Mhhh.. no, I won't sign your petition...

... about the killing of baby seals. Oh, I'm a villain? Stay on. :)

I'm on Facebook recently (and it's a place I don't like much, I'm there only to stay in touch with FC blogfriends).

One thing about Facebook, you get bombarded of requests to support causes, sign petitions, that on top of many quizzes and games, pokes and superpokes.

For some reasons recently, I'm getting bombarded once again with causes and petitions against the killing of seal pups. One phrase that caught my attention, "about inhumane killing". This begs the question: What is humane killing?

Mhhhh...

True, you have seen plenty of videos... and yes, it is gruesome.

Here's a digression... that isn't one.

I'm what would be considered a "sport" fisherman, altough I royally hate the word "sport". (More on that later). If I were not such a clumsy guy with such a poor eye-hand coordination, I'd be a hunter too.

Though when I'm on the water, and fishing, while it is a wonderful opportunity to have quality time and enjoy myself, it is clear in my mind that what I will catch today... will be my meal tomorrow.

In other words, I'm doing my role, the way nature intended to, taking my place in the food chain. The life of a living thing has to be taken away, so I'll be able to stay alive.

Have you cleaned a fish? Have you done fillets? It is gruesome, and even though I'm used to that since I'm a little kid, you better be strong on your feet to do that.

Yet, this is part of the whole process of taking my place in the food chain and there's nothing to be ashamed of.

What I find really gruesome and definitively obscene are those weekend TV shows about "sport fishing". A bunch of guys having a devil of fun catching fishes...and releasing them, and these guys hoping for that big trophy fish. I've seen in person plenty of those guys too. Urrrgh!

Making fun from the suffering of a living creature, I find that obscene. If you have ever fished, you know the hook can inflict severe damages. Those fishes that go belly up because they didn't make it, that's gruesome (oh they won't show up to the camera, "thankfully").

Mhhhh....

But what about the grocery store?

It seems this society is so scr*wed up that with these stores, we have collectively forgotten where all the food comes from?

For instance, it is quite gruesome at a slaughterhouse.

The milk that you drink, you think that cows are all smiling and enjoying a quality life grazing in the open, enjoying the scenery and watching passing trains, as some TV ads want you to believe? Mhhh, not really.

Or that "organic food" calms down your concerns, while organic is just the name. It is mass produced in a non very healthy way just like their non-organic counterparts; the whole process is also quite gruesome and to add insult to injury, still with lots of contaminants coming from the soil and polluted rain.

To a point that depending on where they come from, some organic foods are more toxic than their non-organic counterparts? Ooch...

Of course, organic or not, multinational commercial interests drive all this. While I have some (minor) issues with the movie, by all means see "Food Inc" (official web site, IMDB database), if you still have some doubts. It's an eye opener.

Yet, the grocery store is the magical place which we get fed... and the fact we don't know little nor anything about the true origin of all that food seems to have isolated us from nature.

(And I don't want to shatter your heart about the huge amount of food getting spoiled, and also food that must get thrown out, even if they're still edible. Only a tiny fraction of that food goes to food banks. The rest is just thrown out).

To me, I find that quite disturbing. Far more disturbing than... well, you know what.

Humans have inflicted so much damages to nature, and yet he can also help to alleviate the damages he's been doing.

Fishing stocks along the east coast have collapsed. From overfishing and also from pollution. Our fault on all counts.

Scientists will tell you that the population of seals have grown exponently, from 1,8 millions to 5,6 millions in 30 years (link), and we're heading for a disaster if the seal population isn't brought down. By being a predator to them, we can help. Guess how...

Mhhhh....

Back to my original thoughts...

For many centuries, humans have been harvesting seals. For their meat, for clothing, for our own survival. We were taking the part we deserve on that food chain.

Gruesome? Yes. The cycle of life is that too, you know...

I'm also thinking that coats made of animal fur are far more ecological than similar clothes mass made from synthetic fibers, fibers which are often derivative of petroleum byproducts...

Not to mention the sheer amount of energy waste to make those clothes from synthetic fibers, and doing so in countries which cheap labour is prevalent and human rights NOT so prevalent.

Mhhhh...

All things considered, no, I won't sign your petition.

Thanks nonetheless.

-E