If you really don't like PETA . . .

[BatRay]

Yaaayyy! Good riddance, and whoever banned him :inlove thanks!

 

[DeepThought]

I was more joking than lamenting his departure from our community. Was just trying to show that infantile stupidity has it's hilarious side as well.
And after having a chatter with surfnspear I have the feeling he accepted bodukai as a humouristic event rather than an insult.
Also, what I (jokingly) meant was that it was sarge pulling our legs by impersonating as it sounded too stupid to be a real person.

 

[Oldsarge]

it sounded too stupid to be a real person.

And ain't that a sad commentary on humanity!

 

[Jacques]

Hi I don't post much at all but have been reading all there is here since I discovered the site last year. Somehow I don't think these topics belong here. It is a spearfishing website- there must be plenty of other websites dedicated to these controversial topics. It is very easy to push red buttons to get a reaction. And what is one mans meat is anothers poison.
But I do think we need extremists in our soceity- it helps to keep the centre of soceity, which includes most of us most of the time, sane and balanced. We can laugh at them, we can be challenged by them but best of all they can show us a slightly different way of being. Extremists help us to progress as a nation/ culture etc. Just take a look at what happens to a country that removes these people. If it were not for people like this in South Africa we would still be back in the dark ages.
What workes best for soceity is an all-inclusive, broad-minded approach that means you sometimes have to rub shoulders with people you totally disagree but then we all could easily find people who totally disagree with us. In our increasingly crowded world we have to be increasingly tolerant.
But lets keep debates/opinions intelligent, coherent and respectfull.
Just my rambling 2c worth from another windy day in Cape Town:head :head

Jacques
I really should not bang my head, the wind keeps the air fresh and cool, and brings much needed nutrients into False Bay. See, always look on the positive side.

 

[BatRay]

Spearfishing, when done correctly, is an activity that is respectful to the environment, other hunters, and to the prey. PETA has a track record of disrespect and knee-jerk hatred toward hunters of any sort. We cannot expect tolerance from them, but we can prepare ourselves in case their focus turns toward our activities.

Tolerance is a great concept. Trouble is, it only works when it goes both ways.

 

[Adrian]

Tolerance is a great concept. Trouble is, it only works when it goes both ways.

Nice one Rachel,
He wasn't banned for being pro-Peta, but for his constant insults. I'm sure anyone of us here can take position as a devil's advocate arguing some point we would normally be against without resorting to verbal violence. Without going into details, my father had to deal with terrorists sometimes, and he always used to say that you have to be able to negotiate with anybody. As for what Jaques said, I both agree and disagree with him While I don't think we need extremists, we also don't need the injustices in society they (sometimes) play a role in pointing out. Humanity tends to be pretty complacent and sometimes restoring balance means we have to get off our collective butts and get involved. The tsunami was a pretty good example of world cooperation, why can't it happen for other situations that involve more deaths over the years but don't have such a high profile? Because we don't have friends dying of hunger in Kenya or AIDS in other African countries?

Don't mean to start anything here, just my morning "radical to some" rant. In this line I suggest we start a movement to ban marriage in Spain as every five days a woman dies from domestic violence. I mean, any civilized country would do it! We are regulating everything, why not get a psychiatric test for marriage?

Good Morning World

 

[SurfnSpear]

Spearfishing, when done correctly, is an activity that is respectful to the environment, other hunters, and to the prey. PETA has a track record of disrespect and knee-jerk hatred toward hunters of any sort. We cannot expect tolerance from them, but we can prepare ourselves in case their focus turns toward our activities.

Tolerance is a great concept. Trouble is, it only works when it goes both ways.

This reply has very good standing Batray...nicely put.
Jacques, Deeperblue is this good because there is such a great collection of people here bouncing opinions whether under the water or sometimes even on the realities above water. I disagree that this is a just a spearfishing website. This is more like an aquatic virtual lounge and all we need is Joey, Chandler, Ross, Phoebe, Rachel and Monica!rofl
IMHO I can live with with a world somewhat left of centre as well as a little right of centre...however, I myself am so so tired and weary of individuals and organisations who are so very EXTREME to the letter. I really don't think we 'need' extremists though. Especially the likes of Al Queda and militant wings of animal rights organisations especially looking at some of their latest activities. More often than not they target ordinary people in their quest to get at the conglomerate corporations.
Now that's my 2p's worth which I hope to convert to cents again quite soon!rofl

 

[Spaniard]

A few years ago some PETA types turned up at a UK Spearfishing national and caused grief. Fortunately it didn't get too out of hand but the way the UK is going in respect of 'bloodsports' there will be a nasty confrontation one of these days..:head

 

[Mr. X]

Jez...looks like I missed out on a real maelstrom. I hope Budo feels better having vented ... seemed awfully upset about something.

But I do think we need extremists in our soceity- it helps to keep the centre of soceity, which includes most of us most of the time, sane and balanced. We can laugh at them, we can be challenged by them but best of all they can show us a slightly different way of being. Extremists help us to progress as a nation/ culture etc.

Hi Jacques,
I personally don't care for extremists, especially those that resort directly or indirectly to terrorism/killing/maiming. They are a very expensive nuisance at best -- & they may cause the horrific death of loved ones at worse. However, I take your point that common sense needs to prevail in harsh regimes (yeah, I know -- I re-interpreted what you said). Nothing wrong with peaceful protest, of course.

Most hunters (people who fish are hunters) are very interested in animals and care about their welfare and habitat. PETA just come over as disreputable. They apparently have little respect for hunters or fathers [see earlier PETA thread for details]...or apparently the law, if the original link is true. If you really care about animals, the RSPCA & WWF seem to achieve more within the law.

Sarge & Budokai raised ...in their own unique ways ahem (I missed out on the original Budo mail but read the snippets that remain...wow...who wouldn't rush out and support somebody who spewed that out?!)... an interesting point re. the potential abuse of charity status.

 

[BennyB]

A few years ago some PETA types turned up at a UK Spearfishing national and caused grief. Fortunately it didn't get too out of hand but the way the UK is going in respect of 'bloodsports' there will be a nasty confrontation one of these days..:head

My flatmate works for a very large company that's core business is pharmaceuticals. Not that long ago an employee had their face sprayed with acid by a PETA member as they were trying to go to work. Permanent facial disfigurement.

Anyone that is legitimately trying to help their cause would never resort to those sorts of tactics. All they are doing is taking out their personal hatred under the guise of animal welfare. Are we not animals too?

 

[Jacques]

Just to clarify, I don't like extremists (on all sides equally) but, like lawyers & polititians, they perform a role in our extremly complex soceity!! People like Ghengis Khan, Alexander the Great, Napolean, Queen Victoria, Shaka Zulu, Cortez have all increased knowledge around the world (Ok sometimes destroying indigenous culture as well), spread new ways of governance,etc etc but I am sure none of them where/are very nice people!! But they are all important.
PETA does not stand a hope in hell of establishing itself in SA. 70% of S. Africans will slaughter a goat/sheep/cow in their backyards on weddings, christenings etc. The louder the death rattle, the more auspicious it is!!! Eat that, PETA!!!

Back to things marine, just saw 5 whales off Sea Point Pool. Pretty cool as I was the only one who noticed them, everyone else was parading and loving themselves!!

Jacques

 

[SurfnSpear]

​

PETA does not stand a hope in hell of establishing itself in SA.

I'll second that!

70% of S. Africans will slaughter a goat/sheep/cow in their backyards on weddings, christenings etc. The louder the death rattle, the more auspicious it is!!! Eat that, PETA!!!

Especially in Kwazulu Natal!

Back to things marine, just saw 5 whales off Sea Point Pool. Pretty cool as I was the only one who noticed them, everyone else was parading and loving themselves!!

Make sure that lot are not watching yourofl :naughty

 

[Mr. X]

...ah, like the Orson Welles movie when he rattles on about the peaceful Swiss having only invented the cuckoo clock*? (Didn't the Bavarians invent the cuckoo clock?). Not sure how extreme Victoria was, then as now, the elected govt. run the show here ...but I take your point, not all the subjects of the Empire would have enjoyed it [see: Gandhi or Rhodes].

Anyway, what have the Romans ever done for us? http://www.geocities.com/pythoninsanity/LifeofBrian.html
"...
REG: All right, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?
XERXES: Brought peace.
REG: Oh. Peace? Shut up!"


*[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Welles:[/ame]
"... In Graham Greene's The Third Man, Welles (as Harry Lime) gave the "Cuckoo Clock" speech:

'In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love—they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.'

This is the only piece of dialogue in the film which Greene himself did not write: Welles penned it himself and insisted that it be put in. Greene is reputed to have hated it (possibly because the cuckoo clock was not, in fact, a Swiss invention)."

 

[Huan]

..I take your point not all the subjects of the Empire would have enjoyed it

You may be sure of that!