"How could you ever know the answer to this question because every person regardless of color is different, with different ideas and values and friends and relationships...etc.  No one can answer that but the person doing the choosing." Partly true. But of one cannot put oneself into the shoes of others if one really has not made the effort to do so. If one cannot understand how others will likely think, one is doomed to fail in successful relationships with others. Such an individual would never be able to take on a postion as a diplomat, as a negotiator, as a store owner. In fact, somene who cannot put themselves into the shoes of others really has very little they can contribute in the way of producing products to be used by others. I have to put myself in the shoes of my clients every day. I get as much information from them directly and then start building from that. I come up with a reaction I think they would have and then test that when I discuss a design with them. If I got it right, I am starting to understand them and can partially become them. The better I am able to do that, the more successful the design. So, do not dismiss such attempts as impossible. Successful people do that every day. People appreciate it when you care enough to learn about how they feel and think.

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"Sarah, you don't know which side of the fence you're on do you?" Yes I do. I care about how living things are treated. I do not pull wings from flies. I do not kick cats or dogs.  I swat mosquitos and kill them whenever possible. I do the same with flies. I pet other's dogs and cats. I don't have bear rugs. I wear leather shoes and own leather pants and a leather skirt. I own no furs. I do not like cleaning up after another being unless I absolutely have to. That other being would only be a human close to me. I think "rights" appear to be very contentious issues, even when considered in relation to people.

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"Speaking out for the fair treatment of animals is something I admire.  But when we put those needs over those of humans, it's like choosing to kill a human by saving an animal." 

 No one but you are supposing that the animals should be saved instead of humans rather than with the humans.

"Here is a mundane example.  If a black person during slavery had to choose between saving his family or a white family, who would he choose? "

How could you ever know the answer to this question because every person regardless of color is different, with different ideas and values and friends and relationships...etc.  No one can answer that but the person doing the choosing.

As for the website.  More vendetta against people for animal rights.  You remind me of the biomedical community's response to anti-vivisectionists.  I am beginning to lose my sympathy for your viewpoints, because you are most obviously the enemy of me in this arena.

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I guess she believes in animal welfare.

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Ok, what about it? 

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Sarah, you don't know which side of the fence you're on do you?  You're like the gallant young princess who flung herself upon her horse and went galloping off in all directions.

   You know good and well you DO NOT agree with animal welfare issues!  You preach and live anti-speciesism, and they don't agree with welfare issues and despise those of us who try and get welfare for animals, as well as getting the world to recognize that animals have the right to live free of suffering! 

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Che. You hit the nail on the head. I too am for animal welfare. http://www.sover.net/~lsudlow/ARvsAW.htm

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Numbers are not dwindling.  And who cares if they are?

I have tried to balance this group and am actually in favour of animal welfare.

Speaking out for the fair treatment of animals is something I admire.  But when we put those needs over those of humans, it's like choosing to kill a human by saving an animal.

Here is a mundane example.  If a black person during slavery had to choose between saving his family or a white family, who would he choose? 

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We are definately in a consumer era... We, for most part, want to buy time... Seem to me that we are trying to escape reality...

"Here, have an aspirin for your headache... it will be less of a painful time...... "

"Hey, I got the flu shot so I don't get too sick... "

"Hey, I got a new liver because the one I had partied too much... I had such a good time, I want more..."

(See the patern?)

Well here, if I had to say anything about my ancestors, it would be that they use to gather from the wild... and my dad thaught me very well how important selective picking is.

For instance, when I was about 5, my dad would bring me pick "Wild garlic." (this wasa in quebec, and I don;t know how it is called in english, for there is none where I now live.) And he was stressing the importance to not take anymore than 1/7 th of what I'd see, and to not take it all in the same spot... that it takes very long for this plant to grow, and that we have to give it survival chance if we want to be able to pick some more in the future.

Well due to overpicking of this plant, and wrongly too, the non-native would go there, not knowing, or not caring that one has to leave the roots in the ground so the plant grows again in the next year... and "clear picking" if I may say... (just like clear cutting... taking all one can get.... "greed" I call it, "insecurity," "fear to run out of")

Well now, that very tasty wild plant is a "protected specie" if I may.

Well same with anything else... and the seals included... it is not by killing all of the ones at view that this specie will grow stronger... Diversity is a must, and some have to survive to bring their genes to another seal and allow the specie to survive...

We are greedy, and it is freaking sad... this is most likely what will be our demise...

Yet what is our reason to want to live for so long... to watch t.v.?

Well why don't we just make a good use of the time that we really have?

Greed, Insecurity and fear of lacking anything...

We are a weak specie if we are to keep a going this road... We are running to our loss.....

Sad.

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Sorry, can't deliver...

 You cannot currently send a star to M RuXty because you have done so within the last week.

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Rusty,

Mary, "Some minds are like finished concrete~thoroughly mixed and permanently set."~old geezer saying~"

And after a while they crack under the weather... I just couldn't resist it...

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I am a former commercial fisherman and now volunteer as a marine mammal stranding team member. I am also a educator teaching people about the ocean's creatures. I am 45 years old and I have live and work on the ocean my whole life.

Your understanding of our ocean's eco-system is flawed. Our ocean species are so out of balance that taking any wild stock, fish, marine mammals, even clams, will further disrupt our world's eco-systems. I have seen the decline of many species of life in the sea. The argument is always the same, the same one used above.

Taking anything from the sea that is not a product of aquaculture is systematic suicide. The sealers need a new income. This should be the number one concern of the Canadian Government. It is up to them to educate and assist these sealers in converting to Aquaculture. Yes Aquaculture is harder work. They won't make $100,000 dollars for a months work and it won't be as easy as pulling a trigger, but it will be an honest living.

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The protests have caused the price of seal pelts to increase to $105, more than doubled  since 2003 ($45). It seems that the protests are having an opposite effect....

I have also seen a few charity fundraisers use seal skin coats as a prize (drawing great attention and money mind you), and many people are now wearing the seal coats that have been hanging in their closets for years....

Interesting effect!

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The documentary of the above name was shown on CBC Newsworld's The Lens program Tuesday night.  It shows people who directly participate and are affected by the seal hunt in Newfoundland.

There are many points made, but i will concentrate only on a few.

The first one is about the myth that seal hunting leads to seal extinction or, better yet, that preventing the seal hunt will prevent seal extinction.  "This is as true as saying that killing the natives would save the rain forests," says seal hunter Garry Troake.  Sealing is an honest way of life.  It may not be well-paying, but it prevents government handouts and doesn't take away one's pride or way of life.

Then there is the International Federation of Animal Welfare (IFAW) that is making more profit off of the seal hunt than it is giving to make sure that seals are protected.  The cute picture of a seal as posterchild gets over $100M dollars a year in extra donations.  Why doesn't the IFAW concentrate on the disappearing cod population?  Because cod are not cute.  Talk about playing favourites and manipulating information.  75% of dead cod are discarded, but no one seems to care about their extinction. 

Also, why kill chickens and not seals?  All seals are shot and killed immediately.  The ones we see that are clubbed are the ones that were not shot properly.  All the hunting is done professionally, not cold-bloodedly.  The IFAW would fire employees who would portray sealers as empathetic human beings.  One of these employees included Annemekie Rowen.

Then there is the tragic death of activist Garry Troake.  He died because he had to follow stupid government regulations that stated he had to pick up his nets by a certain time even in bad weather.  Though his family told them not to, Garry and a relative went out in terrible waters trying to pick up the nets and got killed in the process.  When his widow wrote a letter to Canadian Fisheries, this regulation was anulled.  So I guess Garry Troake died needlessly.

And the most bothersome thing of all is how many people just blindly support the banning of the seal hunt without really having the facts.  This is very sad to see as Sir McCartney poses with a cute baby seal.  get the man an ugly cod to pose with.

Disgusting!!!

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