Another young girl is trying to introduce legislation to outlaw using animals as lucrative entertainment. Like the girl who promoted the state fossil in South Carolina, she is acting far more maturely than her elders, including the lawmakers.
According to yesterday’s Malibu Times, a fifth grader (i.e., about 11 years old) is trying to stop the use of killer whales as entertainment:
Assembly member Richard Bloom, with the help of Malibu fifth-grader Kirra Kotler, introduced an act into the California State Assembly this week that would end Orca whale captivity for performance or entertainment in California.
Kotler, who came to the public spotlight in December when she and her parents led the protest against Point Dume Elementary’s annual SeaWorld field trip after watching the controversial “Blackfish” documentary, travelled to Sacramento this week with Bloom and her family to present a petition in support of the act on Monday, April 8.
The Orca Welfare and Safety Act, presented to Assemblyman Anthony Rendon, Chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, contained 1.2 million signatures from supporters all over California.
Here’s a photo of Bloom and Kirra Kotler in Sacramento (the state capital):
It’s inspiring that someone so young tries so hard to make a difference—and may succeed! Olivia McConnell, who got the mammoth approved as South Carolina’s official state fossil (granted, with a rider that it was created on the sixth day!), was only eight. You don’t have to be of voting age to change your state’s laws.
And I would suggest avoiding any place like SeaWorld that rakes in dough by using large marine mammals as entertainment. In a just universe, the owners of SeaWorld would be kidnapped by Martians and put on display, being forced to balance balls on their noses in order to get food.
h/t: Douglas
Totally coincadinkally, I just this moment finished reading a short story by Jonathan Lethem ( April 7 New Yorker) which takes place at SeaWorld. ( woooooooo, must be some kind of synchronicity -NOT).
(Yes, “an acausal connecting principle” that leads to asignificant results!)
…
Heartfelt congrats to Kirra, in case she reads this!
(*The first sentence above is a wisecrack about Jung’s idea “synchronicity” that Merilee was joking about — not referring to the very significant act of trying to save captured whales!)
There was an episode of Bugs Bunny where Bugs fell asleep fishing and dreamt that a fish was hunting him. As a child, I found this disturbing and it made me empathize with the fish. So, I guess whoever made that cartoon episode sort of thought along the lines of humans being put on display by aliens.
I also find the silly shows elephants put on as horribly demeaning to them and I’m surprised more don’t rampage.
Kudos to that young lady!
Sadly that bill has been neutered already. In committee it couldn’t get enough votes to pass unless it was turned into a study bill.
Sad indeed, but hopefully Kirra represents a growing number among our younger folks who can have an impact on reducing the numbers of animals in captivity.
Indeed! I hope she takes this setback as the beginning of journey and not the end.
I think if they have whales that can’t be released into the wild they should keep them. But laws should be introduced to make things better, but entertainment isn’t always mindless. If whales are encouraged to come up with there own tricks (I’ve heard of this but can’t find a link) then I think that is a good alternative to swimming around in circles all day.
Yeah, SeaWorld doesn’t really do anything like that. And the facilities that they keep orcas in aren’t nearly big enough, either.
Oh yeah thumbs way up for this little girl.Free Willy and all the whales.
I was a bit disturbed to hear recently that Sea World had obtained the services of another performing animal recently. So, apparently, was her grandad. It didn’t seem to go well with the ‘eco-warrior’ kind of cred that the family might have easily retained.
It’s a start toward raising people’s consciousness. It’s damnable that that process is always so slow.
Reblogged this on Ek Boond Ishq Unofficial.