[HairOfTheDog]

Sam Cree: "It's just that with their high intelligence and their affinity for us, I feel like dolphins deserve extra respect, especially from us conservatives."

I certainly agree with you Sam!

And I certainly don't agree with dsc, who thinks it preposterous that "People have even waxed sentimental over grizzly bears". or that "it's going overboard to respect any animal". As he says.

I think that the disrespect of the natural world, or callous and willful destruction of it, is in no way a value I would call 'conservative'. It is our responsibility, and our reward, to preserve a spot on this planet for things that are not of man.

[Sam Cree]

"It is our responsibility, and our reward, to preserve a spot on this planet for things that are not of man."

Probably a prerequisite for our survival too, I imagine. Also, judging by this thread, for our mental health ;-)

[Amelia]

I think that the disrespect of the natural world, or callous and willful destruction of it, is in no way a value I would call 'conservative'. It is our responsibility, and our reward, to preserve a spot on this planet for things that are not of man.

Seems to me that when God gave Adam jurisdiction over all the living things on the Earth, it was to care for them, not so that Adam could just tear everything to bits.

[dsc]

"And I certainly don't agree with dsc, who thinks it preposterous that "People have even waxed sentimental over grizzly bears".

No, not preposterous, just a bit silly.

"callous and willful destruction of it"

I don't see that dolphin hunting on this level constitutes destruction of the natural world.

"It is our responsibility, and our reward, to preserve a spot on this planet for things that are not of man."

It's our duty to be good stewards, but there doesn't seem to be any danger of these dolphins going extinct.