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SeaWorld has no ‘Heart’- but Fortunately We Do

December 12, 2013
Ann & Nancy Wilson of "Heart"

Ann & Nancy Wilson of “Heart”

UPDATED January 09, 2014:

The silence at SeaWorld is deafening… and getting quieter by the minute.

In the past month, nine musical groups: Barenaked Ladies, Willie Nelson, Heart, Cheap Trick, Trisha Yearwood, REO Speedwagon, Martina McBride, .38 Special and Trace Adkins have cancelled their performances due to the documentary film Blackfish. All were scheduled to appear at SeaWorld Orlando’s concert series “Bands, Brew & BBQ” beginning in February.

The film creating the musical defections centers on the story of Tilikum, a performing killer whale that killed several people while in captivity. Debuting earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, this critically acclaimed documentary has brought to light the realities of keeping orcas in captivity to millions of viewers and has reached a fever pitch among families, advocates, celebrities… and yes, music icons.

The recent artist bailouts began as an online petition asked the popular Canadian group Barenaked Ladies to suspend their upcoming performances. They quickly responded:

“We here at Barenaked Ladies have made a decision based on what we feel. It’s not about money, or petitions, or press… But it is about our fans,” the band said. “We listen to them, and they’re important to us.”

Just days later- country music legend Willie Nelson bowed out in what SeaWorld claimed was a “scheduling conflict”. Mr. Nelson quickly refuted that claim: “I don’t agree with the way they treat their animals, so it wasn’t that hard a deal to just cancel” he told Brooke Baldwin in a CNN telephone interview which can be seen below:

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Heart” quickly followed suit tweeting out to their fans (via Nancy Wilson to OfficialHeart):

Update January 22, 2014: The Wilson sisters explain why the band backed out of their SeaWorld gig in this report from Rolling Stone Magazine <HERE>.

(Much more on “Heart” below)

The most recent acts to cancel are Cheap Trick which was scheduled to perform February 8, 2014 according to a representative of the band.
Trisha Yearwood pulled out on December 12 and REO Speedwagon cancelled their gig on December 13 saying “Due to concerns regarding our February 16th appearance at SeaWorld, we have chosen to cancel the performance.”
Martina McBride posted the following to her Facebook page on December 14: “I’ve decided that given all the issues that have been aired recently, the time isn’t right for me to play at Seaworld. I have cancelled my scheduled performance at the Bands, Blues & BBQ event in March 2014.”
.38 Special cancelled on December 16 saying “Due to concerns raised by the CNN documentary ‘Blackfish,’ 38 Special will be canceling its scheduled March 9th concert at Seaworld.”

Although not on the lineup, Joan Jett sent a “cease and desist” order to SeaWorld demanding they stop using her music at the start of killer whale performances:

“I was surprised and upset to see on YouTube SeaWorld used ‘I Love Rock ‘n Roll’ as the opening music for its cruel and abusive ‘Shamu Rocks’ show.  I’m among the millions who saw ‘Blackfish’ and am sickened that my music was blasted without my permission at sound-sensitive marine mammals.” ~ Joan Jett.

Additionally, Darren Hayes of “Savage Garden” and Edgar Winter of “The Edgar Winter Group” (Free Ride) are also seeking removal of their music from the SeaWorld shows.

All of these cancellations (and more likely to follow) also come on the heels of SeaWorld’s announcement to suspend the Shamu Show called “One Ocean” in Orlando from January until  April 2014 while maintenance is performed on the main show pool. Sounds like it’ll be a quiet winter at SeaWorld.

Orca Tilikum at SeaWorld Orlando

Orca Tilikum at SeaWorld Orlando

And with little factual information to defend their positions on numerous issues, the silence at SeaWorld will likely continue well beyond the performance stage.

Ever since the start of the SeaWorld vs. OSHA hearings, the launch of David Kirby’s book “Death at SeaWorld” and the success of the documentary film “Blackfish”­­ SeaWorld’s public-relations machine has been virtually silenced. They call the book and documentary “inaccurate and misleading” despite being afforded every opportunity to tell their side of the story. SeaWorld declined to be interviewed for both instead opting for stock written statements and personal attacks whenever faced with controversy— in the book, in the documentary, in the news and in public opinion.

But this strategy is probably not a bad idea for SeaWorld. It seems anytime they put forward a talking head representative— what comes out of their mouths is found to be misleading, infuriating, and/or just plain ludicrous. That is likely the reason why they have exercised their “right to remain silent”.

“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt”. ~ Abraham Lincoln

And it all started from the get-go on the very day of Dawn Brancheau’s death on February 24, 2010 as SeaWorld President Dan Brown (along with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department) made the initial statements that Dawn “slipped or fell” into the pool. They then rolled out the likes of Chuck Tompkins, head of animal training & Thad Lacinak, former Vice President who spent months unsuccessfully defending SeaWorld’s positions, blaming Dawn for her own death, and perpetuating the “Ponytail Theory” (more on them HERE). Fortunately for truth-seekers, both have been all-but nonexistent the past two years.

With few other representatives willing (or allowed) to speak on behalf of SeaWorld— pro-captivity crony Jack Hanna of the Columbus Zoo was called to the plate as Blackfish premiered on CNN in October. His bumbling rants led him to a lambasting by former supporters online and on his Facebook page. It is unlikely Jungle Jack will be called on again to speak intelligently on cetacean captivity (without some rigorous coaching from SeaWorld).

Even conservative pundit Newt Gingrich called-out SeaWorld saying:

 “…as a multi-billion-dollar institution, they owe the country some level of transparency and some level of accountability. And I am disappointed that they’re not here tonight” ~ Newt Gingrich on CNN’s Crossfire with guest Blackfish Associate Producer Tim Zimmermann

SeaWorld is now calling the music cancellations the act of “a small group of misinformed… animal extremists” according to spokesman Nick Gollattscheck. That is a slap in the face to all intelligent, free-thinking individuals who are not willing to conform to SeaWorld’s deceit and verbal attacks… a strategy not recommended by industry insiders. Florida Attraction Association has also launched a vain attempt to rescue their member SeaWorld who is “under attack” and calls supporters of Blackfish “radical extremists”.

We are quite certain that Nancy & Ann Wilson of the iconic musical group “Heart” would also take offense to these categorizations. In a Tweet to The Orca Project, Nancy Wilson told us:

She wasn’t kidding. And these aren’t your run-of-the-mill short documentaries. They are from Michael Harris’ nationally syndicated, Emmy Award-winning 1999 special “Baby Wild Films Presents: The Killer Whale People”.

The three short videos below are informative, heart-wrenching and heart-warming. You’ll learn more about killer whale history, culture and respect in 24 minutes than you would ever gain in a lifetime of visits to a marine park.

We strongly encourage everyone to watch all 3 and then let us know if you believe “Heart” has no heart… or if you’d consider them “misinformed animal extremists”. Our guess… you will instead be left with tears in your eyes and a great new appreciation for wild orcas and for the sisters of ‘Heart’:

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Video #1 Orca Stories (9:50)

This is a segment hosted by “Heart’s” Nancy Wilson with original music by seven-time ASCAP Award-winning composer Tim Truman. It features for the first time in a television broadcast the complete restored color 16mm film of the Penn Cove orca roundup of August 1970 in which six presumably Southern Resident orcas were taken, including Lolita, and at least three drowned in the nets. The special also features the first-ever TV interview with diver John Crowe (featured in Blackfish), who worked on the Penn Cove capture and was in charge of secretly disposing the carcasses of the drowned orcas, to avoid them being counted in the “take.”

WARNING: Some scenes and descriptions are not for the faint-of-heart:

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Video #2 Storm Boy (7:42)

“Heart’s” Nancy Wilson reads this beautiful, mystical dramatization of Paul Owen Lewis’ award-winning children’s book, “STORM BOY,” about a Chief’s son who gets lost in a storm and finds himself the guest of killer whales in their village under the sea. Features a sweeping, cinematic original score from composer and Executive Producer Tim Truman. Also includes an interview with the author:

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Video #3 Baby Wild (6:04)

Host Nancy Wilson of “Heart” and 11-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Harris present this charming campfire recollection of “the funnest day ever,” a day out with wild orcas in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. Features Nancy’s fireside performance of “Baby Wild,” written for the show by Nancy and her Heart sister, Ann, and other “sis,” Sue Ennis:

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A special “Heart-felt” THANK YOU to Nancy Wilson, Ann Wilson, Sue Ennis, Michael Harris and all those involved in the making of these videos. Simply amazing!

For more information, please visit our friends at Heart-Music.com and BabyWildFilms.com

45 Comments leave one →
  1. April 30, 2016 12:59 pm

    YOU KNOW WHAT?!?!?!?!!? THAT’S JUST MESSED UP!! SO… IF WE’RE TALKING ABOUT TRAINING ABUSE… SHOULD WE NOT HAVE DOGS?? WE TRAIN DOGS,…. IS THAT ABUSE. And the worst part is…. EVERYBODY who has commented on this stupid OPINION… AGREED!!! Should we get rid of ZOOS?!?!?! WE’RE KEEPING THEM CAPTIVE!! If you say “well, that’s different”… THERE’S NOTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT IT!!! People come to zoos to see animals, people come to Sea world to see the SHAMU SHOW!!! Sea world has a heart, there the ones that broke my comma of the world, they opened my eyes seeing how much they care for their animals… they opened my eyes seeing that there is a beautiful world out there who cares. They let me LIVE !!!!! I am in so much ….I cant find the word…. I owe Sea world so much. WAY TO BURST EVERYONE’S BUBBLE MR. SO-CALLED-WILLIE-NELSON!!! What is wrong with you people!?!?!?! This is unacceptable!!! BEING HONEST… I ONLY READ THE TITLE!!! EVERYONE’S BEEN TELLING ME AND NOW THIS STUPID WASTE OF TIME SAYS THAT THEY HAVE NO HEART!?!?!!? YOU PEOPLE HAVE NO HEART!!! I didn’t watch any of your paragraphs or videos… such a waste of time. WHAT DID SEA WORLD EVER DO TO YOU GUYS. YOU guys are just MONSTERS!!! I WILL FIGHT FOR SEA WORLDS RIGHTS!! WE ALL HAVE RIGHTS!!! Once the Shamu show is gone…. what are people going to do at Sea world…. wait for some…. sad orca to swim around… not being able to do ANYTHING the other orcas did?? WILL THEY EVEN HAVE ORCAS?!?!? YOU PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DO!! I have been praying that you guys change your mind and just see the beauty of Sea worlds entertainment. May the Lord our God save us all from our sins. I hope I really got to you guys cause this is unacceptable. If anyone has a heart, its Sea world. And when you said in the title “Fortunately we do”…. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! Sea world has the biggest heart THAT WRAPS AROUND THE WORLD!! Think about this. I will argue and fight for Sea worlds entertainment.

    • Julie Bug permalink
      September 30, 2016 8:21 pm

      Spoken like a true self righteous, self serving consumer. God forbid you are told No. We humans can feel so entitled to the world we share with all other living creatures. You say what “what are people going to do at Sea World?” Maybe people would be better off spending their money on eco vacations, where they can help nature while learning to enjoy and respect the world around us. I feel sorry for you and your family because you appear to keep a limited vision of the opportunities that are all around you. I support the closing of the orca exhibit at Sea World and all other parks. We share this world we do not own it!
      Sincerely,
      An Old Tree Hugger

  2. May 10, 2015 7:21 pm

    Most of movies websites that we can find online are lets face it .rap. One must really dig into search in order to find a small amount of websites that really work. One that relly I mean it works is http://awesomemovieshd.blogspot.com whare you can truly enjoy in HD movies without being affraid that ads or registration form will appear like in most sites do. But I leave you to be judge of that. Visit anytime you wish and leave your comment.

  3. January 19, 2015 12:29 am

    I recently traveled to Florida mainly to see Tilicum. I was surprised SeaWorld had him on display. You could see it was clearly him with his classic droppy fin, He seemed to be with a little Orca but was just bobbing in the pool and looked pretty bored and listless. I am not against SeaWorld like most people I believe they serve a purpose even if there ultimate goal is revenue. Someone needs to keep these great animals in the hearts and minds of the public. I believe Tilicum is still an attraction for many people & he’s still the most famous Orca around. If SeaWorld was smart they would incorporate Tilicum in some sort of side show not like the Believe show but something with him as the main attraction interacting with 2 or 3 other Orcas and a brave trainer or two. Tilicum needs to interact and not be treated like a convict, in near solitary confinement, after all he is a killer whale and a wild creature by nature. I’m sure he can be a hit. People want to see him. Seaworld give the people what they want! This poor whale needs a life. He deserves to entertain with other Orcas representing one of God’s greatest creatures and let him do the only thing he was taught to do since a young whale. Entertain. Play him or trade him give Tili a break it’s long over due.

    • Teresa Wagner permalink
      January 19, 2015 11:26 am

      Tilikum and every captive orca deserve to be freed, not further exploited.

      • April 30, 2016 1:10 pm

        You know what “Teresa Wagner”……I totally agree with Kenny… not you. What did sea world ever do to you? The word “captive” you said……… we keep animals “captive” at zoos, is that bad? We keep animals “captive” at aquariums, is that bad? FOR CRYING OUT LOUD WE KEEP DOGS “CAPTIVE”, is that bad??!?!?!?!?!? Think about THAT “Teresa Wagner” (BTW are you that introducer on WIPOUT?? If you are .. you see wildlife all the time.. you should know better).

  4. Deanna Emberley permalink
    January 3, 2014 10:16 pm

    I went to see Seaworld once when I was little kid, didn’t like the idea of big fish in small tank. I thought they come and go between the ocean and tanks. Nope, not… I learned a lot about orcas on BlackFish documentary movie, wow. Orcas need to get out of tanks and go back in the wild

  5. jay.h permalink
    January 2, 2014 6:57 pm

    Well I’ve done a little towards the fine animals my brother and family are traveling to Florida and were planning on going to sea world ,a littile memory stick with a file of blackfish on soon changed all that ! I’m no biologist or anyone important but my personal goal this new year is not to lose weight ,or give up smoking but to inform educate as many as I can we can do this ! Word of mouth is our biggest weapon

  6. beckyb permalink
    January 2, 2014 1:47 pm

    Turner Broadcasting, who owns CNN (who now owns the movie Blackfish) is a CORPORATE SPONSOR & partner of Georgia Aquarium, who is seeking to import 18 wild caught beluga whales. They need to start by freeing their own whales! Yes, these are the same hypocrites promoting/airing Blackfish.

    I am a fan of killer whales, but not a fan of Blackfish. It seems to have a singular slant/agenda against Sea World. (What about Disney? They keep captive dolphins? Or what about the facilities around the world where killer whales are truly in dire straits because they don’t have adequate space/nutrition? And again, how about CNNs parent company, Turner? Not a word…hmmm) Whether or not whales are suitable to be kept in captivity is a complicated question and one I’m probably not qualified to answer. However, I will not chant “free the whales” with the uneducated masses because “freeing” the whales would mean their starvation, confusion and death. It seems the documentary has stirred up a lot of emotion but with little logical or pratical value to effect a genuine positive change for the whales.

    Sea World’s practices have evolved (along with the rest of the world – many people still wore fur back in the 70s/80s) since much of the footage of this movie was taken. I would like to see them take further steps to make life better for their whales. Enlarged, more natural habitats. No loud music. Calves allowed to remain with their mothers in a permanent pod structure. No whales taken from the wild.

    Many of the organizations loudly supporting Blackfish ARE more extremist than most Americans care to support. Most Americans have pets. Most Americans eat meat. Both of these things are practices opposed by PETA, who believe all animals, everywhere should be “free.”

    The topic of whales in captivity does require careful thought. I’m for the whales. But stirring up a lot of emotion with a few graphic images and a handful of facts? Especially when the distributors themselves have their hand in the other pot? Count me out.

    • January 2, 2014 6:23 pm

      Dear BeckyB (aka Jim Boyette),

      Why use a false name when trying to present your case? You are trolling all over the internet in support of SeaWorld and undoubtedly using fake names wherever you turn up. Before we go any further, you should read this- how SeaWorld was busted for padding internet polls in the Orlando Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/01/somethings-fishy-with-this.html

      But even still, we’ll entertain your weak arguments.

      You forgot to mention a couple key items:

      SeaWorld was afforded every opportunity to present their side of the story in the making of ‘Blackfish’. They declined every request by Director Gabriella Cowperthwait as they did with David Kirby in the writing of his book ‘Death at SeaWorld’. Why is that? Perhaps because “their story” does not equate with reality or facts. It’s the same reason why SeaWorld and their representatives will not appear in any news or media outlet, instead they hide behind carefully crafted PR statements to deceive the public.

      You also forgot to mention SeaWorld’s involvement in the 18 beluga whales captured in Russia and the attempt to import them to the US via the Georgia Aquarium. SeaWorld is a partner in that operation and will receive belugas at all 3 US parks on “breeding loans” from Georgia Aquarium should the import denial be overturned. The facts show that SeaWorld still actively participates in wild capture of these amazing sentient beings, despite their PR lies.

      If you don’t believe it, you can read all the import documentation at the NOAA Fisheries here: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/georgia_aquarium_belugas.htm

      Feel free to start petitions and an uprising against Turner Broadcasting along with other SeaWorld supporters. Our guess is you won’t because it will only draw more attention to the facts.

  7. Steven Hicks permalink
    December 22, 2013 6:18 pm

    …and we’ll likely NOT support entertainers who simply follow a social media trend because it is buzzworthy.

    • December 22, 2013 7:14 pm

      It’s more than a social media buzz. It’s a society’s awakening and evolution which is only heading in one direction. It goes well beyond the bands. The new “un-cool” is supporting corporate exploitation of our natural resources and environment. And the next generation is surely getting onboard with that philosophy. Watch these videos:


      &

  8. Steven Hicks permalink
    December 22, 2013 6:14 pm

    Many of us in Florida see local news stories quite frequently where SeaWorld has come to the rescue of injured whales, dolphins, sea birds, turtles, and manatees. Watch a biased documentary that uses vintage footage to make its point if you like, but we understand that their methods have progressed and adapted with the times. We support SeaWorld, and their mission of responsible stewardship and environmental awareness going forward. Not everyone is so gullible as to blindly accept the documentary as “truth” just because CNN or Sundance put their names to it. We go to SeaWorld often, have been behind the scenes on numerous occasions, and have never seen one instance of even marginally questionable care. Quite the contrary, all the animals seem healthy and active. Our youngest son, as a result of the work he sees going on there, now wants to pursue marine biology at university. While we can’t deny there may have been issues in the past, we commend SeaWorld, and support them openly and regularly. I won’t exchange barbs with Internet trolls of limited first-hand experience, so this is a one-off solely to express that many of us feel quite the opposite way on this issue. We’re proud to have SeaWorld as a neighbor.

    • December 22, 2013 6:40 pm

      As we’ve said many times here at The Orca Project, SeaWorld does do some great work with birds, turtles, sea lions, manatees, etc., however they deflect the issue of orcas and dolphins in captivity by leading the public to believe their education and conservation efforts translates to killer whales as well, which it doesn’t. That is why they refuse to debate the issue in any public forum and instead resort to cleverly crafted PR statements that do not address the real issues.

      We appreciate your comments and hope that your son takes a direction toward studying cetaceans in the wild and contributes to sustaining them and their natural habitats instead of sustaining an exploitive entertainment industry.

      Thank you for your civil and constructive reply.

    • December 22, 2013 7:39 pm

      I can understand that you might feel the footage in Blackfish is too old to believe (though old or not, they have certainly never apologized for or even tried to explain such cruel treatment). However, the footage of Blackfish totally aside, I’m wondering if you actually think that the current size of the tanks at SeaWorld for the orcas are humane? Tanks which force them to swim around and around in circles, contrary to the hundreds of miles they swim in the wild–in a straight pattern, not in circles. And an even smaller tank for Tilikum. If would be like forcing your son to live in a bathroom for his entire life, where the only exercise he was allowed was to walk in circles around the bathroom. And how would you feel about someone, of another species no less, making him do stupid tricks in order to be fed. No tricks performed, no food. Miss a trick, miss a meal. And how would you feel about having another species take care of your son, and when he is an adolescent, watching them masturbate him, and preventing him from having normal sexual relations as an adult? These issues are not “old news”–they still occur. Unless you feel all these things would be acceptable for your own children, it’s hard for me to understand why you’d think they are acceptable for intelligent whales. I, too, hope your son studies whales in the wild, and learns what normal life is like for them in their natural home–the ocean.

    • Anne permalink
      December 27, 2013 10:53 pm

      I hope your son does pursue marine biology. It’s an amazing career field and it has opened my eyes to a world I never could have imagined. I will also tell you right now, marine biologists do not work with orcas in captivity. Entertainers work with orcas in captivity. Seeing orcas in a tank after years of seeing them in the wild, they are a mere shell of what they could be. Captive orcas are neurotic, repetitive, and anxious. Wild orcas are curious. They investigate the world around them, they interact with their family the same way a child does when they’ve discovered something new. Watch a child play for 20 min. They don’t do the same thing over and over again. They explore, they inquire, they experiment. Wild orcas are the same way. Captive orcas often look lethargic. I have seen some they don’t move for hours on end. When they do, they will do the same repetitive motion over and over again. Head-bobbing, chewing on their enclosure, swimming in circles. Please, I urge you to encourage your son’s love of orcas to take a chance to see them in the wild. SeaWorld’s work in rehabilitation and conservation is noteworthy and I hope that someday they will use their influence to really make a difference.

    • Chelsea Rucker permalink
      December 28, 2013 7:24 pm

      Sea world is not heroic. What about capturing a wild orca is heroic? What about separating baby orcas from their mothers is heroic when in the wild they are together for life, which also in the wild their lifespans are a lot longer. I don’t need a documentary to tell me that. What about keeping 6-10 orcas thousands of pounds and hundreds of feet cramped up in a swimming pool is right? What about that makes there saving whales and dolphins and sea turtles heroic? For all the bad they do and produce one good heroic action cannot take up for that. For every animal they may save they ruin 2 more animals lives. You can take an animal out of the wild, but you can’t take the wild out of an animal. For all the good that they may do, why turn away from the bad? It does exist. You think it’s okay to capture wild animals? To separate a mother from its baby? To keep them in a “cage”? We don’t need a documentary to tell us sea-world is inhumane and unjust, there have been a lot of people buzzing about it before blackfish came out, now there are just a lot more being educated about it. Seaworld also lies by the way, I went once and left crying never wanting to go back because everything they were telling me wasn’t true. I thought they saved these animals, I was a naive 12 year old. Sea world lies about the orca care, their lifespans, their dorsal fins, orca history/facts, and the way they live at seaworld. It’s sickening and your support only means more suffering for the orca and other animals in their care.

    • Angelica permalink
      June 12, 2014 2:58 pm

      how would you know these orcas or dolphins or sea-lions look healthy unless you are a marine biologist who has studied the behaviour and structure of these animals! Please DONT be so gullible. Btw saying you won’t exchange barbs and that this is one off shows your LIMITED capacity to deal with differing opinions and criticism.

  9. December 18, 2013 3:37 am

    Common sence tells you that wild animals and mamals,
    should not be kept in captivity more people will be hurt and killed unless we get smart and relise its wrong.

  10. December 17, 2013 1:31 pm

    I am just SO happy that all of these artists saw the film and now know SeaWorld for what it really is – a profit mongering marine mammal prison! The Blackfish documentary and now all of these musicians cancelling their concerts has led to a wonderful victory both for the orcas and those of us that love these animals. Let us also remember that there are also orcas being held in captivity at other parks which have sub-standard containment units (anything but the ocean is sub-standard IMO). I’m hoping another documentary comes out to make the public aware of them too.

  11. December 17, 2013 11:22 am

    let’s call sea world what they are ANIMAL TERRORISTS

  12. Nancy Wade permalink
    December 14, 2013 3:56 pm

    So happy that the world is finally coming to their senses and realizing that captivity is wrong for these whales. I had tears in my eyes reading about the musicians standing up and saying no to Sea World. LET’S ALL SAY NO TO SEA WORLD! CNN please play Blackfish again and again!!

  13. December 14, 2013 6:18 am

    LOVE this article and the videos.Wow is all I can say about Nancy Wilson and her group! So much knowledge on this subject.Just AWESOME!! Animal rights extremist is just SEA WORLD’S ploy for “planting the seeds” in people’s mind so they close their eyes so “the show can go on”.Well SEA WORLD, it’s not going to work this time.! We are not giving up either! The time has come to say”yes, we need to do the right thing..Killer whales and other’s do not belong in captivity”…At LEAST if they did that,they MAY be able to get some respect..They will never get ANY respect as it stands right now…We will all be here,as long as it takes SEA WORLD!(and all you other’s out there as well who believe in captivity).These whales are only “existing” at SEA WORLD, they are not” living “as they should be! SEA WORLD needs to do a little “research” on that as well! Guess they don’t want to do that a they may just lose their”assets”..

  14. Julie permalink
    December 13, 2013 7:16 pm

    I am so happy about this!!! God bless all who are speaking for His wonderful animal!!

  15. December 13, 2013 4:12 pm

    This is the first year I have felt any hope for Lolita’s return to her rightful home and family, thanks to Blackfish and the publicity it has received. I am so heartened to hear that these musicians cancelled their shows. Abuse of any animal should not be tolerated, but there are some species that should receive even greater respect because of their intelligence and self-awareness–orcas are at the top of that list. Some animals are okay in captivity, but certainly not cetaceans. It breaks my heart every time I think of Lolita/Tokitae in her tank, possibly dying there. She must not. It will be a grand day of celebration here on the Salish Sea when she can return. Got to keep up the momentum–thanks so much for what you do!

  16. Heather permalink
    December 13, 2013 11:57 am

    I promise to do my part in passing the information on and educating the ignorant. I pray that this is a practice that we will see come to an end. I want to do so much more and will do anything I can do to help in this crusade. . .I love the beautiful creatures and never have felt so passionate about helping right this wrong keep up the good work and let us know what we can do to help into make a difference!

  17. December 12, 2013 9:56 pm

    After educating myself on the mistreatment of Orcas Whales, I will have a hard time taking my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to Seaworld, Marineworld and any other amusement park that exploits Orca Whales for profit. This type of abuse, of a God given creature, is repulsive!

  18. December 12, 2013 9:45 pm

    This is soooo “heartening” to know. Gives me hope that all our efforts are truly paying off. Sea World MUST “see” the truth–and realize that what the world wants is no more cruelty and greed. Orca Project, I love you. Thank you for all you’re doing. Here’s to a united effort to be the voice and heart of the orcas, dolphins and all captive beings. May 2014 bring us closer to our loving goal! Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Happy LIFE to all…!

  19. December 12, 2013 9:21 pm

    So people who care about orcas are now considered animal extremists? It never ceases to gall me when people on the losing side of a debate call others extremists in order to make themselves seem more fair and normal.

    I was disgusted with Jack Hanna’s remarks on CNN and mentioned them in my post on Blackfish.

    • December 12, 2013 10:20 pm

      It just shows how SeaWorld has no legitimate excuse for their actions and NO defense to the facts exposed in “Death at SeaWorld” and “Blackfish”. Jungle Jack was in waaaayyyyyyy over his head to try to tackle the killer whale issues. He was a pawn while SW tries to find someone who can bullshit around the lies. Good luck with that SeaWorld!!! Facts are facts and you can’t hide from them.

  20. December 12, 2013 8:55 pm

    Excellent article on the subject! Well written and covered all the important points. I’m glad that Blackfish has had such an extraordinary effect on society already, which you see in so many performers canceling SeaWorld shows, former backers turning away, etc. Thank you also for the link to my letter to Jack Hanna! Animal rights are such an important cause for me; I’ve got one Blackfish-inspired photo already completed and two more due to release soon. One by one we can change the world! 🙂

  21. December 12, 2013 8:42 pm

    Reblogged this on "OUR WORLD".

  22. Adam Hughes permalink
    December 12, 2013 6:10 pm

    Reblogged this on Adam's Symposium 2.

  23. Greg B. Main Sr. permalink
    December 12, 2013 5:21 pm

    Thank so much to you all for standing up to the monsters that run Sea World!! I love you all !! Hopefully someday our beautiful Orcas will someday be free!!
    Happy Holidays to you all!

    Greg

  24. December 12, 2013 5:17 pm

    Thank you Orca Network for all you do! Let’s empty the tanks and get the whales back home.

  25. jay.h permalink
    December 12, 2013 5:16 pm

    All great news just have to keep the momentum ! Every Facebook post I make contains blackfish tag it’s not much but if each of us just changes the mind of one person ……..

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