Some years ago my mother decided to buy a beautiful pair of sealskin (?) fur boots.
They were amazingly warm. I know, I wore them a few times.
She bought them from Bridlington in Yorkshire, UK, where not many seals live.
I was with her, and said I wasn’t too happy about this purchase. Images of darling baby seals floating around in my head.
No, she said firmly, and paid out a shitload of money for said seal blood on her feet.
This was the woman who had a mink stole, a fox fur loose collar, a Persian lamb collar on one coat, a blue fox something or other on another one – you get the idea.
In later years I ripped off the blue whatever, on the nice coat because I didn’t want dead animals around my neck any longer (we shared the coat). The coat was pretty mediocre without the dead fur, so it got donated somewhere or other.
And the boots? Well, she did say in later years that she wouldn’t have bought them with hindsight. Thank you mother, I told you that some 30 or 40 years ago as a teenage animal rights person.
People – you don’t need baby seals to be clubbed and killed to keep your feet warm. Just buy warm socks and sensible boots (you don’t even need leather boots before you ask).
And should Canadian taxpayers compensate the sealers for lost trade? Why?
Just, why? Loads of us lose economic markets for whatever reason. And there are no free breakfasts, lunches or teas provided by someone else.
Oh, my mother’s boots? Sure they could have been useful for some person without boots, but they still went in the bin when she died. I made sure of that.
Two links for you:
and
the original story from Stop Animal Abuse
roughseasinthemed
Clouds moving in 
Where did that come from? I do agree with you though, earlier this year I took my granddaughter to see the baby seals at Donna Nook near Grimsby and it was a wonderful sight – I can’t imagine anyone harming them and I’m not sure how I would explain anything like that to Molly!
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It came from the Stop Animal Abuse site. Link above.
It’s one of the ones I follow, which sometimes has good stories, and sometimes not so good.
We saw a load of seals in NZ, they were gorgeous too.
It’s not so simplistic as baby seals cute, killing them bad. It’s about money – when is it not? Poor sad unemployed seal hunters? Give them a bung? Or let them kill an acceptable number?
Do you think Molly’s world will even be interested?
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There is only one race of people that I feel are OK to wear fur, and they are the Inuit tribes of the Arctic. I say ‘OK’ very lightly here, as it still upsets me, but because it’s their culture, they are totally reliant on a kill to survive and to keep warm.
Many years ago when I helped clear my Nans house out, I was shocked at the fur she had stashed away, it makes me shiver even now, especially one that had feet attached.
I have a lovely sticker in my motor, that to me says it all. It has moved from car to car over the last 20 years or so. Pity I can’t post a pic here, I’ll mail it to you.
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These days I would challenge that.
But – fur for fashion? Club baby seals over the head for it? How obnoxious can we be as a species? (I could go on but this is a seal post)
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Think Vic has a point, the innuit use caribou boots for example because they are better than anything that can be bought. That is they keep you warm and dry and when you are miles from anywhere that is what you want.
That said, the problem is not with any indigenous population doing what they have always done it is the style guru’s who over consume. My MIL has fur, fox, mink, etc etc. There is absolutely no reason for this. Mind you, she doesn’t understand why The One and I don’t eat meat, fish etc. It’s just some modern fad. (Thought, she is from Leeds, is this a Northern / Yorkshire problem my ma never had fur but she was as poor as church mice!)
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It could well be a Northern/Yks thing, we probably feel like a put down species so need to put others down… 😦
Actually A’s mother was not particularly well off and did cater for us with our bizarre diet though. Unlike my snotty parents.
Two, sorry three, points re the indigenous thing.
1) If we impose everything else of western civilisation on them, why can’t we impose synthetic boots?
2) If we respected indigenous people (wherever) we really wouldn’t go interfering in any other people’s nations at all. So, I don’t see the difference between telling them not to eat people, kill furry animals for boots, etc etc. None of it is the role of invaders/oppressors.
3) I do think white persons get a bit patronising on the ‘let the little natives do their own thing’ syndrome. While naturally stripping any assets out of the place as quickly as possible.
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Umm, my MIL doesn’t feel put down, just vastly superior to the vast majority of the people, in fact she looks a bit like the Queen and I think the Queen and Thatcher are the only people who MIL feels are her social equal. Strange Thatcher was a grocers daughter!
I wouldn’t want to be thought of as taking a contrary point, or to be seen as supporting the fur trade which I don’t. But,
1)modern synthetic’s just don’t perform like caribou and when the difference is losing your toes / feet or not I know which way I would go.
2) I have never claimed that anybody has respected indigenous people in fact I hold a contrary position. The powerful, eg Victoria’s England, treated the ‘natives’ with a contempt that is beyond belief to modern eyes. The imposition of cultural values (laws etc, etc, etc,) Is not and never can be justified in my view. Having been an ‘invader’ I am happy to state for the record that I don’t believe it solves anything. Trouble is, not every one is keen on peace and fair trade, or in just minding their own business, if only.
3) I agree. It is quite interesting that the few groups who are left leading a truly traditional existence live in areas where there is little of value to the industrialised nations. The Hadza in Africa survive a nomadic lifestyle just because that is the only way to survive. I believe that the elders of such nations hold a wealth of knowledge of the natural world which is being lost as their sons are being lured away by the promise of Coca cola and McDonalds. I would not dent any one the right to choose freely what they want out of life. So much knowledge has been lost from the world in this way that the world is poorer for it.
Sorry bit long, I’ll have to think about posting in the pen.
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I have never nor will I ever own and animal fur products.. and I also feel the same way about “blood jewels” .. jewels are mined at the expense of men’s live so our fingers and wrists can sparkle..
nope, not for me..Yes, Stop animal and human abuse so we can be “pretty”!
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I can’t remember buying any fur. I remember being horrified when I was a bridesmaid that the bride wanted my (ghastly) outfit trimmed with rabbit fur. 😦 Big sigh. I was about eight so not quite liberated enough to complain.
Blood jewels is a great one – or not. ‘We’ did buy some gold for me at some point when I wanted it for work (!). A jewel? Never. No engagement ring, no nothing. Like fur, I think it looks gross. Totally obnoxious.
You summed it up so well (as ever). 🙂
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Good post. People don’t need to be wearing that stuff any more with synthetic options available ( let’s ignore the problems with those for today). The world is a different place and the sources of “goods” more easily exposed. People are well aware of the harvesting methods and “costs” because of media and rapid communication. But I have to view the 1920 -1950’s” I Love Lucy generation” with the perspective that life and values were very different then – hard to condemn them all as ignorant and heartless when viewing the culture of those times. (and indigenous populations are an entire different thing.). The thing about humans is that the creatures do learn and try most try to improve – cause less harm. So there’s hope.
But the old inherited furs, clothes, and alligator shoes and such – already dead, but still functional – perhaps some homeless person would welcome some warmth? Just an option?
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Thank you. I’m not denying the manufacturing problems of synthetic materials, but if we can get round so many things, we could make those a little more sound, yes?
I doubt people are aware of anything. They seem to choose not to be.
Do you really think life and values were different then? I’m not so sure of that. In the UK we have had vegans, vegetarians and animal rights activists for more than 100 years – who cares? Is love Lucy, Lucille Ball? I saw that!! 😀 (as a kid, hastily adds, and really liked it).
Nor do I think humans try to improve. Or cause less harm.
Now, have you ever tried giving anything away to a homeless charity (one of the few that is dear to my heart)? They don’t want crocodile handbags, big pullovers and leather shoes. They want jeans, preferably in the current fashion, sweatshirts and trainers. Charity needs to fit within the required parameters. Believe me, I have been there and gone past it.
On homeless people you may want to read this one – (it’s the second tale)
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And this one – https://cloudsmovingin.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/lifes-rubbish/
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