Before we jump aboard the “Ban the Seal Hunt” boat let’s reflect on what it means to us all.  I will start from a point where I think we can all agree.  Seals are not a human subgroup.  (If we don't agree on this, then we can not agree on any issue related to the seal hunt) 

Seals are in the animal classification, are they not?  They do not have a natural right to life as humans do. If we decide to ban the seal hunt, we are talking about granting a special “right” to a group of animals at the expense of a group of people.  It's about banning the regulated harvest of an animal species that has been sustaining life for humans for centuries.  Granting a right to a specific species of animal to exist without any hunting or resource utilization will force a group of humans to lose a traditional way of life for sustaining themselves.  Clearly, banning the hunt will favour seals over Canadians.   

There are many elements that we could consider but let's look at a two.

Broad Implications

Without having to delve deeper than this I ask myself one question.  “What are the implications of shutting down an industry that is built on a single animal species by imposing a hunting ban?”  If we agree to ban the seal hunt and stop the utilization of this animal resource, how do we refuse a ban of any other animal resource utilization thereafter without being hypocritical?

If I understand the thinking of animal rights activists, they really want us to ban the harvest of all animals.  If we agree to ban one, what logical grounds have we to oppose the banning of any or all other animal groups?  This is a philosophical position espousing that all animals have a right to live without any human exploitation.  That sounds "motherhood" but where does it leave we humans?

Do you really want to go there?  Is this the world you want to leave for your children?  Eating meat has been good for you and your forefathers since time began but from this point forward it will not be good for your children or their children or any generations to come.  That is where this philosophy leads us.

Are we ready to give up eating meat-pork, beef, chicken, lamb, veal, moose and every other animal on the planet that humans need for survival?  Are we willing to become vegetarians and consume our required protein from alternative sources?

If we agree to ban the seal hunt, it is only a small step for the animal rights activist to insist that we stop harvesting cows, sheep, chicken, fish, pigs, or any other animal we use for our survival.  We will begin to turn our societies away from animal products as a means of sustenance, toward the uncertain and suspect world of grazing on greens and nuts.  Can we really sustain life this way when we aren't even feeding the world properly now?

I don’t have a problem if anyone wants to be a Vegetarian.  I do have a problem with forcing it upon people by banning an animal harvest.  Such tactics are unacceptable and manipulative.  The head of Colonilaism,  this time with a new mask, rises again to dominate and oppress a peoples way of life.

White Coat Seals

Today, mature seals are hunted for food and for their fur.  This is a way of life, a means of self sufficiency for a significant number of Canadians.  We can now stop with the photos of white coat seals as if these are the object of the seal hunt.  We can stop coddling the suggestion that these are being killed by those who carry out the seal hunt.  Clearly, hunting for white coats is against the law already.  That was stopped years ago, period-end of story.

So let’s put the suggestive poor pup photos back on the hard drive and look at this with honesty.  The seal hunt is about mature seals; animals that are good for human consumption and for other products like seal skin coats and other clothing for people.  We still wear leather jackets and shoes.  We still use animal skin for clothing, rabbit and sheep skin and sundry other types of animal hides.  If using seal skin is not acceptable anymore, then I presume we will also stop the whole business of using leather products too.  How can we just pick out one group of people for discrimination of their industry?  That is backward and absurd.  It is so absurd that it will be easy to insist that we shut down other industries that are built on utilization of other animals. 

Beef farmers will be pressured to close.  Hog farmers and chicken farmers will come under fire.  Every industry in the world that harvests and uses animals as a resource will be subject to the same pressures as the seal industry.  Otherwise we discriminate against one people group irrationally. 

If we just eat the meat of animals but the skins and the furs are discarded, would this not be a waste of resources?  Would anyone want to stand up and espouse simply killing for the meat and throwing away the fur?  That seems altogether untenable.  We know full well that it is proper to use every part of a resource whenever possible.  That is prudent resource management.  So what is the objection to using seal fur all about?  Clearly it’s not about rational thinking.  Its about elevating animals to some status of equality with humans.  If we go there our survival as a species is unsustainable.

We do not and should not ban the seal hunt.  We should intelligently appose any such action.  We need to clearly think through the implications of banning one industry that does not impact us but is very much like other industries that do.  Common sense, fairness and equal rights demand that we treat all people with the same dignity and respect that we expect from others.

R. Greg Osmond is a Platinum Award winning Realtor serving St. John’s and surrounding areas, Newfoundland and Labrador for over 20 years and can be reached at 709-895-2500. Visit http://www.rgregosmond.com/ for further information.