Talk:Paul Watson

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Contents 1 Old comments 2 marriages 3 Presence at Wounded Knee contested 4 "Animal protest industry" 5 Quotes section 6 Quality of references 7 Avon Ladies? 8 Captain's license 9 A Gray whale or Sperm whale? 10 Terrorism

[edit] Old comments

As written, this article has a strong anti-Watson slant throughout the entire article. I would do an NPOV rewrite myself (as I did for the Paul R. Ehrlich entry, which also had a strong anti-Ehrlich slant before the rewrite) except I don't know enough about Watson or enough biographical info to do a good article. This article definitely needs some attention. Kaibabsquirrel 15:47, 26 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Since no one is disputing this article's contents, I'm going to change the tag from NPOV, which is used for disputes, to "Biased", which is used for articles where there is no active dispute. Regardless of the tag, it does need work. -Willmcw 06:48, Apr 25, 2005 (UTC)

I did a complete rewrite today and removed the tag. Kaibabsquirrel 01:29, 19 May 2005 (UTC)

Thanks, much improved. The only significant thing that I notice missing is an account of the Makah whaling matter. Watson got a lot press coverage over it and even still the pro-Makah webpages are among the top Google hits for Watson. It probably deserves a paragraph. Cheers, -Willmcw 01:37, May 19, 2005 (UTC)

I thought of that but wasn't sure whether it should go here or in the Sea Shepherd article. Kaibabsquirrel 21:38, 22 May 2005 (UTC)

Either one. I note that you, citing duplication, deleted a reference to the Norwegian conviction which said he served jail time. Now references in both articles imply that he did not. Is that correct? Cheers, -Willmcw 22:05, May 22, 2005 (UTC)

Best I have been able to find out, Norway sentenced him to 120 days in absentia, Dutch authorities at first detained him because of the Norway sentence but then refused to extradite him. So he never served any of the sentence. He did spend 60 or so days in detention in the Netherlands before being released. Relevant articles: [1] [2] [3] Kaibabsquirrel 22:46, 22 May 2005 (UTC)

Perhaps we could add that as well. If the time was only a detention while extradition was being considered, then it would be helpful to have that stated. Watson himself mentions his jail time with pride, so some mention should be in the bio. Thanks for the research. -Willmcw 22:52, May 22, 2005 (UTC)

On the 1998 Makah whaling issue this sentence does not make historical sense: "anarchists associated with Indymedia supported the whaling." The first Indymedia centre was not established till the WTO meeting in Seattle in 1999. Therefore the description is inaccurate. Does it mean "anarchists who would later become associated with Indymedia?" --Takver 06:01, 13 January 2006 (UTC)

Now it just says '...and anarchists supported the whaling' which makes it sound like all anarchists. Could this be made a bit more specific by adding something like 'anarchists who would later become associated with Indymedia'? I don't know anything about the groups so I hope someone else can make it more accurate. 81.109.115.135 (talk) 01:06, 7 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] marriages

A question came up on Sea Shepherd and I noticed that neither of Watson's wives are mentioned here. That's a significant oversight, as at least one has gained media and legal attention for her activities. -Willmcw 00:02, August 4, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Presence at Wounded Knee contested

I have removed this sentence and the note by Paul Watson as the information in the note provides more than enough evidence of his participation at Wounded Knee.--Takver 22:38, 10 May 2006 (UTC)

"but his presence there is contested by a number of Native American participants who write of his claims as further grandstanding."

Note added by Paul Watson

(3) During the summer of 1999, there was much discussion on Native American internet chat sites that Paul Watson did not participate in the occupation of Wounded Knee. Evidence that he was a participant at Wounded Knee in March 1993 can be found in reports filed to and published in the Vancouver Sun newspaper. Specifically these reports were published on March 14, 1973 and March 23 1973 by Robert Hunter. The reports were filed from Paul Watson to Vancouver Sun Columnist Robert Hunter during March and April 1973. Both Paul Watson and David Garrick (who was also a participant in the occupation) wrote and published accounts of their experience at Wounded Knee in the Vancouver weekly newspaper the Georgia Straight.

In the book – Voices from Wounded Knee 1973, published by Akwesasne Notes. This was a publication by the Mohawk Nation in Rooseveltown, New York. © 1974. ISBN 0-914838-01-6. Library of Congress Catalog Number 74-82402.

The author is pictured on page 65. 2nd person from bottom left of the picture: wearing a Cowichan woolen sweater, seated with chin resting on right hand. The author is also pictured on page 76. Upper right corner of picture: Last person in row of people marching. Wearing Cowichan sweater and hat. Page 201 Center rear of picture. Wearing Cowichan hat, appears between a woman in a long coat and man with cowboy hat. Page 245 – David Garrick appears (1st person on left, standing with walking stick.)

fr:Paul Watson

[edit] "Animal protest industry"

This appears to me to be a neologism created by the editor. Is there any source to call him a member of this so-called industry? As it appears to be unsourced derogatory information it may be reverted on sight. -Will Beback · † · 02:14, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Quotes section

The section needs references... I've removed it per WP:BLP pending actual sourcing being provided.--Isotope23 21:42, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Quality of references

Should we care for a quality of references and whether the referenced source is trustworthy? I'm new to Wikipedia, but I hope so. In this case the reference labeled [4] that goes after saying Paul Watson is an eco-terrorist should be removed or changed for a more credible source. Ollyn 08:54, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

That reference [4] is to a site belonging to Center for Consumer Freedom, which is a lobby group for a variety of businesses. It is appropriate to include their viewpoint, but it'd be best if the source were clearly labelled. Another point is that they don't actually use the term "ecoterrorist". They do use similar terms. It'd be better to get the quote right. -Will Beback · † · 19:15, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, I know that activist cash is CCF's resource. (By the way, it reads Paul Watson is an environmental terrorist, which is just another wording of eco-terrorist.) That's what I see to be the reason why the reference should be changed. CCF happens to be anti-environmental. Quoting them on any environmental issue in negative light may be biased. I suggest to either find a more credible source to refer to (but I doubt one would find such a source with labeling Paul Watson as an eco-terrorist), or change wording to one saying that Paul Watson is called an eco-terrorist only by organizations (or their lobbies) that he opposes to, with an appropriate reference to such organizations. If it's ok with you, I will work it out. Ollyn 21:46, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Avon Ladies?

The source referenced for the Avon Ladies quote doesn't mention that line. Does anyone have another reference? Greenman 20:52, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

It's perhaps his most famous line, and is often repeated. He corrects a quotation of it here: [5]. He quotes himself to a National Geographic writer here: [6] ·:· Will Beback ·:· 09:39, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Captain's license

Anyone know where he has his captain's license from? Or if he actually has one? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.168.80.162 (talk) 04:26, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] A Gray whale or Sperm whale?

I was reading Peter Heller's Whale Warriors (2007), and I noticed a quote of Watson's he writes about seemed strange. In this quote Watson says that in June 1975, he and Robert Hunter were confronting Soviet whalers off the coast of Siberia. Here they were hunting gray whales. A big, dying male gray whale surfaces near Watson's zodiac, and in this whale's eye he sees "understanding." He said that moment changed his life forever. He also says this was the first time they used zodiacs to get in front of the Soviet harpoon guns. Now, on here and on Watson's website it says this encounter occurred (in the same month mind you) off California, and involved sperm whales. Perhaps this little tidbit should be included here? Anyone agree? Jonas Poole (talk) 02:47, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

No, maybe he just forgot over time. There's no reason to assume the story is false, or to assume he's lying about his inspiration for his work. It seems like you're just finding things to "prove him wrong" as if forgetting a whale type implies that his entire political reasoning is wrong. - Anonymous, 14 April 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.179.68.230 (talk)

There's a big difference between a gray whale (a baleen whale) and a sperm whale (a toothed whale), as well as Siberia and California. I don't think he forgot what happened, seeing as how he clearly made both stories up. Jonas Poole (talk) 00:46, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Terrorism

To be honest, I don't think Paul Watson is a terrorist. He was, however, accused of being a terrorist by a government official today[7], and (to my surprise) he meets the criteria laid out in Category:Terrorists. Anyone have an opinion on this? - TheMightyQuill (talk) 03:10, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

His cat should be obvious: Ecofascist. --tickle me 17:57, 19 April 2008 (UTC)