Fishermen/Spearos/Kayakfishermen are intimidating and violent--the new enviro tactic

[zenspearo]

Guys/gals,

I've been talking to a few people and we notice a particular pattern emerging recently and in a quite coordinated manner.

Taking a page out of the 60's playbook against the civil rights movement, there is now a coordinated effort on the anti-fishing side to paint spearos, fishermen, and anyone who shows up at MLPA meeting to testify as "intimidation."

The lynching attempt is on.

This is a well-proven strategy for those in power.

By painting those of us who exercise our constitutional right to peacefully assemble and speak up and redress grievances as "violent" or "intimidation", they hope to motivate their sympathetic authority to take action to repress.

We see this latest coordinated effort increasing in tempo and volume at the June 4, 2009 BRTF meeting and subsequently online. Person after person, RSG members and non-RSG members from the enviro side, come up to the BRTF and allege generalized "intimidation" by fishermen and then spread the same message online. This is despite the fact that out of over 200 spearo/kayakfishermen/fishermen showing up at the meeting, not a single incident can be cited.

ZERO EVIDENCE. For that, we should be proud.

You are now the new Selma marchers. You are bucking a hostile governmental/private coalition in asking for fairness and consideration for yourself. Learn the lesson from history. Peace and persistent are key.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_t...gomery_marches

Your best bet, your ONLY choice, and the purpose of this post, is NOT to play into their hands. Every spearo, kayakfisherman, commercial fisherman makes his/her best impact when you show up, you continue to speak respectfully, you act civilly, you continue to work peacefully, smile, educate, and recruit convert, and you represent the best of the gentleman sportsman tradition.

Let your passion and energy be channeled into organizing, showing up, and delivering the best points you can, as well as smile and win converts.

Remember that Spearboard is heavily monitored (Steve Benavides, one of the enviro RSG, admitted that much in the recent OC Diving News discussions). Materials have been plagiarized from my writing by a Coastkeeper's RSG member.

We are leading by example, and they are struggling to paint us as violent and intimidation (thank god the days of lynching and dogs and firehoses are behind us). There have been attempts at provoking us into responding (one tried to provoke me at the last meeting). Just let it roll off.

So the fanatics will try to provoke--I'm pretty sure it's going to be a coordinated effort on this point from hereon. Anything they can do to reinforce their attempt at painting spearos, fishermen, and kayakfishermen as intimidating. This is a frequently-used Childrens' Pool tactics by the seal people--slash out and then play the victim--a well-worn page in their playbook.

Just smile and hand out literature and speak civilly. Going forward, if we are going to f$ck up, or if they can goad us into f$cking up, losing our cool and getting censured for "intimidation" is the way it's gonna happen and their wetdream comes true.

Stay friendly, stay frosty, do your best to let it roll off your back. If you get yelled at or spit on--don't fight, don't react. Go get a DFG agent at the meeting and report. Or get me or Chris Fiero or someone similar, and we'll deal with it.

[Kelsea]

I've noticed this trend recently too... I can dig up a few quotes from OC diving newslist on this. Aparently Dr. Bill thinks that he's never seen an "enviro" intimidate anyone, but he's seen "consumptives" do it frequently... whatever. Guess he doesnt keep up w/ the FOS saga? Or the video evidence that we have online?

I agree that the peacefull protest strategy has been working to our favor so far... the black shirts and orange stickers were a great example of this at the last BRFT meeting.

[Chris Lupin]

Its like the British and India, except Joe is our Gandhi

[Kelsea]

Originally Posted by fruitlupes25

Its like the British and India, except Joe is our Gandhi

Sheeat, I'm ready to throw a good ol' fashioned Tea Party.

I am a direct decendent of Virginia's first families. Later, it was my blood who kicked the Brittish out when they took took many of our freedoms...

Stay peacefull for a long as possible.

[rojodiablo]

I am just here herding wet cats. Like Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction- "Be cool"

[zenspearo]

Originally Posted by fruitlupes25

Its like the British and India, except Joe is our Gandhi

Big difference.

Gandhi likes to wear his loin cloth.

I prefer "going commando."

['o Cino]

It is for this reason, EVERY DIVE, I make it a point to chat with standby's and tourists. 9 out of 10 times, they walk away interested in the sport and better educated. The last 10 percent you won't influence anyway.

Gave away my last two SDFD stickers to kids who promised they'd try fishing one day..with their parents agreeing, and saying how neat it is to only take a particular fish for dinner.

[Nekton]

Originally Posted by 'o Cino

It is for this reason, EVERY DIVE, I make it a point to chat with standby's and tourists. 9 out of 10 times, they walk away interested in the sport and better educated. The last 10 percent you won't influence anyway.

Gave away my last two SDFD stickers to kids who promised they'd try fishing one day..with their parents agreeing, and saying how neat it is to only take a particular fish for dinner.

I do the same. Easy to convince people around LJ Cove how selective I am since most of my dives I don't shoot anything! LA/

[Wind_in_his_hair]

Originally Posted by Kelsea

Sheeat, I'm ready to throw a good ol' fashioned Tea Party.

I am a direct decendent of Virginia's first families. Later, it was my blood who kicked the Brittish out when they took took many of our freedoms...

Stay peacefull for a long as possible.

Our ancestors were probably on the same boat!

[So Cal Shaggy]

Originally Posted by ladvr

Our ancestors were probably on the same boat!

Originally Posted by Kelsea

Sheeat, I'm ready to throw a good ol' fashioned Tea Party.

I am a direct decendent of Virginia's first families. Later, it was my blood who kicked the Brittish out when they took took many of our freedoms...

Stay peacefull for a long as possible.

Hey, I bet some of my ancestors scalped some you ancestors.

[Kelsea]

Originally Posted by So Cal Shaggy

Hey, I bet some of my ancestors scalped some you ancestors.

Was that before or after we gave your ancestors smallpox infected sleeping blankets? Careful Jeff, this could get ugly.

[Kelsea]

Originally Posted by ladvr

Our ancestors were probably on the same boat!

Hey cuz'!

I'll PM you an interesting site w/ my ancestors names on it. See if yours are there too.

[So Cal Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Kelsea

Was that before or after we gave your ancestors smallpox infected sleeping blankets? Careful Jeff, this could get ugly.

[aaron proffitt]

Damn pale faces .... Anytime I am late for work my reply to my boss is always the same

"I don't acknowledge the White man's clock ..."

[Tino Bernazzani]

Wow,
If they feel threatened and intimidated from 30 seconds of speaking time,
Can you imagine if everyone was given 2 minutes.