Please not that the following is about commercial seal hunting, NOT Aboriginal seal hunting:

Seal hunting as a career and a livelihood for hunters in Atlantic Canada. Well, really, there are only fifteen thousand (15 000) registered hunters in all of Canada. They do a lot of damage and work fast to kill seals, especially when most seals cannot defend themselves against a club, gun, or a hook. 45% of seals are skinned alive, and granted, there IS animal cruelty elsewhere, but at least for the most part there are laws protecting animals against inhumane slaughter. Seal hunters do not use the entire seal at all, either. They just use the pelts. As for animals that we consume almost every day, such as cows and ducks, we at least use most of the animal for food, clothing, ect. Seal hunting is a bit like shark finning: sharks that are de-finned don't have a chance against fishermen who hunt this poorly misunderstood animal illegally (even off of the shores of the government protected Galapagos Islands!), and when they have their fins removed, the fishermen don't keep the rest of the animal for its meat, but instead throw the body back into the water where the shark drowns. Pretty humane, no? Unlikely. Seal hunting is really just an excuse to sell luxury goods to people and a way to divert attention from human overfishing, to 'seal overconsumption'. Did you know it was illegal to film a seal hunt? Why? Why can't someone film it?

Some people disagree with Paul Watson, but sometimes, people don't realize what kind of actions the hunters have towards Sea Shepherd, either. Sea Shepherd put their lives on the line every time they go out onto the ice, and even if they don't provoke violence by physically shoving a hunter (they talk instead), the hunters usually get irate and prod back- not with words, but with their hands, clubs, spikes, knives, ect. One story where Sea Shep. were merely talking with hunters on the ice, a fight broke out starting with the hunters. When the fight ended, Sea Shep. were arrested (after defending, not fighting physically), and the hunters were let go without a charge.

Sure, I don't agree with the violent acts and the crazy words that sometimes comes out of Paul Watson's mouth, but sometimes acting on something is better than just sitting passively on the sidelines.

What I don't get is why Canada is pouring thousands of dollars into a 'hunt' (it's not really a hunt when the animal can't really hide and you have to go looking for it)-more like a slaughter- where the industry isn't even sustainable for the hunters themselves. Instead of pouring funds into a 6 week long hunt against the seals, Canada could be using the money for something else: finding new jobs for the hunters (creating new jobs that would further fund the economy in a much higher percentage that the 0.5% of the seal hunt), health care and education, ect. It's a ridiculous industry.

Hm.

Please not that the following is about commercial seal hunting, NOT Aboriginal seal hunting:

Seal hunting as a career and a livelihood for hunters in Atlantic Canada. Well, really, there are only fifteen thousand (15 000) registered hunters in all of Canada. They do a lot of damage and work fast to kill seals, especially when most seals cannot defend themselves against a club, gun, or a hook. 45% of seals are skinned alive, and granted, there IS animal cruelty elsewhere, but at least for the most part there are laws protecting animals against inhumane slaughter. Seal hunters do not use the entire seal at all, either. They just use the pelts. As for animals that we consume almost every day, such as cows and ducks, we at least use most of the animal for food, clothing, ect. Seal hunting is a bit like shark finning: sharks that are de-finned don't have a chance against fishermen who hunt this poorly misunderstood animal illegally (even off of the shores of the government protected Galapagos Islands!), and when they have their fins removed, the fishermen don't keep the rest of the animal for its meat, but instead throw the body back into the water where the shark drowns. Pretty humane, no? Unlikely. Seal hunting is really just an excuse to sell luxury goods to people and a way to divert attention from human overfishing, to 'seal overconsumption'. Did you know it was illegal to film a seal hunt? Why? Why can't someone film it?

Some people disagree with Paul Watson, but sometimes, people don't realize what kind of actions the hunters have towards Sea Shepherd, either. Sea Shepherd put their lives on the line every time they go out onto the ice, and even if they don't provoke violence by physically shoving a hunter (they talk instead), the hunters usually get irate and prod back- not with words, but with their hands, clubs, spikes, knives, ect. One story where Sea Shep. were merely talking with hunters on the ice, a fight broke out starting with the hunters. When the fight ended, Sea Shep. were arrested (after defending, not fighting physically), and the hunters were let go without a charge.

Sure, I don't agree with the violent acts and the crazy words that sometimes comes out of Paul Watson's mouth, but sometimes acting on something is better than just sitting passively on the sidelines.

What I don't get is why Canada is pouring thousands of dollars into a 'hunt' (it's not really a hunt when the animal can't really hide and you have to go looking for it)-more like a slaughter- where the industry isn't even sustainable for the hunters themselves. Instead of pouring funds into a 6 week long hunt against the seals, Canada could be using the money for something else: finding new jobs for the hunters (creating new jobs that would further fund the economy in a much higher percentage that the 0.5% of the seal hunt), health care and education, ect. It's a ridiculous industry.

Hm.

Paul Watson is a terrorist. By supporting him LUSH is destroying its credibility, they might as well be sending a part of their proceeds to Hezbollah or Al-Qaeda – they're fighting for causes they believe in too.

If you are really serious about ending the seal hunt that's fine with me, I think you're wrong, but I think it's only fair that in a free and democratic society you should have your say. Protest the seal hunt all you want. Don't buy seal fur, write letters to politicians, call an open line show, write your local newspaper, get on tv, hell, you can get within half a mile of the hunt and observe it for yourself if you want! Just don't destroy private property, blow up boats and endanger lives. If you defend those kind of actions you should take a long hard look at what you believe in.

I will never buy products from Lush Cosmetics, seeing as they are obviously useful idiots and pawns of Paul Watson and his Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.