So much for the vaunted Sea Shepherd mantra, "we will do anything for wildlife."
That quote is part of Sea Shepherds media machine or as the rest of the hard working conservation world knows it, the "Donor Dollar Sucking Machine."
Why did Paul Watson flee Germany?
He was about to be arrested, deported, and sent for trial in Latin America. It's part of the world of Direct Action, a conservation policy that says it is o.k to harass and ram vessels and interfere directly with wildlife harvests anywhere in the world - irregardless of treaties, fisheries policies, and or the personal health and well being of the participants on either side of the wildlife issue.
We're all for it, "if" it has long lasting results, like stopping a slaughter completely...and forever.
Unfortunately Direct Action is a failed policy because it stops nothing, from seal harvests, to Bluefin tuna, to whales. One might think that 30 years is enough time to gather a consensus on any policy failed or not.
Direct Action does create great Reality Television moments like this one for Season One of Whale Wars where Paul Watson faked being shot in the chest. It also sucks conservation dollars out of the atmosphere like an out-of-control and cartoonish Hoover vacuum.
And that's the problem with Direct Action. Donor money that could be used by forward thinking conservation entities who have boots on the ground and great conservation programs that actually save wildlife being sucked away by a constant, high profile, and unrelenting Direct Action Buffonery lead by Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson.
30 long years, and now when the chips are finally down for Watson, when it looks like he will have to face some measure of legal reality for his failed conservation policy...he slips away under cover of darkness.
The lawsuit, the extradition, the ensuing media surrounding Paul Watson's trial in Latin America was to be a public airing of Direct Action as a policy by conservationists the world over.
Sadly, because Paul Watson is ultimately a coward who would rather invent death defying moments at sea vis-a-vis his faked assassination moment, we will never get to see Direct Action on trial.
Instead prepare yourself for another 30 years of invented Direct Action moments that fail completely, save for the flow of money leaving the rest of the conservation sphere and into more inventive media moments brought to you by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Run, Paul, Run.
More here.
9 comments:
He skipped bail, because he's afraid to face charges in Costa Rica, relating to an incident where he wanted to force a Costa Rican vessel to go to port and face charges. He's not afraid to put lives in danger to presumably get others to face legal charges, but he forfeits $320 000 of donor money that he used to post bail, so he won't have to face charges himself. Coward!
$320K?
For any number of struggling NGO's out there $320K is a years budget with 5 staff.
How many conservation efforts are put on hold for lack of money because Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson demands allegiance for his off putting brand of failed direct action?
Give money to Sea Shepherd because they save wildlife!
Sea Shepherd only delays wildlife execution one spectacular media moment at a time. They have been doing it for 30 years.
Just enough to take home the video, edit it, and sell the Sea Shepherd brand to the public for donations.
Disgusting.
Here's a thought Paul, how about a matching $320K donation to some small Mom and Pop NGO out there planting mangroves in the hot sun, day after miserable day, while you spend your time at 5 star hotels and are feted at big Hollywood parties?
No? Didn't think so.
Yeah so Watson demands that his crews risk life and limb with two vessel disasters in two years and when his moment of conservation truth comes for him?
Skips bail!
Nice one Direct Action Man way to instill confidence in your troops.
If they were not so intent on getting on television I am sure a few of them are saying WTF right about now.
I know I am.
Classic...
Sea shepherd forfeits €250,000 ( donated by his supporters presumably ) because Watson doesn't have the courage of his so called convictions to defend himself in a court of law, yet claims to carry out his actions under international law. uhuh..
Interesting though, presumably he can no longer enter the schengen area without being arrested and presumably Germany will issue an arrest warrant via interpol... What goes around comes around ...
Honestly... this doesn't surprise me. I used to be a fan of Whale Wars myself... but then I realized the truth.
Paul Watson is not a hero nor someone to idolize. He is just corrupt and crooked as the Japanese Whalers.
Awhile back I started doing some minor digging into the sea shepherd organization. Sea Shepherd partakes in many controversial acts, not just related to their animal defense activities. Their organization is one of the few non-profit organizations based within the United States that does not provide a direct link to their "spending charts" (or where the money is going) on their website. Whenever a company (especially a non-profit organization) is not transparent it sends red flags.
Moreover I believe money plays a major role in Paul Watson's decision making. He says its all for the animals... but it's hard for an individual to really uphold that claim when he is making more income than a vast majority of people. It's just a hunch... but I believe his decision to leave Greenpeace and start Sea Shepherds also was due to money disputes. Wouldn't surprise me in the least bit.
Paul Watson doing a midnight flit has just cost James Bond 250,000 Euros, if that isn't enough to start the revolution then nothing is.
He's not just screwed James Bond either, he's betrayed Batman and Macgyver too.
This has to end NOW...
I didn't know that Costa Rica had an extradition agreement with Germany. Surprise! It was not that long ago that great white nations did not extradite to little brown nations like Costa Rica. Times have changed, haven't they, Paul? Now he's got to ask himself, "Does Norway have an extradition agreement with, say, Vietnam? Gulp...
How inconvenient of the Germans to look upon Costa Rica as a real country and to show them the respect due. I guess Paul thought they were all running around in the jungle in grass skirts with bones through their noses, and as long as he hit the accelerator he could just sail away from any responsibility toward a little brown place like Costa Rica, as it got smaller and smaller in the rear-view.
I've seen Paul Watson in enough interviews going back far enough to say that he is a real natural bully, and that he has no respect whatsoever for anybody's opinion other than his own. A lot like George Galloway, the guy doesn't listen to other points of view, he just starts raising his voice and making personal attacks the second anybody disagrees with him on anything. Odious man. Yay, Costa Rica.
Deep down I think the man is a coward!!! He ran because for all his boasting that he is willing to die to protect marine life, he ultimately will not do so. This instance was the first time he had to actually "fear" being imprisoned. I believe he is little more than a media "whore" who likes his name and face in the media. Unfortunately, most people won't see this until he gets one of the delusional young persons who follow him killed.
Here is a link to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; the audio from the ICR's appeal for an injunction against the SSCS to provide a security zone around their vessels. If you listen to the comments by attorney's from both sides, as well as the questions and comments by the three judge panel, it did not go well for the SSCS.
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/media/view_subpage.php?pk_id=0000009597
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