Posted on 02/05/2009 5:30:29 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Sarah Palin has hit back at actress Ashley Judd for her criticisms of the effort to pare back the Alaskan wolf population for the protection of caribou. Scoffing at advice from “far east coast politicians,” Palin reminded Judd and her Defense of Wildlife Action Fund that Alaskans relied on healthy caribou populations for food — especially in economically trying times. She also accused Judd of manufacturing outrage to stoke donations to her group:
Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s support for aerial wolf-hunting has sparked a heated cross-country war of words between the governor and an environmental ad campaign fronted by the actress Ashley Judd, with Palin calling the organization funding the ads an “extreme fringe group.”
The squabble began Tuesday when the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund unveiled a campaign called “Eye on Palin,” targeting the governor for what they call her “extreme anti-conservation policies.”
The group is highlighting “Palin’s championing of the brutal and unnecessary aerial killing of wolves and other carnivores” — a controversial practice allowed by permit in Alaska since 2003, with the goal of protecting populations of moose and caribou.
Judd, who has in the past lent her voice to AIDS prevention and reproductive health campaigns, signed on with the group and is featured in a YouTube video. “It is time to stop Sarah Palin, and stop this senseless savagery,” she says in the clip.
Perhaps Judd might want to change the name of her group to the Defense of Selected Wildlife Action Fund. The aerial hunt intended on thinning the number of wolves in order to protect an endangered caribou population that had dropped to only 500. Since the ban on wolf hunting decades ago, the top-of-the-food-chain predator has made a stunning comeback, lately at the expense of its usual prey.
For a group that wants to protect wildlife, they seem strangely unconcerned about the plight of the caribou and moose … unless it comes to drilling in ANWR, which doesn’t actually harm the caribou at all.
By the way, Palin’s strategy worked. Biologists in the state’s Fish and Game Department estimate that the caribou herds increased to 6500 this year, thanks to the reduced threat from wolves. The birth rate went from one calf per 100 cows to 39 calves per 100 cows, which will help herd growth for the next several years. Another season without the aerial hunt might have wiped out the caribou herds altogether.
As I wrote at the time, critics of responsible wildlife management seem to live in Cartoon World, where the wolf and the bear and the caribou all become best friends and have adventures together with the plucky little kid from the local village. In fact, the wolf and the bear will eat the caribou until there are none left, and would have the plucky little kid for dessert if they could.
Judd should get out of Cartoon World and learn something about wildlife management — and Palin’s success — before opening her mouth and removing all doubt about her ignorance.
Judd is no match for Palin, in the same way that socialism is no match for outspoken conservatism.
These ‘Hollytards’ know absolutely NOTHING about the eco-system, conservation, or the terrain in Alaska (or anywhere else). Nothing. Culling is a necessity. Geesh. They’ve all been ‘Bambi-fied’.
Definitely need some Jell-O for this one.
Judd fights so hard to protect an animal and then fights so hard to kill an unborn baby. Liberalism must be a mental disorder.
I love the Governor, but I would prefer that she just ignore these Hollywood no-nothing morons.
Thanks, Ashley. I’ve enjoyed a couple of your movies in the past, but you’ve ended that for me. Now I know better than to waste any of my hard earned money on you. You are clearly too stupid, too ignorant and too naive to do anything more than read, memorize and repeat words someone else has written for you. Whatever else you might do in life, please, do NOT have children.
Sometimes you have to take them on, and present other data.
That said...
SARAH ROCKS!!!! (see tagline)
Judd is NOT very bright. Heard this from years ago from someone who worked with her in the movie industry. Airhead anyone?
In Alaska, the country is so vast, planes are used like cars and vans are used in the lower 48; ergo, to reach the wilderness where wolves proliferate, planes are used. Why can't these people understand that PEOPLE manage wildlife, not the other way around.
Just more propaganda in the vein of global warming--a lot of noise without substance.
vaudine
Yeah, that tactic worked real well for W.
“For a group that wants to protect wildlife, they seem strangely unconcerned about the plight of the caribou and moose...”
No, they’re not the least bit concerned about those populations, because they can blame their demise on global warming, or (GASP) eeeeevillll oil drilling!
Palin’s strategy worked.....like kryptonite to the idiots.
“Judd is NOT very bright. Heard this from years ago from someone who worked with her in the movie industry. Airhead anyone?”
And echoed by someone I know in the racing industry..
If it’s got the word aerial in it, it isn’t hunting...it’s killing from an aircraft.
Judd’s involvement in this has brought such attention to the matter I’m inspired to book a wolf hunting trip in Alaska.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.