Musicians object to SeaWorld

If Joan Jett ****s in the woods, does anyone hear it?

I don't mind people being anti-SeaWorld, even if I don't agree with them. If they weren't so tied into the parks' iconography, I think SeaWorld would still be great even without the killer whales, so I'm not exactly convinced they're necessary anyway.

Blackfish annoys me, however, because it's a one-sided, calculated smear that's riling up the issue-of-the-week do-gooders, the same kind of people that support causes only as long as they're trendy and trending. Even some of the celebratory responses read like they're more worried about their own PR than the plight of any whales. If you're going to be anti-marine life parks, zoos, or whatever, at least base that opinion on more measured accounts.

"Blackfish" is nothing more than this decade's "Free Willy".

People seem to forget that they freed Willy, and he died.

But at least his fin wasn't flopped over to the side anymore.

I like how she says that her music was played "without her permission" like they're doing something wrong. Surely she's aware that they don't need her permission as long as they pay BMI/ASCAP whatever the going rate is.

I really can’t believe that after watching one documentary that is so one sided, people have such polarizing opinions about Sea World. It really surprised me what I saw on social after the film was released.

I am not saying that there isn’t any truth to the film, but it would be interesting for someone independent to fact check all of the claims and offer a more balanced viewpoint of what is really going on.

If you are going to have an opinion on the topic, that is fine, just have an informed opinion and understand the complete picture. I don’t think that one two hour documentary, produced by a filmmaker who clearly had an ax to grind, frames out the whole situation accurately and factual.

You have no idea how hard it is for me to not tell you what I think and/or know.

As far as "Blackfish" goes, the film does raise some valid points, one simply cannot deny that. For example, orcas are the primary draw to SW parks yet re-investment into much larger show and/or recreational pools has not happened after decades. Why? The issue of separating calves from their biological family is a major issue for me when scientifically orcas spend their entire lives in family pods. Why? I also have serious concerns about the situation at the park in France where a trainer was killed, those whales are on loan from SW and have suffered, by all accounts, major stress in that environment. Why would their owners not protect them better?

As someone who grew up with SeaWorld in their back yard practically, I know the benefit of education and respect for the environment that comes from aquatic and zoological parks. I was one of those kids who wanted to be an orca trainer when I grew up and learned everything I could about orcas, dolphins, sea lions, etc. In today's world people have a great deal of knowledge about animals, I honestly think it would be in Sea World's best interest to craft a PR campaign where they come out and say we are going to investment in orca recreational pools to give them the true space they need to swim and play, or institute policies that respect the need to keep calves with their mothers. As small as these things are, it would go a long way to make the general public feel a little more at ease that some of these addressable issues are being corrected.

Hanging n' Banging said:

I really can’t believe that after watching one documentary that is so one sided, people have such polarizing opinions about Sea World. It really surprised me what I saw on social after the film was released.

I am not saying that there isn’t any truth to the film, but it would be interesting for someone independent to fact check all of the claims and offer a more balanced viewpoint of what is really going on.

If you are going to have an opinion on the topic, that is fine, just have an informed opinion and understand the complete picture. I don’t think that one two hour documentary, produced by a filmmaker who clearly had an ax to grind, frames out the whole situation accurately and factual.

Change "SeaWorld" to "McDonald's" and you've summed up how I feel about Spurlock's Super Size Me.

So going to SeaWorld makes you fat?

Yes.

Jeff said:

So going to SeaWorld makes you fat?

5000 calories a day of anything will make you fat and unhealthy.

McDonald's is as harmful to you as SeaWorld is to orcas.

Take that however you'd like.

Mmmmm…. Orca burger with cheese. Tasty.

What about 5000 calories of Orca? I heard it's full of Omega 3's?

That would be Omega 15,000! :-o

You should listen to me, I'm kind of an expert on this. *wink*

Does anyone else find it funny that a movie titled "Blackfish" is about a marine mammal?

Never even heard of this film until this post. I have a strong feeling I'm in the majority.

It was relatively unheard of until CNN ran a marathon showing of it over the course of a few days a month or two back.