A big money plot

A decision by the European Union recently to ban imports of seal products from seals that were killed inhumanly shouldn't hurt the seal industry.

The only way it will hurt is if seals are indeed killed in an inhumane fashion and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is not into that practice, therefore there should be little concern.

The EU didn't put a complete ban on the products and the conditional ban is likely a way to keep the whinings of anti-sealer groups down. They might be just sick of listening to the anti-sealing rants.

For years the people of this province have been more than tolerant of the harsh criticism, outrageous behaviours and threats coming from various anti-sealing groups such as: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the United States Humane Society, Greenpeace, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and many other independent fanatics.

More and more people are seeing these groups are more concerned with raking in millions of dollars from the naiveté of their supporters.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has the most transparent double standard of all. Paul Watson, who was the co-founder of Greenpeace, admitted in a radio interview back in 1978 with CBC's Barbara Frum the anti-sealing campaign was an easy way to make money and profit for Greenpeace. It all is a big money plot and that's probably one of the rare public truths the man has told.

Markets offer the only true testament of how the public feels about the seal hunt. If there were no market, there'd be no hunt; it's as simple as that.

It's become abundantly clear these groups that profess to have the best interest of animals at heart have their own financial gain in the foremost part of their campaigns.

There is nothing glamorous about any animal's death, but there always has been a food chain and animals have been the main source of food for humans since the beginning of time.

Can we prove that every moose, caribou, rabbit, bear that is hunted and killed died humanely and/ or without suffering? Should we all become vegetarian?

There are many creatures that inhabit the lands and waters of this world; it's ludicrous to think one day none can be killed for food or products to help humans survive.

The governments are too tolerant of these lunatics. Some of the campaigns these groups come up with border on psychotic.

Four or five years ago, PETA tried to ride a campaign through this province to get people to stop eating fish. It's pathetic to think that these people could even get a sign up that offered a personality to fish, which read 'try to relate to who's on your plate.'

Next thing plant lovers will be out giving personalities to herbs and vegetables and begging us not to eat them either.

Unless we are prepared to have a generation some day surviving on intravenous nourishment, we should hold steadfast in our right to survive, a right to live off the land and the sea. We have harvested these resources for hundreds of years and have survived the antics of these lunatics time and time again.

There are too many people in the world starving because of famines and natural disasters. Too many people suffering in war-torn countries and too many people are dying of illness and diseases while waiting for expensive research to come up with cures.

Too many fools are still out there handing money out for a cause that only serves to line the pockets of the people who are clever enough to campaign under the guise of a big heart.

If the hearts are so genuine, then why have they neglected the suffering people in favour of the seals? Their efforts would be nobler if they promoted a program that would deliver seal meat (killed humanely) to the tables of starving children. There's nothing like cunning propaganda with a financial motive behind it to send brains out the window. They must laugh all the way to the bank at the way they appeal to the wallets of their unsuspecting supporters.

You can't put all the blame on the Paul Watson's of the world - they have a business agenda and it's financially driven - it's up to the public whether to support it. It's those big-shot celebrities that keep financing this foolishness who are the real examples of people with a lot more dollars than they will ever have sense.

Michelle Stewart

editor@theaurora.ca