General Chat

Good on her, that's what I say!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8069249.stm

i agree Good on her,

Somehow I can't see her serving them up at home on a regular basis. Maybe I'm cynical but to me this is simply a publicity stunt.

Cat I do agree with you.

I am anti hunt but accept that the likes of some kill to survive. I also understand the need to keep vermin down

Yes I do say good on her, not many people could have pulled it off, and hopefully it works for her.

me as a meat eater couldn't imagine eating anything raw

Yes anti hunt and a meat eater !

Good on her - she has proved, that despite what was said on another board, seal meat CAN be eaten.
So, seal culls should be on adult seals and take place out of the breeding season.

The Inuit spokeswoman interviewed on the CBC yesterday pointed out clearly that this was NOT a publicity stunt, it was our (effective) head of state behaving graciously and honouring and respecting the culture of her hosts. The Inuit EAT SEAL, for pity's sake. It's a staple of their diet. And, as you will have noted, they eat it efficiently.

It wouldn't have got any publicity at all were it not for the history of deceptive publicity-seeking by the media hounds in the anti-seal hunt gang, leading to the current European ban.


http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic31-1-2.pdf

"The importance of the ringed seal to the Inuit extends beyond the economic into socio-cultural relationships. Rasmussen (193 l), Van de Velde (1956) and Damas (1972) have all described the complex patterns of social behaviour existing among the Inuit of the eastern Arctic in regard to the **sharing of seal meat** - their **subsistence staple**. More recent research (e.g. Wenzel 1975) has shown the special role these behaviour patterns play in the **reinforcement of group bonds**."


Note that the reference is to the ringed seal, and the author goes on to point out that hunting harp seal, the main subject of the commercial hunt, is not as long-standing a tradition in Inuit culture, for practical reasons.

The point is that hunting seals, and eating *and sharing* seal meat, are important to the Inuit economically, nutritionally and socially.

but the current European ban is just that.... ( sorry to be pedantic here ) ie it is Europe's decision . whether the Inuit eat seal, hunt seal, wearing seals is irrelevant...if Europe says no ...it IS our business? Just like if there is a slump in tea sales here because everyone is drinking in Starbucks, someone in another country will suffer from the fall off in trade.

sorry still in a foul mood and VERY picky tonight...ignore me and I will go away >>>>>>>>>>>

The Inuit spokeswoman can point it out as much as she likes but it's funny how it came to be publicised just after the publicising of the European ban on seal products.

Incidently, it's a European ban not a world ban. The rest of the world can carry on trading in seal products if they wish to.

Rose you are being picky hun, understandably so no worries. ( I hate to have to say this but if they ban coffee, and I hate Starbucks, Tea will not get my vote ! )


Janey thanks for that on the difference of seals I hadn't realised as I'm sure many others didn't, that there is a difference between the seals the butchers kill for profit and those that the Inuits hunt for survival

Good point Cat are the Inuits part of the EU ??




Should I take a geography test ?

Incidentally, no one said anything about a world ban.

Somehow, I don't see there being a lot of demand for seal products in Sri Lanka or Pakistan, myself.


And incidentally, some people do like to consider the effect of their actions on people elsewhere in the world, particularly when those people are vulnerable.

I don't buy diamonds.

Europe is free to allow the import of diamonds that may have been obtained at the cost of children's lives if it wants, of course. Europe can do what it wants.


The Governor General is effectively the Canadian head of state. (She acts in the place of the Queen for all purposes of state and government.)

When she travels, the media travel with her.

What the media choose to publicize is up to the media, not her or the people hosting her.

A public figure visiting an Inuit community in the Eastern Arctic would be offered seal meat regardless of anything any European or bunch of Europeans might have decided to do in the last millennium.

Believe it, don't believe it; like it, lump it. Don't matter. Facts is facts.

Nice try, Uzzi. Not wholly factual, unfortunately.

Of course, if there were a difference between the seals hunted commercially and the seals hunted for subsistance, I just dunno what it would be anyway ...

* Lighthearted * Janey I don't buy diamonds either just let the OH do that !!

seriously I may have missed your point there but what does diamonds have to do with it.
apart from exploiting people to mine but that is the same as sweatshops.

Janey it was not a nice try I actually believed it !

but either way I do believe that the Inuits who rely on the seal are in their right , the hunters who Cull for profit at birthing are not

Must remember to quote what I'm responding to ...

"but the current European ban is just that.... ( sorry to be pedantic here ) ie it is Europe's decision . whether the Inuit eat seal, hunt seal, wearing seals is irrelevant...if Europe says no ...it IS our business?"

It is Europe's business what it does.

That does not preclude anyone else from having an opinion about what Europe does.

If Europe doesn't give a flying * about Inuit communities whose economic situation is fragile, that's up to Europe.

Just like some people don't give a flying * about children who die in the civil wars waged over diamonds in Africa.

I am opposed to hunting for the pleasure of it but when it comes to hunting to eat ie- the inuit people, it is their way of life and their way of living.

Sorry can't be too much help on this...got to go as step dad is here and I have to keep the peace between them ( OH ) re- the footie.

"the hunters who Cull for profit at birthing"

When oh when is Europe going to ban the sale of veal?

Uzzi, did you actually read any of the *facts* of what you're talking about?

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.asp?wci=thread&tk=1150922&px=2

My post at 18:19.

It isn't really right to spread disinformation. No seals are culled "at birthing".

Janey so easy to respond to one and be accused of respondinding elsewhere and no I don't quote either usually
quote"
Just like some people don't give a flying * about children who die in the civil wars waged over diamonds in Africa.
"
I will be honest on this that I have never thought about the diamond wars, even though I have read about them.

no it doesn't Janey :) anymore than I am precluded from having an opinion on other country's decisions to allow seal hunts, whaling, bear farms, imprisonment without trial, exploitation of child workers etc etc ....

BUT in forming my opinions on all of the above, I always look at as many facets of the argument as possible. It is not that I ignore the effects on the people who live in these places... for eg a recent program on tv here showed the conditions of workers in the tuna industry... hard as those conditions were without that industry where would they be? saying 'stop buying tuna ' would have been the simplistic argument...so would 'carry on buying tuna just like you do now' .....
:))

No Janey I did not read that thread, do I read the "facts" of what I am talking about. To an extent I do but I am sorry if I do not trawl bookstalls or if what I see/believe is wrong. I do try to keep up with news and most people will nicely put me right if I am wrong.

Note the word NICELY.