CANADIAN HARP SEAL SLAUGHTER
This year, over 350,000 will die...
Please help stop the slaughter.
Photo: GAN |
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP STOP THE KILLING:
There are a few ways to get involved in helping stop the annual Canadian Harp seal kill.
With the exception of actually going to the ice and being involved in some form of direct action protesting, (difficult or impossible for most of us to do), the most effective things the average person can do to make a difference are listed in detail here:
WRITE LETTERS & EMAILS
Writing letters makes a difference! In this internet age we live in, emails seem to be the easiest way and most popular format to do this, but we also encourage you to write letters the old fashioned way too. The more letters, emails, etc, the better, no matter the format.
If you do not have time to write a letter, simply write STOP THE SEAL HUNT and e-mail it to the targeted person, company, or newspaper.
*Note: Go here for a list of particularly tasty political targets)
Tips on letter composition: (communicating your point for the most effect)
When writing letters, there are some time tested and activist proven strategies for effectiveness. Of course each cause will have its own set of criteria to follow, but with the seal hunt, the following applies:
*Leave out or limit profanity (Be creative and try and keep it professional sounding)
*Don't threaten, (or, if it's in your nature, at least do it subtely)
*State that you will be boycotting Canadian products & travel, (you won't ever travel to Canada as long as this hunt is happening.)
*Ask them to STOP THE HUNT
*Tell them who you are and what you do (the more rich and powerful you are, the better... make a point of it)
Seal killer and "national hero" Nikolai Hemmingsen brutally hooks a baby harp seal.
Photo: Sea Shepherd |
... and keep in mind the following facts:
*The quota of seals to be killed this year in 2003 is 350,000.
This quota is set each year for three years.The total number of seals to be killed over the next three years is over one million.
This quota does not reflect the number of seals killed and lost and not included in the quota.
*The seals are also threatened by global warming and ice fields that have been severely diminished over the last ten years.
*The seal hunt is heavily subsidized by the Canadian Government.
*The killing of the seals is primarily a way of deflecting criticism away from the Canadian government for the destruction of the cod fishery due to the incompetence of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
For an excellent summary of the situation, read:
PAUL WATSONS ARTICLE "SEAL WARS"
Good Example Letters to borrow words and ideas from:
Some people are better with words than others. Constructing original letters is the best thing to do, but not everybody has the time, inclination, or skills to do so. If you want to write a letter or email, but don't want to spend time thinking about it, feel free to copy and/or cut and paste sentences from a list of example letters as your own:
Example #1- Template for writing to a politician- (Global Action Network)
Example #2- Template for writing to a politician- (L.A. County worker and friend- Template)
Change a few words if you want to, or not. The important thing is that the letter comes from you, with your return email, name, address, etc. If you do not have time to write a letter, simply write STOP THE SEAL HUNT and e-mail it to the targeted person, company, or newspaper.
FYI: It is believed by some that letters to the Editors of Newspapers go further than letters to politicians...
MAKE PHONE CALLS OR FAXES
Depending on the individual you are trying to contact, making a phone call direct to them can be a very powerful form of activism. Although it would be very rare to actually have your target individual answer the line, it's not unheard of. All politicians and people in positions of power have secretaries and middlemen who will intercept you, but that's ok. (By making a call, you are tyeing up their phone lines during key business hours and this WILL have an effect on them.)
When you reach the cut off person, it's best to try and remain professional and follow the same line of logical communication points that you would use in writing letters or emailing. (see notes above)
Don't let your passions get the best of you and swear at somebody or yell at them... This usually has the effect of having them hang up on you.
Also, when on the phone with a secretary, you can doublecheck the target person's fax number and email for accuracy. If the individual or company has ANY kind of integrity, they will most likely give you accurate information, which you can then pander out to other activists...
As for faxes, the same logic and strategies for making your point in a phone call, letter, or email follow, of course, but with faxes you are using (wasting) their paper as well as tyeing up their line, and this is a good thing.
Whatever method of communicating your point to the targeted individuals or companies involved, the more you do, the better! Individual actions do make a difference!
Anti-seal hunt rally 1998.
Photo: IFAW
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ONLINE PETITION
There is one website we found so far that has an online petition you can easily take part in. In theory, (check their website for details and explanations), this petition will go to the proper politicians and individuals involved.
It's certainly worth a try.
Check it out at: www.thepetitionsite.com
ORGANIZE A PROTEST OR CREATE A MEDIA EVENT
For those inclined to do so, they may want to organize a protest or create a media event of some kind highlighting the seal hunt. Although this particular website doesn't focus on this type of strategy to end the hunt, we at Ecodefense.com applaud and recommend any creative efforts at doing so.
VOLUNTEER WITH EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS
This website has a good list of amazing organizations and individuals who are making a difference in the seal hunt in some way or another. There are others we are not listing (yet) as well. You can do your part in ending the seal hunt by getting involved with any of these companies, organizations, or individuals that suit your own personality or style the best. Answer phone calls, do webwork, design, data entry, write stories, solicit business, marketing, volunteer in the office, etc, etc.
MORE ECODEFENSE
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