Re: [Paddlewise] whales and kayaks

Melissa...

 Your comments about anthropromorphism and "feeding the bears"  are  from my
original post. Why not credit them and reply to my comments, rather than
setting up "straw men"? To be quite blunt: your behaviour (interactions with
marine mammals)  is illegal, whether you agree with the Marine Mammals Act
or not.
These animals are NOT your "friends". They are a sentient life form at best
, co-existing  in a human world, which specializes in destroying other
life-forms as well as   themselves. (I will send you a list of plants and
animal extinct solely by human activity in the last 200 years if you wish)

You have no more right to "pet" the whales than I have  the right to  touch
a beautiful six year old girl.  It is WRONG. It is illegal. It is sinful, it
is immoral, and it is unethical.  And , it harms  and corrupts the intended
recipient of our affection. That is one of the reasons that  civil society
has created  laws to protect the innocent against sociopaths who believe
that their "intentions" are welcomed and reciprocated by the victim.   I
believe that most American's have a very strong concept  of what
"molestation" is when it involves their own children an family. Please
extend your own feelings of personal space to the rest of the animal
Kingdom.
Rich Dempsey

ridem_at_msn.com
rdempsey_at_wyoming.com


 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Melissa Reese" <melissa_at_bonnyweeboaty.net>
To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 2:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] whales and kayaks


(big snip)

Of course, I now expect to hear a chorus of "anthropomorphism!" in
regards to my perception that the whales I interact with might
actually "enjoy" my company, and/or might even "want" me to interact
with them to the extent that I do.  Fine... but isn't that it's own
form of anthropomorphism?  To believe that you know better than I
what "they" might want or not want (or need or not need?) - and to
then call my perceptions anthropomorphism?

The whale that comes up to me and gently nudges my elbow is not
looking for food (as perhaps a bear in Yellowstone might be by
approaching so close).  The whale that swims alongside me for hours
is not trying to avoid my "chasing" it.  When I paddle along and I'm
joined by eight whales and we go across the bay together, with them
"playfully" swimming in intricate formations and variations around
each other (more anthropomorphism?) am I really endangering their
lives because they will "lose their fear of me"?  I don't think so.
If they approach another human, and are killed for their social
behavior, it is the human who killed them who killed them - not my
joyous interaction with them.



"



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