John Maxwell "J.M." Coetzee, winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize for Literature, speaks out against the Canadian commercial seal hunt in an exclusive interview with The Humane Society of the United States.
On first learning of the hunt, Coetzee tells The HSUS, "My initial reaction was of horror, like most people's — horror at images of big men beating helpless little creatures with beautiful dark eyes to death."
The Canadian seal hunt, the world's largest slaughter of marine mammals, is set to begin this week. The Canadian government has set a quota of 275,000 baby harp seals to be clubbed and shot for their fur this year. Most of the seals will be killed between now and mid-April.
"We commend John Coetzee for sharing his thoughts on the tragedy that is currently unfolding on the ice floes of Eastern Canada," says Pat Ragan, director of The HSUS' ProtectSeals campaign. "Mr. Coetzee is a well respected author and humanitarian who has always spoken out against injustice to humans and animals."
The HSUS is calling upon the Canadian government to immediately implement a fair buyout of the sealing industry. In recent years, the Canadian government has successfully implemented many license buy-back programs, also known as license retirement plans, in the wake of fisheries closures. In these programs, the government compensates license holders for lost revenue resulting from fishery closures.
When asked about the Canadian government's defense of the seal hunt, Coetzee replied, "One might as well argue that because Canada used to hang convicted murderers by the neck until they were dead the tradition should not be allowed to disappear. Sealing in Canada is not a tradition. It is just an unenlightened, outdated practice."
Coetzee is a three-time winner of the Central News Agency Literary Award (also known as the CNA Prize) and was the first author to receive the Booker Prize twice: first for "Life & Times of Michael K" in 1983 and again for "Disgrace" in 1999. He is also the holder of many other awards and recognitions for his profound work. There is a common theme of humanism and opposition to animal cruelty in his fiction and non-fiction literature.
Much of Coetzee's writing exists on keynote comparisons between humans and animals in attempts to explore what it means to be human. In his novel "Disgrace," Lucy, the daughter of the lead character David Lurie, attempts to help her father find direction in his life. "This is the only life there is. Which we share with animals."
Coetzee's themes of animals and humans coexisting as counterparts ring true in the author's life as well. In previous interviews he has noted his desire to change peoples' hearts in order to change the way animals are treated.
Facts:
- Canada's commercial seal hunt is the world's largest slaughter of marine mammals, with nearly one million seals killed in the past three years
- To provide an incentive for Canada's fishing industry to end the seal hunt, U.S. grocers, restaurants and seafood distributors are shifting their seafood purchasing away from Canada, in whole or in part, until the seal hunt ends for good. The HSUS has signed pledges from all boycott participants.
- Nearly two-thirds of Canadian seafood is exported to the U.S. producing $2.5 billion annually for the Canadian economy, compared to about $12 million generated in 2007 by the commercial seal hunt.
- Canadian government trade statistics reveal that Canadian exports of snow crabs — the primary target of the seafood boycott — to the U.S. have declined by hundreds of millions of dollars in the three years since launching the campaign.
- In addition to the more than 3,500 companies that are participating in the campaign, more than 550,000 individuals have signed pledges not to buy or consume Canadian seafood until the hunt is ended.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
