# Sea Shepherds; Innefectual self-important dipshits **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 15, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487 "2009-08-15T02:58:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/21 "2009-08-15T06:45:34Z")
> [@BoBettie](#): > > Wouldn’t time and money be better spent documenting what is happening and lobbying for the “research” loophole to be closed? Not really, no. The research whaling doesn’t really need to be documented; it’s not a secret. And closing the loophole would probably just result in increased whaling, since the Japanese wouldn’t feel the need to pretend anymore and would just leave the IWC. ---
**Author:** ![Scruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Scruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruff)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/22 "2009-08-15T06:47:09Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > How it must gall you to know that Paul Watson isn’t seeking your approval, and that he has the force to back up his beliefs. > _..SNIP.._ > You can’t stop them, they aren’t listening to you, and it seems to me that it’s _you_ who is useless and ineffectual. If we go by the evidence of the TV show, Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherds (a stunning name for a folk-band) are a bunch of emo whiners who can barely figure out how to point the boat in the right direction. To combine with another show; I would **love** to see them run one storm in the vast Bering Sea - I think that the Coasties would be showing it at holiday parties for the next decade. I _can’t stop them_ – true that, but they don’t need my help to be visibly ineffective. These folks are the Special Olympians of the eco-activist movement. That’s why Paul Watson is irritating; not because he “speaks the truth” or “fights the good fight” but because he is demonstrably incompetent and he is wasting money/resources that a smarter person would be able to use. On the other hand, he **does** seem good at self-promotion and separating fools from their money. You did say that you donated to his cause, right? Do you really think you are getting value for your money? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/23 "2009-08-15T06:51:43Z")
I don’t know anything about this show but I don’t understand how there can be a reality show about something like this. Isn’t it a violation of laws to fuck with a company’s vessels and equipment? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/24 "2009-08-15T07:06:12Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > I donate money to the Sea Shepherds, and I’m glad they piss you off. If they didn’t, I’d know they were being ineffective. As long as they’re still pissing off the squares, they have my support, moral and financial. How it must gall you to know that Paul Watson isn’t seeking your approval, and that he has the force to back up his beliefs. People like you are doing our job for us, driving otherwise “moderate” liberals into the arms of ELF and the Sea Shepherds – who don’t give a flying shit what you think of their methods. > > You can’t stop them, they aren’t listening to you, and it seems to me that it’s _you_ who is useless and ineffectual. > > Rub your mad spot. I find this confusing. You are giving money to the SS to be spent wandering about on the Pakifik Okean pestering people? Should not this money be spent on helping the homeless? Isn’t complaining about the Japanese eating whales one of those things that [post=11447485]white[/post] people like to do? Hey, [check it out, it is!](http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/02/07/58-japan/!) ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/25 "2009-08-15T07:11:04Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > Bunch of idiots. I have taken to calling it **Fail Wars** ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/26 "2009-08-15T08:41:27Z")
Sea Shepherds, Rainbow Warriors and other gangs of Hippy-Dippies spending vast amounts of money raised from gullible saps who think they do some good. Glad to see them exposed as the charlatans they appear to be to me. In my mind they are fakes and do nothing but aggrandize themselves and their phony agenda. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/27 "2009-08-15T12:56:41Z")
“Hippie” is spelled “hippie”. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/28 "2009-08-15T13:18:30Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > How DARE you suggest spending pot money on whales! Let the whales get their own pot. They could smoke a helluva splif through that blowhole, I wanna tell you! The contact high though, would be AWESOME, DUDE! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/29 "2009-08-15T13:28:08Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > The hippies have their own navy now?! Great, what’s next, a balloon armada protecting the forest from lumberjacks by draping giant AIDS quilts over the trees? Let’s make a musical. The hippies floating above the forest primeval, in their hot air balloons, helplessly floating away from where they want to go (because they didn’t check the wind direction), and the lumberjacks shopping and eating buttered scones. One side singing “neun und neunzig luft balloon”, and the other side (of course) singing the lumberjack song. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/30 "2009-08-15T14:15:47Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > I donate money to the Sea Shepherds, and I’m glad they piss you off. > . Do the panhandlers know you are spending THEIR money on this? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/31 "2009-08-15T14:18:42Z")
I would prefer they just leave the whalers alone. ---
**Author:** ![2ply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/b2d939/32.png) [@2ply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ply)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/32 "2009-08-15T14:40:12Z")
I think most of the young and inexperience crew members have their heart in the right place, but few of them have the training they should have to be on a boat so far out in the middle of nowhere and that captain plus the other senior members don’t provide any sort of leadership. I remember one episode where a young woman who spent time in the US Navy wanted to apply some of the procedures she learned in the navy to make the Steve Irwin more efficient. One of the hippie guys, who I think was the the first mate, dismissed what she had to say because he didn’t like the military. But I bet if you took a bunch of navy men and women and stuck them on a small, unarmed boat, they could have prevented the whalers from killing a whale. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/33 "2009-08-15T14:41:06Z")
Well, see, that’s the trouble with your fucking hippies! Without whaling, were would you get your whalebone corset stays, and ambergris? Ha! You’d have to find something else to blubber about then, wouldn’t you! ---
**Author:** ![SmashTheState](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SmashTheState](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmashTheState)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/34 "2009-08-15T15:13:14Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Do the panhandlers know you are spending THEIR money on this? Did you just accuse me of embezzling money from the Panhandlers’ Union? I want you to be very clear when you answer this. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/35 "2009-08-15T15:17:52Z")
> [@](#): > > One of the hippie guys, who I think was the the first mate, dismissed what she had to say because he didn’t like the military. But I bet if you took a bunch of navy men and women and stuck them on a small, unarmed boat, they could have prevented the whalers from killing a whale. Well if the ‘First mate’ is the best war-leader than could find, I kinda doubt how efficient you could make that crew. Kinda like Martin and Ralph following Milhouse into battle. Peak Effectiveness just isn’t going to be that high. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/36 "2009-08-15T15:19:25Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > Did you just accuse me of embezzling money from the Panhandlers’ Union? I want you to be very clear when you answer this. My guess: Not embezzlement, just a poor choice of how the money is used. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/37 "2009-08-15T15:30:58Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > Did you just accuse me of embezzling money from the Panhandlers’ Union? I want you to be very clear when you answer this. Awww. Your a wise man wise to the ways of this world and how the system really works…as you tell us so often…take it how you want. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/38 "2009-08-15T15:32:54Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Well if the ‘First mate’ is the best war-leader than could find, I kinda doubt how efficient you could make that crew. Kinda like Martin and Ralph following Milhouse into battle. Peak Effectiveness just isn’t going to be that high. A three hour toouurr A threeeee hour tooouuuurrr ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/39 "2009-08-15T15:41:42Z")
> [@SmashTheState](#): > > I donate money to the Sea Shepherds, and I’m glad they piss you off. If they didn’t, I’d know they were being ineffective. As long as they’re still pissing off the squares, they have my support, moral and financial. How it must gall you to know that Paul Watson isn’t seeking your approval, and that he has the force to back up his beliefs. People like you are doing our job for us, driving otherwise “moderate” liberals into the arms of ELF and the Sea Shepherds – who don’t give a flying shit what you think of their methods. > > You can’t stop them, they aren’t listening to you, and it seems to me that it’s _you_ who is useless and ineffectual. > > Rub your mad spot. Heh. I am one of these moderate liberals of which you speak. Near every word of **Scylla** ’s post rang true. No argument here really, just a single data point to suggest that what you think these people are accomplishing by way of PR might not be happening. ---
**Author:** ![SmashTheState](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SmashTheState](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmashTheState)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487/40 "2009-08-15T15:41:57Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Do the panhandlers know you are spending THEIR money on this? > [@SmashTheState](#): > > Did you just accuse me of embezzling money from the Panhandlers’ Union? I want you to be very clear when you answer this. > [@billfish678](#): > > Awww. > > Your a wise man wise to the ways of this world and how the system really works…as you tell us so often…take it how you want. You appear to have accused me of taking funds from the Ottawa Panhandlers’ Union, an organization in which I am on public record as being spokesperson, and giving it to the Sea Shepherds. If I did this, I would be in commission of a criminal act. You appear, to me, to be accusing me on a public forum of a criminal act. When I requested that you make it clear whether or not you have accused me of embezzling funds from the OPU, your response is, and I quote, “take it how you want.” I’m going to repeat my request. Please state whether or not you’re accusing me of embezzling funds from the Ottawa Panhandlers’ Union. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sea-shepherds-innefectual-self-important-dipshits/506487.md?page=3)