Greenpeace co-founder Dorthy Stowe has died - Polidicks

[url]http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Greenpeace+founder+real+deal/3318004/story.html#ixzz0uenAwCgd[/url] [release]Greenpeace co-founder Dorothy Stowe died Friday, less than three weeks after the death of another co-founder, Jim Bohlen. She was 89. "She was the real deal," said another early Greenpeacer, Rex Weyler. "She was the sort of person that actually made things happen." That she did. In her native Rhode Island, she organized a social workers union, and became its first president. When she threatened to call a strike, the governor called her a Communist. But she prevailed, winning a 33-percent wage hike for the workers. After arriving in Vancouver in 1966, she and her late husband Irving became fixtures in the local peace and environmental movements. When the American government announced it was going to test nuclear bombs on Amchitka Island, off the coast of Alaska, the Stowes and Jim and Marie Bohlen launched a protest group called the Don't Make a Wave Committee, which became Greenpeace. "Who knew that four people at a kitchen table could give rise to a movement that has offices in 40 countries?" she said after Bohlen died. "You couldn't possibly have predicted it." Stowe was born Dorothy Anne Rabinowitz on Dec. 22, 1920, in Providence, R.I. After graduating from Pembroke, a women's college at Brown University, she became a psychiatric social worker. As president of the social workers local of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, she had to sign the union card for a lawyer, Irving Strasmich. They married in 1953; the best man was jazz pianist George Shearing. On their wedding night, they went to a banquet for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). The "peacenik" couple became Quakers, even taking the surname Stowe, after the great Quaker abolitionist author Harriet Beecher Stowe. They became deeply involved in the peace movement, and in 1961, decided to relocate with their two children Robert and Barbara to New Zealand. "[They wanted] to escape atomic fallout from atmospheric testing and avoid contributing to nuclear weapons proliferation through their taxes," explained Barbara Stowe. In the mid-1960s, however, the French government started doing nuclear tests in Polynesia, so the Stowes decided to move to Vancouver. "My father saw Vancouver on a trip," said Barbara. "It was spring, and it was so beautiful, so here we were." Irving couldn't work as a lawyer in Canada when the family arrived, so Dorothy became the main breadwinner. "My mother basically supported the family, as he got into activism full-time," said Barbara. In 1967 Jim and Marie Bohlen met the Stowes at a peace march. The couples became fast friends and fellow activists. In 1970, they became alarmed at the prospect of a nuclear test at Amchitka. Sitting around brainstorming about ways to rally opposition to the test, Marie Bohlen suggested they send a protest ship to witness the event. "There was an American protest ship, a Quaker ship, called the Golden Rule that had been protesting the atmospheric testing," said Dorothy. "Marie said that would be a good example, sending a ship up there to witness and let people know. Somebody [from The Vancouver Sun] phoned Jim and Jim said, ' We're going to sail a ship up there.'" To fund the trip, Irving Stowe hatched the idea of a benefit concert. Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Phil Ochs and Chilliwack performed at the Pacific Coliseum, and a ship, the Phyllis Cormack, was chartered. The U.S. Coast Guard stopped the ship from reaching the test zone, but after conducting only three tests the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission halted the program. Back in Vancouver, the Stowes' Point Grey home became the de facto Greenpeace headquarters. Irving had a higher public profile, but Weyler said Dorothy was just as important in getting the organization off the ground. "She wasn't the person who was out in front and visible, but she was doing a lot of the work behind the scenes," said Weyler. "She had all the files organized. Often they were working on a dozen campaigns: the rivers, the highway, oil tankers, all those things, and she had all that stuff organized and filed." Irving died of cancer in 1974, but Dorothy forged on as an activist. "She became increasingly active in the Vancouver Society of Friends [Quakers], officiating at weddings and marrying gay and lesbian couples before most faiths would consider it," said Barbara Stowe. "She helped found the first free-standing abortion clinic in Vancouver, and volunteered for many years at the Vancouver General Hospital palliative care unit." "It takes a special person to keep doing that kind of public service work throughout their lives," said Weyler. "A lot of people think it's for young people in their 20s. It was really inspiring for me to see Dorothy in her 70s and 80s so actively involved." "She was so sweet, she kind of had the feel of everybody's grandmother. And yet she was so hardcore," Weyler said with a laugh. "She was just a lifelong activist for social justice, the environment and peace." Stowe's fame in the environmental movement grew over the years; the Irish rock band U2 invited her to its show at GM Place in 2005, and singer Bono dedicated the song Original of the Species to her. Unfortunately her health began to suffer as she advanced into her 80s. "She fought heart failure, kidney disease, leukemia and diabetes for years, only choosing to decline life-prolonging treatments and nourishment when faced with the prospect of growing infirmity," said Barbara. She died at UBC hospital early Friday with Barbara and Robert by her side. "One of the last things she did was put on a brunch for Kumi Naidoo, who's the new Greenpeace International executive director," said Weyler. "This was only about a month ago. There she was, standing up in the kitchen, making brunch for everybody. She was so tiny and frail, she had lost quite a bit of weight by that time, [and] it looked to me like she could barely stand up. [But] that was her thing, that was her way. She was a worker. "I got the feeling she summoned every last ounce of energy to make this happen, when Kumi visited Vancouver. I think it was a very heartwarming moment for her. An apartheid activist from South Africa who has worked in human rights issues around the world is now the executive director of Greenpeace. It was really good to see the two of them. It really felt like a real passing of the torch." Details of a memorial service will be announced later.[/release]

Greenpeace is mostly good, sometimes very stupid. Like when they protest nuclear energy.

I hate Greenpeace. They treat nuclear energy like it's going to blow up in a giant mushroom cloud and kill everyone at a moments notice. Most everything that spews out of their shitty organization is a joke. The only thing I commend Greenpeace for doing is unveiling the embezzlement of poached whale meat. I just wish they would shut the fuck up about nuclear energy though.

I don't feel anything, call me an asshole, but I don't feel anything good or bad about this.

[QUOTE=OvB;23605114]I hate Greenpeace. They treat nuclear energy like it's going to blow up in a giant mushroom cloud and kill everyone at a moments notice. Most everything that spews out of their shitty organization is a joke. The only thing I commend Greenpeace for doing is unveiling the embezzlement of poached whale meat. I just wish they would shut the fuck up about nuclear energy though.[/QUOTE] I couldn't have said it better myself.

[QUOTE=evilweazel;23605147]I don't feel anything, call me an asshole, but I don't feel anything good or bad about this.[/QUOTE] that's basically normal

the original founder strongly disagrees with what the group became

The Movement started out good, but it turned to shit. but it started out canadian :canada:

[QUOTE=OvB;23605114]I hate Greenpeace. They treat nuclear energy like it's going to blow up in a giant mushroom cloud and kill everyone at a moments notice. Most everything that spews out of their shitty organization is a joke. The only thing I commend Greenpeace for doing is unveiling the embezzlement of poached whale meat. I just wish they would shut the fuck up about nuclear energy though.[/QUOTE] This tenfold.

[QUOTE=Lambeth;23605265]The Movement started out good, but it turned to shit. but it started out canadian :canada:[/QUOTE] As far as crazy environmental organizations go, Greenpeace don't have shit on Sea Shepherd. [IMG]http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/126/greenpeace.jpg[/IMG] Compared to: [IMG]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1447/421406y.jpg[/IMG] Sea Shepherd doesn't complain and lie about Nuclear energy, bio engineering, Oil, and other shit ether. They just lie about getting shot. Greenpeace is full of pussies who think they are doing something important. Sea Shepherd is full of retards who want to die for whales. Both are full of crazy fuckers though. [editline]10:02PM[/editline] Greenpeace boats look like Gay Pride Cruises.

[QUOTE=OvB;23605421]As far as crazy environmental organizations go, Greenpeace don't have shit on Sea Shepherd. Compared to: [IMG]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1447/421406y.jpg[/IMG] [/QUOTE] What the hell? Are they ramming that research ship? Or are they getting towed because the ship can't run on corn?

[QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;23605557]What the hell? Are they ramming that research ship? Or are they getting towed because the ship can't run on corn?[/QUOTE] Paul Watson thinks he's a badass and likes to ram boats. (It's hardly a research ship either. They're technically poaching whales in Aussie territory then cut them up and sell them on the black market for large sums of money. They do this because commercial whaling is outlawed but "Research" Whaling isn't. So the Japanese paint RESEARCH in English on the side of their ships and pretend to do research on whales while no research is actually obtainable from the ICR. One must ask the question, do you really need to kill hundreds of whales a year, and 50 humpbacks a year to research migration patterns and stomach contents like the Japanese claim they are doing?(Plus there have been ex-whalers opening up about the corruption of the whole organization(which is the only thing Greenpeace has done that's worthwhile as I said in my first post)))

[QUOTE=OvB;23605568]Paul Watson thinks he's a badass and likes to ram boats.[/QUOTE] That's a good way to get oneself in a maritime jail. Martyrdom at its finest.

[QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;23605598]That's a good way to get yourself in a maritime jail.[/QUOTE] [img]http://www.ecorazzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/whalewhores5.jpg[/img] more like impaled by japanese whalers [editline]11:11PM[/editline] [QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;23605598] Martyrdom at its finest.[/QUOTE] That edit worked out pretty well.

[QUOTE=Arachnidus;23605624]more like impaled by japanese whalers[/quote] I loved that episode. [QUOTE=Arachnidus;23605624]That edit worked out pretty well.[/QUOTE] :smug:

[QUOTE=OvB;23605421]As far as crazy environmental organizations go, Greenpeace don't have shit on Sea Shepherd. [IMG]http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/126/greenpeace.jpg[/IMG] Compared to: [IMG]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1447/421406y.jpg[/IMG] Sea Shepherd doesn't complain and lie about Nuclear energy, bio engineering, Oil, and other shit ether. They just lie about getting shot. Greenpeace is full of pussies who think they are doing something important. Sea Shepherd is full of retards who want to die for whales. Both are full of crazy fuckers though. [editline]10:02PM[/editline] Greenpeace boats look like Gay Pride Cruises.[/QUOTE] all true

[QUOTE=OvB;23605568]Paul Watson thinks he's a badass and likes to ram boats. (It's hardly a research ship either. They're technically poaching whales in Aussie territory then cut them up and sell them on the black market for large sums of money. They do this because commercial whaling is outlawed but "Research" Whaling isn't. So the Japanese paint RESEARCH in English on the side of their ships and pretend to do research on whales while no research is actually obtainable from the ICR. One must ask the question, do you really need to kill hundreds of whales a year, and 50 humpbacks a year to research migration patterns and stomach contents like the Japanese claim they are doing?(Plus there have been ex-whalers opening up about the corruption of the whole organization(which is the only thing Greenpeace has done that's worthwhile as I said in my first post)))[/QUOTE] While the illegal whaling is a huge issue, Sea Shepherd has done an astounding amount of work to undermine any efforts to stop the whale poaching. I'd put them on par with PETA for and ALF for eco-terrorism, possibly even above because ramming other ships is just fucking stupid.

[QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;23605598]That's a good way to get oneself in a maritime jail. Martyrdom at its finest.[/QUOTE] He's actually wanted by interpol I think. One of his crew members (Peter Bethune(Earthrace pilot) was arrested for 5 years in Japan but his sentence was suspended and he was set free. Boarding a Japanese whaling ship isn't the best way to give an invoice for three million dollars in damage for sinking your boat. Sea Shepherds actually get arrested a lot. They like to think it's going to cause an international outcry. [editline]10:19PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Guardian-Angel;23605706]While the illegal whaling is a huge issue, Sea Shepherd has done an astounding amount of work to undermine any efforts to stop the whale poaching. I'd put them on par with PETA for and ALF for eco-terrorism, possibly even above because ramming other ships is just fucking stupid.[/QUOTE] I'm actually surprised they still have a flag to sail under. They have gotten away A LOT of shit that would have anyone else thrown in jail.

[QUOTE=OvB;23605749]He's actually wanted by interpol I think. One of his crew members (Peter Bethune(Earthrace pilot) was arrested for 5 years in Japan but his sentence was suspended and he was set free. Boarding a Japanese whaling ship isn't the best way to give an invoice for three million dollars in damage for sinking your boat. Sea Shepherds actually get arrested a lot. They like to think it's going to cause an international outcry. [editline]10:19PM[/editline] I'm actually surprised they still have a flag to sail under. They have gotten away A LOT of shit that would have anyone else thrown in jail.[/QUOTE] Heh, they sound moreso like pirates with a good cause. If they only executed it far better than they are now.

[QUOTE=Guardian-Angel;23605706]PETA for and ALF.[/QUOTE] Those guy's are retarded too. [editline]10:27PM[/editline] [QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;23605816]Heh, they sound moreso like pirates with a good cause. If they only executed it far better than they are now.[/QUOTE] That's how they like to think of themselves.... I Don't think Paul can legally enter Costa Rica or Iceland. Canada ether.

[QUOTE=OvB;23605871]That's how they like to think of themselves.... I Don't think Paul can legally enter Costa Rica or Iceland. Canada ether.[/QUOTE] "Hey everybody! We're pirates except we're good!" Not something you should say. They probably can't enter most places, what flag do they sail under, if it is even valid.

[QUOTE=ExplodingGuy;23605999]"Hey everybody! We're pirates except we're good!" Not something you should say. They probably can't enter most places, what flag do they sail under, if it is even valid.[/QUOTE] Dutch. The dutch threaten to ban them too but they never do. [editline]10:45PM[/editline] Greenpeace has bumped a few whalers in their time too. Probably because Sea Shepherd is getting way more media attention (which in the end is all ether of them care about) for being the scary eco-terrorists people see them to be. It's funny because Paul was a founder of Greenpeace but was kicked out for being "to aggressive" now you have Greenpeace taking tactics out of his play book. They see each other as rivals and won't even share intel on the Japanese fleet locations (Greenpeace won't even acknowledge SS)even though they're both there for the same reason. Sounds like they really care about the whales doesn't it?

If I had to support one wildlife charity it'd be the WWF. Even then, I'd rather give to a humanitarian cause. (Humans suck animals are better blah blah don't even go there kiddos)

[QUOTE=ZekeTwo;23606338]If I had to support one wildlife charity it'd be the WWF. Even then, I'd rather give to a humanitarian cause. (Humans suck animals are better blah blah don't even go there kiddos)[/QUOTE] WWF is by far the least hell-bent of the bunch. Ocean Conservancy is good too. Is your avatar sad that it got banned?

[QUOTE=OvB;23606363] Is your avatar sad that it got banned?[/QUOTE] You could say I'm a little blue

[QUOTE=ZekeTwo;23606394]You could say I'm a little blue[/QUOTE] [img]http://www.facepunch.com/image.php?u=315993&dateline=1279930788[/img]:hf:[img]http://www.facepunch.com/image.php?u=69438&dateline=1276373301[/img]

Sea Shepherd also has this badass boat: [IMG]http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/1156/walluk.jpg[/IMG] Oh wait nevermind. [IMG]http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1448/031376destroyedadygil.jpg[/IMG]

smooooth

[QUOTE=OvB;23606498]Sea Shepherd also has this badass boat: [img_thumb]http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/1156/walluk.jpg[/img_thumb] Oh wait nevermind. [img_thumb]http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1448/031376destroyedadygil.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] What was that boat supposed to accomplish anyway? Seems like it'd be a massive waste of money even if it [i]didn't[/i] get smashed.

Looks like their plans, got cut short. [highlight][I][B]YEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!![/B][/I][/highlight]