTS!!! and not to say that i am a puppet, but the largest employer of personel in the world happens to agree with me, and that would be the US government.
Yup,you said it well.
as did Scotty:This will probablt get me a bashing , i think if the fishing/ whaling boats are not breaking the law ( wich most are not ) then these people should be shot!
the problem isnt with the guys tryin to makle a living , it is with the laws .
so they should start harrassing the law makers like they do the workin stiffs.
oh , wait , that wouldnt be advisable they would be shot !
mind the fact i havent seen the show so i dont know if the boats they are harassing are law abiding or not (and neither do the viewers because they wouldnt tell you if they were )

If its a legal activity these people are trying to stop in the manner that they are ,then terrorism it is.We all know what I feel about terrorists.
I was a US Marine on board a few ships in my time.The rule of thumb when I stood security post was that boarders will be fended off by whatever means necessary.I still feel that way.

[metallspuerhunde]

Personally, I'm siding with the Shepherds. What those whalers are doing is illegal and jeopardising fragile populations, to say nothing of other animal species on the Eastern continent that are being wiped out for many similar reasons. While I generally do not condone terrorist acts, I also think there is a place for such extreme behaviour when it comes to stopping stuff like this - such as illegal poaching - especially when no one else is willing to take a stand. Doing it in a "peaceful" manner is a plus. I have strong mixed feelings on the subject however, but generally as long as these groups are not going out of their way to kill/maim other people, I'm supportive. Unless they are PETA, but that is another subject.

So far from what I've seen the Shepherds have not been directly endangering anyones lives but their own, which they are all well aware of it seems. You have to be in order to even be considered for the crew.

I haven't seen any eps from the 2nd season yet but I've been meaning to. The cap'n does come across as a bit on the fanatical side, but...perhaps that is the sort it takes.

[Drumachine09]

This is not terrorism, this is vigilantism. Terrorism is to perpetuate fear in order to attain political, religious, or idealogical goals. The shepherds are taking action because no one else will.


I say god speed to the shepherds.

[bigbad-ratman]

what the japanese do is LEGAL. it is a loop hole, but it is LEGAL. there are only two countries that outright hunt and kill whales, (and guess inuits do it as well). therefore when the shepards seek out the japanese whalers, they are not vigilaties. they are harasing people working with in the law, trying to use fear, intimidation and harasment to get people to stop. they are working outside any government sanction. how is that not terrorism?

[Drumachine09]

You just acknowledged that it is a loophole. Meaning that, while legal, it is still frowned upon, otherwise they wouldn't need to find a loophole to do what they do. The vigilantism portion of my argument can stem from the direct definition of vigilantism:

A vigilante is a person who ignores due process of law and enacts their own form of justice in response to a perception of insufficient response by the authorities.


in response to a perception of insufficient response by the authorities


insufficient response by authorities


Any marine or whale biologist can tell you first hand the havoc that whaling causes in the ocean. Several species of whale are/were endangered because the whaling industry went unchecked for almost 100 years.


You can label the shepherds as terrorists all you want, that is your prerogative. When you get down to brass tacks, the truth is they have just as much right to harass the whalers as the whalers do to endanger the whale populations.

[smaug]

This is not terrorism, this is vigilantism. Terrorism is to perpetuate fear in order to attain political, religious, or idealogical goals. The shepherds are taking action because no one else will.


I say god speed to the shepherds.
It IS terrorism,plain and simple,your above quote could be used to defend any number of underhanded activitys.They are trying to perpetuate fear to obtain political and idealogical goals.The taliban and other such orginizations take action the way they do with the same justification .

[mle]

Many interesting points being made.

I think that the whaling happening is being done 'legaly' or almost so. Perhaps not honestly, but within the international guidelines laid out. The whalers are quite likely going over their quota and that is quite a large number of whales being killed for just 'tissue samples'.

I was REALLY excited about the show, thinking I would see people taking action on behalf of our planet, but now I'm really thinking..."poor whales".

In the first few episodes this season, Paul (the captain) has been 'shot' directly in the chest by the whalers, only being saved by a bullet proof vest (?) and a badge of some sort. At first I was horrified at the Japanese retaliation, but after doing some research...it looks really fishy...maybe faked for publicity. They seem to be all over this publicity thing. They have also put a man with no idea how to navigate behind the help as first mate. Very entertaining to watch this guy navigate the ice. Following their near escape, Paul got the crew stuck in MORE ice that nearly buckled the hull. Their ship is NOT an ice worthy ship which is menitoned repeatedly be SEVERAL members of the crew.

So far, its been more watching to see if the crew will make it out alive rather than if they will save the whales. It seems like a suicide mission and several of the crew have stated the same at different points. I would not be suprised to see MANY missing faces on the next season...if there is one.

I agree that this should not be called vigilantism. They seem to be little more than a nuicanse. I would think that anybody who really wants to see things changed at the source is working to change the international laws around whaling ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.]).

If increased support from the masses is what the crew of the Sea Shephard was expecting from with this show, they may be sorely mistaken.

[bigbad-ratman]

having said what i have, i am for what the shepards/terrorists stand for, in principle. it is how they go about what they do that peaves me. strictly hypothetical here, but if i had been standing security and they "acidentally" collided with my ship, they would have been treated as a hostile threat. if there was any doubt, it would have ended when they started throwing CHEMICAL FREAKIN WEAPONS at me and mine!!!
now you can quote what a vigilante is to me all you want to, but in admited limited knowledge of jurisprudence, i think a loop hole is still legal, vigilantism is not. so they are breaking the law. i consider myself a reasonable person. and as a reasonable person i feel that what they are doing is: reckless, fanatical, irresponsible, illegal, etc. aside from what i have already talked about, how many of these people have actual seamanship training? as i understand it, most of them are KIDS, and are working during breaks from college. but here they are, packed up and shipped off to the bottom of the world, in the most dangerous enviroment you can possibly be in above the water. if something bad happens, you cant call emergency services, it is up to you and the guy next to you. any help at all is gonna possibly be several hours away, and even then will prolly be the the guys you have been terrorizing. think they are gonna throw you a lifeline?
as far as the whales themselves, i dont see how whaling them causes havoc with ecosystem. like anything in nature, the lives within the system adapt, or die. been happening longer than we can even conceive.
i am gonna wrap this up. but again, i support what the shepards/terrorists are doing. not how they are doing it.

[Kyle]

Just have to say I love the show lol

[gabbyguppy]

I've only watched this show a few times and have not been impressed.

While the Sea Shephard crew appears passionate about their cause, I feel like this is just another group of animal extremists.

They see nothing wrong with breaking the law in order to enforce "their" laws.

Karen