"Japan gains key whaling victory"
What sort of emotions does that headline provoke?
The International Whaling Commission meeting yesterday backed a resolution from Japan calling for the eventual return to commercial whaling. A 'historic' outcome apparently, according to Japan.
This doesn't mean an overturning of the 1986 ban but it definitely a step closer to commerical whaling. Apparently conservation is only a temporary necessity. Of course this result has been challenged, by, well just about everyone really although Denmark backed the Japanese resolution. Nice one Denmark. Incidentally, Norway openly conduct commercial whaling. This particular resolution was one of five and luckily the only one that was backed. Another resolution called for the end of conservation work on dolphins and porpoises. Defies belief. The only driving force behind this barbaric practice is greed and vanity. Its Although there is an overwhelming amount of support for conservation, it all comes down to consumerism. If people really want to save the whale they should vote with their spending habits. I can't see that happening anytime soon. Can you imagine the economic repercussions of a trade embargo and boycott of Japanese goods?? Think about the consumer electronics industry for one thing. As for Japan justifying existing culls as scientific research, well that's just insulting our intelligence, I'm curious what scientific value a dead whale has? and the cultural argument, well is that sufficient justification for the slaughter? Pro-whaling supporters accuse the opposition of emotion pandering rhetoric, and maybe there is some truth in that argument but you have to ask yourself why. Although scientific opinion differs on the subject it is widely believed that these gentle mammals are highly intelligent with complex social systems and a sophisticated language, so it's not surprising that there is almost universal support for their conservation.
An article in the Guardian said that Japan's allies in Sunday's vote included several smaller nations that have received aid packages from Tokyo. Antigua, Dominica, Grenada and 3 other countries which last year received at least $300m (£162m) in Japanese aid, voted against the ban. The Pacific islands of Tuvalu, Nauru and Kiribati, the recipients of generous aid pledges, also sided with the pro-whaling lobby.
Just out of interest I wanted to see how CNN covered the story. They had an online poll with the question “Should the international ban on whaling be lifted?” 93% voted no.
Very emotive subject. Rant over.
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