Sea Shepherd Disputes Former Board Members Viewstitle
Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, advocates non-
violence as a surer path to securing animal rights.
FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- On Sunday evening, Dr. Jerry
Vlasak, a former Board Member of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS),
appeared on CBS 60 Minutes to promote his ideas on acceptable violent threats
and tactics in animal rights issues. Earlier this year SSCS had promptly
removed Dr. Vlasak as a Board member after his interview with the Canadian
Broadcasting Company, in which Dr. Vlasak made statements advocating threats
of violence to protect animals.
"SSCS adamantly opposes any action that would cause injury to any human
being," says Captain Paul Watson, Founder and President of Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society, a marine wildlife conservation organization founded in
1977.
A former friend and colleague of Dr. Vlasak, Captain Watson upholds the
decision to remove Dr. Vlasak from the Board of Directors of SSCS as necessary
and consistent with Sea Shepherds long-standing opposition to physical
violence.
"When my crew was attacked on the ice this spring, they did not retaliate
in self-defense. They took the blows. The fact is that we have never struck or
injured any of our opponents, even in self defense," he explained.
Despite criticism by opponents, authorities actually support the SSCS
philosophy. Several nations have sought out Captain Watson and the help of
SSCS to assist in the protection of their waterways, recognizing that SSCS
limits its enforcement actions to resolving issues of illegal equipment usage
and preservation of life as allowed under applicable law. Even the Dalai Lama
has commended Captain Watson and the Sea Shepherd team for their endeavors in
preserving life.
"Promoting a philosophy of violence makes it difficult on all of us,"
Captain Watson advises. "Not only will people be more likely to engage in
unnecessary violence out of fear, but it also makes it more difficult to
conduct legitimate conservation activities. We cannot support philosophies or
tactics that threaten what I established SSCS to do -- preserve and conserve
life."
For more information about SSCS and Captain Watson, please visit
http://www.seashepherd.org.
This press release distributed by PRWEB (http://www.prwebdirect.com/), a
service of eMediaWire.
