19 February 2007
The key to ending whaling
Posted by Dave, on the Esperanza
"When I arrived at Greenpeace Japan a little over one year ago, my take on stopping the Japanese government's whaling program was that it is a lost cause and impossible to argue against - despite the fact I had been opposed to whaling since the issue was raised in the early 1970s."
"Why? Because the Japanese media and public have been force fed the government's line on high seas whaling for decades, with a complete absence of debate between opposing views. For years, our government has been telling us that whaling is an essential part of Japanese culture and diet, and those who oppose whaling are anti-Japanese. In doing so, the government has managed to spin this issue into one of nationalism, equating the 'anti-whaling' movement as 'anti-Japanese,' which is simply not true."
Comments
Which begs the question, what is the state of independent journalism in Japan? It seems one graphic, well-written exposé on the brutal reality of whaling can persuade millions, as have exposés in western media... and what is the state of public empathy in Japan? One glimpse of a video of a bleeding, stricken whale thrashing for its life is more powerful than a thousand books on the subject. Who controls those images? (It's no wonder the Japanese fishermen of Taiji, who slaughter hundreds of dolphins & porpoises every year with hand-held knives, use thug tactics to keep photographers and videographers well away from their blood-filled killing coves.)
Posted by: Eric at February 20, 2007 1:38 AM
Esperanza,
You are a common name in our culture here in Texas, San Antonio that is, and we have been keeping up with your efforts to cease the Japanese whalers and support your efforts to assist the Nisshin Maru.
While I am from Hawaii, the Pacific Neptune of the planet, I still watch your efforts daily and like many Latino here in S.A. we extend "Hope" to the changes your ship & Green Peace bring to this world.
Peace,
Kayeman at radioventana.com
Posted by: azul77 at February 20, 2007 4:27 AM
read my blog about the first whale war, in australian in 1977. Bob Hunter ran the campaign under the Greenpeace banner. I was working for the local newspaper, the Albany Advertiser.
http://thelastwhale.blogspot.com
Also did one month in Japan in 1980 writing about whaling. Much bigger then. The industry has shrunk. it will soon be gone.
Posted by: CHRIS PASH at February 24, 2007 3:48 AM
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