LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
2010 Webby Award Winner for Best Political Blog
 
February 16, 2012
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Most Read

The Imperial Way: American Decline in Perspective, Part 2

Apple's China Comes Home to Haunt Us

'Losing' the World: American Decline in Perspective, Part 1

What's Really at Stake in 2012

Whither 'Colbert Report'?

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture

Digs
Financial Meltdown 101

Truthdig Bazaar
The Fall: A Novel

The Fall: A Novel

By Ryan Quinn
$15.99

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

A Whale of a Decision

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   

Posted on Nov 12, 2008
Whale Watching
LA Times / Rick Loomis

The high-powered sonar used in Navy training exercises off the Southern California coast was justified by Chief Justice John Roberts as being in the “public interest.” The ruling will allow training to be conducted under what Roberts termed “realistic conditions.”

While some whales’ hearts are as big as cars, the hearts on the Supreme Court that ruled Wednesday against a ban on high-powered sonar in Navy training exercises must be shrinking by the minute. The decision was a defeat to environmentalists, who argue that sonar panics whales, makes their ears bleed and pushes them to beach themselves.


The L.A. Times:

The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a defeat to environmentalists today and cleared the way for the Navy to use high-powered sonar off the Southern California coast even if it poses a threat to whales and other marine mammals.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts said the Navy needs to train its crews to detect enemy submarines, and it cannot be forced to turn off its sonar when whales are spotted nearby. “The public interest in conducting training exercises with active sonar under realistic conditions plainly outweighs” the concerns voiced by environmentalists, he said for a 5-4 majority.

Roberts faulted judges in California for “second-guessing” the views of Navy leaders. “Where the public interest lies does not strike us as a close question,” he said.

Read more

More Below the Ad

Advertisement


Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

By Philip, November 13, 2008 at 2:19 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

This is Not a defeat for the environment this is horrible tragedy for WHALES! If humans harm other humans with violence we don’t say that is a defeat for the environment. The same shallow thinking that goes into claiming a defeat for the environment when living individuals will be harmed is the same type of thinking that causes this cruelty to take place…. in the first place.

Philip

Report this

By P. T., November 12, 2008 at 8:12 pm Link to this comment

The military-industrial complex’s contempt for the environment is a threat to international security.

Report this

By KDelphi, November 12, 2008 at 4:02 pm Link to this comment

There is a petition at Greenpeace to ask Obama to attend the global warming summit in Poland, himself, officially.

He had told them that he woudl send a representaive.

I realize he has alot to deal with—but I think it is good to make it clear early, that we DO care about these issues, even as we struggle with the rest.

Thanks.

http://members.greenpeace.org/action/start/218/

Report this

By shelle, November 12, 2008 at 2:12 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

This is just dis-gust-ing.  We are putting fear in place of compassion.  This is on a par with the navy using dolphins as part of the war effort.  Thankfully Obama may have some input into these conservative, pro-war “supreme” court curmudgeons.  Whales are the most magnificent animals on this whole planet—and that includes humans. 
This is worse than a shame—it is a SIN.

Report this

By samosamo, November 12, 2008 at 12:48 pm Link to this comment

Congradulations are in order for the Supreme Court. Man, if they had not shut down this attempt to prevent tracking all those terrorist’s boats and submarines speeding their way at this very instant to attack america again but this time with nuclear weapons with a mix of biological and chemical weapons thrown in for good measure.
STILL spewing the fear factor and fuck the environment.

Report this

By Super-Cavitation, November 12, 2008 at 12:47 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

The Navy has consistently denied that sonar use is linked to whale deaths.  But the problem is that no one’s asking the right question.  The right question is “Does super-cavitation cause whale deaths?”  The answer is hell yes. It causes a whole lot more than that.  Super-cavitation is a scary WMD.  If you have any doubts, ask yourself “if they had it would they use it?”  Think atomic bomb.

Report this

By KDelphi, November 12, 2008 at 12:41 pm Link to this comment

Not a surprise, but a huge disappointment.

I’ve seen it happen—they beach. They cant communicate anymore.

If people think that they will get much different rulings on environmental matters, I’m afraid they wil be disappointed by the bi-partisan approved Justice Roberts Court.

Report this

By Allan Gurfinkle, November 12, 2008 at 12:35 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Obama can end the sonar testing on Jan. 20.

Will he?

It seems to me the ‘progressives’ should be making a list of things Obama should do and when, and planning what to do if he doesn’t.

Report this

Add Your Comment

Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!






                        Number of characters remaining: 4000

Are you a human? Retype the word you see here.

     

Please read and abide by our comment policy.
By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

Newsletter

Get Truthdig in your inbox


 
 
 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
Copyright © 2012 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.