Well folks, here we go again. It seems another ill-informed music star has decided that the people of Newfoundland and Labrador are "delusional" when it comes to the annual Atlantic seal harvest and taken it upon himself to say something about it.
According to Straight.com, KISS bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons, who is taking his hit TV series, "Gene Simmons Family Jewels", on the road to Newfoundland may use the opportunity to speak out against sealing.
During a recent interview in Vancouver Simmons told a reporter that he can't stand hunting. When asked if he was bringing his show to Newfoundland to focus attention on the seal hunt, he replied, "I'm not allowed to say." and added, "The idea that anybody would call that a sport is delusional."
I ask you folks, when was the last time anyone, and I mean anyone, viewed the seal harvest as a sport? It isn't. In fact it's a very hard, dangerous and tough means of making much needed money in the fishing industry.
The saddest part of all this is that Simmons' common law spouse, former Playboy centerfold Shannon Tweed, hails from Newfoundland and should at least know enough about this place and its culture to realize how idiotic Simmon' statement actually is.
Unfortunately these two will be welcomed here with open arms to shoot their reality show and what will we get in return? Likely another black eye, thanks to the brainwashing of animal rights propagandists and martini sipping, mansion dwelling bleeding hearts.
Three weeks have been set aside to do taping of the show in the province, but Simmons wouldn't say when he would arrive. Hopefully someone out there will find out and spread the word so this guy gets the kind of reception he truly deserves.
Retarded. Maybe Danny should have another "celebrity encounter" and confront Gene Simmons.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, the beat goes on when it comes to this province and its issues being misunderstood and disregarded.
KISS has merchandised everything. For a has-been band they make their money from crap sold to fans. I would expect that his filming in N&L will be just about making a scene. He is not an activist or anything - just trying to find the silliest, most stupid scene that will get his reality show some attention.
ReplyDeleteI fully expect nothing good will come from him being in Newfoundland.
I'm glad the murder and cruelty you people commit is being told to the world.
ReplyDeleteI'd call all you newfies a bunch of animals but you don't deserve to be given that much credit.
It's not the seals, it's you don't deserve to live on this planet.
September 13, 2007 7:12 PM
ReplyDeleteOH Boy ,Nan said that thier are people in the world like this.Rude ignorant and self-righteous.
Hey anonymous what are you going to say next ,that no one eats the meat.
Go to "Dicky Stoyles" in Cambridge Ontario.As some of you are aware in the Goulds just out-side St Johns there is a bakery that makes Seal Flippery Pie.Ask Mr Stoyle why Health Canada was called to his store,in Cambridge Ontario one day.When at the store they went directly to the freezer where the Pies were held.
They made Mr Stoyle pour "Bleech" over the seal pies so no one would eat them.Unfortunately I got there five minutes to late to get my last taste of this delicious meal.
So Patriot ,do you know were I have to go now to get this very same Pie.Thier is a Newfoundland store just off the I-75 in Toledo Ohio.So everytime that i have to drive down to Atlanta for my employeer I now stop out of my way to get thease Pie's.
So anonymous the next time you eat something ,anything from an animal I want you to know how much of a self serving hypocritical ass-h%$# you truely are.
Because your culture doesnt participate in a certain activity.You condem mine.You must be canadain because only canadains can be such hypocrites.Spreading thier lies about multiculturalism while they destroy mine.Let alone have my governement stand -up fro my cultural rights.
As for Mr Simons and his tongue.I can politely tell him what he can do with it once he gets to Newfoundland and Labrador.
PS,.....http://www.stoyleswholesale.com
why not contact Mr Stoyle and ask him why .
MY CULTURE IS NOT TREATED EQUALLY
UNDER CANADAIN LAW.
Dear anonymous. Lucky for you, we are not on the same planet, you seem to be on one of your own. The one that we live on has respect for our fellow humans and respects other cultures rather than try and impose our values on them.
ReplyDeleteYou should come visit and see for yourself sometime. You would be welcomed, as all guests are, even those with different views.
Have a nice day.
Embassy – Canada’s Foreign Policy Newsweekly
ReplyDeleteAugust 29th, 2007
EMBASSY REPORT
Seal Hunt Part of Managing Our Natural Resources
By Mary Simon
In March of this year I spent a week in Europe as part of an 18-member Canadian delegation to speak out against impending European bans on seal products. It was led by Canada's ambassador of Fisheries Conservation, Loyola Sullivan. Also in the group were sealers from Newfoundland and Quebec, industry representatives and experts.
Our group met with parliamentarians in Brussels, London, and Berlin whose views against sealing in Newfoundland were strongly entrenched. We also met face-to-face, across boardroom tables, with animal rights activists. At the first such meeting in Brussels it was hard not to walk out and instead listen to people who think they know what is best for us, and how we should live our lives, but as a leader I had a responsibility to stay and communicate the position of the Inuit, and denounce the propaganda of the animal rights groups on this issue.
This propaganda extends to virtually every aspect of the topic: false fears about the size of seal populations; out-of-date information about harvesting methods; and, lack of obvious comparisons with levels and methods of hunting in Europe. For Inuit, however, the most offensive part of this propaganda is the demeaning insult that we are being passively used by East Coast Canadian sealers, or the government of Canada, to make the East Coast hunt palatable to European sensibilities.
The economy of some of our communities and the livelihood of many of our Inuit hunters was damaged by the 1983 European ban on seal pelts. Inuit were told at the time not to worry, we would be exempt from the ban. We were exempted, but once a market is destroyed, it is destroyed for everyone. When the EU ban was put into place, the price of pelts plummeted from $50 to 50 cents, virtually overnight. We certainly do not want this to happen again.
Since the first ban in 1983, the Inuit economy has slowly improved, as has the price of pelts. We are no longer entirely dependent on hunting, fishing and other traditional activities. Our economy is now a mixed economy, but the consumption of seal meat and the sale of seal pelts continue to make important contributions to our economy, diet, physical well-being, and cultural survival and is based on practices of sustainable use.
Sealing is part of Canada's heritage and a natural resource to be wisely and sustainably managed, like other resources in Canada, such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture. The Inuit right to hunt seals is included in our comprehensive land claim agreements, as are Inuit organizations and multi-party co-management boards that maintain this precious resource for us in the Arctic. Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans manages the seal hunt in the eastern coastal region of Canada.
Since my return to Canada, much has happened. On April 28, Belgium passed a ban on the importation of Canadian seal products, exempting Inuit seal products, however as I argued above, once the market is destroyed for one group it is eliminated for all, including Inuit. On July 17, the Netherlands announced they would enact a seal ban Sept. 11. The U.S. Congress passed a resolution calling on Canada to stop the seal hunt.
During this time I have been lobbying the government of Canada with letters, and at times with press releases, calling on Canada to take action at the World Trade Organization to protect our interests in European markets. The sealing network has also been vigilant on this front.
Towards the end of the summer, Canada declared its intention to take action against the Belgium seal ban at the WTO. In a press release issued on July 31, Canada stated that it "will fight bans of this kind on all fronts–people's livelihoods are at stake."
In responding to this declaration I responded by saying, "I applaud the government of Canada in taking this action to defend our markets and our way of life as Inuit in hunting seals. Along with the sealers who we travelled to Europe with in March of this year, this is a good day, when our government stands up and supports what we are doing as Canadians."
Fur is a part of our Aboriginal and Canadian heritage. We are proud of that heritage, and have no intentions of changing. We will continue to make beautiful sealskin coats and sealskin products for people all over the world to wear and enjoy.
Mary Simon is a former circumpolar ambassador and president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.
A very serious question for Canada it-self Calvin.
ReplyDeleteI believe that someone once said that your freedom begins were mine ends.If in this day and age you as a human are harming the enviroment do I not as a human have a right to speak-up for protection.Is not that my right as a member of the human society.
But,in Canada,one may argue that this is nothing more then an attack on a minorities rights under the Canadian Charter Of Rights and Freedoms.
It does have a case though Calvin in the house.Very interesting topic.
Thanks to the moderator.
How much more pedestrian outrage can the bandwidth take!
ReplyDeleteIt ia also worth mentioning that Ms. Tweed grew up in a family that made a living in the fur industry.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading a piece on the KISS frontman and Ms. Tweed in the Independent a while back. Apparantly the author of the article was enticing these two to come here...it begs the question why? Time to stop our silly celebrity worship.
ReplyDeleteUmm.. Hi. I'm from lewisporte Newfoundland and have lived here my entire life. I'm only 15 years old. I'm sick of all the celebrities and bullshit propaganda that is placed upon Newfoundlands head. It has been over at least 30 years since we killed seals like as depicted. Paul macacartney did the exact same thing. And for you people to say I don t deserve to live on this planet is horrific. Get your facts straight before you run your mouth. Idiots...
ReplyDelete