Jailing the Good Guys (and Gals)

In this upside down world we live in, there are times when the good guys get put away and the bad guys roam free.

That appears to be the situation in the case of Captain Paul Watson of the marine conservancy group, Sea Shepherd. He was recently arrested in Germany on a warrant from Costa Rica and faces possible extradition.

Anybody who has been watching the news about this and has seen the documentary, Sharkwater, can gather that this is a politically-motivated move from Costa Rica, possibly backed by money and pressure from the Japanese government and the Taiwanese mafia, the latter making millions of dollars from the shark fin trade.

Jailed activist Tim DeChristopher is currently facing the music in jail in the United States after in illegally intervened in 2008 in what was later said to be an illegal auction of land to mining companies in Utah. He is well into a two year jail sentence and currently waiting the outcome of an appeal.

These guys are prominent. There are many other activists lounging in jail around the world who stood up against the destruction of the environment. And of course it is not just guys but also gals who get put away.

What this normally boils down to is powerful interests versus the people. Big business interests and governments want to cow the people into submission so that they can make massive profits, often at the expense of people and the environment. It is not difficult to see that some of these company bosses and politicians should be the ones in jail.

This issue has come to prominence following the moves by the Occupy Wall Street movement that began last year, which has mushroomed into a host of “Occupy” causes, including Occupy Our Food and Occupy Earth.

But in the arrest and jailing of activists lies hope.

Paul Watson’s arrest in Germany has refocused attention on the plunder and overfishing of marine life in the oceans. In his calls to supporters, he has stressed that “this is not about me, it is about the message.” He’s getting a lot of press.

The problem for those who favor the status quo and the companies and governments wrecking the marine life balance is that Watson is a loud-mouth. He is not taking this quietly. He can use his arrest as a renewed call for support for marine conservancy. And he is doing so.

The arrest of people like Watson and DeChristopher shows the power that one person can wield if they put their mind to it. By standing up, they help people identify with the cause and can be a rallying point.

These guys matter because they walk the talk. They take action. They are not afraid to face the consequences of taking action.

They set the trail.

Are you ready to follow in their footsteps or blaze your own trail?

We need more people life Watson and DeChristopher.

GO TO SEA SHEPHERD TO OFFER SUPPORT FOR PAUL WATSON
GO TO PEACEFUL UPRISING TO OFFER SUPPORT FOR TIM DECHRISTOPHER