(Hon) Kate Wilkinson was quick to seize the opportunity to infer that those opposed to 1080 were part of a growing "anti-1080 movement" which she suggests is becoming increasingly violent on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Ms. Wilkinson was referring to a reported assault that took place at a marine protection meeting in Tairua on the weekend.
The incident was an act of aggression, and in no way reflects the behavior of the majority of those who oppose the use of 1080 poison to kill wildlife in New Zealand.
However, a person who was present at the meeting said the assault was different to the perspective offered by the Minister of Conservation. The person stated that the dispute had been brewing for several years, and was over the killing of 9 pig-hunters' dogs shot by the Waikato Conservation Board Chairman, Arthur Hinds, the victim of the assault. Whether you agree with shooting dogs or not, this is an emotive issue, and was what was behind the assault, the informant stated.
Perhaps a better way to have commented on the incident was to simply condemn the assault on the respected member of the community, and then allow the Police to handle the incident..
But this is not the first time the pro-1080 lobby have taken advantage of an opportunity to paint people opposed to1080, in a bad light. In 2008 a 1080 contractor's dog was allegedly poisoned by "anti-1080 protestors". However, after the police report was completed, many months later, it was found that a likely cause of the dog's death was the dog coming into contact with traces of 1080 poison lying in the back of the contractor's vehicle.
It is understandable that DoC wishes to stem the growing number of people in the community opposed to the use of 1080 poison, but this is not the way to do it.
What happened on the weekend was an assault by an individual, and it will be dealt with by the police. To turn this into an opportunity to try to brand those who oppose 1080 as part of an increasingly violent "anti-1080 movement", is offensive, and provocative.
The way in which 1080 is used is certainly emotive, and so it should be - it takes animals from hours to days to die from the effects of the poison. To watch your pet die is one of the most horrific events someone could witness.
To have poison dropped around your property, and have your water supplies threatened with poison, is very emotive.
People are tired of having their pets poisoned, and their health threatened, at the same time as being told that it's for the greater good!
It's time to stop the anti-social practice of aerially spreading 1080, and to use more targeted options of pest control - It's time to consider not only the welfare of the wildlife, but also the communities and the people that live around them.
To watch the documentary on this issue, please click the link below
To watch the documentary on this issue, please click the link below
ENDS.
Posts
Its amusing and some what weak to be honest Clyde that you should be trying to distance yourself and the whole anti 1080 camp from the cowardly assault on Arthur Hinds, Especially when one of your close friends and fellow anti 1080 activists Graeme Sturgeon from Thames who claims to speak on behalf of the entire Coromandel as well as anti 1080 groups elsewhere has been non stop (since this assault took place) on the trademe message boards boasting about and commending it as a just reward for someone involved in 1080 use. Not to mention implying further such action will be perpetrated on other 1080 users.
ReplyDeleteIn light of the above, trying to distance yourself and those that support you by claiming it was primarily a dog shooting issue rather than anti 1080 sentiment that motivated this assault is as dishonest as your entire post itself. A post which makes these claims but then immediately breaks itself into typically emotive and irrational anti 1080 rant.
I think my case was clear - I was trying to point out in the press report that the pro-1080 lobby have used this incident as an opportunity to smear all those opposed to 1080 - which is not unusual.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have been told, Mr Hinds has now been involved with he shooting of over 15 dogs. Once again, whether you agree with shooting dogs or not, from what I was told, this is what the issue was over.
In regard to your assumption that I am a "close friend" of Graeme Sturgeon - I have not spoken to Graeme, this year. I would say that I know Graeme, he has supported my standing for Environment Waikato, for which I was very grateful - I support his opposition to the use of 1080, but I would not say I am a close friend, and I think he would say the same. Your assumption is out of line.
What Graeme states and supports on Trademe, is his business. I don't read the Trademe posts, and if you don't like them, perhaps, neither should you.
If what is stated on the site is a breach of the law, (as is the use of aerially applied 1080 poison) it will no doubt be dealt with accordingly.
I don't break into "typically emotive and irrational anti 1080 rant" - I do use every opportunity to inform the public about the dangers, and the truth behind the use of 1080 poison.
If a person is opposed to 1080 poison use - I don't believe they are "anti-1080 activists" - but rather, they are sane, humane, responsible New Zealanders.
To the contrary, it is often those that support the use of 1080 that are irrational - definitely ill informed, and ignorant - and support an inhumane practice.
"definitely ill informed, and ignorant"
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Here we go again with the ever-so-rational debate.
I support (conditionally) the use of 1080, Clyde. Am I 'ill informed and ignorant"?
"smear all those opposed to 1080"
ReplyDeleteDo you know what irony means, Clyde? LOL ;)
I'm sorry, I'm not trying to incite, I just believe it to be true - or we wouldn't be dropping a deadly, persistent, and cruel poison across our entire ecosystems.
ReplyDeleteAnswer the question, Clyde: I support (conditionally) the use of 1080, Clyde. Am I 'ill informed and ignorant"?
ReplyDeleteI don't mean any disrespect, but you've asked me directly - so, in my opinion, if you support the use of 1080 poison I believe you are, at least, ill informed.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to ignorant - I couldn't know. You may agree with the inhumane poisoning of 10's of 1000's of animals and birds, in the name of what you believe to be - "the greater good".
For me, I don't want to accept the death of one single native, from any species, in the name of the greater good. I want to target the pest directly, that's doing the damage - in the name of the greater good.
You said those who support 1080 are DEFINITELY ill informed AND ignorant. Did you not mean what you wrote?
ReplyDeleteThere's an old saying, Clyde - when you have to result to insults, you are out of ideas and have lost the argument.
What's next, more Nazi comparisons? LOL
That may be true, if I was intending to insult - I was not - I was merely stating a fact.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is, the use of aerially applied 1080 poison laced food, across New Zealand's ecosystems, is ecocide!
They say ignorance is bliss. That must be why I'm so happy!
ReplyDeleteNow you've got me reeling with your favourite "ignorance/ill-informed" 1-2. Must be time to bring out your "Nazi-like" haymaker? :)
Clyde, you don't seem to be very bright because you have totally missed the point. Whether you are a good friend of Graeme Sturgeons or not (his claim not mine btw) is just as irrelevant as whether I like his Trademe posts or not.
ReplyDeleteThe point is that contrary to what you try to claim you would only have to read half of what is being written on public forums to see that there is plenty of condonance from among many in the anti 1080 camp for the assault on Arthur Hinds. And that much of this sentiment is fueled because Arthur has been involved with 1080 use, rather than the killing of dogs straying onto his property.
In fact Graeme Sturgeon and other like him from among the anti 1080 groups have been publicly boasting about the assault on Arthur Hinds none stop since it took place. Saying they that it was a just reward for his 1080 use. Graeme also says they "have been preparing to fight" and that other 1080 supporters are likely to suffer similar fate in the future. Not only that but Graeme claims to have been at the meeting and witnessed the assault. It is also apparent from what he has written that his group attended the meeting uninvited with the intention of "protesting about the use of 1080" even though 1080 use was not the actual subject of the meeting. Not only that but that the coward that carried out this assault either came from among his group or from another one of these anti groups who went along with the intention of disrupting it by protesting about 1080.
So in light of all the above Clyde, your claims that the media have been inaccurate or dishonest in reporting that the assault etc was carried out by anti 1080 protesters and that it was fueled by anti 1080 sentiment is total nonsense.
Time to open your eyes and see what is around you, rather than just seeing what you want to see. But of course you won't so that though will you Clyde. Otherwise you might just have to include pigs being deliberatly maimed, tortured, and killed by packs of pig hunters dogs among the "inhumane practices" you protest so vocally against.
I would rather be not "very bright" and rational, than be ignorant and support the willful destruction of our wildlife.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to add, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being less intelligent, despite the way some of our arrogant, "intelligent" members of our society try to infer. Intelligence is a gift, a fortunate attribute - but it is not automatically attached to wisdom. Many not "very bright" people, are very wise, and yes, like intelligence, wisdom is one attribute I wish I had more of.
I don't spend much time reading public forums. However, I would be very surprised if there was a consensus supporting the attack on Mr Hinds. As I have stated, the police will deal with the issue.
My opposition was toward the eagerness of the Minister of Conservation to seize an opportunity to attack the rational and informed members of the public that are opposed to the ecocidal practice of aerially spreading 1080 poison, when from what I have been informed, was involving another issue.
In regard to pig hunting - You make a very valid point. However, I think you assume I am a pig hunter - I am not. I agree with you, I do not like dogs attacking pigs. I hope that pig hunters would adopt the practice of bailing pigs, rather than the holding of pigs. I would also like to add that I haven't shot a deer in over 4 years, despite what the hysterical pro-1080 lobby like to assume.
Am I opposed to hunting? Absolutely not! Hunters are the most responsible consumers of meat, there are.
Most people visit the super market with no regard to the torture the animal presented on the meat shelf, has been through. Just blind ignorance. Do you eat meat, K? Good on you, if you don't. Thanks for your input.
"the torture the animal presented on the meat shelf, has been through."
ReplyDeleteOh dear.
Socrates said something like "wisdom begins in the recognition of how little we know". You should consider that in your quest for wisdom, Clyde.
Has there been any more word on this?
ReplyDeleteHi Arron,
ReplyDeleteYes there is further word on this. The coward who committed this assault has now been named as Peter Findlay from Thames Corromandel.
See http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/5552866/Shooting-of-dog-triggered-attack
and http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/5546832/1080-protestor-convicted-for-punch
This is interesting for several reasons because while it can be seen from the above links that Peter Findlay attempts to hide his face rather than face the public over the cowardly assault he committed while backed up by his anti 1080 friends, it seems he is more than happy to pose for the camera at other times.
In fact page 3 of the Dec 16th edition of "The Corromandel Peninsular Post" (you can download it here: http://www.peninsulapost.co.nz/Past-Issues) has a nice little photo of this Peter Findlay and his foul mouthed wife Val (the woman who was shouting obscenities and giving everyone the fingers while her husband appeared on assault charges) posing with none other than Clyde Graff himself. Here they are all posing together on the steps of Parliament after having traveled down there to present one their anti 1080 petitions. It seems Clyde is more intimately acquainted to this Peter Findlay than his postings above would have us believe.
Interestingly also pictured with Clyde is Graeme Sturgeon (another irrational anti 1080 nutter from Thames Clyde would have us believe he does not know very well). Graeme Sturgeons propensity toward making stupid threats and fabricating absolute nonsense on behalf of the anti 1080 camp is already well known.
lol, meanwhile Clyde trys his best here to distance himself and the anti1080 camp away from these violent and irrational nutters, their assaults, and other generally feral behavior. According to Clyde these things "in no way reflects the behavior of the majority of those who oppose the use of 1080"
Well Clyde, it certainly seems to reflect the behavior of those who spearhead and speak on behalf of such movements!