Note to self: Only kill things that are ugly...
For those of you currently residing outside of our home country (oh, and Nina too, who I'm sure by now considers herself an honorary citizen), as you may or may not have heard, the beloved Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Rhodes Scholar and self-made millionaire Danny Willians appeared this evening on Larry King Live in defence of our country's annual seal hunt (or seal "cull", if you believe the opposing side's view). And just who was brought in by the Animal Rights groups to oppose the verbal war-machine that is Danny Williams? Why, none other than world renowned sealing expert and ex-popstar Paul McCartney, flanked by his adoring and unbelievably inarticulate wife Heather.
Now, I think we all know my opinions on this matter, but I'm not here to start a debate amongst friends. While I personally could never bring myself to lay a beatdown on a seal (they ARE pretty cute, after all...), I fully recognize the economic, environmental and cultural benefits of the hunt.
What I AM asking for is opinions from those who viewed the program regarding the structure of the debate itself (for those of you who didn't watch, you can read the transcript here). To me, it seemed rather lop-sided towards the McCartney's view (though it's also pretty obvious that Danny had no hope to begin with, and that his appearance was doomed from the start). They were given a full half hour to deliver their side of the story, completely unchallenged and backed-up by footage we've all seen before of the hunt itself, complete with blood and guts and "barbaric" Newfoundlanders gettin' their recreational pleasure out of whackin' some seals.
Danny, on the other hand, got to deliver our side of the story (assuming you're pro-hunt, of course) under constant questioning and frequent lengthy interruptions by Paul and Heather (especially by Heather *shudder*). He spoke for maybe 7 minutes in total, hardly enough time to deliver the facts and an adquate response to the constant scrutiny and profound arguments of future president of Mensa International Heather McCartney (Stephen Harper....Harp Seals....anyone pickin' up on what she's puttin' down???) Hardly seemed to fair to me.
So what'd y'all think? And sorry if this post is a bit long and heated - but I'm a bit drunk and contrary, so I don't really care. :D
Janesy
p.s...
Now, I think we all know my opinions on this matter, but I'm not here to start a debate amongst friends. While I personally could never bring myself to lay a beatdown on a seal (they ARE pretty cute, after all...), I fully recognize the economic, environmental and cultural benefits of the hunt.
What I AM asking for is opinions from those who viewed the program regarding the structure of the debate itself (for those of you who didn't watch, you can read the transcript here). To me, it seemed rather lop-sided towards the McCartney's view (though it's also pretty obvious that Danny had no hope to begin with, and that his appearance was doomed from the start). They were given a full half hour to deliver their side of the story, completely unchallenged and backed-up by footage we've all seen before of the hunt itself, complete with blood and guts and "barbaric" Newfoundlanders gettin' their recreational pleasure out of whackin' some seals.
Danny, on the other hand, got to deliver our side of the story (assuming you're pro-hunt, of course) under constant questioning and frequent lengthy interruptions by Paul and Heather (especially by Heather *shudder*). He spoke for maybe 7 minutes in total, hardly enough time to deliver the facts and an adquate response to the constant scrutiny and profound arguments of future president of Mensa International Heather McCartney (Stephen Harper....Harp Seals....anyone pickin' up on what she's puttin' down???) Hardly seemed to fair to me.
So what'd y'all think? And sorry if this post is a bit long and heated - but I'm a bit drunk and contrary, so I don't really care. :D
Janesy
p.s...
posted by Janezy at 1:17 AM
11 Comments:
Hey hey! Well I have to be honest guys , I may have been one of those little anonymous viewers. But I'd like to think that i'm not in the "creepy" category, but maybe that's up for debate. And i'm also not the masked blogger chap. Great to read up on all your crazy lives. I'm over in Glasgow at the moment, doing my Masters. Got caught with Luke at x-mas, and he put me on to this blog site. What a great idea! Congrats on the 3000+ hits too, even if most of them are luke. Anyway fire me an e-mail at atitus@gmail.com. It would be great to catch up with you guys. Oh, and and Mike, I've read about this danny williams vs. the McCartney showdown. I think Alan Doyle (of Great big sea) had a great point: "Older harp seals are what the sealers are after, but I'll bet these much uglier dudes won't make the final photo." Anyway enough procrastinating for now. Hope things are well with all of you, and hope to make it back to the rock soon.. it's been too long. Bye for now! Andrew
Michael, I watched the whole thing from beginning to end. This visit has been in the papers up here and my staff have wanted to know my thoughts on the situation so I've been debating it all week! I have to say that I agree with you on the inbalance of the interview. And I think I was gonna slap Heather for constantly interrupting Danny. She'd let him talklong enough to refute her claims and then before he could add new facts to the interview, she'd go and roll her eyes and get all rude and interrupt him again. It would have been more fair to have each side give a 15 minute presentation of their side and THEN have a debate.
I thought it was funny how she offered the solution of the Canadian government giving the sealers compensation for a closer of the seal hunt. HA! Like the Canadian government would give out any more money in those circumstances. She talked about how it's only a small industry and why are we keeping it going....how about the dignity of the sealers? Having a hardworking job to earn income for the family? Anyways, I also won't rant about it but I feel that the debate was not balanced and that Danny did as best he could, under the circumstances.
Did you hear Heather's comment to a St. John's Airport Customs guy when he asked Paul when he'd be touring Canada again? "When you stop killing seals!" Yep, they came open-minded alright.
Hey Titus! Great to see you here!
a few comments
P. MCCARTNEY: Well, we're here, Danny. You don't need to invite us. Thanks for the invitation, but we're here. We're actually in the studio here. We are in Newfoundland. And we saw the seals yesterday.
WILLIAMS: Heather, first of all, Paul, you're in Prince Edward Island now. And I'm in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Wow, just read the transcript... it's awfully interesting. And I've got to say, although I have not seen her speak live, Heather M.... ouch. she is awfully barbaric... I mean archaic, as a debater.
I guess she's just so personally connected to the debate that she loses credability for the audience. But then again, I haven't seen her live.
Josh and I were talking about it yesterday, and basically said it was foolish for D-Will to even try and go on the show...BUT, you know, I've actually changed my mind. Because, I'm relatively impressed by what Williams said. He is a talented debater, more than I'd seen to date. And I think that actually engaging in debate against what is essentially an emotional argument from environmentalists, is the right thing to do. We shouldn't hide from the issue. So I'm impressed by the actual act.
As for the format... yeah, what can you say.. .I guess that's exactly why we need to engage in some form of debate... because 45 minutes of that footage alone is the alternative.
And yeah, Whitelilly... Her solution for a new industry... "how about the Whale Watching!" cause a thousand whale watching boats won't be environmentally harmful at all :)
Now we need to track down Philip Joudrey and Adam Giles, and our universe will implode upon itself! :)
Some comments:
- I entirely agree with the title of Janes' entry, and I find it utterly ridiculous. That the seals are cute and cuddly is the only conceivable reason that celebrities flock there on a semi-regular basis.
- I disagree entirely with the McCartneys's view that Danny Williams' comments re: conventional slaughterhouses are tangents -- they are the *exact same fucking thing*. If anything, a seal that has lived an otherwise unperturbed life in the Atlantic and one day gets killed due to the seal hunt has had a better life than the animals herded in an out of various small spaces and to and from the same old boring field day-in and day-out, as farmed cattle, pigs, etc, do.
- As has been said a million times already, the whitecoats don't get killed anymore. Or at least, shouldn't be. I'm sure some people break the law.
Now, being who I am, I'm opposed to all of it to begin with, but picking this out from all the others is, from my point of view, retarded.
Funny Story:
so, phil, after your comment, I flashed to mind Adam Giles, and the fact that I had never tried to look him up in all these years.
so what did I do ? why, I looked hiim up.
And let me blow your mind, my friend. There he was, smack dab on classmates dot com.... WHAAA?
yep. it's true. yet crazy. so I dropped him an email, and we'll see what happens... i'llkeep you posted
And just so your world will implode a little bit, P. Joudrey went to St. Mary's with Laura.
sweet.
Officially the worst debate in the history of the world. Titus, what's up my Presbyterian brother? I haven't seen you in 15 years, pretty sweet. Come visit me in the antipodes if you're up for it.
Otherwise, if you can't tell the difference between PEI and Newfoundland or slaughterhouses and nature, you're probably a douchbag.
RIGHT???????
ps: where's matthew rowe?
Arielle - I can't see what else they would be doing in an alternate universe!
123Crosbird - there were rumours on the internets that you were going to be heading back to Newfoundland this summer. TRUE OR FALSE? (if true, conversations between you and I will have to ensue regarding parameters... whatever that might mean!).
Yes! let's talk about parameters.
I want to come home this summer... but I'm definately going to be doing summer 1 courses.... so sometime in mid-july I should be free ?
And where is Matthew rowe:?? excellent question. although, it's hard to say where anyone is these days.
crisbie: you would have dug tonight... we went to a saloon! well pretty much.. ginnie's little longhorn... and we got cut off and everything. Like I said, it's right up your alley.
laters!
I'd club a thousand baby seals to find out where Travis Flemming is.
Jesus Christ, it's Andrew Titus!! Long time no speak, as Crisbie eloquently put it! Keep in touch, we'll have to go out for a pint next time you're on the rock...
Thought I'd add to the last of people we forgot about, though it IS hard to top Travis Flemming, I must say...
1. Dylan "It's because I'm black, isn't it?" Porter - last seen working in Need's Convenience across from the Colonial Building (it was pretty awkward)
2. Damian Ramirez - pretty sure his name comes up whenever me and Tom are drinking...
3. On the Vanier theme: Dylan Thompson (was that his last name?) and some girl named Anne (in our class until grade 2 or 3...screamed a lot)
4. Celina Fry added me to her MSN list a while ago...I blocked her shortly after
5. Jennifer Martin - currently sporting a Mohawk and a baby
6. Amanda Follett - I still keep in touch with her, so I thought I'd let you know she just graduated from the RCMP training/boot camp, or whatever you call it
7. Jon Veitch - I seriously run into our favorite teacher at LEAST twice a week...
8. Nicholas Leia - I told Tom and Luke that I ran into him over Christmas break, but I don't think they could remember who he was...anybody else remember him?
Anyways, good comments by all, so I'm not gonna say anything more regarding my first post. Haven't checked the blog in a few days, as my computer's motherboard gimped out on me on Sunday, so I'm without a PC until Thursday. I'm this close to finally switching to MAC...
GIMME SYMPATHY...ALL OF YA...
Janes: do it! Switch to a Mac. go to the CPC at mun, and you'll never be happier. I promises. Ask Jill or PHil.
Nice references all around. It's Anne Conrad. (how'd you like that bit o' memory) And yeah, definately remember Nick Leija... that's weird. that must've been at that late night place where I had fish cakes... mmmm. (guess the guiness got in the way).
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