Author Topic: Looking at 20 Years in Prison for Feeding a Whale (Read 11728 times)

Ben · « **on:** January 09, 2012, 04:04:42 PM »

I'm pretty sure some murderers get less time than this. I'm thinking this might be worse than the British guy getting arrested for the racial slur. A fine maybe -- but 20 years? This MMPA stuff is WAY over-abused by the .gov.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/317451

MechAg94 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2012, 09:34:10 AM »

Do you think she will actually get that much or is that just the prosecutor playing bad cop?

vaskidmark · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2012, 09:44:15 AM »

Is she being charged with feeding the whale or lying about feeding the whale?

If the latter, she's toast.

stay safe.

Ben · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2012, 10:12:24 AM »

Quote from: MechAg94 on January 10, 2012, 09:34:10 AM

Do you think she will actually get that much or is that just the prosecutor playing bad cop?

I don't for a second think she'll get twenty years or even any jail time. She'll get a very large fine. That's how MMPA and LMR enforcement works -- they're geared toward collecting fines that go into an enforcement fund that's used to continue going after people like this. Much like the War on Drugs with confiscation of property. It creates a climate of people who are more concerned about using the law as a funding opportunity than actually following the spirit of the law.

What I find completely appalling is that we actually have a law for which the maximum potentially penalty is 20 YEARS IN PRISON for feeding a whale, or even 20 years for what the law is supposed to be about - harassing marine mammals. Even if she was driving her boat around, chasing whales and shooting them with paintball guns, she shouldn't be open to a maximum punishment like that. I can't think of any "crime against whales" that would justifiably result in that maximum penalty. Especially when, as I mentioned earlier, people can get less time for murder, or child molestation, or any number of crimes that are more heinous than this.

roo_ster · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2012, 10:46:42 AM »

Quote from: Ben on January 10, 2012, 10:12:24 AM

I don't for a second think she'll get twenty years or even any jail time. She'll get a very large fine. That's how MMPA and LMR enforcement works -- they're geared toward collecting fines that go into an enforcement fund that's used to continue going after people like this. Much like the War on Drugs with confiscation of property. It creates a climate of people who are more concerned about using the law as a funding opportunity than actually following the spirit of the law.

What I find completely appalling is that we actually have a law for which the maximum potentially penalty is 20 YEARS IN PRISON for feeding a whale, or even 20 years for what the law is supposed to be about - harassing marine mammals. Even if she was driving her boat around, chasing whales and shooting them with paintball guns, she shouldn't be open to a maximum punishment like that. I can't think of any "crime against whales" that would justifiably result in that maximum penalty. Especially when, as I mentioned earlier, people can get less time for murder, or child molestation, or any number of crimes that are more heinous than this.

There is a large contingent of morally crippled folks who like whales more than children, born of otherwise, and prefer to see molestation of the whales more vigorously prosecuted.

zxcvbob · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2012, 11:46:29 AM »

Quote from: Ben on January 10, 2012, 10:12:24 AM

I don't for a second think she'll get twenty years or even any jail time. She'll get a very large fine. That's how MMPA and LMR enforcement works -- they're geared toward collecting fines that go into an enforcement fund that's used to continue going after people like this. Much like the War on Drugs with confiscation of property. It creates a climate of people who are more concerned about using the law as a funding opportunity than actually following the spirit of the law.

What I find completely appalling is that we actually have a law for which the maximum potentially penalty is 20 YEARS IN PRISON for feeding a whale, or even 20 years for what the law is supposed to be about - harassing marine mammals. Even if she was driving her boat around, chasing whales and shooting them with paintball guns, she shouldn't be open to a maximum punishment like that. I can't think of any "crime against whales" that would justifiably result in that maximum penalty. Especially when, as I mentioned earlier, people can get less time for murder, or child molestation, or any number of crimes that are more heinous than this.

"maximum potential penalty is 20 years" makes her a felon with loss of civil rights if she's convicted, even if she only actually gets a $50 fine and 2 weekends of community service. (Where's the "rage" smiley? I guess this will have to do...)

Matthew Carberry · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2012, 07:37:20 PM »

Meanwhile the whale was quoted as "WTF? Do you know how hard it is to kill these things for dinner?"

grampster · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2012, 07:45:21 PM »

And there are the two TSA employees who stole $40,000.00 out of somebody's luggage and they got 6 mos. in the county jail.

Jamie B · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2012, 11:41:43 AM »

Boomhauer · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2012, 11:42:28 PM »

Does this also cover feeding those morbidly obese 600lb+ people who sit on their lazyboys for years straight, shitting and pissing themselves? Because I definitley support 20 years in jail for enabling that!

MillCreek · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2012, 01:14:40 AM »

And I recall a few years ago, when our Makah Native American tribe resumed their treaty rights to hunt whales off the Washington coast. I thought that it would have been more sporting to use the traditional cedar canoes paddled by stout men, and using wooden harpoons. But alas, they opted for outboards, a token metal harpoon and a Barrett .50 caliber to do the job. Seems odd that this would not have been a 'crime against whales', to steal Ben's nice turn of phrase.

longeyes · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2012, 11:13:43 AM »

If this doesn't make clear who really runs America, nothing will.

zxcvbob · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2012, 11:17:24 AM »

Quote from: longeyes on January 12, 2012, 11:13:43 AM

If this doesn't make clear who really runs America, nothing will.

The whales?

MillCreek · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2012, 11:27:38 AM »

I, for one, hail our new whale overlords.

TommyGunn · « **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2012, 11:54:19 AM »

This thread is going downhill at warp speed. Whale overlords........

MillCreek · « **Reply #15 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:00:47 PM »

Quote from: TommyGunn on January 12, 2012, 11:54:19 AM

This thread is going downhill at warp speed. Whale overlords........

As an exercise for the student, I will leave it to you to find out where this ranks in the APS meme list.

TommyGunn · « **Reply #16 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:03:07 PM »

Quote from: MillCreek on January 12, 2012, 12:00:47 PM

As an exercise for the student, I will leave it to you to find out where this ranks in the APS meme list.

Ain't goin' there. "Whale overlords" burned out too many circuits in my brain as it is.

Ben · « **Reply #17 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:16:33 PM »

Seems like "whale overloads" belongs in the "buzzing breaker" thread.

TommyGunn · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2012, 05:32:34 PM »

Geesh.
I made that mistake when I typed the first response but I caught it and fixed it.
Somehow managed to flub it the next time though....
however I did edit it.

Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas · « **Reply #19 on:** January 12, 2012, 05:47:12 PM »

Somewhat apropos:
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/01/12/rosie-odonnell-under-fire-for-posing-with-dead-hammerhead-shark-catch/
Rosie is now the enemy of the enviros.

Tuco · « **Reply #20 on:** January 12, 2012, 06:14:09 PM »

...all this blubbering and spouting off....

Regolith · « **Reply #21 on:** January 12, 2012, 09:02:55 PM »

Quote from: Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas on January 12, 2012, 05:47:12 PM

Rosie is now the enemy of the enviros.

But I thought they LIKED whales?

Tallpine · « **Reply #22 on:** January 12, 2012, 09:10:06 PM »

Quote from: Tuco on January 12, 2012, 06:14:09 PM

...all this blubbering and spouting off....

Just needed a sounding board.

Jamisjockey · « **Reply #23 on:** January 13, 2012, 09:33:12 AM »

You want to go all

?
Try reading, understanding, and then adhering to the federal saltwater fishing regulations.
Besides *expletive deleted*it like mmpa, you've got closed and open seasons, special international regulations on some types of fish, secondary size limits in federal waters vs. state waters, gear and tackle requirements, reporting requirements, and the list goes on.
The *expletive deleted*ing frustrating thing?
If you go to the boat dealer and buy a boat, the tackle store and buy $5,000 in gear, buy a saltwater state license, fuel up your boat, head 30 miles off shore, nobody tells you about all the extra special federal *expletive deleted*it. Especially the NOAA/NMFS migratory species acts. You can slay the blackfin tuna, but one yellowfin tuna requires a $100 federal stamp. Yeah, the fines are ridiculous if you get caught keeping that fish.

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #24 on:** January 13, 2012, 10:10:22 AM »

similar to "potomac river fisheries commission " you need on board sat nav as well as a marine biologist on board to be safe. particularly with rockfish

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Author Topic: Looking at 20 Years in Prison for Feeding a Whale (Read 11728 times)