AFA: Stone to Death Killer Whale Who Killed Trainer, page 1

OK, I had to comment on this, even though my better judgment says not to.

First, let's take into account the "archaic" law of the Old Testament. Stoning could and should very easily translate into bullets or even lethal injection since the Bible never mentions such weapons, other than a sling shot. I think the bottom line here is that death is the outcome.

Second, people are so quick to jump on conservative groups for quoting scripture, but are seldom willing to look at the whole picture before they pass judgment. I'm not conservative, but I'm well versed in religious texts from many religions. There is a depth of wisdom to be found if one opens their eyes to it. It doesn't mean people have to run off and join a religious commune if they read and are familiar with scriptures. Nor does it make them conservative if they agree with it or even just a part of it.

Third, "The Law" (the first five books of the Bible), was written to be just that....the LAW, according to the normal and accepted behaviors of that time. Obviously, we no longer buy and sell slaves, nor do we lead them around by the rings in their ears. But one thing has not changed....man has owned beasts from the beginning of time, and beasts have killed man from the beginning of time. This is nothing new, and the Law was designed to be fair and hold accountable those that should be held accountable.

Fourth, that passage in the Bible goes on much longer than what this article detailed, and according to that passage, not only should the whale be put to death, but also the owners, since they knew the whale had a history of killing trainers in the past....

28 “If an ox[d] gores a man or woman to death, the ox must be stoned, and its flesh may not be eaten. In such a case, however, the owner will not be held liable.

29 But suppose the ox had a reputation for goring, and the owner had been informed but failed to keep it under control. If the ox then kills someone, it must be stoned, and the owner must also be put to death. 30 However, the dead person’s relatives may accept payment to compensate for the loss of life. The owner of the ox may redeem his life by paying whatever is demanded.

31 “The same regulation applies if the ox gores a boy or a girl. 32 But if the ox gores a slave, either male or female, the animal’s owner must pay the slave’s owner thirty silver coins,[e] and the ox must be stoned.

33 “Suppose someone digs or uncovers a pit and fails to cover it, and then an ox or a donkey falls into it. 34 The owner of the pit must pay full compensation to the owner of the animal, but then he gets to keep the dead animal.

35 “If someone’s ox injures a neighbor’s ox and the injured ox dies, then the two owners must sell the live ox and divide the price equally between them. They must also divide the dead animal. 36 But if the ox had a reputation for goring, yet its owner failed to keep it under control, he must pay full compensation—a live ox for the dead one—but he may keep the dead ox.

Now, I'd like to mention one thing before I close with one last point....just because I posted this, does not mean I agree with all of it. It simply means I understand where it comes from and can entertain this topic freely, regardless of my personal opinion.

Now for the wisdom...

I am an animal lover, no doubt about it. I loath animal cruelty, and think harsh punishments should be given to humans who treat animals with little regard. My stance is this:

1. The owners and Sea World should be held to the highest punishment....period....and laws should be changed immediately, forcing all sea mammals to either be released, trained to be released, or relocated to expansive, natural "sea" pens where they can properly retire in their natural habitat, but still be looked after and fed if needed. NO MORE BREEDING!! Animals that are rescued and rehabilitated are the only exceptions to the rule, and should stay in captivity ONLY if their physical impairments prevent them from surviving on their own. THESE are the animals that Sea World should be keeping, but not healthy animals that perform dog and pony shows for the masses. Sea World needs to operate on an education-only basis in regards to their captive animals, not in an entertainment arena.

2. Remove the profit, and the value to human life will once again be restored. The fact that there is gray area here, is nauseating.

3. Cover-ups from past safety reports need to be brought into the light, and the full order of the law needs to be exercised. I have no sympathy for the owners of Sea World or any other profit machine that exploits healthy animals that would otherwise be living freely in the wild.

4. You try living in a cramped, square, white, concrete room for your entire life, performing tricks for your food in front of a glass window every day...you just might go a little crazy too. Maybe even kill someone to try to get out. Herein lies the problem....the owners have created a monster. We have methods to measure human psychosis, but how do we measure a whale's psychosis? Can it be cured by releasing it back into the wild? Well, if a whale's brain is similar to ours, I'd say "no", considering that most people carry around a LOT of emotional baggage from their past. Even dogs exhibit this behavior very plainly when they've been abused. So does this whale have a pre-existing, legitimate psychological problem that has been exasperated by captivity? Or is he just a very angry, frustrated, and depressed whale that wants to be free?

The bottom line, to tie this in with Biblical scripture, is that the scriptures elude to "traits" that are undesired. If any beast kills a human, it is to be put down....period. It is not a punishment. I see it as a controlled genetic pool by which we are carefully making sure that the serial killers of the animal kingdom are not being allowed to reproduce. Just as in humans, this is a DNA link. I'll further that sentiment by stating that there are numerous whales in captivity that do not exert this behavior toward their handlers, and some are even quite attached and affectionate. Tili is clearly a "disturbed" individual whale.

So, as sad as this situation is, I'm leaning more toward the feeling that this whale has taken three lives, and should not be allowed to live. The owners, who have allowed this whale to take three lives, should be brought to justice.