Censorship? I wish I could say “Get the hell outa here” but we are living in the real world after all. And when that rock is an ocean world and millions of dollars are at stake from the harvesting slaughter of cetaceans it is damn obvious why “severe” reporting restrictions have been placed on a meeting between Taiji leaders and ocean activists at the behest of the Japanese mayor.
“There’s no compromise to be made. There will be no stopping of our activities until the harassment, capture and slaughter of both dolphins and whales on this planet ends,” said Sea Shepherd member Scott West (AP).
On November 1st, Ric O’Barry, The Cove, released a Statement of Non-Participation on his blog, Save Japan Dolphins, and went on to say that he had intended to have a constructive discussion:
“I was expecting and looking forward to a frank dialogue on how the dolphin hunt and the sale of toxic mercury-contaminated dolphin meat to the Japanese public can be terminated, while guaranteeing the financial livelihoods of the Taiji dolphin fishermen and their families.” (Read the entire post)
But even after the Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan went on the record recently by saying, “We must stop this great extinction in our lifetime” and the government pledging $2 billion to help other nations reach species-preservation goals, the Associated Press highlighted what I thought was pure irony:
In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku told a news conference that dolphin hunting “is part of Japan’s long-held cultural tradition.”
So if I understand correctly, Japan is willing to pay for other nations to get on board with marine species protection but to do so at home would literally break a bloody tradition. To that I can only say traditions are meant to be broken!
I urge you to support Earth Island Institute and Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project.
Associated Press Article: Japan dolphin hunt town meets with activists
Photo credit: savejapandolphins.org
Hmmmm, wipe out a species or save a tradition? Hmmm. Im undecided.
Yes Scott,I agree with you that this bloody tradition of killing Dolphins and Whales should be stopped.In near future if it would not be stopped then an environmental imbalance would be created.
Have you heard anything about how the tsunami affected Taiji? I know that the whaling town of Ayukawa was wiped out–you can read my thoughts (memories) of Ayukawa on my blog.