No more Sea World for me on The Murfreesboro Post

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No more Sea World for me

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By: STEPHEN LEWIS, Post Columnist

Posted: Sunday, March 7, 2010 6:35 am

I suppose with all the deaths associated with the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile that the death of the Sea World employee at the hands, or make that fins, of a killer whale is not as tragic at first glance. Anytime a person dies before what we feel is their time, it's a tragedy. But the death of the Sea World employee is tragic on two different fronts.

In case you didn't hear about it, a trained killer whale pulled the employee in by her hair and then killed her. I've been to Sea World and seen the whale show. I've even seen the original Shamu who is probably the most famous of the trained whales. I was amazed to see all the tricks they could be taught. I cheered when he splashed the first 20 rows of the audience and left them soaking wet.

But as I've aged I've come to realize that certain animals were never meant to be kept in captivity. As loving as Willy was to little Jesse in the movie "Free Willy," a movie about how a little boy frees a captive killer whale, I also know Willy would have just as easily eaten little Jesse if he ever got the chance. Let's be honest; the name of the animal is a killer whale. It's not called a cuddling whale or a snuggly whale. It's called a killer whale.

Don't get me wrong. I've not lost my mind and signed up with PETA or anything like that. I can assure you if I went out and someone was serving Filet-o-Whale sandwiches I would be the first in line to get one with extra tartar sauce and two slices of cheese. I just think there is something fundamentally wrong with people trying to train a 20-ton animal with the word "killer" in its name.

And just so you don't focus on the word "killer" I will offer some suggestions for other words to avoid when choosing animals to train. For instance, I've seen trained brown bears up in Pigeon Forge that will dance for marshmallows. But I suggest you stay away from their distant cousin: the "polar bear." Koala ... good. Polar ... bad. You certainly don't see Eskimos coaxing polar bears to jump through a hoop for a handful of fish chum. Teddy ... good. Grizzly ... very bad. Just ask Brad Pitt's character in "Legends of the Fall."

I also recommend the staff at Sea World stay away from barracudas, stingrays, hammerhead sharks, giant squid, injured or frightened octopi, jellyfish, or any other sea creature that God has given an unfair advantage in the form of pain infliction.

For those of us who prefer dry land I recommend steering clear of wolverines, badgers, tarantulas, snakes (they’re all poisonous in my book), Tasmanian devils and dingos (when visiting Australia), pit bulls, rabid skunks, poisonous frogs, weasels and all men over the age of 25 who have Facebook accounts.

Human life is fragile. You can be gone in the blink of an eye. But when we put ourselves in harm's way we certainly increase the likelihood that our lives can be taken. I suppose as long as a profit can be made someone will always do it. I know I'll do my part though. I won't go back to Sea World.

Tagged under Stephen Lewis, There Ought to be a Law, Voices

Member Opinions:

By: CFW0914 on 3/8/10
I agree with you on this one. I must laugh right now though, because the advertisements to the left of your article are these "Visit Sea World Now" "Boat Tours to see Killer Whales in their natural Environment" ! That is classic!

By: justdance on 3/10/10

very good...... :)