proud to be a pirate

[Guest guest]

Weekend Edition

January 26 / 27, 2008

 

Our Redemption Song

I'm Proud to be a Pirate!

By PAUL WATSON

 

Shiver me timbers, boys and girls, we is awash in a sea of pirates

down here in the Southern Ocean and it's time for a parley to do a

little 'splaining on the subject. This ocean now rivals the 17th

century Caribbean for reported acts of piracy. The only thing lacking

is the Sea Shepherd member Orlando Bloom.

 

Japanese whalers are accusing the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

and Greenpeace crew members of being pirates. Sea Shepherd and

Greenpeace are accusing the whalers of being pirates. The whalers and

Greenpeace are accusing Sea Shepherd of being pirates. The Japanese

government is throwing the word piracy about as freely as the governor

of Jamaica once did.

 

No one has sunk any ships, looted any cargos, kidnapped any damsels

(just a couple of blokes) or forced anyone to walk the plank yet - but

listening to the rhetoric, the public could be forgiven from thinking

these activities are ravaging the Southern main.

 

My ship, the Steve Irwin, does fly a modern version of the Jolie

Rouge, the original name of the banner that evolved into the skull and

crossbones of the Jolly Roger. We decided years ago that if people

were going to call us pirates, we would adopt our own version, and

designed the crossed Neptune trident and shepherd's staff with the

skull.

 

As soon as we hoisted that black flag, kids from around the world

began to write to us in support. Our Jolly Roger hats and shirts have

become our most popular merchandise. Why? Because there is a romance

associated with piracy that is separate from the reality. Some pirates

were noble heroes and some were dastardly villains. It's all a matter

of perspective. If you love whales, we be heroes; but if you eat

whales then we be pirates.

 

Back in the 17th century it was not the British navy that shut down

piracy in the Caribbean. The military and the politicians were not

interested. Piracy was finally shut down in the Spanish Main by the

pirate Sir Henry Morgan. It took a pirate to end piracy. His reward

was to be appointed governor of Jamaica, where he was able to pilfer

more booty through politics than he ever did from the deck of a ship.

 

There are pirates of profit, like the Japanese; pirates of

opportunity, like the politicians; and pirates of compassion, like Sea

Shepherd. It is a little difficult to cast Sea Shepherd's unpaid

volunteers, selflessly trying to save the lives of whales, as ruthless

pirates.

 

On the other hand, the Japanese whalers are illegally stealing and

killing whales from a sanctuary and territory that is supposed to be

under the sovereignty of Australia. The whalers have also taken

hostages, demanding conditions for their return.

 

So why do those pirates in Canberra consistently refuse to protect

Australian territory from illegal foreign exploitation? The answer is

the same for those politicians today as it was for British politicians

in 1650 - there's money to be made, under the table and through the

back door; there are trade agreements to consider; and some pirates -

especially the Japanese - have good public relations firms and

powerful financial backing. So we have Australia condemning the

Japanese and doing very little to stop their whaling fleet's ruthless

plundering.

 

At least proper piracy has a long list of renowned and admirable

practitioners: John Paul Jones, who founded the navies of both the US

and Russia; Jean LaFitte, who stood with General Andrew Jackson in

defence of New Orleans; and Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh,

knighted by Elizabeth I.

 

I stand in honourable company as a modern-day pirate, though I've not

shot anyone, burned any ships, looted any cargos or kidnapped anyone.

We are also pirates with a sense of humour and a moral code of non-

violence. In 30 years of eco-piracy we have never injured a single

poacher, though we've sent nine whalers to the bottom. Instead of

cannon balls, our guns shoot coconut cream and chocolate pie-filling.

We toss stink bombs instead of grenades and we are so non-violent we

don't even eat meat or fish on our ships. No fish, fowl or mammals

have died in the making of our high seas campaigns.

 

What we do is defend the whales from illegal slaughter by ruthless and

merciless killers. If people want to call us pirates for that, we're

proud to be so. We have whales to save and Japanese ships to attack.

 

Captain Paul Watson is founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation

Society www.seashepherd.org

 

 

“The Earth is not dying - she is being killed. And those who are killing her

have names and addresses.†— Utah Phillips

[Guest guest]

I love him! He was one of the keynote speakers at AR2K7!On 1/26/08, fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:

Weekend EditionJanuary 26 / 27, 2008Our Redemption SongI'm Proud to be a Pirate!By PAUL WATSONShiver me timbers, boys and girls, we is awash in a sea of piratesdown here in the Southern Ocean and it's time for a parley to do a

little 'splaining on the subject. This ocean now rivals the 17thcentury Caribbean for reported acts of piracy. The only thing lackingis the Sea Shepherd member Orlando Bloom.Japanese whalers are accusing the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

and Greenpeace crew members of being pirates. Sea Shepherd andGreenpeace are accusing the whalers of being pirates. The whalers andGreenpeace are accusing Sea Shepherd of being pirates. The Japanesegovernment is throwing the word piracy about as freely as the governor

of Jamaica once did.No one has sunk any ships, looted any cargos, kidnapped any damsels(just a couple of blokes) or forced anyone to walk the plank yet - butlistening to the rhetoric, the public could be forgiven from thinking

these activities are ravaging the Southern main.My ship, the Steve Irwin, does fly a modern version of the JolieRouge, the original name of the banner that evolved into the skull andcrossbones of the Jolly Roger. We decided years ago that if people

were going to call us pirates, we would adopt our own version, anddesigned the crossed Neptune trident and shepherd's staff with theskull.As soon as we hoisted that black flag, kids from around the world

began to write to us in support. Our Jolly Roger hats and shirts havebecome our most popular merchandise. Why? Because there is a romanceassociated with piracy that is separate from the reality. Some pirateswere noble heroes and some were dastardly villains. It's all a matter

of perspective. If you love whales, we be heroes; but if you eatwhales then we be pirates.Back in the 17th century it was not the British navy that shut downpiracy in the Caribbean. The military and the politicians were not

interested. Piracy was finally shut down in the Spanish Main by thepirate Sir Henry Morgan. It took a pirate to end piracy. His rewardwas to be appointed governor of Jamaica, where he was able to pilfermore booty through politics than he ever did from the deck of a ship.

There are pirates of profit, like the Japanese; pirates ofopportunity, like the politicians; and pirates of compassion, like SeaShepherd. It is a little difficult to cast Sea Shepherd's unpaidvolunteers, selflessly trying to save the lives of whales, as ruthless

pirates.On the other hand, the Japanese whalers are illegally stealing andkilling whales from a sanctuary and territory that is supposed to beunder the sovereignty of Australia. The whalers have also taken

hostages, demanding conditions for their return.So why do those pirates in Canberra consistently refuse to protectAustralian territory from illegal foreign exploitation? The answer isthe same for those politicians today as it was for British politicians

in 1650 - there's money to be made, under the table and through theback door; there are trade agreements to consider; and some pirates -especially the Japanese - have good public relations firms andpowerful financial backing. So we have Australia condemning the

Japanese and doing very little to stop their whaling fleet's ruthlessplundering.At least proper piracy has a long list of renowned and admirablepractitioners: John Paul Jones, who founded the navies of both the US

and Russia; Jean LaFitte, who stood with General Andrew Jackson indefence of New Orleans; and Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh,knighted by Elizabeth I.I stand in honourable company as a modern-day pirate, though I've not

shot anyone, burned any ships, looted any cargos or kidnapped anyone.We are also pirates with a sense of humour and a moral code of non-violence. In 30 years of eco-piracy we have never injured a singlepoacher, though we've sent nine whalers to the bottom. Instead of

cannon balls, our guns shoot coconut cream and chocolate pie-filling.We toss stink bombs instead of grenades and we are so non-violent wedon't even eat meat or fish on our ships. No fish, fowl or mammalshave died in the making of our high seas campaigns.

What we do is defend the whales from illegal slaughter by ruthless andmerciless killers. If people want to call us pirates for that, we'reproud to be so. We have whales to save and Japanese ships to attack.

Captain Paul Watson is founder of the Sea Shepherd ConservationSociety www.seashepherd.org"The Earth is not dying - she is being killed. And those who are killing her have names and addresses." — Utah Phillips

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