still killing whales

[dogsbody70]

Japan says it has caught 195 whales in northwest Pacific ‹ Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

what do you think?

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

Japan says it has caught 195 whales in northwest Pacific ‹ Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

what do you think?

Due to some computer troubles, I can't load the site just yet, but I'm guessing you're essentially asking how we feel about whale-hunting?

To be honest I won't say I support it, just because I dislike the killing of animals in general (unless it's say something like fox-hunting, where foxes do a considerable ammount of damage). I think in a way it's cruel, and a shame as whales are endangered, but at the same time - logically speaking - what reason do they have to stop hunting?

I mean logically if you stop hunting one animal then you could argue we should stop hunting all animals, and then that we shouldn't kill any animals, even for food . . . to me it's a rather tenuous argument, plus I dislike when other cultures/countries judge Japan for whale-hunting. England has fox-hunting, Spain has bull-fighting . . . we need to look at ourselves before we criticise others.

Out of curiousity, what is your position on the matter? Clearly it's important to you in order to raise the issue, but you seem to have left out your own opinion

[dogsbody70]

No doubt this has been discussed previously ad infinitum. It is the barbaric way they are killed that upsets me. That as well as the dolphin killing-- also barbaric methods.


Do I really have to explain my feelings?

It seems that with your logic that because other animals etc are killed-- there is nothing wrong with killing the whales and dolphins.

Same as the slaughter of seal cubs is barbaric. If creatures Have to be killed then at least it should be done more humanely than happens.

If we no longer Care-- then what does that make us?

PS in this day and age bull fighting should be stopped and so much other cruelty to animals.

actually in the UK there is a law about hunting with dogs. No longer allowed.


Usually when dogs hunt they kill outright go for the jugular.

[WingsToDiscovery]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

No doubt this has been discussed previously ad infinitum. It is the barbaric way they are killed that upsets me. That as well as the dolphin killing-- also barbaric methods.

I don't really think there's such a thing as humanely killing animals, particularly dolphins and whales. You can put an animal down, but that's not what fisherman are going for.
In fact, unless you go out of your way to buy things like free range products, all of the meat you consume is from chickens and other animals that have no better living conditions or deaths than the whales here in question, if not worse, I'd say.

[JohnBraden]

You should watch Food, Inc. to see what humane conditions we let cattle, chickens, pigs, etc. "live" in before they are slaughtered for our consumption.

I would assume the International Whaling Commission would say something if Japan is taking too many whales for research. Japan is not allowed to hunt whales for commercial ends. At least Japan abides by the 1982 moratorium, while Norway, who registered an objection, is not bound by the moratorium and still does commercial whaling. Their quota for this year is 1286 out of the estimated 102,000 Minke whales there are said to inhabit the North Atlantic waters.

I'm not defending Japan in this matter. If there are sufficient number of a species, then I don't see why not. Overpopulation of one species can severely decrease the numbers of its prey, another species-just a thought.

[Nameless]

Originally Posted by RobinMask

I mean logically if you stop hunting one animal then you could argue we should stop hunting all animals, and then that we shouldn't kill any animals, even for food . . . to me it's a rather tenuous argument, plus I dislike when other cultures/countries judge Japan for whale-hunting. England has fox-hunting, Spain has bull-fighting . . . we need to look at ourselves before we criticise others.

Pretty much this.
Cultural barriers always create these issues.

I used to behave like dogsbody70 when I was younger, I stopped caring when I realized it was pointless to do so,my own efforts to improve were futile(and collective are as well).

No matter how hard you try, problems like this can only stop temporarily, sooner or later they will rise again.

But whatever, I am a misanthrope,I am too biased.

We humans are experts in fighting among ourselves.

[Ryzorian]

Wolves will nip at prey and follow it for hours, gradually wearing it out. Predators all kill in the most effcient manor available for thier body type, so they don't burn needless energy or cause undue injury to themselves. Mercy has nothing to do with it, it's purely selfish.

[GoNative]

Originally Posted by Nameless

Pretty much this.
Cultural barriers always create these issues.

There is a history of whaling from some ports in Japan but there's nothing historically or culturally significant about sending fishing fleets all the way down to Antarctica to get whales. If the Japanese wish to maintain some cultural connection to whaling then do it in their own waters. But if they wish to do it international waters then they can expect international condemnation. I for instance don't really have any major issue with the dolphin hunt in Taiji. It is incredibly graphic and somewhat cruel but as others have pointed out this isn't unique to killing dolphins. But if Japan moves their whale fleets into international waters in the NW Pacific or the waters around Antarctica then the international community have every right to demand they cease such operations.

[RickOShay]

I think I don't care, because whales, dolphins, or whatever are not equal with people and should not be thought of as such. So do I think it is ridiculous to single out one species for special treatment, absolutely. However, I firmly believe we need to be responsible about how we hunt, and treat our environment.

As far as slaughtering goes, the cold hard fact is that nature and the wild are no more forgiving than a bullet or whatever at the slaughterhouse. The sheer law of nature is survival of the fittest. So what difference does it really make if we kill animals (responsibly) for our own use/consumption.

Now could we do things to maybe treat those animals better, probably, but remember this is a completely human notion. If the tables were turned animals/nature, would not give a shit how we lived, or died.

[chiuchimu]

Japan should quit its voluntary membership with the IWC.

Take as many whales as we see fit off of our local waters and leave the whales out in international waters alone.

I think it's the west that is barbaric and cruel. they are the ones that brought whales to the brink of extinction. Hell, they are the ones that bring everything to the bring of destruction!

Like the way beef, chicken and pork is handled isn't cruel and barbaric? lol
Mad-cow disease( deadly to humans) happens because infected cow brains are feed to other cows! What type of sick morons do thing like that? What about artificially impregnating a cow to keep it's mother making milk year round? most of the male calfs are killed right after birth to provide western 'Veal'.


Final point, NONE of the whales Japan are taking are in danger of extinction. Ultimately the argument against Japanese whaling ends up to be a cultural one. Westerners find whales cute and think it's wrong that Japanese eat them. Strange to be criticized by people that do/have done so much cruel and immoral things to animals.