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The band Týr, which played at the Catalyst on Tuesday, openly screams its support for “The Grind,” or grindadráp, that occurs in the Faroe Islands. The Grind is a mass slaughter of many whale and dolphin species, the main species being pilot whales.
Before anyone gets going on the cultural/traditional entitlement of this country to sustainably hunt, this practice is not even close to any of that. The Grind is a massive suffer-fest, where people drive hundreds of these animals into a cove, then repeatedly stab them, causing them to die a slow, terrifying death. There is no sustainability, there is no cultural survival involved. It is humans at their worst, acting out extreme violence toward intelligent and sentient beings.
Culturally, this band is an awful fit for the community of Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas. We honor our marine mammals to the highest degree. Long Marine Lab and the Marine Mammal Center are highly regarded. Monterey Bay is a national marine sanctuary. We are lucky to have the grey whale migration, as well as to witness a smaller humpback whale migration. Additionally, we have many dolphin species off our coast. Blue whales, Baird’s beaked whales, fin whales and many more occasionally grace us with their presence.
This is because these animals have been protected after being pushed to the brink of annihilation.
I have supported The Catalyst for 35-plus years, and have seen some of my most favorite shows at this venue. I am no longer a supporter or a customer.
Steph Spencer
Pescadero