Whaling protesters urge Australia to send ship for Antarctic

[Barrett808]

Source: AAP

Greenpeace has urged the Australian government to send a vessel to the Antarctic, as the environmental group prepares to harass Japanese whaling vessels with its own ship.

Japan is planning to kill 935 minke whales, 50 fin whales and, for the first time in 40 years, 50 humpback whales this summer season under its so-called research program.

Conservationists say the fin whale is an endangered species, and the humpback is still under threat.

Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society are both planning to take action against the whalers, as they did last Antarctic summer.

Read more: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4321658a12.html

[saigon68]

1. Thuggish poaching of endangered species

So some gourmets can eat a little whale meat

They should be forced to eat tacks or nails instead

[Barrett808]

2. I saw an analysis recently that explained Japan's stubbornness

Because Japan gets a lot of its protein from the ocean, the Japanese are particularly sensitive to attempts to regulate fisheries. They view any concession on whaling at the camel's nose in the tent; soon after, much more draconian regulation on other "marine resources" would follow.

Of course, those regulations are coming one way or another, as the oceans are almost fished out anyway. So the obstinacy is a futile and losing position for Japan.

[Nihil]

3. They should be forced to eat bullets instead. (n/t)

:grr:

[saigon68]

4. The sentiments of my father

Who fought them a long time ago

[Nihil]

5. No disrespect intended ...

... to you or to your father (or his memory) but I don't hold their parents' crimes
against them, just their current crimes. Some of my relatives fought in the Far East
theatre and have their own tales to tell but I have not adopted their views: mine are
purely and simply due to the Japanese attitude to whales, dolphins and other creatures.

Some have claimed that this is simply a reflection of their world view but I see it
as a much more simple situation: the Japanese whalers (and the Icelandic whalers and
the Norwegian whalers) have simply decided to sell their morality for cash.

Simple greed is the driver of this obscenity - nothing else, just sheer greed - and
in that respect I say that the whalers should be treated as the vermin that they are.
Shoot them and let the carrion eaters feed.

[saigon68]

8. and none taken of course

and perhaps I posted too quickly on this.

I find the actions of these whalers rooted in a tradition and culture akin to embracing the philosophy that the earth is flat etc.

[Chulanowa]

6. Gourmets?

No. Almost no Japanese people eat whale meat. It winds up in frozen storage forever, occasionally processed and fed to schoolkids (with all that yummy lead!) It's far from a delicacy.

But for some reason, a segment of the Japanese population feels that slaughtering whales is a big tradition and a national heritage. Sort of like Newfoundland and seal-clubbing

[saigon68]

9. Kind of a cultural tradition or natural heritage ----Hmmmm

I could go on for hours about old failed cultural traditions, the US after all has its fair share. The display of nooses hung on doors, in trees, for example to discipline the "darkies" etc


I put whale killing on the same plane as guys wearing hoods and burning crosses (an old mid-western and southern tradition)

[Chulanowa]

10. I would put it more like blood sports

You have to admit, in honesty, that torturing a bull and then lopping off its head for the joy of spectators has more paralells to the "traditional whale hunt" than Klan activities did.

[saigon68]

11. Blood sport true

Yes hundreds of gallons of fresh blood does spur some on, rather than watching a minority twist in the wind after urinating and defecating in his pants.

[Chulanowa]

12. I think my point was missed...

I would not hold wanton slaughter of animals as being equal to wanton murder of human beings. Thus my preference to comparing the whale hunts to bull fights, rather than comparing them to lynchings.

[saigon68]

13. I understand

Now

[hunter]

14. I tend to see a continuum.

Whales are higher up on my list of relatedness for two reasons: they are intelligent, and they are having a very rough time as a direct result of man's destructive tendencies. I see this as very similar to the bad situation that exists for gorillas, orangutans, and other great apes.

If animals such as dogs and pigs were facing similar threats to their survival, I'd put them on my most urgent action list too.

All species are worthy of protection simply for being a part of the larger web of life. More intelligent species are further worthy of protection as fellow travelers in consciosness.

[liberalla]

7. I hope Australia's new government gets involved and takes

further action beyond the registered complaint they've made.
Greenpeace could use some backup.

I wish our own government would use it's influence for good, but that seems out of the question with the current administration.