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linda040899
11-02-2008, 09:02 AM
Crossposted with permission from Bird Breeder-Hobbyist:

http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/inside-outside/2008/Oct/29/beware-what-animal-rights-group-planning/

http://tinyurl.com/6dtkj6


Washington Times
Beware of what animal rights group is planning
BY Gene Mueller
POSTED October 29 2008 2:32 PM


You've got to give it to the wacky People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA). Whenever we hunters and fishermen feel a little down and
don't have a lot to be cheerful about, here comes PETA and delivers a comedy
routine worthy of any night club in Las Vegas.

The trouble is, more often than not the Norfolk-based PETA is serious about
its outrageous attempts to change our behavior.

Nowadays the animal rights religionists aren't only going after scientists,
trying to save a laboratory rat that could one day save a human life; and
they still think of hunters as nothing less than descendants of raging Huns
that need to be eradicated.

But of late PETA has also tried to take on one of the most influential and
massively numbered segments in American -- no, world-wide -- recreation: the
sport anglers.

You know them as fishermen or bait dunkers, perch jerkers, carpers, bass
hounds -- the whole enchilada. PETA believes what will make everybody sit up
and take notice is a new anti-fishing campaign. It has high hopes to "get
Americans hooked on compassion for fish by thinking of them -- and referring
to them -- as Sea Kittens." Those are PETA's words, not mine.

Imagine, you slam into a 200-pound bluefin tuna 60 miles offshore; your arms
are sore, every muscle aches and the fight lasts a good while, but in the
end the tuna is boated. Oops, I meant to say the sea kitten is boated.

Somebody, please, find the person who came up with those words and give him
or her a good slap upside the head. PETA says if fish were renamed "sea
kittens," humans might be less likely to hurt them. Its national "Save the
Sea Kittens" campaign will be taken across the country and, according to
PETA coordinator Ashley Byrne, will be introduced to elementary schools that
serve fish for lunch. PETA says it wants to remind the children and
educators, maybe even the cooks in the cafeteria, that fish -- sorry, sea
kittens -- are "intelligent, sensitive animals who deserve respect but don't
deserve to be netted from the ocean depths, hooked and maimed for 'sport,'
or confined to aquariums.

Well, PETA, I must tell you that the 4-pound largemouth bass I hooked not
long ago apparently wasn't a member of your intelligent, sensitive sea
kitten family. That bass was dumber than a brick. It struck my top water
lure not once and missed it; not twice and missed it again. It did it four
consecutive times. When I finally landed it, carefully lifting it from the
water to remove the hook and let it swim off, perhaps to be caught another
day, there wasn't even the tiniest look of a kitty on its face. It appeared
to be a tough back alley brawler, not the smartest creature on earth, but a
worthy fighter all the same.

Meanwhile, please, ignore PETA's malarkey that fish communicate and develop
relationships with each other and show affection by gently rubbing against
each other. They even grieve when their companions die, says PETA. Are these
people from Mars? They couldn't possibly belong to the same species the rest
of us are part of.

If you have elementary school children, I strongly urge all moms and dads,
grandmothers and grandfathers to check out their children's schools, visit
the principals, teachers and county or city school boards to strongly
protest PETA's brainwashing attempts of innocent youngsters. Our taxes are
paying for these schools and all that goes with them, even cafeterias. Do
not allow nutty animal rights groups to rule them.

Bubblelady
11-02-2008, 11:12 AM
I'm not a fan of PETA & one reason is that their far-out ideas make people ignore all environmentalists. So, I'm now up on my soap box!

Sea kittens is an outrageous idea & the points made in the quoted article are excellent. Unfortuneately, of all the fishes to pick as an example of a fun, non-sea kitten thing to catch: a blue fin tuna :omg:

The following is copied from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sea Food Watch Card--I added the bold print:

Bluefin tuna are severely overfished in all oceans.

Consumer Note
Bluefin is known as hon maguro or toro (tuna belly), when it is prepared for sushi.

Health Alert
Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for bluefin tuna due to elevated levels of mercury.

Summary
Bluefin tuna provide the world’s most valuable sushi and the high demand for this fish has taken its toll. The Atlantic population has declined by nearly 90% since the 1970s. Bluefin are slow to mature and, unfortunately, many young bluefin are caught before they have the chance to reproduce.

Bluefin are caught in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea. More than 31 nations, including the U.S. and Japan, are trying to manage these highly migratory species that frequently cross international boundaries.

Fishermen use a variety of methods to catch bluefin tuna, including longlines and purse seines.

Bluefin tuna should be avoided — they're severely overfished and the longline fishing gear used to catch them entangle sea turtles, seabirds and sharks and threaten their populations also.



Scientific Reports About Our Ratings

Atlantic Bluefin Seafood Watch Report
Hawaiian Bluefin Tuna Seafood Watch Report
Northern Pacific Bluefin Seafood Watch Report
Southern Bluefin Seafood Watch Report
Bluefin Tuna Fact Card
Longlining & Purse Seining Fact Cards


I know everyone in this community cares about birds and, I assume, other living creatures. In case you haven't already figured it out, I am as passionate about the ocean as I am about my birdies. And sea birds are high on my list of ocean creatures I love. Anything that affects the health of the ocean affects them, and us. The MBA Sea Food Watch recommendations are based on conservation concerns, (there are other sea food watch programs--like the Environmental Defense Fund--that include human health issues). If you'd like to learn more about the Sea Food Watch program, go to

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

There are cards for various geographical locations--including Hawaii--that give guidelines for making good sea food choices among the fish available in that location. The cards fold up and fit in your wallet so you will have the info handy when at the market or when dining out. I hope this isn't too preachy or off topic, but I truly believe we need accurate information about the environment to be responsible stewards of the earth!

Okay, I'm getting off my soap box now. :whistle:

dieflying
11-02-2008, 11:20 AM
They're going to teach this to kids in school? That offends me. I mean, I have no problem with kids being taught to respect nature, that animals should be treated nicely and not just butchered for fun, but I don't see why they need to indoctrinate children like that.

This is the sort of thing that makes me want to homeschool my kids, when they happen.

dieflying
11-02-2008, 11:26 AM
I meant to add there that I think children need to learn more about reading and math and such . . . there are so many people I know who cannot for the life of them string together intelligent sentences and use correct grammar, but know all about things like this instead. I think they need to be older before they should form opinions about these things. It's important to be smart about the world, but to function in society first.

linda040899
11-02-2008, 11:28 AM
One of the reasons I post things like this on our board is to heighten awareness. Wake up, everyone!!!

dieflying
11-02-2008, 11:36 AM
One of the reasons I post things like this on our board is to heighten awareness. Wake up, everyone!!!


I appreciate that you posted that! I had read about the sea kittens when I was investigating their breast milk ice cream idea (another thing that makes me go "rawr!") and had just dismissed it as another crazy PETA thing; if they want to encourage adults, then fine. But I didn't know about the school part. Don't bring that into schools. It doesn't belong.

Bubblelady
11-02-2008, 12:08 PM
I appreciate that you posted that! I had read about the sea kittens when I was investigating their breast milk ice cream idea (another thing that makes me go "rawr!") and had just dismissed it as another crazy PETA thing; if they want to encourage adults, then fine. But I didn't know about the school part. Don't bring that into schools. It doesn't belong.


Just because PETA says it will introduce this "concept" to the schools doesn't mean the schools will buy into it! I hope :omg: Any principal who goes along with this nonsense has some serious judgement problems. But equating PETA and responsible environmental educators makes me want to go "rawr!" I agree that the primary focus of the schools must be "the basics". But I disagree that teaching children that their actions and choices affect the world and their fellow human beings "doesn't belong" in the schools. The important thing is that the kids be given accurate information, regardless of the subject: reading, math, science, etc. And I believe that teaching kids about how humans impact the world is a part (not the whole thing but a part) of science education.

Oooops--I'm back on my soap box again :whistle:

dieflying
11-02-2008, 01:36 PM
I was just going off of the idea of it being in elementary school. Elementary meaning the basics. Kids that young don't comprehend "sea-kittens" and should be taught those opinions of adults. They should definitely learn that their actions have impacts though, I completely agree there. It's just so big for kids that small.

My sister was taught a lot of that kind of stuff when she was in elementary school, and I can see where she lacks some things that I learned because I went to school a lot earlier on than she did. That's all. She has a harder time spelling and reading and doing some math.

Bubblelady
11-02-2008, 04:06 PM
[QUOTE=dieflying;122379]Kids that young don't comprehend "sea-kittens" QUOTE]


I don't comprehend "sea-kittens" :rotfl

And I didn't mean to criticize you, dieflying. I think you and I are probably on the same page :) I just get nuts when I hear PETA people taking such outlandish stands & discrediting real environmental concerns. With so many real problems in this world that need solving, why oh why do they devote so much energy to created problems :x It's obvious to me that our birdies are sooooo much smarter than those air heads :rofl:

dieflying
11-02-2008, 04:52 PM
i bet a bird wouldn't think twice about eating a sea kitten! :)

Bubblelady
11-02-2008, 05:20 PM
Buddy likes sea kitten, er, tuna (water packed albacore) :rofl:

(She never got it very often & now not at all--since we are watching her protien. But she likes it. :) )