Sea Shepherd = gutless backstabbing cowards

[Saorsa]

Sea Shepherd cuts ties with whale activist Pete Bethune

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48022000/jpg/_48022098_009476219-1.jpg

Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says it has cut ties with one of its most prominent members for violating its rules against carrying weapons.

New Zealander Pete Bethune is on trial in Japan charged with illegally boarding a Japanese whaler.

In a statement, Sea Shepherd said a bow and arrows had been found on the ship he had been captaining, the Ady Gil.

The group said that while Mr Bethune had not planned to use the weapons, his carrying of them was "unacceptable".

The statement, dated 4 June, praised Mr Bethune for his work during Sea Shepherd's campaign to disrupt Japan's whaling hunt in the Southern Ocean of the Antarctic in late 2009 and early 2010.

But it said the bow and arrows found to have been on board the high-tech Ady Gil speedboat were contrary to Sea Shepherd's "stance of aggressive but non-violent direct action".

The group said it would continue to support Mr Bethune during his trial in Japan, but that he would no longer "be formally associated with, or be a representative of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, because his methods are not in complete alignment with the organisation".

'Nasty chemicals'
But another Ady Gil crew member, Jason Stewart, told New Zealand's TV3 News that Sea Shepherd had always known about the bow and arrows.

Mr Bethune's ship was destroyed in the crash with the whaler
In a TV3 interview recorded before the Antarctic campaign, Mr Bethune displayed the weapons and said they would be used to shoot "nasty chemicals" into dead whales so the whaling ships would not take them on board.

Mr Bethune is facing five charges in Japan after he boarded a Japanese whaling ship, the Shonan Maru 2, in the Antarctic in February.

He said he wanted to perform a citizen's arrest of its captain and present a bill for damage to the Ady Gil, which had earlier been destroyed in a crash with the whaler.

But he was instead detained on board and taken to Japan, where he was arrested.

He has pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing, vandalism, possession of a knife and obstructing business, but denied assault. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Japan abandoned commercial whaling in 1986 after agreeing to a global moratorium - but international rules allow it to continue hunting under the auspices of a research programme.

It says the annual hunt catches mostly minke whales, which are not an endangered species.

Conservationists say the whaling is a cover for the sale and consumption of whale meat.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10266219.stm

[this is an invasion]

Fuck them.


This is why liberals, even ones that do crazy shit, are always fail.

[Bilan]

That's not that bad...

[Saorsa]

They were happy to send this guy out into the ocean to chase the Japanese, but now he's actually in trouble and needs their backup they're cutting ties with him.

I don't give a shit about whaling, but this really pisses me off. I know people who know the guy too, he deserves better than this.

[The Vegan Marxist]

I've been a huge supporter in the Sea Shepherd, but god damn! This move is absolutely uncalled for & they shouldn't cut his ties when he needs them more than ever. Besides, if they want to end whaling, they better be ready to get violent every now & then.

[FriendlyLocalViking]

OH MY GOD, CALL THE MEDIA! THE SEA SHEPHERD SOCIETY ARE PUSSIES!

It's not like everyone already knew they were useless cowards or anything...

[bcbm]

They were happy to send this guy out into the ocean to chase the Japanese, but now he's actually in trouble and needs their backup they're cutting ties with him.


The group said it would continue to support Mr Bethune during his trial in Japani'm going to assume they mean more than moral support.


OH MY GOD, CALL THE MEDIA! THE SEA SHEPHERD SOCIETY ARE PUSSIES!

It's not like everyone already knew they were useless cowards or anything...

i think it probably takes a bit of grit to ram and board large ships full of people who hate you.

[Ocean Seal]

Like any good capitalist opportunist group they'll stay in while its fashionable, but when something goes down they go home forget it and write their neoliberal blogs.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

Stupid liberal environmentalists. Sea Shepherd are a bunch of stupid twats, too busy sexually assaulting whales and surfing on a wave of australian racism and western superiority to do anything worthwhile for the next five thousand years.

I for one support the taking of Minke whales.

[bcbm]

i'm really not sure why the sea shepherd are comparable to female genitalia, and even if they were why that would be a bad thing.

[FriendlyLocalViking]

i think it probably takes a bit of grit to ram and board large ships full of people who hate you.

Takes a lot more to mount a real attack and actually do something more than annoy the Japanese.

[FriendlyLocalViking]

i'm really not sure why the sea shepherd are comparable to female genitalia, and even if they were why that would be a bad thing.

Oh gods, not this shit again. It's a fucking word.

Pun not intended.

[bcbm]

Takes a lot more to mount a real attack and actually do something more than annoy the Japanese.

they've scuttled several ships. mounting a "real attack" would land all of them in jail for the rest of their lives or dead, which isn't a very good strategy.


Oh gods, not this shit again. It's a fucking word.

actually there are two words in this thread and in both cases my question still stands. it is a word and words have meanings, which are occasionally offensive. but i don't want this to get off topic.

[~Spectre]

They should've hit him with metal pipes.

[Saorsa]

i'm going to assume they mean more than moral support.

Of course it does. They're paying for his lawyers fees. But the guy is in a trial where he's being accused of being something close to a terrorist, out to use violence and provoke violence - and what do Sea Shepherd do? Announce to the world that they're expelling from their group because there was a bow and arrow on board. His defense relies heavily on his claims to be a non-violent activist, and he has been expelled from Sea Shepherd because they apparently don't feel that he is. And they've announced that to the world's media.

They've thrown the prosecution a massive tidbit to use in the trial, and they must be fully aware of that. If this is how Sea Shepherd treats its activists, I'm glad I never considered joining!

[Saorsa]

Sea Shepherd ban on Bethune 'bizarre'

By KATE NEWTON - The Dominion Post Last updated 09:12 09/06/2010

A decision by anti-whaling organisation Sea Shepherd to cut adrift Kiwi protester Pete Bethune has puzzled his supporters.

Bethune, who is on trial in Japan and facing up to 15 years' jail for boarding a Japanese whaling ship, has been banned from future protests by the group, Sea Shepherd chief executive Chuck Swift said yesterday.

Mr Swift said Bethune broke Sea Shepherd policy by taking a bow and arrows on to the protest boat Ady Gil, which sank this year after colliding with a Japanese whaling ship in the Southern Ocean.

The decision to bring weapons aboard the ship broke the group's policy of "aggressive but non-violent action", even though the organisation accepted that Bethune did not intend to shoot it at anyone, Mr Swift said.

"His decision to bring them on a Sea Shepherd campaign is unacceptable.

"He will no longer be formally associated with, or be a representative of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society." The group said it would still support Bethune through the trial, which is due to finish tomorrow with a verdict and sentence expected later this month.

Gary Thomason, a New Zealand supporter of Bethune and Sea Shepherd, said the decision to bar Bethune from future Sea Shepherd protests was "fully bizarre".

"Sea Shepherd grew out as a separate organisation because it was too radical for Greenpeace – and now they're setting certain limits on how far to go."

Throwing bottles filled with rancid butter and attempting to sabotage the propellers of boats in the Japanese whaling fleet could be potentially just as dangerous as firing a bow and arrow, he said.

He was surprised that Sea Shepherd had issued the ban as the trial was wrapping up.

"This is very, very bad timing to pull support from Pete given that on Thursday the final judgment comes down."

Jason Stewart, the Aucklander who was at the helm of the Ady Gil during the collison, told TV3 that Bethune had been given the go-ahead to take the bow and arrows on board.

He had planned to use it to fire rancid butter into whale meat on board the Japanese fleet in order to spoil it, Mr Stewart said.

"It was never a secret that we were carrying bow and arrows on the Ady Gill and in fact we did have the full permission of the director of Sea Shepherd Paul Watson to be carrying those bow and arrows," he told 3News.

Stewart said he thought the bow and arrows were allowed by Watson as he believed Bethune had originally planned to carry a firearm.

Sea Shepherd did not return calls yesterday.

Bethune is not contesting four charges in relation to boarding the Japanese whaling fleet's security ship, the Shonan Maru II.

He is contesting one charge of assault and faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted of all charges.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/3789030/Sea-Shepherd-ban-on-Bethune-bizarre

[Wanted Man]

FUCK YOU WHALES!!!

Anyway, if it's true that they knew about it, and are only dropping the guy now that it's bad PR, that's pretty pathetic. But what else can you expect from these people?

[Guerrilla22]

They're liberal animal rights activists. There are people suffering and dying in places like Gaza, but yet they spend a great deal of money and resources chasing around Japanese whaling vessels in Southern Ocean so they can throw rancid butter at them.

[Invincible Summer]

They're liberal animal rights activists. There are people suffering and dying in places like Gaza, but yet they spend a great deal of money and resources chasing around Japanese whaling vessels in Southern Ocean so they can throw rancid butter at them.

Who's to say that people who support them or such causes can't be involved with others?

This is going to sound like something straight out of a spineless liberal's mouth, but everyone has their cause. It's not like being an animal rights activist discludes you from being anything else.

[Sasha]

my big problem is their oppurtunist not left nor right but animal rights line. cuddeling up to brigite bardot and her front national friends

[Uppercut]

I'm can't comprehend why Animal Planet would want to give these guys a new season...

[Steve_j]

http://tags.bluekai.com/site/357?rand=6564http://b.scorecardresearch.com/b?C1=8&C2=6035047&C3=201.17&C4=ad19001a&C5=162631&C6=0&C7=http%3A//www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/327958%2Cban-aimed-help-anti-whaler.html&C8=Wife%3A%20Sea%20Shepherd%20ban%20aimed%20to%20h elp%20anti-whaler%20%7C%20Earth%20Times%20News&C9=http%3A//www.google.co.uk/search%3Fhl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DRB2%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial%26channel%3Ds%26%26sa%3DX%26ei%3DNKQ PTIunIaCW4gaa57irDA%26ved%3D0CBgQvwUoAQ%26q%3Dsea+ shepherd%26spell%3D1&C10=1280x800&rn=99234258 The move by the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling group to ban New Zealand (http://www.earthtimes.org/tag/New-Zealand.html) activist Peter Bethune from future protests was designed to keep him out of jail in Japan, his estranged wife Sharyn Bethune said Wednesday, according to a news report.http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/327958,ban-aimed-help-anti-whaler.html

Appears there might be more to the story, as usual there are people on here condeming others left right and centre without actually waiting to hear what the full story is. Although i dont agree with the actions it would not suprise me if peter was actually involved with the decision.

[Obs]

That's it, these people are too stupid. I'm eating, like, five endangered whales tonight just to spite them.

[Red Conall]

I for one support the taking of Minke whales.

Why?

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

Why?

Is there any reason not to? Minke whale populations are increasing, taking some isn't a problem.

[Saorsa]

Appears there might be more to the story, as usual there are people on here condeming others left right and centre without actually waiting to hear what the full story is. Although i dont agree with the actions it would not suprise me if peter was actually involved with the decision.

From the article you linked to:


Sharyn Bethune told the New Zealand Press Association that Sea Shepherd's leadership believed banning Peter Bethune from future campaigns would help him get a lighter sentence from the Japanese court.

"I have heard a few opinions that are saying that it's the best move for him and the Japanese might go easy because they know he's not going down to the southern seas and is no longer part of Sea Shepherd," she said.

But she said she did not agree with the tactic: "It's very unfortunate, I feel, that it's just before the summing up of the trial."

How could this possibly help him get a lighter sentence?

[Steve_j]

I dont know, i was just pointing out that there apears to be more to the story, and untill peter comments himself i dont see any point going off on one.

You of all people, i thought would understand that (in reference to the naxalite thread)

[Yazman]

That's it, these people are too stupid. I'm eating, like, five endangered whales tonight just to spite them.

What a fucked up, disgusting attitude to have. I realise you're joking but thats fucked up. The wiping out of an entire species is NOT appropriate to joke about just because you think some activists are stupid. Do you just have this stupid kneejerk every time you disagree with somebody? Or do you just think its appropriate to cross the line when it comes to environmentalism? If this was a liberal feminist organisation I could foresee you saying something like "I'm raping like, five women tonight just to spite them."

[Obs]

But whales don't have the Internet, so who am I offending apart from people who want to be offended?

[The Vegan Marxist]

But whales don't have the Internet, so who am I offending apart from people who want to be offended?

Maybe those who actually care about the lives of other species other than just humans.

[Guerrilla22]

Who's to say that people who support them or such causes can't be involved with others?

This is going to sound like something straight out of a spineless liberal's mouth, but everyone has their cause. It's not like being an animal rights activist discludes you from being anything else.

I understand their concern, however lots of marine animals are hunted and killed commercially like fish, and squid. It seems "save the whales" is sexier than save the fish or squid. The whales that are being hunted are not endangered.

Also it seems like some of these activists has forgotten about their fellow man along the way. Imagine putting all the resources Sea Shepard has (high speed motor boats, helicopters, ect.) and using them to run the blockade against Gaza.

[Yazman]

I understand their concern, however lots of marine animals are hunted and killed commercially like fish, and squid. It seems "save the whales" is sexier than save the fish or squid. The whales that are being hunted are not endangered.

Also it seems like some of these activists has forgotten about their fellow man along the way. Imagine putting all the resources Sea Shepard has (high speed motor boats, helicopters, ect.) and using them to run the blockade against Gaza.

While you try to make it sound as if Sea Shepherd are 'solely focused on whales', they do mount campaigns for many other species, including sharks, as well as protecting the waters of multiple regions in a general sense, including the Galapagos.

I do actually agree that humans are more important and adopt an anthropocentric view myself, although at the same time I think its flat-out stupid to adopt a view like Obsmagon has (an "extinction is hilarious and not serious" view). I think that issues of biodiversity and being mindful of how we manage resources available to us are very important, even if I do not think they should be the MAIN concern, we should remember to take them into account.

[Kyrite]

The boats they go up against are manned with harpoons... What is the harm in bringing a pointy stick to make the whales taste bad?

[Yazman]

The boats they go up against are manned with harpoons... What is the harm in bringing a pointy stick to make the whales taste bad?

They're civilians. Their current methods they can get away with. Attacking them for not carrying guns, boarding the whaling ships and executing the crew is just, to be blunt, fucking stupid. As has already been stated, the only thing it would do is damage their cause, and get them all killed or thrown in prison the second they reach port.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

I do actually agree that humans are more important and adopt an anthropocentric view myself, although at the same time I think its flat-out stupid to adopt a view like Obsmagon has (an "extinction is hilarious and not serious" view). I think that issues of biodiversity and being mindful of how we manage resources available to us are very important, even if I do not think they should be the MAIN concern, we should remember to take them into account.

I think his point was not that it is not serious, but simply a way of trying to illustrate a point, perhaps rather bluntly.

I agree that we should be concerned with avoiding overexploiting and decimating species and shooting ourselves in the foot with regards to available resources, but the fact of the matter is that the Minke whale is not threatened. The Sea Shepherd bastards just make a moral judgement that whales are special because people for some obscure reason sympathise more with them than with a mollusc. If they were protecting some endangered species like the blue whale then maybe their terroristic activities would be justified, but as it is now, they are generally not.

It also seems that a lot of the people casually supporting their anti-whaling efforts are extremely racist, going on about the "sub-human asian hordes" and what not (also illustrated that one time the bourgeoisie Australian government got involved and wanted to fund more stupid bat-boats).

[Steve_j]

It also seems that a lot of the people casually supporting their anti-whaling efforts are extremely racist, going on about the "sub-human asian hordes" and what not (also illustrated that one time the bourgeoisie Australian government got involved and wanted to fund more stupid bat-boats).

Dont get me wrong, australia has alot of racism ingrained in the society, especially towards asians, however i dont see that as being the basis of the opposition to whaling. There are economic issues and territorial claims (although disputed) as well as a fostered culture of admiration and appreciation of whales, id say this is the basis for the popular opinion involved (which influences the government) not that they percieve "sub-human asian hordes" to be doing the whaling.

[Kyrite]

They're civilians. Their current methods they can get away with. Attacking them for not carrying guns, boarding the whaling ships and executing the crew is just, to be blunt, fucking stupid. As has already been stated, the only thing it would do is damage their cause, and get them all killed or thrown in prison the second they reach port.

How did I attack them for not carrying guns, not boarding the whaling ships and EXECUTING the crew? :confused: All I said was that I won't condemn the man for bring a bow and arrows aboard.

[Saorsa]

he wiping out of an entire species is NOT appropriate to joke about just because you think some activists are stupid.

Minke whales are not endangered.

[Obs]

Minke whales are not endangered.
I did say "endangered whales", though.

[Ele'ill]

I assume I read everything in the article correctly and that it was accurate. My stance on this is that non-violent means non-violent. If you're using non-violent direct action and someone brings a weapon the consequences are no different than if a cop had infiltrated and attempted to provoke violence. Organizing is precision work, sailing at sea is precision work as well. There are rules that are collectively agreed on and when one person breaks those collectively agreed upon rules it can kill the group's affectiveness and the entire movement behind it. Incompetence has absolutely no place in solidarity.

[Steve_j]

Mari3L thats nonsense, there are plenty of knives on the ship, they are tools with a legitmate use, not a weapon, as was the crossbow. Further more


Paul Watson admits that there are arms on board “Sea Shepherd”. “We confront dangerous people. As the captain, it is my responsibility to protect the lives of my crew ... Therefore, I have prepared myself for the possibility of defending my crew in a situation that could go never occur, but if it does I will use firearms to first intimidate and then to defend,” said Watson to the Los Angeles Free Weekly (April 24, 1992).

Besides it appears the organisation would have known he had the crossbow as peter had previously displayed it to the press and have bared him from further joint activity for ulterior motives. If these motives are truely in peters best interest and with his blessing we dont know, time will tell. No point condeming or condoning untill we know the facts.

[Yazman]

How did I attack them for not carrying guns, not boarding the whaling ships and EXECUTING the crew? :confused: All I said was that I won't condemn the man for bring a bow and arrows aboard.

Sorry Kyrite, I assumed you were one of the people in here attacking them for being non-violent.

[thomasludd]

There is more to this than a movement abandoning one of its activists.

i still can't post links so just connect the damn link if you wish to check it out.

seashepherd.org/
news-and-media/editorial-100609-1.html

While i do not agree with Watson's and SSCS' decision, i believe their points are laudable. Besides, SSCS is sincere in supporting Bethune until the end - both in court and in honoring him as an activist. This is not like a leftist party sectarian conflict where someone is expelled due to "revisionism", "Stalinism", or whatever and then labeled as enemy of the people. They are forced to adapt to the situation, and even if i still don't have concrete evidence, i believe Bethune agrees with the decision.

[Ele'ill]

Mari3L thats nonsense, there are plenty of knives on the ship, they are tools with a legitmate use, not a weapon, as was the crossbow. Further more


I don't understand. The situation as I understand it is that there is a no weapon policy on the ship. Crew cannot bring weapons on board and this guy did anyway.




Besides it appears the organisation would have known he had the crossbow as peter had previously displayed it to the press and have bared him from further joint activity for ulterior motives. If these motives are truely in peters best interest and with his blessing we dont know, time will tell. No point condeming or condoning untill we know the facts.

I'm going to reread the article as I don't recall reading this.


Edit: just reread it. If the organization has a no weapon policy and he brought weapons on board (bow and arrow) there's no excuse. If he had essentially gained rapport with the organization and did it anyway it was most likely under a 'if you get caught we cut the cord' understanding.

[Saorsa]

Apparently Sea Shepherd leadership approved of him taking the bow on board, and it was well known beforehand anyway.

They've come out saying that the intention was to help get him out of going to jail by reassuring the Japanese he wouldn't do it again (being banned and all), and it's entirely possible that he was in on it. I guess the outcome of the trial will determine how wise this move was... but I gotta say, the activist scene in NZ didn't respond too well to this news.

[Kyrite]

Sorry Kyrite, I assumed you were one of the people in here attacking them for being non-violent.

O no, not at all. If they acted in a violent way they would lose the very little public support they have, they would lose the backing of any sort of reputable charity, they would lose their documentary series (and the funding that goes with it) and most of all they would be thrown in prison. None of these things would help to further their cause.

[chegitz guevara]

If they were protecting some endangered species like the blue whale then maybe their terroristic activities would be justified, but as it is now, they are generally not.

Blue whale meat has been discovered in Japanese markets.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

Blue whale meat has been discovered in Japanese markets.

And your point is? Maybe it'd be easier to survey and assure proper conduct around that if some fat prick and his imbecilic crew weren't driving around with bat-boats and playing with green laser.

[Steve_j]

And your point is? Maybe it'd be easier to survey and assure proper conduct around that if some fat prick and his imbecilic crew weren't driving around with bat-boats and playing with green laser.

:laugh:

How bout just dont hunt whales in the southern oceans, problems solved, everyones happy, thanks for comming, mind the door on your way out.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

:laugh:

How bout just dont hunt whales in the southern oceans, problems solved, everyones happy, thanks for comming, mind the door on your way out.

And why exactly not hunt the whales, eh?

[Steve_j]

What? you mean why exactly not hunt the whales in the southern ocean whale sanctuary?

Well for starters its a whale sanctuary.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

What? you mean why exactly not hunt the whales in the southern ocean whale sanctuary?

Well for starters its a whale sanctuary.

It sure shouldn't be. Only species with unstable and threatened populations should be protected.

[bcbm]

And your point is? Maybe it'd be easier to survey and assure proper conduct around that if some fat prick and his imbecilic crew weren't driving around with bat-boats and playing with green laser.

i believe that fat prick and his imbecilic crew started doing what they do precisely because nobody was "surveying and assuring proper conduct."

[Saorsa]

Apparently whale meat is delicious.

[Yazman]

It sure shouldn't be. Only species with unstable and threatened populations should be protected.

The only reason the few species with stable populations have stable populations is BECAUSE OF conservation efforts by the IWC since 1982. The IWC was actually srt up in 1946 to regulate whaling of previously stable populations because populations were dwindling drastically after years and years of whales being harvested from the oceans. The thing is, is that regulation failed and countries like Japan and Australia continued commercial whaling on a massive scale until the 70s, when a lot of them voluntarily banned whaling programs (Australia ended its in 1978). The whaling of "stable populations only", de-regulation in some areas and self-regulation within the industry in others, resulted in catastrophic collapses of nearly all the whale populations globally. The actual situation the IWC was set up to avoid in the first place actually became reality by the late 70's, and came to a head in the 80s. Thats why in 1982 they banned all commercial whaling (even though it didn't actually come into effect until 1986).

The idea that "only species with unstable and threatened populations should be protected" was already tried, and resulted in a global collapse of whale populations of nearly all whale species everywhere.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

The only reason the few species with stable populations have stable populations is BECAUSE OF conservation efforts by the IWC since 1982. The IWC was actually srt up in 1946 to regulate whaling of previously stable populations because populations were dwindling drastically after years and years of whales being harvested from the oceans. The thing is, is that regulation failed and countries like Japan and Australia continued commercial whaling on a massive scale until the 70s, when a lot of them voluntarily banned whaling programs (Australia ended its in 1978). The whaling of "stable populations only", de-regulation in some areas and self-regulation within the industry in others, resulted in catastrophic collapses of nearly all the whale populations globally. The actual situation the IWC was set up to avoid in the first place actually became reality by the late 70's, and came to a head in the 80s. Thats why in 1982 they banned all commercial whaling (even though it didn't actually come into effect until 1986).

The idea that "only species with unstable and threatened populations should be protected" was already tried, and resulted in a global collapse of whale populations of nearly all whale species everywhere.

Which is why strictly limited quotas should be enforced on all whaling operations.

[Salyut]

Apparently whale meat is delicious.

That'd be the mercury. Stuff is delicious and goes with everything.