Free Tilly: stop punishing animals for instinct
Sara Gregory
Issue date: 3/8/10 Section: Opinion
This week I am picking a fight with the American Family Association (AFA). I formally invite the entire non-profit organization of AFA (2,486,971 strong) to find me any time, any place - because I am ready to rumble.
A story released by the Huffington Post on March 3 revealed that the AFA has some beef with the killer whale Tilly who recently ate her SeaWorld trainer in Orlando. Apparently SeaWorld is not dealing with the animal correctly.
The organization is asserting that Tilly be killed immediately due to the record of her violent past - preferably by stoning. The AFA points blame even farther to SeaWorld's curator of animal behavior, Chuck Thompson, through Scripture:
"When an ox gores a man to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall not be liable" (Exodus 21:28). But if your ox kills a second time, "the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death" (Exodus 21:29).
While SeaWorld is taking the high road and ignoring this verbal attack altogether, I am compelled to dive a little deeper. This "suggestion" made by a "family" oriented group is just wrong on so many levels I don't know where to begin.
Let's just start with the obvious: where the hell will AFA find enough stones? Last I checked the average killer whale is four times the length of a 6-foot human and weighs 3 to 4 tons, so this would be the longest and bloodiest stoning of all time.
Realistically you would have to stone Tilly in the water; otherwise she would suffocate before you inflicted enough internal bleeding. Then, exactly how long would you be willing to throw stones at a rubber giant in a shallow pool? How many years?
Also consider that killer whales are the largest species of dolphin; Tilly alone is probably more intelligent than every AFA member combined (and may not be Christian). I bet she wasn't even hungry - just pissed off from years of turning tricks for strangers.
Then the name of the majestic beast: the killer whale. It's no surprise the instinct of a killer whale is to kill someone amidst performing tricks outside of her natural habitat. Where were you in 2003, AFA? Busy creating your pretty Web page?
A story released by the Huffington Post on March 3 revealed that the AFA has some beef with the killer whale Tilly who recently ate her SeaWorld trainer in Orlando. Apparently SeaWorld is not dealing with the animal correctly.
The organization is asserting that Tilly be killed immediately due to the record of her violent past - preferably by stoning. The AFA points blame even farther to SeaWorld's curator of animal behavior, Chuck Thompson, through Scripture:
"When an ox gores a man to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall not be liable" (Exodus 21:28). But if your ox kills a second time, "the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death" (Exodus 21:29).
While SeaWorld is taking the high road and ignoring this verbal attack altogether, I am compelled to dive a little deeper. This "suggestion" made by a "family" oriented group is just wrong on so many levels I don't know where to begin.
Let's just start with the obvious: where the hell will AFA find enough stones? Last I checked the average killer whale is four times the length of a 6-foot human and weighs 3 to 4 tons, so this would be the longest and bloodiest stoning of all time.
Realistically you would have to stone Tilly in the water; otherwise she would suffocate before you inflicted enough internal bleeding. Then, exactly how long would you be willing to throw stones at a rubber giant in a shallow pool? How many years?
Also consider that killer whales are the largest species of dolphin; Tilly alone is probably more intelligent than every AFA member combined (and may not be Christian). I bet she wasn't even hungry - just pissed off from years of turning tricks for strangers.
Then the name of the majestic beast: the killer whale. It's no surprise the instinct of a killer whale is to kill someone amidst performing tricks outside of her natural habitat. Where were you in 2003, AFA? Busy creating your pretty Web page?
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Erin
posted 3/08/10 @ 1:13 PM CST
Two great big thumbs up! If anyone should be stoned it should be those that placed a killer whale in an over-sized fishbowl in the first place. Keep it coming :)
Ken Petrowski
posted 3/08/10 @ 1:47 PM CST
I would like to know who gave the animal rights activists a column in the paper. I personally do not want to read about sum nut jobs opinion about saving a oversized dolphin who has murdered numerous people. (Continued…)
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