[mollynme]

It's illegal to kill the whitecoat pups -- has been since 1987.

Yesterday's thread re the seal hunt states that

Canada banned the killing of the youngest seals, less than 12 days old, in 1987

Does this mean that they stop being "whitecoat pups" after 12 days?

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Whitecoats can't be killed legally. Seals moult, and their coat turns gray after about 12 to 16 days. At this age, seals are capable of living independently of their mother.

The seal hunt (or slaughter if you prefer) isn't an easy thing to defend. Obviously, it's brutal -- as is the killing of any animals. However, the opponents are being disingenuous by continuing to use the images of the cute whitecoats, and imply that those are the animals being killed.

I'm getting used to defending tough subjects -- the War on Terror, and especially the Iraq theater for instance. Who wants to defend war? Obviously, all war is inherently evil. However, when one considers the alternatives -- the W.O.T. is justified. Believe me, it's not easy defending U.S. foreign policy and military action in Canada -- if it weren't so important, I'd just keep mum about it. Part of the reason I feel that I must speak up; is the way the media distorts everything about the subject -- including giving grandstanding celebrities a forum for their sanctimonious, and ill-informed opinions.

Similarly, the seal hunt/slaughter/cull/harvest is an easy target for the media, and grandstanding celeberties. It's also no worse (or better) than the hunting of other animals, nor the slaughtering of any domesticated animals used for food.