As
SciFi buffs I love to go to science fiction
conventions and for many years that has been the FedCon convention in
Germany. It was the first SciFi convention I ever went to and since then
we have been regular guests for quite a number of years. A few years
ago we had to stop that, mainly for financial reasons but also because
the timing of the event became incompatible with our work schedule and
with other events. Once we tried to do it ‘on a budget’ but the
experience was not as rewarding as we had hoped. Now that our financial
situation has improved and the timing of next year’s convention is
easier to fit into our schedule, I at least was thinking about getting
back to it, even if only for a few days. I do miss it at times and last
year’s edition had a guest list that I really would have liked to meet.
Now the thing with FedCon is that it also supports a charity cause and for quite a few years that has been Sea Shepherd, an environmental activist organisation that patrols the oceans and takes offensive action in order to stop, for instance, whaling practices. I cannot say that I applauded that decision by the FedCon board, mainly because I do not believe in their tactics or their effectiveness in actually stopping anything. History has proven me right in that: whaling is still continuing, dolphins are still massacred in Japan, in spite of Sea Shepherd’s efforts to do anything about it. But over the years we learned to tolerate their presence at the con, however unsuitable it actually was. And I learned to get over my misgivings on indirectly supporting this cause that I actually did not believe in.
But that has changed since today. In Loro Parque’s video that I shared earlier today, Loro Parque’s director, Dr. Javier Almunia, stated that Sea Shepherd is involved in the smear campaign that several “animal rights groups” indulge in, with the aim of discrediting Loro Parque and ultimately achieve the “freedom” of Morgan, the orca that was rescued at the Dutch coast, who is deaf and therefore cannot communicate with other orcas or even hunt for prey.
Sea Shepherd has issued a statement regarding the recent lawsuit about Morgan, entitled, “No Justice for Morgan”, and is apparently framing fragments of this video as evidence that Morgan is "suffering" because of her separation from daughter Ula even though they are not (for which I can personally vouch) and even though the orca playing with Ula in the video is Adán, not Morgan. It is the usual ‘misinformation’ and ‘misleading rhetoric’ we’ve come to expect from anticaptivity activists and to put it quite bluntly: it is all a bunch of lies, poppycock, hokum. As anyone can see for themselves who takes the trouble of actually visiting that park and those orcas.
And to put it out even more bluntly: just considering to release a deaf orca who cannot take care of herself, who is fully integrated into a pod, who has a daughter, a social live in a wonderful and intellectually stimulating environment is nothing less than a call for excessive animal cruelty.
So here’s the thing: the FedCon is currently supporting an organization that spreads lies and misinformation about a conservation zoo that probably has done more for the conservation of endangered species than they themselves. They are supporting an organization that actively lobbies for an unprecedented piece of animal cruelty towards a handicapped animal. And that charity support comes from us, those who visit this convention for the thrills and the parties and who pay good money to do so.
I cannot possibly find it in my conscience to support this organisation indirectly any longer by frequenting the FedCon events. I cannot be a supporter of the LP Fundación and then support the opposing side indirectly in this way. So FedCon is completely out of bounds for me, at least until they decide to drop their ill-conceived support to an organisation like that, which will probably never happen.
And just to be clear I am not calling or advocating for a boycott or anything, but let everyone make up their own mind whether to go on supporting this or not and weigh this piece of information in your own conscience. I will not consider going to FedCon anymore, it is done. Pity, because those were good times….
Now the thing with FedCon is that it also supports a charity cause and for quite a few years that has been Sea Shepherd, an environmental activist organisation that patrols the oceans and takes offensive action in order to stop, for instance, whaling practices. I cannot say that I applauded that decision by the FedCon board, mainly because I do not believe in their tactics or their effectiveness in actually stopping anything. History has proven me right in that: whaling is still continuing, dolphins are still massacred in Japan, in spite of Sea Shepherd’s efforts to do anything about it. But over the years we learned to tolerate their presence at the con, however unsuitable it actually was. And I learned to get over my misgivings on indirectly supporting this cause that I actually did not believe in.
But that has changed since today. In Loro Parque’s video that I shared earlier today, Loro Parque’s director, Dr. Javier Almunia, stated that Sea Shepherd is involved in the smear campaign that several “animal rights groups” indulge in, with the aim of discrediting Loro Parque and ultimately achieve the “freedom” of Morgan, the orca that was rescued at the Dutch coast, who is deaf and therefore cannot communicate with other orcas or even hunt for prey.
Sea Shepherd has issued a statement regarding the recent lawsuit about Morgan, entitled, “No Justice for Morgan”, and is apparently framing fragments of this video as evidence that Morgan is "suffering" because of her separation from daughter Ula even though they are not (for which I can personally vouch) and even though the orca playing with Ula in the video is Adán, not Morgan. It is the usual ‘misinformation’ and ‘misleading rhetoric’ we’ve come to expect from anticaptivity activists and to put it quite bluntly: it is all a bunch of lies, poppycock, hokum. As anyone can see for themselves who takes the trouble of actually visiting that park and those orcas.
And to put it out even more bluntly: just considering to release a deaf orca who cannot take care of herself, who is fully integrated into a pod, who has a daughter, a social live in a wonderful and intellectually stimulating environment is nothing less than a call for excessive animal cruelty.
So here’s the thing: the FedCon is currently supporting an organization that spreads lies and misinformation about a conservation zoo that probably has done more for the conservation of endangered species than they themselves. They are supporting an organization that actively lobbies for an unprecedented piece of animal cruelty towards a handicapped animal. And that charity support comes from us, those who visit this convention for the thrills and the parties and who pay good money to do so.
I cannot possibly find it in my conscience to support this organisation indirectly any longer by frequenting the FedCon events. I cannot be a supporter of the LP Fundación and then support the opposing side indirectly in this way. So FedCon is completely out of bounds for me, at least until they decide to drop their ill-conceived support to an organisation like that, which will probably never happen.
And just to be clear I am not calling or advocating for a boycott or anything, but let everyone make up their own mind whether to go on supporting this or not and weigh this piece of information in your own conscience. I will not consider going to FedCon anymore, it is done. Pity, because those were good times….
