Parks other than Sea World

[Sandra Siren]

After the many tragic deaths and injuries caused by Sea World's actions, and after the documentary Blackfish became popular everyone has gone into battle mode against the theme park. But Sea World is not the only culprit. Animal abuse happens in all sorts of entertainment venues. I know the masses can only go up in arms and get passionate over a just cause, but man I wish it wouldn't always be so singular. I'd really to see crowds not just boycott for orcas, I would love to see mass boycotts for them, and for the wildlife mistreated in circuses, six flags parks, carnivals and the like!

[Echidna]

tbh, I'm more worried about the millions of sharks and BILLIONS (yes, billions) of other fish that are killed off every year.
Those are gone for good.

[deepblue]

People get singular because it's difficult to change the world the entire world at once. You go after what can be affected in what ways you can, and if you can do that while also living a life that doesn't make a mockery of your values, then you're doing more than most. It's also not as singular as you seem to think- people have been protesting circuses and other places where animals are commonly abused for many, many years. Blackfish was made after years of trying to get the attention that captive orcas and other cetaceans need- plenty of us were already boycotting the places that use cetacean slavery as their main source of income. As a way to get the plight attention, Blackfish worked, it got the news out there. The Cove got it out there for the Taiji Dolphin slaughter. And yes, there are other drive hunts which slaughter dolphins, but again- change is often affected one thing at a time. Since most people don't give a damn about the treatment of the chickens who lay the eggs they eat everyday, and make excuses about how they can't afford a few extra dollars a week to buy eggs from chickens whose lives aren't nightmarish (while still making sure they have some new fashion or the latest lipstick to add to their already big makeup collection, or some other thing they could VERY easily sacrifice), it's rather amazing when anyone actually gives a damn in a big way.

You can lead your life in a way that means not contributing to the other problems, but there's absolutely no reason there can't be focus now and then, for various animals. Changes are usually made one thing at a time. People are hard to sway, and so resistant to change.

[AniaR]

I see the advocacy groups go after all of them not just sea world. Vancouver aquarium and marine land up here in Canada. The mirage hotel. And loads of international . I follow them all on fb and twitter. The same people who make those films go after all of them.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

True. There was a dolphin park in Ft. Lauderdale that went bankrupt after people learned of the dolphin injuries and deaths there. It's not just Sea World. Sea World is just so big and popular, that it's the first that people think of. I was broken-hearted after seeing Blackfish. It had always been my dream to work at Sea World, and part of me was still wanting that - until I saw the movie. Then I was so happy that dream never came true. I'd rather see them in the wild.

And don't even get me started on shark finning and overfishing. I've been swimming with sharks since I was a baby, and the hatred people have for them is just unbelievable. More people are killed by their pet dogs in the U.S. alone than by sharks over the entire planet, but everyone hates sharks.

[Sandra Siren]

I'm completely with you on over fishing, and the mass killings of sharks. To be honest, I had a bad case of insomnia last night and just went on a posting spree, and this was one of many idle thoughts running around in my head. I realize, wanting all of the environmental problems to be immediately championed and subsequently solved by the masses is an unachievable goal, but I had to get it out of my head along with all my other ideas so I could sleep.

[Echidna]

PETA has been fighting to ban animals from circuses, attractions and such for many years.
They also frequently bring the horrible practices of mass production to public attention.

So the attempts have been there all along, but most of them don't garner much publicity, because people love their meat/fun/entertainment and rather don't want to know where it comes from.

Apart from those who get off on killing things, of course. There's nothing that could change their attitude.
In fact, one should be grateful these guys are "only" killing animals.
They'll just as happily lower their gun or weapon of choice on you if you happen to be in their way, usually with the intelligent justification they "felt threatened" by you. :p

[Aziara]

Since most people don't give a damn about the treatment of the chickens who lay the eggs they eat everyday, and make excuses about how they can't afford a few extra dollars a week to buy eggs from chickens whose lives aren't nightmarish (while still making sure they have some new fashion or the latest lipstick to add to their already big makeup collection, or some other thing they could VERY easily sacrifice), it's rather amazing when anyone actually gives a damn in a big way.
Not to derail the original purpose of this thread, but those chickens with better lives actually lay much more nutritious eggs. So not only is it better for the chickens, but also better for the people eating the eggs. Not to mention they will be the best tasting eggs you ever eat.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/leighrubin/7200744720/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/leighrubin/7200744720/

[AniaR]

Peta isn't the best example to use, there's been so many hypocritical things caught about them that a lot of people call them a terrorist group.

But I just wanted to make the point that Sea world is the biggest FRANCHISE and they are the ones that previously set the laws, which is why the focus goes on them. You can't take down the others without first getting them. But honestly, i see all the ocean advocacy groups focus pretty equally on them all. And I think in the Cove they showed a lot of the places.

A few links for interest sake to back up my point about peta:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110204200458AAPBA2L
http://feministing.com/2012/02/16/have-we-mentioned-lately-how-much-peta-sucks/
http://carolinarain.tumblr.com/post/79528738509/someone-enlighten-me-on-why-peta-sucks
http://gibsonsgrotto.blogspot.ca/2007/01/peta-sucksand-heres-proof.html

[Sandra Siren]

I usually try not to mention PETA, for either side of the argument. I know some people have very personal feelings when it comes to eating meat, and Peta tends to be their biggest advocate, and I prefer people not feel like I'm attacking them personally when I share my negative views concerning PETA.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I usually try not to mention PETA, for either side of the argument. I know some people have very personal feelings when it comes to eating meat, and Peta tends to be their biggest advocate, and I prefer people not feel like I'm attacking them personally when I share my negative views concerning PETA.

I'm a vegetarian and I think PETA goes about it entirely the wrong way. I feel like they're way to aggressive, and most people don't respond to that. Your diet is a very personal choice, and not something you should be bullied into. It's one thing to let people know what's going on, but some of their tactics are actually anti-compassion. If you're going to have compassion for one creature, then you need to have it for all— humans too. And sometimes that takes trying to understand why people make certain decisions, even if you disagree with their reasons with all your heart.

[Sandra Siren]

You are probably one of the first people, I've had a conversation with, who has such an open and caring perspective. I really appreciate you sharing your views :)

[Echidna]

A few links for interest sake to back up my point about peta:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110204200458AAPBA2L
http://feministing.com/2012/02/16/have-we-mentioned-lately-how-much-peta-sucks/
http://carolinarain.tumblr.com/post/79528738509/someone-enlighten-me-on-why-peta-sucks
http://gibsonsgrotto.blogspot.ca/2007/01/peta-sucksand-heres-proof.html

sorry, but none of these links contain any info or proof.
Two are blogs, there's a tumblr, a "yahoo answers" with about 5 posts, and an article about a silly topic which I don't even understand (and judging from the comments, no one else does either).

I don't like PETA for my own reasons, but if you want to actually prove they are a "terrorist group" you have to provide more than a few blog posts saying "man, dem PETA sux and my bro thinks so too" :/

I only brought them up because they HAVE for years fought for all the things mentioned in the first post.
If you know other, better and less controversial activist groups who do the same, feel free to mention them.

[AniaR]

Sorry yourself I didnt say I had proof I was talking about how some people think on the matter, and backed it up by showing: what some people think on the matter.

[Echidna]

I see.
I didn't intend to start a discussion about PETA, because I know practically no one likes them lol.

Still, it would be nice to have some sources detailing their alleged bad practices that cannot be summed up as "my cousin's third greatuncle has a neighbor who once worked for them and he knows it all" :p

[AniaR]

there's a whole sub culture of the internet dedicated to document horrors Peta has done- in the very same manner that Blackfish did. By statements, undercover video, and documenting animal deaths. Many of the claims people are make are no different evidence wise than what was used to fuel the Blackfish film. I pointed it out because many people will totally disregard a cause if Peta is involved. There are more than enough advocacy groups that are focusing on marine mammals. They're all listed in the credits of both the cove and the blackfish documentaries, along with sharkwater and several others. They are all incredibly active. It's not hard to find them at all and they do get lots of publicity too. I think the difference is in whether you actually follow the causes, or only pay attention when they pop up in mainstream media. But even then I wouldn't fault someone who needs it to be mainstream before they realize it's happening. Everyone starts somewhere with activism.

Mernetwork even has a comprehensive list built into the site for ocean advocate groups and charities... It's right on the home page at the top: http://mernetwork.com/index/content.php?122-environmentalism

[deepblue]

I see.
I didn't intend to start a discussion about PETA, because I know practically no one likes them lol.

Still, it would be nice to have some sources detailing their alleged bad practices that cannot be summed up as "my cousin's third greatuncle has a neighbor who once worked for them and he knows it all" :p

PETA's own worst practices (euthanizing pets instead of rehoming, for instance) can speak for themselves- their own websites and literature. No one needs to even do the third cousin's greatuncle thing. lol And their worst is the reason I have never personally met a single vegan or vegetarian who wants to be represented by them.

But their idiotic approaches to attempting to affect dietary ethic changes don't change the facts that they have documented about captivity. If someone is going to dismiss evidence because of who gives it, that is the old 'throwing the baby with the bath water' conundrum. Yes, PETA often sucks,and in big ways. It changes nothing about the facts they have gathered or the fights they have waged for better living conditions for animals in captivity. No one has to listen to opinion, facts speak for themselves, and if you don't like PETA, you can still find their facts and findings backed up by non-affiliated experts, and you can find them through very little digging.

Esp when it comes to cetaceans in captivity. Numerous experts with the education and years of service in the field actually dealing with these animals will back up what PETA has to say about that, so it doesn't matter that I'm not a fan of PETA. The facts stand.

oh- and since yes, this is getting derailed, I do believe I will stop there. Just wanted to point out how little it matters WHO is presenting facts sometimes.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Its probably old news, but I found out last week on the net, China doesn't have river dolphins anymore. They're all extinct due to over fishing and pollution. I'm not the soppy kind but I spent the day sobbing because of it.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Its probably old news, but I found out last week on the net, China doesn't have river dolphins anymore. They're all extinct due to over fishing and pollution. I'm not the soppy kind but I spent the day sobbing because of it.
That's heartbreaking.

[Echidna]

One can only hope they simply had enough and swam out to sea.

If there's a way around that megalomaniac dam for which they blew up several sacred mountaintops :/