Mark Lee
By Mark Lee
Northwest Asian Weekly
Japanese whaling and dolphin hunting has attracted international media attention. The Shepherd Society, headed by founder Paul Watson, has been one of the leaders in the campaign against Japanese whaling. Last month, the Japanese whaling fleet ended their whaling season early, and the Sea Shepard Society claimed victory.
The Sea Shepherd Society is based here in Friday Harbor. In the 1970s, Paul Watson was heavily involved with Greenpeace, though they eventually parted ways in 1977. Greenpeace accused Watson of placing himself front and center, promoting divisiveness within the organization.
Watson subsequently formed the Sea Shepherd Society. This organization has been in the headlines for sabotaging and damaging a number of whaling vessels. Late last year and early this year, Japan requested of the U.S. representative to the International Whaling Commission that the Sea Shepard’s tax exempt status be revoked. Japan argued that Sea Shepard’s actions threatened safety at sea.
Paul Watson
Watson has a flamboyant style, which he uses to get publicity. In his book, “Earthforce! An Earth Warrior’s Guide to Strategy,” he states, “The nature of the mass media today is such that the truth is irrelevant. What is true and what is right to the general public is what is defined as true and right by the mass media. … A headline comment on Monday’s newspaper far outweighs the revelation of inaccuracy revealed in a small box inside the paper on Tuesday or Wednesday.”
He also states, “If you do not know an answer, a fact, or a statistic, then simply follow the example of an American President and do as Ronald Reagan did — make it up on the spot and deliver the information confidently and without hesitation.”
These comments suggest that Watson will do whatever it takes to gain publicity for himself and his organization, including lying. I suspect that Watson takes advantage of the racist attitudes of some critics of Japan’s whaling and dolphin hunting activities in order to get attention for himself.
Many comments on blogs and websites about Japanese whaling contain racist remarks about Japanese and Asians.
Watson dismisses accusations of racism, and he claims that Sea Shepard does not support racism in its anti-whaling efforts. “Of course, anytime the word racist is tossed into an argument, the politically correct crowd can be counted on to react with righteous horror, indignation, and condemnation,” he said.
Watson’s reference to being overly “politically correct” is revealing. This is the standard cliché that is used when there is an objection to racism. Watson evaded the issue, and refused to acknowledge that racism is behind a significant number of anti-whaling attitudes when non-white people are involved.
Another example of this is the Makah whaling controversy in Washington state. In the 1990s, a controversy erupted when the Makah tribe initiated gray whale hunting based on treaty rights. The hunt triggered an anti-Indian backlash from a lot of people who, under most circumstances, would probably not get involved in environmental causes. Watson formed an alliance with Washington state Rep. Jack Metcalfe, who had a background in opposing Native American treaty rights. Metcalfe did not have a strong environmental voting record and was probably motivated more by anti-Indian bias. Watson didn’t care whether his campaign contributed to Indian bashing, as long as he got his publicity. The whales are not the only important issue in the world. Ethically, Watson should have considered the repercussions of his campaign. He reportedly yelled to the Makah, “Just because you were born stupid doesn’t give you any right to be stupid.”
Watson also attempted to influence the Sierra Club to support reducing immigration to the United States.
Watson claims that he has neutral reasons for his immigration position. He purportedly stated, “I am for lowering immigration from nations that have high birth rates to nations that have lower birth rates and from nations of high birth rates to nations of high consumption levels. Nations with lower birth rates should not be penalized by having growth forced upon them from nations needing to dump their excess populations.
Nations of high consumption levels increase the levels of consumption with the introduction of every additional person.”
During this same time period, in 2003, a number of anti-immigration activists ran for the board of directors of the Sierra Club, some of whom had Watson’s support. As in the Makah tribe situation, Watson once again was aligned with groups or individuals with racist sentiments.
There are various arguments in the whaling controversy. One of them is over whether whales are more advanced and have more rights than less intelligent animals. In one interview, Watson was asked why killing a whale was worse than killing a pig. His response was, “I get this question from the Japanese a lot, and I find it offensive. How can anybody compare the killing of a pig to the killing of a whale? First of all, our ships are vegan. Forty percent of the fish caught from the oceans is fed to livestock – pigs and chickens are becoming major aquatic predators. … The eating of meat is an ecological disaster.”
Watson scapegoated the Japanese, then dodged the issue by talking around the subject.
While Japan is generally perceived as the leader in whale hunting, Norway still takes a significant number of whales. In 2010, Norway sought a higher quota than Japan from the International Whaling Commission. However, it is Japan that gets the vast majority of media attacks.
“The Cove,” a documentary about dolphin hunting in Taiji, Japan, featured a number of white activists going to Japan. They made the Japanese look like villains. It won an Academy Award in 2010. There will never be an Academy Award winning movie that bashes white Norwegians for hunting whales. Asians are a convenient scapegoat for the white American media.
Of course, there are valid arguments in the anti-whaling movement. There are many non-racist individuals concerned about these issues. However, it cannot be denied that there are a significant number of people motivated by racism. It is hypocritical to advocate for the whales and dolphins while supporting or ignoring racist attitudes. ♦
Mark Lee can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
So many Amreican have no knowledge about history of whaling.
1. Reserch whaling never violate any international laws.
2. Trade of whale meat is not ileagal.
3. Japan will not stop whaling because there is no reason.
4. Paul Watson tired to grow his business and it’s supported by a lot of racist who said “Disaster in Japan is damnation”
I believe SSCS never made real enviromental improvement. It is business which make peoples hate to money. And SSCS charged a lot of crime around the world.
1977 – Leading the second Greenpeace seal campaign, Paul Watson brings actress Brigitte Bardot to visit the seals.
http://www.seashepherd.org/seals/history-saving-seals.html
“Former French film star Brigitte Bardot has failed to overturn a conviction for inciting racial hatred against Muslims.
The actress-turned-animal rights campaigner was prosecuted over her article called Open Letter to My Lost France.
Bardot wrote: “…my country, France, my homeland, my land is again invaded by an overpopulation of foreigners, especially Muslims.” ”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1324707.stm
Anyone surprised?
I would rather partner with racists and SAVE WHALES, than not partner with racists and see whales brutally slaughtered so that fat rich people can eat them. Anybody who truly is representing the whales will partner with anybody and do anything they possibly can to save whales without question.
What is the difference between killing a pig and a whale? Well, pigs are domestic animals that are raised in mass numbers solely so people can eat them. Whales are wild, endangered animals that will go extinct because people had to eat them. What a STUPID question! My reply to that question would have been a stern slap to the face. [comment edited] If you wouldnt, you should be ashamed of yourself!
Here is my question: Why are people who slaughter whales and dolphins called fishermen? Whales and dolphins are mammals, so these people should be called mammalermen.
If you slaughter dolphins or whales, and you call yourself a fisherman, you are a complete joke!!! [commented edited]
Notice how I never mentioned Japan, Indians, or Norway. I am not racist, I do not hate people just because they are a certain race. However, if you slaughter whales, then I hate you!
Quite telling that the apologists have now taken to spamming this article claiming the author himself is racist.
Pretty much says it all.
Swiftboat
Swiftboat
Swiftboat
Just as the Mr. Lee wrote:
“Watson’s reference to being overly “politically correct” is revealing. This is the standard cliché that is used when there is an objection to racism. Watson evaded the issue, and refused to acknowledge that racism is behind a significant number of anti-whaling attitudes when non-white people are involved.”
Deflection and personal attacks are their only response.
MARK LEE OF NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY IS RACIST AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS:
Mark Lee attempts to write: “Another example of this is the Makah whaling controversy in Washington state. In the 1990s, a controversy erupted when the Makah tribe initiated gray whale hunting based on treaty rights.”=THIS HAS BEEN DEBUNKED.
What anti-native american Mark Lee fails to tell you, is that what happened was that a CRIMINAL shot and killed a whale AGAINST THE LAWS OF HIS OWN TRIBE!
That’s right. Mark Lee just sided AGAINST the tribal elders. Mark Lee just went and aligned himself with the guy who is regarded by the Makah Native Tribal elders themselves as a criminal who disrespected the Makah tribal elders, and dishonored their tribe.
The Makah Native Tribal Council told this man NOT to do it. One 88 year old Makah elder, a woman, and grandmother, who is on the Makah native tribal council related that she was disgraced and saddened by a man named “Wayne Johnson”, and 4 other “accomplices” who actually went out with a 50-calibre machine gun, and started gunning down a whale which is considered sacred by the tribe.
This man also broke the rules of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. This man who disrespected his own tribe, disobeyed the word of the tribe and dishonored the tribal elders, got a sentence of 5 years in FEDERAL PRISON!
NEWS: NATIVE MAKAH WHALERS DISGRACE THEIR OWN TRIBE & PEOPLE:
“Makah Elders Reject act of whale killing by 5 Makah killers.”
“They did not respect Makah customs”, said one Makah tribal elder.
“They did not respect our tribal rituals, they did not honor our native aboriginal people. We reject this act of whale killing. The Makah whaleers dishonor us & our tribe!”
NEWS:
US Federal Court
Tacoma Washington
August 2007
“Whale killer Wayne Johnson received a five month sentence from the United States Federal Court in Tacoma, Washington for his part in the cruel killing of a whale.”
“5 men, members of the native Makah tribe, took a 50 calibre machine gun out and used it to illegally shoot and kill a whale against the wishes of their tribe. Three accomplices Frankie Gonzales, Theron Parker, and William Secor received two year sentences.”
In other words, Mark Lee, and anyone else who goes and brings up this Makah Native tribe issue and uses it to promote whaling is ANTI-NATIVE, AND ANTI-U.S.!
Mark Lee sided with the man who committed an act against his own tribe. Mark Lee is actually the one who is denigrating the respect of the tribal elders, and who committed a Federal crime against the rule of law of the United States of America.
Mark Lee is a criminal sympathiser, and cheering FOR the man who is actually AGAINST the Makah tribal elders!
Paul Watson was saying the quoted message to the criminals! The ones who got sentenced by Americans to 5 years in Federal Prison for their crimes against America.
Mark Lee here is cheering the man who committed a criminal felony, and Mark Lee is fighting against his own country, and bad-mouthing the Makah Elders.
All viewers, Look it up for yourselves. Put “MAKAH WHALER FEDERAL PRISON” into GOOGLE. You’ll see it for yourself.
In the meantime, watch out for this anti-native american, anti-us, sympathiser makah story, not revealing that the man who did this was actually against the Makah tribe. This story has also been traced back to a propagandist named “propagandabuster” who has attempted to spread this distorted material on youtube. Propagandabuster is an anti-american extremist, who sides against the US and cheers foreign governments to put Americans in harms way. This man, PropagandaBuster, alias Anthony Moreno, has been linked to multiple extremist groups including Aryan White Supremacy Groups, Stormfront, and Japanese anti-american nationalist groups. PropagandaBuster is loved by anti-american nationalists, and those who actually don’t realize they’re being duped by this extremist.
Anyone siding with the Makah TRIBAL ELDERS who are AGAINST KILLING WHALES, is a proud Native American supporter.
LOCAL NEWS: “Makah whale hunters plead guilty” – Seattle Times
NEWS BULLETIN: “Makah whalers harpoon and shoot a gray whale in an unauthorized killing” – HISTORYLINK
NEWS: “Two Makah whalers sent to prison” Port Angeles – PENINSULA NEWS
NATIVE NEWS: “Makah tribal member kills whale without permits” – Native American News
NEAH BAY — MAKAH TRIBAL CHAIRMAN SAYS WHALE KILLER DISHONORED TRIBE
“The Makah Tribal Council did not approve the whale hunt,” Micah McCarty, tribal chairman, declared Sunday. “The whole tribe was NOT behind this,” he said. “There was NO official approval of this hunt!” – Makah tribal chairman refutes defendants memo attempting to lie to the court that the hunt was approved. Tribal elders go on record AGAINST whaler.
NEWS: “Grand Jury Indicts 5 Makah Members” – News Story – KIRO Seattle – A United States federal grand jury has indicted 5 men, who disobeyed their own tribal elders and killed a whale sacred to their own tribe against the tribes wishes…
Thus, any person caught cheering the disgraced convicted criminal who dishonored the Makah tribe and elders, is an individual siding with a man named propagandabuster (propaganda spreader) linked to white supremacist groups, and AGAINST proud native americans.
Such nonsense you write, JNA! The Makah protest by Sea Shepherd that author Mark Lee writes about, and the illegal killing of a Gray whale by Wayne Johnson have little to do with one another and are events seperated by about eight years.
Watson and Sea Shepherd’s protest of the Makah whale hunt occurred in 1998. At that time, the hunt did have the blessing of the US government. The Makah legally took a whale in 1999. Since that time, the hunt has been caught up in redtape. A frustrated Wayne Johnson illegally took a gray whale along with four others in Sept of 2007. They did not use a .50 caliber machine gun as you state. They used a rifle in .460 caliber.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003876639_webwhale09.html
Although no whales are currently taken by the tribe in Washington state, they do have a quota under the IWC’s Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling program (ASW). This quota is granted in four year blocks and is sought by the US Government on behalf of the Makah Tribe. The current quota is for the period 2008- 2012. The quota is shared with the Chukotka peoples of Russia, who have the vast majority of the quota.
http://iwcoffice.org/conservation/catches.htm#aborig
The author does not cheer the illegal action of Wayne Johnson. No one does. Your attempt to deflect the arguement and distort the facts are very transparent.
I fully support Capt. Paul Watson and any means necessary to stop the whaling, and dolphin killing by Japan. But to try him on racism is just BS!
NOTICE ALL VIEWERS: MARK LEE OF NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY IS A *RACIST* AGAINST ASIANS AND WANTS TO HURT JAPANESE PEOPLE
It has been found out that Mark Lee, author of this article against asians, is indeed a racist. He is a [deleted by admin] who has posted material cheering hurting Japanese citizens.
WHALE MEAT CONFIRMED TO CONTAIN TOXIC DAMAGING METHYL MERCURIC POISON!
NEWS FLASH: “MaiNichi NEWS (May 20) — Dangerous levels of mercury appear to be present in whale, dolphin and porpoise meat”
“The levels of mercury measured by the scientists are similar to or higher than the levels in fish eaten by people in the Minamata Bay area of Japan, Endo says. The region is well known for its previous problems with mercury. In the 1950s and early 1960s, hundreds of children were born with birth defects caused by their mothers’ repeated consumption of contaminated sea food.”
IT MEANS THAT ANY PERSON CAUGHT CHEERING WHALERS WHO PUSH INGESTION OF WHALE MEAT, IS ADVOCATING THE HUMAN POISONING OF HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF JAPANESE CITIZENS, FAMILIES, AND ANY PERSON FOUND FOR WHALERS IS INFLICTING DAMAGE ON HUMAN CHILDREN.
Notice: This report is by Japanese people, Japanese scientists confirming it, and straight from Japanese newspaper published in Japan.
Any person *AGAINST* whalers is FOR Japan’s people, and every person helping to STOP whaling is helping to STOP the human poisoning of Japanese children.
Eating whale meat, containing methylmercuric poison causes stunted brain growth, horrible birth defects, and cognitive brain damage.
Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson are stoppping the human poisoning of hundreds and thousands of Japanese citizens, and helping Japan’s people.
Any pro-whaler is now implicated and guilty of facilitating, promoting, and cheering whalers, who are even pushing the ingestion of contaminated whale meat into Japanese child’s school lunch programs
ICRWHALE: “Institute for Cetacean Research confirms whale meat from whaling contained mercury, much higher levels than Health Japan’s acceptable Human limit for mercury”
NEWS: TOKYO (Reuters) – “Whalemeat served in school lunches in Japan are contaminated with alarming levels of mercury, a local Japanese official said on Wednesday”
“With lack of consumers and markets, whalers attempted to push it into the Japanese school lunch program, to be eaten by children.”
TYPE THIS: “METHYL MERCURY WHALE MEAT” into GOOGLE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF.
Eating pieces of whale meat contaminated with PCB’s, Toxaphene, Cobalt, Mercury, and DIOXIN compounds hurts and damages Japan’s people, Japanese Families and children’s brains.
POLL: 96% of JAPANESE PEOPLE DO NOT OR HAVE NEVER EATEN WHALE MEAT!
This means that the MAJORITY of Japanese people are against whalers. Mark Lee and pro-whalers are against the majority of Japan’s good people, and pro whalers are cheering a tiny sect of criminal whale killers who ram contaminated whale meat unfit for human consumption as declared by Japanese Health Ministry itself, onto less than a tiny 4% of Japanese people. And possibly up to 2% of that are children, who have less choice as it is being pushed by whalers into their lunch program because Japanese citizens don’t want to eat it. The majority of the great Japanese people are against Mark Lee, and against pro whalers. 96% of Japanese people don’t want or dont eat or have never even eaten whale meat.
Therefore, Mark Lee, and ANY pro-whaler you see on this site, or anywhere on the internet is racially targeting Japanese people in order to poison them, hurt people of the asian race, and foster damage to asian children. Mark Lee and all pro-whalers are race targeters who enjoy promoting damage and harm to humans, including focused on those of the asian race, and hurting Japanese people and children.
You’re still beating that drum Teal? That’s pretty funny considering how Watson gave you a tongue lashing for being so racist towards the Japanese on Facebook.
Here’s a question for the SSCS fans, members, supporters, and apologists who say that because he has gone after people like the Newfoundlanders, Icelanders, and Norwegians.
The Clan (KKK) hates some groups of white people too. That mean they aren’t really racist?
Japanese poacher fleets, raiding wildlife sanctuaries, killing endangered protected animals, bring nothing but shame to Japan. The few whalers, create such ill will towards all of japan, that it is astounding that ANY of the ‘allies’ Japan has have responded to her disasterous current situation.
What sort of suicidal government would pursue a whaling operation that is illegal, makes enemies of its closest allies, loses millions of yen, makes Japanese all look like barbaric savages and results in contaminated meat being fed to Japanese citizens????
Japanese poacher fleets are not welcome in any other nations waters.
Its that simple.
FOJLTWA!
No mercy to the poacher scum.
NOTICE:
MARK LEE, (AND ANY PRO-WHALER OR SITE ALSO PROMOTING THE FOLLOWING LINE) IS NOW CAUGHT INVOLVED IN PROMOTING AN ANTI-AMERICAN FRONT-GROUP:
FALSIFIED MATERIAL BY MARK LEE: Mark Lee erroneously attempts the following quote: “What is true and what is right to the general public is what is defined as true and right by the mass media. … A headline comment on Monday’s newspaper far outweighs the revelation of inaccuracy revealed in a small box inside the paper on Tuesday or Wednesday.” He also states, “If you do not know an answer, a fact, or a statistic, then simply follow the example of an American President and do as Ronald Reagan did — make it up on the spot”=THIS HAS BEEN DEBUNKED AND CONFIRMED FALLACIOUS.
Watson is talking about *other* people doing it, not him. As you see from the sentence just prior to this quote, Paul Watson was talking about what “THE MEDIA” does. QUOTE DIRECT FROM WATSON: talking about what is done nowadays “by the mass media.”-unquote.
The sentence by Paul Watson directly following it, which talks about making it up on the spot is Paul Watson talking about WHAT REPORTERS NOWADAYS IN THE MEDIA do. Not himself!
This erroneous ploy distorting this particular quote has been traced back to an ANTI-AMERICAN FRONT GROUP called the CCF. It is the “CCF” who 1st attempted to publish this fallacious quote distortion as part of a smear. The CCF is a group that wishes to see American lives put in harm’s way. Among the other activities of the CCF is that the CCF attacked “Mothers Against Drunk Driving”. The CCF pawns itself off under the mask of what’s called the “Center for Consumer Freedom” trying to dupe American citizens into thinking that it’s some kind of “Consumer Reports” group or something. They’re not. The Center for Consumer Freedom or CCF attacked Mothers Against Drunk Driving because the CCF got paid off by foreign and domestic sellers of liquor and booze, and MADD was working to decrease the consumption of alcohol because it leads to the deaths of American citizens, and even children. These are Mothers. American mothers who have lost their own child to a death involving an intoxicated driver boozed up behind the wheel and who mowed over and crushed their child to death. The CCF bad-mouthed and attacked these American mothers who are grieving the loss of their own American children. The CCF instead sent out ads, put up fake websites, and issued so-called “Press Releases” against these American mothers of families trying to smear them, and stop them from decreasing alcohol consumption and the legal limit for driving, all so that the CCF’s “client” who sells booze, could sell MORE booze.
This means that the CCF’s activities promoting alcoholism and against MADD, serve to promote actual human death. The CCF’s activities promote the human death of American citizens, their families, and children.
Among the CCF’s other taint campaigns, the CCF, traced to an anti-american radical extremist named Rick Berman, attempt to tell americans such things as obesity is ‘good’ for you (leads to more American deaths), pregnant women should go ahead and eat mercury contaminated fish (actually leads to American children being born stunted and with horrible birth defects), and the CENTER FOR CONSUMER FREEDOM also obtained money from TOBACCO companies and went around cheering Americans to smoke more (causes American family deaths from lung and horrible throat cancer).
So essentially, this extremist lobbyist CCF front-group, goes around pretending to be an advocate for ‘you’ and against the ‘bad bad’ mothers who have lost their own child due to death, and the CCF bad-mouths good people who tell you to eat healthy and promote eating things that can kill Americans, and the CCF attacks animal groups as well falsely claiming things like they care more about animals and want to hurt people when it’s actually animal helpers who by stopping whaling help not just the animals but also save human lives from potent methylmercuric mercury poisoning, while the CCF is actually the one hurting and damaging American citizens, and tricking people into smoking and obtaining cancer. The CCF is the one killing human lives and promoting the death of American citizens by advocating infecting people with cancer from cigarettes and promoting human drunk driving child death.
In other words, Mark Lee, and any pro whaler found using this quote or line, has just been caught aligning with the source of this fraud which is an anti-american front group known as the CCF which promotes the human death of Americans.
Mark Lee and pro whalers by promoting whalers, and quoting this contaminated quote, which has now been found fallacious, and traced back to a smear campaign by a front group favoring american citizens deaths, are complicit in the act of hurting and damaging American lives.
Mark Lee is not only against the majority of Japanese people, and promoting damage to Japan’s children, Mark Lee is a man who just promoted a front group whose actions hurt and kill Americans.
Anyone found helping to STOP whalers, such as SSCS, Paul Watson, and protesters, is helping Americans and Japan’s great people. And any person against whaling is also an American patriot.
Anyone pro whaler caught applauding whale killers who push toxic contaminated whale meat, and using fallacious smears by front groups, is against the United States of America and not a patriot. Any person caught promoting the ingestion of whale meat, is against Japan and wants to hurt American lives.
TYPE “CCF SOURCEWATCH FRAUD GROUP” into Google to see for yourself.
Learn for yourselfabout the radical CCF group that [deleted by admin] “Mark Lee” just promoted. The CCF operates more than 60+ scam domain names, and the CCF has had IRS complaints filed against it by the United States of America against the CCF.
You can be anti-whaling and anti-SSCS but if you support the SSCS then you are supporting a Racist Hate Group like the KKK. It isn’t Rotten butter they throw on people Watson him self has said it is 99.7% pure Butyric Acid that has blinded a person here. http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Man-blinded-acid-attack/article-2728210-detail/article.html
MSDS says that acute dermal toxicity (LD50) of butyric acid is 530mg/kg [rabbit], which roughly means you, can kill a rabbit that weigh 1kg by administering 0.53 g of the substance onto the skin. By simple calculation, it is roughly estimated that a human who weigh 155 lb. (70 kg) can die by administering about 1.305 oz (37 g) of butyric acid onto the skin. It is obvious that the amount of butyric acid thrown onto the Japanese ship is enough to kill more than several people.
MSDS says that butyric acid is readily absorbed through the skin and then degraded into other substances and that the biodegradation products are more toxic than butyric acid itself. The high toxicity of butyric acid seems to be conferred by the toxicity of the biodegradation products rather than its acidity.
Please produce non-anecdotal evidence of whalers injured/killed by butyric acid.
Referring to a story that happened on land involving a substance that is only remotely related to what Sea Shepherd uses (a common ingredient of unknown concentration) is vague at best. Referring to assumed percentages and quotes from websites and a story of some guy who went blind after being attacked with butyric acid is all you got? You’re assuming a lot and basing all your claims on those assumptions.
I can show you video of whalers accidentally macing themselves while trying to attack activists – causing more injury in 3 seconds than Sea Shepherd has caused in 6 years. Produce the non-anecdotal evidence or please shut up.
EVIDENCE REPORT:
– THERE ARE *NO* DEATHS OF JAPANESE WHALERS OR CITIZENS CAUSED BY SEA SHEPHERD.
– ON THE OTHER HAND, THE ACTS OF THE WHALE KILLERS HAVE RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF JAPANESE CITIZENS.
In other words, it is the Japanese Whalers who have caused HUMAN DEATH.
Any person cheering the whalers is therefore complicit on the side of the whalers who have caused actual human death to Japanese nationals. The whelers acts have killed Japanese people, not SSCS.
BREAKING NEWS: JAPANESE WHALERS SET THEIR OWN SHIP ON FIRE, RESULTING IN JAPANESE MAN’S DEATH
TOKYO, Japan, February 15, 2007 (ENS) – An explosion and fire broke out on the Japanese factory whaling ship Nisshin Maru in Antarctic waters during the early hours this morning. [The Japanese seamen and whalers caught their own ship on fire themselves. Sea Shepherd was Nowhere in the area.]
“126 [Japanese] crew members were endangered and were evacuated onto other vessels accompanying the Nisshin Maru, while around 30 people remained on board to extinguish the fire, which broke out on the floor of the whale processing factory, said the representative from The Institute for Cetacean Research, the entity which runs the entire Japanese whaling operation.
“We think there is up to 1,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on board the vessel as well as many other chemicals of course,” Carter said. “From an environmental point of view we are very concerned should there be any leakage of this material into the Ross Sea.”
Later that morning “The body of crew member Kazutaka Makita, 27, was found Saturday on the deck of the vessel close to where the fire began, according to Japan’s Institute of Cetacean Research.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/antarctic-disaster-feared-after-fire-on-japanese-whaler-436577.html
THAT’S CONCLUSIVE DOCUMENTATION OF HUMAN DEATH CAUSED BY THE ACTS OF THE JAPANESE WHALERS THEMSELVES. JAPANESE WHALERS ACTS KILLED A JAPANESE CITIZEN.
“This is the 2nd major fire aboard the Nisshin Maru. On November 23, when the Nisshin Maru was on the way down to Antarctica it caught fire and sustained damage. It had to be towed to New Caledonia for repairs.”
Dr. Hatanaka said, “a decision on continuing with the research program will be made once the assessment has been completed.”
NOW WE HAVE RECORDED DOCUMENTATION OF NOT 1, BUT 2, FIRES AND RECKLESS ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE SEAMEN ABOARD THE JAPANESE WHALING FLEET.
Next, Japanese Whaler’s Human Dead body number 2…
DATELINE: 4:35AM GMT 06 Jan 2009
BREAKING ALERT: “JAPANESE WHALING HALTED AFTER JAPANESE MAN FEARED DEAD”
“Japan’s controversial whale hunt halted after a Japanese crewmember’s body was lost overboard. He is feared drowned in the freezing Antarctic waters.”
“The alarm was raised aboard Japanese whaling fleet vessels after Hajime Shirasaki, 30, an oiler based in the engine room of the Kyoshin Maru No 2, disappeared from the vessel early on Monday morning south of New Zealand. “the sailor is believed to have gone overboard”
The incident is the latest in a string of tragedies to hit the nation’s controversial whaling fleet in recent years. Two years ago, a sailor died during an industrial accident on board the mother factory ship Nisshin Maru while another worker was killed when the ship caught fire in the Ross Sea.
-TOKYO BUREAU, THE TELEGRAPH
Put “Japanese-whaler-feared-drowned-after-being-washed-overboard” into google and you’ll find recorded the 2nd HUMAN DEATH caused by Japanese whalers against Japanese citizens.
3rd HUMAN DEATH RELATED TO JAPANESE WHALING ACTIVITIES:
NEWS FLASH: “CORRUPT SCANDAL-TAINTED WHALING BOSS FOUND DEAD, HANGED HIMSELF BEFORE FACING INQUIRY”
CDNN: Japan’s corrupt, scandal-tainted whaling boss kills himself
TOKYO, Japan (28 May 2007) — A scandal-tainted cabinet member who headed Japan’s powerful fisheries, agriculture and forestry ministry hanged himself just hours before he faced questioning Monday over alleged bookkeeping fraud.
An autopsy on Matsuoka, 62, showed he had hanged himself, according to a Tokyo Metropolitan Police official.
[Matsuoka was Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry, the Agency which is the top head of Japan’s Whaling Program]
MATSUOKA WAS JAPAN’S TOP WHALING BOSS
Matsuoka also faced separate scandals related to bid-rigging and political contributions, triggering calls for his resignation even from within his own ruling Liberal Democratic Party.”
[JAPANESE WHALERS ARE MEMBERS OF THE “LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARTY” IN JAPAN]
“He allegedly claimed more than US$236,000 in false fees, and was slated to face an inquiry as to the whaling program chief’s dealings, before he committed suicide.”
The Japanese Whaling boss left a suicide note confessing his acts.
JAPAN’S WHALING CHIEF ATTACKED THE UNITED STATES AND FOUGHT TO BLOCK AMERICAN FARMERS AND FAMILIES FROM SELLING BEEF IN JAPAN.
“Matsuoka oversaw a powerful ministry in charge of some of the country’s most controversial policies, including its whaling program, strict restrictions on U.S. beef imports over mad cow fears, and strong stance on lowering agricultural tariffs at trade negotiations.”
Now we have multiple documented accidents, acts of incompetent sailing by Japanese Whaling fleet officers and crew, the deaths of multiple Japanese nationals, and including the suicide of the top whaling boss, all related to the Japanese Whaling Fleet.
Deaths caused by Sea Shepherd = 0. None. Zero.
Multiple human deaths, including the deaths of Japanese citizens hinged upon the acts of Japanese Whaling.
In other words, Sea Shepherd preventing the whaling fleet from whaling would result in SAVING the lives of Japanese nationals. If the Japanese Fleet were never down there in dangerous Antarctic Waters on unsafe whaling fleet ships to begin with, that Japanese crewman would possibly be alive today, and with his family.
Not to mention, the hundreds and thousands of Japanese citizens, families, and children being doused with potent neurotoxic methyl-mercury MeHg contaminated whale meat being pushed in shops and laced into Japanese childrens school lunches, and toxic meat being fed to the elderly and sick in hospitals by Japanese whalers trying to poison Japanese people.
Sea Shepherd saves the lives of Japanese people.
It is the Japanese Whalers whose acts have resulted in Human Death, including the killing of Japanese people.
Anyone FOR Sea Shepherd is helping save Japanese lives, including children.
Any person FOR the Whalers and AGAINST Sea Shepherd is on the side which has resulted in human death, fires, environmental disasters, accidents, suicides, hangings, and the poisoning of Japanese people including children.
Whalers cause human death.
CAUGHT: The user identified as “Shiloh Cane” is a known ANTI-JAPANESE and ANTI-AMERICAN sympathiser who is against Japanese people.
The individual identified as “Shiloh Cain” has been found on other sites as well, pushing this false information in order to dupe Americans and you the viewers about butyric acid.
First, Pro Whalers are AGAINST Japan, not FOR Japan. 96% of Japanese people DO NOT EAT OR HAVE NEVER EATEN WHALE MEAT. That means that Shiloh Cain, by not doing EVERYTHING to stop it, is allowing its ingestion. Whale meat is confirmed contaminated with doses of Methyl Mercury, horribly poisonous Toxaphenes, and PCB’s which can cause human genital damage to anyone who eats whale meat. Japanese Whalers are merely a small tiny sect of only a few hundred people which are viewed as criminals in Japan and whaling is linked to Japanese Organized Crime syndicates such as the Yakuza. (Recently whalers were caught involved in the prostitution of young Japanese girls to foreign officials in order to obtain pro whaling votes in the ICW, look it up, whaling operation is involved in hurting young Japanese girls using them for prostitution.) Therefore anyone FOR whaling, or even not doing ALL they can to stop it, is against the Majority of 96% of the Japanese people. And anyone FOR whaling is only cheering a tiny sect of a few hundred nasty criminal whale killers, who’ve prostituted and taken advanate of young Japanese girls.
BUTYRIC ACID IS HEALTH FOOD!
This fake ‘butyric acid’ line parroted by the cheerleader “Shiloh Cain” has been debunked. First, pro whalers tried to utilize the word ‘acid’ itself, in order to sensationalize propaganda against those trying to stop the whaling criminals. By emphasizing the word “acid” they attempted to make it sound ‘dangerous’—UNTIL IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THE WORD ACID DOES NOT MAKE SOMETHING HARMFUL.
Examples:
ASCORBIC ACID! – Oh no! Sounds “scary” doesn’t it! Well, ascorbic acid happens to be Vitamin C! It’s good for you! In fact, this so-called ‘acid’ can improve your health! It could also be listed as ‘caustic’! And highly acidic! and so forth, by the MSDN. But as we know, Vitamin C is healthy. Shiloh Cain would have you believing this will dissolve your human flesh. But as everyone knows, Vitamin c is delicious! And even fun to put its orangey goodness in your mouth.
Folic Acid – This is Vitamin B! Pro Whalers want you to think these are scary “ACIDS!” that would be used by some kind of eco-terrorists and acid will burn your face off. Go read the side panel of your cereal box you ate from this morning, you’ll find lots of FOLIC ACID in there.
Acetyl Salicylic ACID! – Oh my god! It’s acid! Surely throwing it at someone is the act of an eco-terrorist and this will char human flesh!–No. This is ASPIRIN. Put it in your mouth. It’s good for you. It comes from the bark of a willow tree. You can even eat some every day, in fact doctors even prescribe it, it’s good for your heart. And it will even get rid of your headache and make you feel good again.
LESSON HERE: “Shiloh Cain” and other pro whalers falsely attempt to scare people by purposely using the word “acid” in order to capitalize on fear and scare tactics to smear people, to scapegoat SSCS, and pro whalers try to dupe you, the public, with these false claims.
Dave R is one of about a dozen or so “trolls” who spend every waking moment in online forums taking stabs at Sea Shepherd. You can see more of their vitriol and hatred in one of their Facebook clubhouses.
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_168559119846708
They use the words “ecoterrorist” and “racist” whenever they can’t win an argument. Just like Japan’s “scientific whaling” argument, they spin every fact into lie and attack individual people instead of the issue. They litter their corner of cyberspace with screenshots of other people’s conversations, private information of activists posted publicly, and competitions to see who can come up with the most clever insults… often with homophobic overtones. Follow the link above, but be warned – you’ll may be targeted as well.
I have been on that site and the people who post against Sea Shepherd are remarkable in that they always back up their arguments with solid references. They nearly always have links so that people can go check the references themselves. And far from being homophobic, they have well respected, openly gay members.
Here’s your beloved group’s mission statement in all of it’s typographical splendor:
“A truly unmoderated group to discuss Whale Wars, vegans, animal rights, paul wat$on, et al… ANY member can add one of their friends to the group.
We encourage dissent and independent thought… in and from all directions… or you can parrot others, but be ready to hear about it.
Time outs apply in severe circumstances. Not by content, but by delivery.
*** minimum observable IQ required ***
In memory of Japan’s victims of the quake/tsumani and pending nuke issues, for the UGLY things said by the whalies, FUCK ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS.”
The attitude of the core members (about a dozen in all) is not much better. Your leader, Hank Ahab Melville (seriously?!), is one of the worst offenders. He writes:
“Anyone else so fed up they want to find a protest (re: whales, not the westboro’s) and just wade in and kick the shit out of some of ’em?”
Your group is a collection of hateful anonymous cyberstalkers who’s aim appears to be nothing more than insulting activists. Unfortunately for you, everyone is able to go to that group and read your embarrassing flame wars. I encourage everyone to do just that.
I encourage everyone to do that too. Then they’ll see how wrong you are.
Reginald what a quaint name obviously you were named after your grandfather.
You wrote and I quote “Your group is a collection of hateful anonymous cyberstalkers who’s aim appears to be nothing more than insulting activists. Unfortunately for you, everyone is able to go to that group and read your embarrassing flame wars. I encourage everyone to do just that.”
Fighting words Reginald. We hope everyone does GO THERE so they can read the real facts and the truth about a liar , a thug, a manipulative con man, a money grabbing media whoring disgrace of a human being known as Paul Watson. Here are a few Watson quotes Reginald you may not have read before as I am assuming your still in your teens due to being totally brainwashed by a dangerous sick cultist megalomaniacal sociopath.
“I give birth to a Christian every morning.”-Paul Watson
“Earthworms are far more valuable than people.”
– Paul Watson, speaking at the Animal Rights 2002 convention.
“It’s just like in the wild west, if the government refuses to enforce the law, then vigilantes will do it for them.” ~Paul Watson
“I like the cause because the methods are illegal and wrong.” -Paul Watson
“If you don’t know an answer, a fact, a statistic, then … make it up on the spot.”
— Paul Watson, in Earthforce: An Earth Warrior’s Guide to Strategy
“If you do not intend to kill anybody, if you make every effort to not kill and injure anybody, that’s all you really can do. You can’t stop somebody from walking into a situation, and we really can’t be too overly preoccupied with this.”
— Sea Shepherd President Paul Watson
“I’ve known the guy (Watson) for 15 years, and he’s absolutely insane, out of his mind.”
“See the thing is the (harp) seal is very easy to exploit as an image. We have posters, we have buttons, we have shirts, all of which portray the head of a baby seal with tears coming out of it’s eyes.” -Paul Watson
“I think that the problem that is happening, and that it deserves criticism, is the organization becomes more important than the issue.” -Paul Watson
“We should never feel like we’re going too far in breaking the law, because whatever laws you break to liberate animals or to protect the environment are very insignificant compared to the laws that are broken by that parliament of whores in Washington. They are the biggest lawbreakers, the biggest destroyers, the biggest mass-murderers on this planet right now.”
— Paul Watson, at the Animal Rights 2002 convention
“It’s just like in the wild west, if the government refuses to enforce the law, then vigilantes will do it for them.” ~Paul Watson
“Guilty, guilty, guilty and proud of it!” – Paul Waton, July 3, 2009 on the conviction of two Sea Shepherd crew in Canada for illegal interference with the seal hunt.
“You people are full of **** and have no clue what you are talking about, your nothing more than insignificant hominids” – Paul Watson
“Earthworms are far more valuable than people.”
– Paul Watson, speaking at the Animal Rights 2002 convention.
“It’s not like they got a whale going up that ramp.” – Paul Watson
“I don’t give a damn what you think because I am in charge and people WILL listen to me” -Paul Watson
”We’ve never rammed a japanese whaling vessel in these waters, and i don’t think i ever would” Paul Watson
If thats right how come they seem to have a ship full of bits of Japanese whaling boats?
Then he said this:
I would like to respectfully contest what you have said here. I’m not bragging but stating as fact that I am the world’s most experienced ship rammer. I have been ramming ships since I first knocked the pirate whaler Sierra out of business in July 1979.
I fully understand the physics and the mechanics of ramming a ship. I know where to hit it and how to hit it to avoid causing injuries. When 1,000 tons of steel collides with 1000 tons of steel at a correct angle, the mass or volume of the metal being struck and the metal striking absorbs the shock of the impact and never in any of the many number of ship rammings have we ever knocked a person off their feet. I never strike a ship where there is an accommodation or fuel compartment and I never strike where crew are standing. I once aborted a deliberate ramming on a Japanese driftnetter because a crewmember was not moving from the position where he was standing. As for sinking whalers, we only sink whaling ships without anyone onboard.
Is ramming a pirate whaling ship moral or legal. It is legal unless charges are laid and I’ve never been charged with a crime in relationship to a ship ramming. As for moral, it depends on your point of view. An anthropocentric would argue that it is immoral but a biocentric would maintain that it is moral. I personally don’t care what the anthropcentrics think of what we do.
-Paul Watson
Some more recent non vegan comments from written material in the possession of some informed insiders.
“I had a steak stuffed with oysters plus roasted potatoes and vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.’ Paul Watson
“Making my own lunch today – just macaroni and cheese. The vegan option was not that appealing” Paul Watson
There are hundreds more lies and sick quotes from reliable sources but I find the subject of Watson and his feral followers to be tedious and boring. The old liar is a sickening discrace more so after attemtpting to get publicity by pretending to assist the Japanese people in their time of need. Watson deserves jail for a long long time, he is a certifiable crude base excuse for a human being. Watson has numerous drones reading every comment about him on the net who are paid to go on forums such as this, he is addicted to facebook feverishly hitting back at anti Watson comments to try and salvage some small smidgeon of credibility, all the fake names are Watson, all the pro comments are from Watson, the jerk is just a miserable joke and best ignored.
Someone explain to me how these quotes by Watson are NOT racist or hateful in nature:
“Still chasing the whining Jap whalers. Fuji TV wanted to know how I justified throwing acid in the face of the whalers. I told them to get real, it’s rotten butter, certainly less acidic than their own lying tongues.”
“A passionate compassionate crew very bold
Heading southward where the Antarctic ice does floe
Where perverse Japs suck whale blood like a vampire
Slaughtering life in the oceans for pride and gold.”
“Japan’s method of operations has not changed since 1943. They deliberately destroyed the Sea Shepherd ship Ady Gil and then immediately claimed that the fault was not theirs. So absurd was the Japanese claim that they even accused Sea Shepherd of deliberately causing an oil spill after the Shonan Maru #2 cut the Ady Gil into two pieces. The first piece sank quickly, the large aft section sank slowly afterwards after all efforts to salvage it were unsuccessful. Fortunately the crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker was able to remove the diesel fuel and oil from the Ady Gil before it sank.”
“Our mission is to save whales, cut the quotas, cost the Japs their profits and turn this issue into an international controversy. ”
“Nothing has changed much. The sinking of the Centaur, a hospital ship in 1943 was deliberate and it was a war crime that killed 278 Australians, yet Japan still to this day refuses to acknowledge responsibility in the face of overwhelming evidence. The same holds true for the sinking of the Ady Gil, no matter what evidence or the results of Australian and New Zealand investigations, Japan will refuse to acknowledge responsibility.”
“Stand back and look at yourself. This is the 21st Century, and you bozos are still killing whales. Talk about old school. Get with it. Killing whales is medieval, and well if I were Japanese, I would be downright embarrassed just as I am embarrassed as a Canadian to be associated with the barbarically cruel slaughter of baby seals.”
“It’s because Japan tolerates, and in fact encourages, some of the most barbaric and horrifically disgusting activities on the planet. Yes, I know your country is famous for schoolgirls in bondage and street machines that dispense used panties from young girls, but the savage spearing and slashing of dolphins and the incredibly cruel and painful slaughter of highly intelligent and socially complex sentient beings like the whales is perversion of the highest order.”
I don’t see anything racist in the text above. Why did you even post it?! Also, everywhere the word “Japs” is used above was fabricated by the poster.
A simple Google search debunks this post. This is the type of spin the pro-whaling community does over and over and over. The “racism” argument is so 5 years ago. [yawn] But that’s what you have to do when you can’t defend whaling.
And why do whalers have a sudden interest in the tiny Minke Whales? What happened to the larger whales? Anyone want to address the issue of where all the large whales have gone? THAT would be better use of this space than calling Paul Watson a racist.
Here are a few more gems from Watson who was not only hit by the ugly stick the unfortunate old bastard, when it comes to people and social skills , he has none. When I go through my pile of correspondence I will enlighten you all further on Watsons insanity, he possesses animal cunning , that is all.
QUOTES FROM THE CERTIFIABLE PAUL WATSON.
“Opinions are like assholes, we all have one and
an opinion is pretty much of the same value as the product delivered by the
asshole.’
‘An opinion is just an opinion. I don’t lose sleep over the silly
opinions of hominids.’ Humans are so frigging stupid.
‘All opinions are shit yes,
especially yours.’
‘I’m sure that the human population could sustain some serious
exploitation and cannibalism should be defended on cultural grounds because the
prey species is “sustainable.”
‘Anyone who disagrees with what we do can
literally go fuck themselves’
‘ Finally I love pissing people off because people
are the problem.”
Paul Watson Facebook, 2009
What a charming man, any woman
…. with any common decency, education and class would never associate herself with this scum bag. Gold diggers one and all,being a millionaire on donations this is all he has to offer.
What is wrong with that Isabelle? Who has caused the most destruction to the ecosystems of the world? People
Who has poisoned the land sea and air it and every living thing depends on? People
The observations seem to be of the sort of thing people like you and your bretheren who seem to think taking more and more from nature while putting nothing back is acceptable and worse still sustainable. Where do you get the self centred arrogance to be the GOD of the rest of the natural world? Some people are becoming enlightened to the state of the planet and want to leave it in a better state than they received it. I for one am and can see the problems are GREED- a particulaly human characteristic, IGNORANCE- again something humans posses in abundance (and you so aptly demonstrate) and STUPIDITY- … well that tends to be aimed at those who sh1t in their house and continue to live there…. hmmmm sound familiar?
It’s clear that watson is not motivated by racism. Therefore, SS is not motivated by racism, as well. Like all cults, to speak of one is to speak of the other. However, as Mr. Lee points out, there undoubtedly is a significant number of SS supporters who are clearly motivated by racism. Reading the many racist comments by SS supporters on various forums is proof enough of that. No, watson himself is not motivated by racism. His goal is to continue playing the fantasy role he has created for himself as a modern day “Captain Nemo”. In order to do this, he needs money. If getting the money he needs to continue his fantasy means playing to the racist attitudes of his supporters, he has no problem doing so. Watson’s actions are clearly playing to his racist supporters. The fact that ONLY Japan has suffered SS’s repeated violent and persistent attacks for YEARS, is proof of that. True, watson has spoken and acted in opposition to other whaling countries. However, no other country or group has been repeatedly attacked as many times as Japan has with acid, lasers, prop foulers, flares, smoke bombs and rammings. For example, how many Norwegian fishermen have had acid thrown at them year after year?
This is a straw man argument, completely fallacious.
That the author misnames or misspells the name of Sea Shepherd throughout the “article” — as “The Shepherd Society”; “The Sea Shepherd Society”, and then “Shepard Society” — doesn’t help any.
He also misuses “racism” — what you mean is “bigotry”. “Racism” is a system of social control. “Bigotry” is hatred based on differences in skin color, hair texture, and culture.
The “author” here is arguing that Sea Shepherd opposes whaling because Japanese whalers have tan skin, almond-shaped eyes, and black hair.
Absolutely ludicrous.
Your comments are sensible.
Mark Lee has no concern for the slaughter of whales.
You’re a shill for the ecoterrorists.
“There will never be an Academy Award winning movie that bashes white Norwegians for hunting whales. Asians are a convenient scapegoat for the white American media.”
Wake up! The Japanese whalers are exploiting a research loophole, they are taking advantage of the legislature by implementing mass killings of cetaceans for so-called scientific research, there’s nothing scientific about whale sashimi. The Japanese government is greedily allowing the oceans to be raped without any concern for the ecological repercussions.
The whalers in Norway are no angels, but they are not trying to fool the public or themselves by claiming their whaling is for research purposes!
The only card the Japanese media like yourself can play is the “racist” card as you’ve further proven with this biased article. So kudos to you, you’ve shown that press has about as much integrity in reporting the truth as the government itself.
Right, so I guess all these published research papers are fake, huh?
http://www.icrwhale.org/DocumentList.htm
Nah, you’re just a shill for the ecoterrorists.
Yeah, like:
“Comparative Experiment of Whaling Grenades in the Japanese Whale Research Program”
“Feeding Habits and Prey Consumption of Antarctic Minke Whale”
In other words: “Whales eat fish and grenades are good for killing them.”
If you want to support this “scientific whaling” claim, then you should be okay with changing the IWC regulations to say that “all whale meat must be discharged back into Antarctic waters and may not be sold or consumed by humans”.
Are you okay with that? I didn’t think so! Another flimsy argument from the pro-whaling community bites the dust.
Greetings from my multicultural homeland of Brazil. To me, Racism is what Japan has done over many decades raping the oceans´biodiversity and depriving coastal communities all around the planet of the balanced ecosystem they need to feed their families in poor countries. Racism is also to pay small, poor countries´ governments to act as slaves to Japan in international fisheries treaties and the International Whaling Commission. Neither the Japanese government or most of this people have ever given a damn about their impact on ‘non-Japanese’ all around the world. So coming up with this pity-me BS at this point in time to demand ‘compassion’ or smear anti-ocean-raping activists is simply ridiculous. I sincerely hope this disaster will make Japan rethink and mend its imperailist, racist ways in relation to the planet´s wildlife and ocean heritage. It´s about time.
Wow, it takes a special kind of jackass to call another culture imperialist while forcing his own culture’s opinion of what they should and shouldn’t be allowed to do on theirs.
You conveniently forget that the IWC was created to ensure that whaling could be continued sustainably into the 21st century, not to stop it altogether! America are the racist cultural imperialists here, making small, poor countries their slaves against Japan.
Be aware that Sea Shepherd, since 2008 has, has created a cyber team to troll websites and chatrooms across the net. Members of this team are tasked with front running conservations about SSCS and to always paint this org in a positive light.
One of these members is in fact AnimuX
AnimuX appears on many anti-SSCS sites always towing the party line, AnimuX uses the same arguments and wording never allowing honest debate about Paul Watson or SSCS to surface.
SSCS is a very media savvy org and anywhere you see AnimuX know you have a direct line to SSCS.
This Op Ed has hit a nerve, and it is a honest and truthful look at an org that trades on hate and distrust of “the other”. Paul Watson is skillful in his racist overtones, a disgusting example on international Jim Crow.
Wrong. I am not Paul Watson and I am not a member of SSCS. So goes the never ending negative campaign waged by pro-whaling antagonists who seek to demonize environmental groups with emotionally charged false accusations like “racism” in order to distract from the core issues the environmental groups address and degrade the effectiveness of protest.
White Canada slaughters endangered whales. White Norway slaughters endangered whales. White America slaughters endangered whales. White Denmark slaughters endangered whales. Sea Shepherd doesn’t attack any of them; instead they focus on the Japanese, who’re killing abundant whales. Can you explain to me how that’s not racist?
I’ve been calling other people here shills pretty lightly, but with your long track record on other sites, it’s no joke.
@Dave R: Answer this: Has Sea Shepherd sent a ship into Japanese waters to stop Japan’s coastal whaling? No! For thew same reason there have been no ships sent into the coastal waters of any of the countries you listed who all kill whales within their own EEZ. That doesn’t mean SSCS doesn’t oppose that whaling, just that it’s difficult to legally challenge coastal whaling while also abiding by each country’s laws.
However, Japan is the only country sending ships into a whale SANCTUARY (in international waters) to kill whales. If any other country was in that sanctuary, Sea Shepherd would be there confronting them as well. But it just so happens that only one country is down there illegally taking whales… Japan.
Your “racism” spin doesn’t hold water. Whenever someone takes the time to learn the facts, it’s obvious. Even the Cove Guardians in Taiji have been careful to not break Japanese laws and have also been very courteous to the locals (who aren’t killing dolphins). The Cove Guardians are liked by most Japanese Citizens who take the time to meet them.
Why don’t you spend your time confronting racism where it actually exists?
Paul Watson has carried out campaigns against whaling by:
The Soviet Union (in the 1970s)
Iceland
Norway
Pirate Whalers in Portugal and Spain
The Faroe Islands
(and don’t forget the seal hunters of Canada)
…and of course… Japan.
That’s a lot of countries, populated by people of white European descent, that you’ve conveniently left out of your false accusations of racism.
I am an SSCS volunteer and when i saw the news my immediate desire was to come here and help in their time of need. I was most certainly supported in spirit doing so by SSCS even though I came under another organizations capacity since SSCS is not a relief agency. I am here in Japan now helping as much as i can and being as I am risking radiation exposure right alongside them when i certainly did not have to yet i am still being called a racist for opposing the actions of a small minority, i am more than a little offended by this BS article! Pure vitriolic propaganda disguised as a noble argument… crap. Hardly even worth this response. Absolutely not a shred of real evidence to support it. Paul Watson “Our hearts and sympathies do go out to the men and women in the whaling fleet who may have lost family and friends to the disaster.” … a racist is not a man i would ever follow. Paul is most certainly not. The campaigns to save marine animals happen all over the world including NORWAY and the Faroe islands both white peoples. Paul started his work in his home country of Canada opposing sealers this has nothing to do with the Japanese people it has to do with a barbaric, cruel, and completely unnecessary, illegal activity.
In many ways to protect the unknowing Japanese people from mercury poison from eating cetacean meat is saving them from the GOJ that is hiding that information from them. How could that be racist?
This article is totally unfounded and worthless
“The campaigns to save marine animals happen all over the world including NORWAY and the Faroe islands both white peoples.”
Wrong, both still hunt whales, and Sea Shepherd hasn’t campaigned against either of them in more than 15 years.
“this has nothing to do with the Japanese people it has to do with a barbaric, cruel, and completely unnecessary, illegal activity.”
You’re using harsh words for emotional impact and just plain lying. The Japanese whaling program is perfectly legal and conducted as humanely as possible, and you don’t get to dictate what a culture should or shouldn’t be allowed to do based on what you think is *necessary*. That’s a plainly racist attitude – ‘I should be allowed to do whatever I want to, but you should only be allowed to do what you *need* to’.
Japan receives a great deal of attention from activists because Japan is currently the world’s worst offender when it comes to killing whales.
Pro-whaling antagonists often ignore the fact that Japan has a long history of regulatory violations including:
Size limits, species protections, seasonal limits, all manner of quotas, and even facilitating pirate whaling (that’s front organizations with foreign labor killing whales in secret and smuggling the meat to Japan).
Japan’s whalers annually kill endangered Fin and Sei whales, vulnerable Sperm whales, Bryde’s Whales, common Minke whales from the vulnerable J-stock, and Antarctic Minke whales (which may also be in decline according to the IUCN). (and up to 20,000 dolphins)
Japan also acts as the world market for illegal whale meat by importing endangered Fin whale meat from Iceland.
And by the way, Sea Shepherd sent activists to the Faroe Islands last year and has announced a new campaign to take place there this year. (so much for your “15 year” lie)
I get the impression the pro-whaling supporters get their information from the media bias that will use any means to get viewers.
So because there is a bent toward getting bums on seats the best way to do this is by salacious means. i.e. imply there is something more that there really is and go for the story that is most glamorous and controversial. By missing wll that goes on in the background they do themselves no justice and their arguments have no substance.
Besides this, we don’t NEED to kill whales to eat. So why spend so much effort and cause so mush destruction to life and ecology for self gratification(greed)? Already we produce way more food than we need (or ought to) and yet still people want more. Wtf are we doing to the planet and all the other life that has as much if not more right to life than humans?
We don’t own this rock. If a jury were looking down on us from the heavens and judging us on how we have stewarded Earth we’d be up for a long stretch if not the rope. Destruction is not the way forward. Get over yourself and find a job that will make a positive contribution to the place BEFORE you leave rather than once you leave and become food for worms (unless you intend to add to global warming through cremation).
Japan consumes half the animal protein per capita as the nations telling them they don’t need any more animal protein.
Anti-whalers tend to argue from emotional attacks and appeals to some kind of “higher morality” they themselves cannot meet.
Such is this case in the response above.
Whales aren’t endangered and there is no environmental destruction going on. This has, and never has had, anything to do with “conservation”.
It does have a lot to do with people getting their hate on.
It does have a lot to do with people finding a socially acceptable forum in which to express their racism.
Non sequitur. You have no idea what side I am on based on my response. I am but an arbiter of what I see. I did not say I support Watson. I only criticize the article, comment on tactics. The analysis, albeit anemic, stands on its merits. This article does not.
And so you troll the commenters who disagree withthis. What is the point of putting up an opinion piece if you cannot take the criticism?
Stick to the point K.
You do not answer the NEED to eat whales. Killing for the sake of it or for profit and not for NEED is unnecessary and both are immoral. You seem to miss this point. Not emotional, not racist so get away from that line.
It takes a whole lot more effort to feed/hunt the animals we eat than it does to grow protein based foods which through imagination and thought can be made to taste as you wish without the same pollutant levels and death involved. Laziness makes you ‘need’ to kill to eat.
If whales are alive and they are being hunted they are endagered. Simple extrapolation of reality there. Just as we are endagered by our own stupidity as we continue to take from nature indiscriminately regardless of the consequences which we are actually aware of but doing nothing about.
The ship is holed and we are still parading on the deck oblivously.
I do not see your evidence. An expose needs evidence to have weight. On the other hand, if you look at Watsons fb page, he specifically notes racist language is banned. I’ve pored over the SS website, I have never seen anything racist on there. As far as I can tell, there’s zero leverage of racism, 100% leverage of conservation sentiment. You say he has not targeted the Norweigian hunts as evidence. He has targeted northern European hunts. You faik to mention a recent expose SS activists ran on the Faroe Islands. Additionally, you continue by quoting his words out of context. His words on the media are analysis, rather than strategic direction. The items in this piece are retreads of ICR rhetoric that have failed in the past. I suggest you should go to the Discovery Channel and film your own reality show to gain a following of pro-whaling fans. That’s what Watson did and look what he accomplished. Otherwise you’re really just whistling the same tune in the breeze.
Perhaps you could tell me the reason for Paul Watson’s extensive use of World War II rhetoric as a means to stir up Nationalism then?
One search of those words on his website will come back with over a hundred hits.
Perhaps you could tell me the purpose of calling people “barbaric”, “savage”, or “molesters” is? If not to foment hatred and racism? Barbaric and Savage are words steeped in millenia of “less than human” racism.
It’s no different when Watson does it.
Or perhaps you could explain this article, about the recently demolished village of Ayukawa in tsunami-devastated Miyagi Prefecture.
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-090421-1.html
“The Yakuza controlled Japanese whaling industry have unleashed their mad dog killers ”
This isn’t hate rhetoric?
Hmmmm, I’m not buying it.
Watson has used the same sort of language (barbaric, savage, etc) to describe very “white” Canadian seal hunters. No racism here. Just a common link between the way Watson condemns two different cruel industries.
I find it both ironic and sad that someone from the SSCS would try to hide behind the “we had Makah” with us during the lengthy dispute. That’s no different then their highlighting of a “Japanese” woman on their crew to somehow demonstrate that their targeting only one race of whalers and use of WWII “Jap” stereotyping in their campaigns is NOT racist.
That they had several people of mixed Makah blood on their crew during that sad event is true, however, their motives were far from the pure anti-whaling motives we would be lead to believe.
The fact remains, when the Makah first decided to resume their treaty right to whale, they did so in an effort to form a unifying community cultural tie that has had tremendous success in Alaskan communities. What followed, for the sake of media attention, was a disgrace to the so-called civilized people who perpetuated it for their own purposes.
The sad fact that the Makah community ended up divided regarding the hunt is simply the result of some members of the community wishing to end the nightmare of having the lives of their children threatened for a photo-op.
If one wants to TRULY understand the impact on that community forgo a Google search that will lead you to a disguised personal dispute and visit the Makah community.
“As in the Makah tribe situation, Watson once again was aligned with groups or individuals with racist sentiments.”
This is where the author crosses the line for me. I was a crew member during the Makah campaign. Not only where the crews multi-ethnic but many times we had MAKAH tribe members aboard our boat and offer support. One of the first mates was from a neighboring tribe. To offer that the SSCS Makah campaign was tainted by association with racist elements, WITHOUT OFFERING A SINGLE EXAMPLE, is not journalism or opinion making. It is pure slander.
To add, those same tribal members who offered their support to the anti-whaling cause were often retaliated against by their own tribe, specifically the Johnson family who had a large say in the tribal government.
What is sad here is that a quick Google check would have confirmed this. Try it. Google “Alberta Thompson makah” and see what comes up. This isn’t a secret. It is basic research that should have been done before the first letter of this article ever hit the screen. The fact that no research was done before the author threw the racism card out shows more of the author’s intent at slander than any attempt at good journalism.
Having 1 supporter from within Makah doesn’t change Watson’s statements.
Nor Does it sound like the Native American community in Washington agrees with your claims.
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR NATIVE PEOPLES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
http://www.mail-archive.com/nativenews@mlists.net/msg03111.html
This declaration is not about whether or not the Makah whale hunt is
“right” or “wrong”. It is an assertion that racism is always wrong.
While we, the undersigned, have varying opinions about the hunting of
whales, we agree on the following:
1) Racism in all forms must be opposed. We reject any attempts by
environmentalists, animal rights activists, or any other groups to use
racism to gain support for a cause.
2) We call on all groups and individuals concerned about the whaling to
take a strong stand against the racist backlash that is currently happening
as a result of racist and inflammatory rhetoric used by environmental and
animal rights groups such as the Sea Shepherd Society.
…
In the end the antagonists that aim to demonize Watson and other environmental activists must invent a non-existent emotionally charged accusation based on out of context quotes, conjecture, exaggeration and fabrication.
Animux,
Watson is a hateful opportunist. I am from Newfoundland which is a major target of the SSCS. So what I say comes from actual experience not just reading about the SSCS or seeing them on a very boring reality TV show.
Against the Russians, Watson had it easy. The Dirty Commie whalers appeals to the same lowest common denominator as does the evil Newfoundland barbarian. Just because he is merely a bigot when it comes to white people and will make up lies to get you hating along with him doesn’t mean he isn’t a racist as well.
Thank you for confirming that Watson is not racist by revealing he repeatedly and consistently insults all of the industries opposed by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, regardless of race or national origin.
And yet it completely skips over the fact this article highlights several times.
That Watson uses racism of others as a means to support his bank account and ego. In the past couple of years he’s also began fomenting and nurturing this racism himself.
And, just like the article points out, the only response to this is a smoke and mirrors show.
Evidence of racism has not been presented.
Only false allegations and conjecture, which pro-whaling antagonists continue to make in order to demonize activists like Paul Watson.
All you have to do is click on my name and there is a plethora of evidence of racism within SS.
All you have to do is open a book on the history of whaling and Sea Shepherd’s involvement in anti-whaling activism from the late 1970s to today, and there is a plethora of evidence that Sea Shepherd takes action against industries and criminals, not “races of people”.
Sea Shepherd has acted against:
Iceland, Norway, Canada, the Faroe Islands, the Soviet Union, illegal long line operations in the Pacific, illegal shark finning and fishing operations in the Galapagos and Cocos, blue fin tuna fishing out of season in the Med, pirate whaling operations in Portugal, and of course Japan’s whaling in the Southern Ocean.
Which of these actions is racist? All of them? None of them? Or is it just convenient for pro-whaling antagonists to demonize Sea Shepherd as racist to distract from the successful televised interference with Japan’s whaling operation?
And once again we’ve returned the smoke and mirrors campaign the author highlighted.
He can’t counter the fact that racism is widespread in SS’ ranks. Nor that Paul Watson uses hate rhetoric to foment said racism.
But the apologist can’t help but respond — so we’re back to the tap dancing show.
You also have zero evidence that racism is as you put it “widespread” within SS ranks.
The only evidence thus far is that SS has in fact targeted other people not just the Japanese.
As already stated, there is ample evidence if you click on my name.
But for the lazy…
http://theinconvenienttruthonwhaling.blogspot.com/2011/02/racism-bigotry-and-prejudice-within.html
http://theinconvenienttruthonwhaling.blogspot.com/2011/03/tragedy-disaster-and-unrelenting-hatred.html
Wow.
kujirakira says that Watson uses people’s racism to his advantage, and you keep asking him to show you where Watson has ever been directly racist.
It’s like you aren’t even processing what he’s saying.
To make a few points about Animux’s diatribe there.
1. If you look at CITES (or ANY International Treaty) you will see that there are legally recognized objections. In CITES, these are called reservations. Japan AND Iceland have reservations for Fin whales. Trading Fin between Iceland and Japan is not a violation of CITES.
2. The Research Clause (Article VIII of the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling) is NOT a loophole. It was written into law BEFORE the moratorium was in effect and before the sanctuaries were established. It was on the books before the IWC was even established.
3. The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was established in violation of ICRW Article V, that ALL decisions be based on scientific evidence. The IWC Scientific Committee said that the Southern Ocean Sanctuary had no reason to be established under scientific justification. Therefore, the sanctuary itself is violating the treaty.
4. Not that it matters, because Japan has a legally recognized objection to the sanctuary. This objection is readily found in the Convention to the IWC on their website. On December 7th, 1994, the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary went into law for all nations EXCEPT Japan. Its written right into the law.
5. The laundry list of Paul Watson’s criminal exploits is, much like his own approach to the accusation of racism, a way to side step the issue. The author did not say Watson was racist, or that all of his campaigns are racists. He said that a lot of the rhetoric in the anti-Japanese campaign is racist. He said that Watson has an established history of alligning with racists to achieve his goals. The anti-Japan campaign is no different.
6. The fact that he refuses to go back to Norway (the worlds largest whale quota) or Iceland (who actually hunt endangered whales, not the most abundant whale on the planet) lead one to wonder what his motivations truly are these days. And when he opposed Tuna fisheries in the Med last summer, he attacked the African ships, not the “white European” fishermen. He COMPLETELY ignored Australia, who have the largest tuna quota in the world. And his justification for attacking ANY tuna fleets weren’t the protection of Tuna. His exact words were “JAPAN consumes more than 80% of all tuna caught.” Even when opposing “white” people, he still has to attack the Japanese in some way.
7. Getting back to this whole “loophole” accusation, Japan submits their research to the IWC Scientific Committee annually. They have had their program reviewed, and the positives from it far outweigh the negatives. The reason they expanded their quota was to satisfy the IWC’s request for a larger sample size to eliminate statistical anomolies. And the reason they started the program was to satisfy the requirements laid out in the moratorium for a science backed management plan that shows a sustainable method for hunting whales and not taking endangered species. Don’t give them a million hoops to jump through and then complain when they find their way through all of them.
And you can clearly see the misdirection again by pro-whaling antagonists who would rather talk about anything than the whaling conflict in order to demonize activists.
1) It is unfortunate that the governments of Japan, Iceland, and Norway have purposely flouted the democratic decisions of the international community. Apparently, pro-whalers believe that subverting international conservation efforts by hunting and selling endangered species, when the act is specifically prohibited by international conventions, is “OK”.
2) Most people don’t realize that Japan first abused the “science loophole” in the ICRW in 1976. The International Whaling Commission set the quota for Bryde’s whales to zero and in response Japan unilaterally issued itself a “research permit” and killed over 200 of them the very next season. The current condemned use of Article VIII to justify flouting the democratic decisions of the IWC is just one more example of Japan’s long history of violating and subverting whaling regulations.
Even before the moratorium Japan was historically guilty of violating size limits, species protections, seasonal limits, all manner of quotas, sanctuary boundaries, and even facilitating pirate whaling (that’s front companies with foreign labor illegally killing whales in secret and then smuggling the unreported meat to Japan).
3) The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was established in 1994 by democratic decision of the International Whaling Commission.
Article V of the ICRW clearly states:
“The Commission may amend from time to time the provisions of the Schedule by adopting regulations with respect to the conservation and utilization of whale resources, fixing (a) protected and unprotected species; (b) open and closed seasons; (c) open and closed waters, including the designation of sanctuary areas; (d) size limits for each species; (e) time, methods, and intensity of whaling (including the maximum catch of whales to be taken in any one season); (f) types and specifications of gear and apparatus and appliances which may be used; (g) methods of measurement; and (h) catch returns and other statistical and biological records.”
4) Japan only officially objected to including “minke whales” in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary but continues to hunt endangered Fin whales in the sanctuary area and for many years threatened to hunt Humpback whales too.
5) Watson has made similarly outrageous and insulting statements about white Canadian sealers (such as calling them “barbaric”, for example) and the rhetoric is not racist. Allegations that Watson has been aligning racists to achieve his goals are utter nonsense and have no factual base. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is an international organization supported by people all over the world from many countries and races. Watson has personally and publicly denied and denounced racism.
6) Watson and Sea Shepherd have acted against Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands. It has been announced today that Sea Shepherd will return to the Faroes this year for a new campaign there and Watson has stated Iceland and Norway will be confronted again in the future as well.
7) The IWC Scientific committee has repeatedly disagreed on the value of the “research” produced by Japan. The research has been called unnecessary and flawed and the International Whaling Commission has repeatedly passed resolutions calling on Japan to stop killing whales.
If you want to read an IWC scientist’s opinion on Japan’s bogus whaling research and the history of commercial whaling, please refer to Dr. Sidney Holt (marine biologist, former IWC scientist, adviser to NGOs and governments) whose writings on the subject can be viewed at:
http://www.mywhaleweb.com/?author=17
1. “It is unfortunate that the governments of Japan, Iceland, and Norway have purposely flouted the democratic decisions of the international community”
When your country stops flouting the “democratic decisions” (lol) of the Kyoto Convention, you will have to speak.
2. “Most people don’t realize that Japan first abused the “science loophole” in the ICRW in 1976”
A. Not a loophole
B. Most forget it’s Australia who has abused this rule when they did scientific “research” — but there’s never been any research produced.
Unlike Japan’s legitimate research programs which have extensive reports.
3. “by democratic decision ”
A. International politics is not a democracy. But it’s very odd somebody so obsessed with using “Democracy” where it doesn’t exist supports Violence as a means to change. I think we can see who is undemocratic here.
B. The Sanctuary was passed in violation of Article V which requires Scientific Advice.
4. “but continues to hunt endangered Fin whales ”
Difference between commercial whaling and research whaling. Their ecosystem modeling aims for a multi-species approach to see how they all interact with each other, much like Rutgers’ Jacques Cousteau Marine Research Center.
The research exists because anti-whalers claimed we don’t know how many whales there are… so Japan is finding out by killing less than 0.2% per year.
5. As pointed out elsewhere. You continue to dodge the fact that Watson uses racism as a means to an end.
You can’t get people to assault other human beings, like SSCS does, without an extensive amount of hate rhetoric.
6. Watson will never confront Iceland, Norway, or Faroes in the way he does Japanese. His stated goal in Faroes this year is to use underwater acoustics… hardly the same as throwing flares and toxic chemicals at Asians.
7. “The IWC Scientific committee has repeatedly disagreed on the value of the “research” produced by Japan”
This is an outright lie as can be seen on my website.
IWC Scientific Committee has never questioned the validity of Japan’s research.
A bit of both International Whaling Commission and the IWC Scientific Committee in the quotes following…
“there was considerable disagreement over the value of this research both within the Scientific Committee and the Commission. As in previous years, there was severe disagreement within the Committee regarding advice that should be provided on a number of issues, including: the relevance of the proposed research to management, appropriate sample sizes and applicability of alternate (non-lethal) research methods.”
“In 2005 a Resolution was passed (30 votes to 27 votes with 1 abstention) that strongly urged the Government of Japan to withdraw its JARPA II proposal or to revise it so that any information needed to meet the stated objectives of the proposal is obtained using non-lethal means. Japan withdrew a proposed resolution in favour of the research programmes.”
“In 2007 the Commission passed a Resolution asking Japan to refrain from issuing a permit for JARPA II by 40 votes in favour, 2 votes against and 1 abstention; 27 countries decided not to participate in the vote as they believed that the submission of the proposal was not conducive to building bridges within the Commission.”
“There was considerable disagreement within the Committee over most aspects of this research programme, including objectives, methodology, likelihood of success and effect on stocks. ”
“In 2000, the Commission adopted a Resolution by majority strongly urging Japan to reconsider issuing the permit. It adopted a similar Resolution in 2001. A further Resolution was passed in 2003″
“Concern was also expressed that with the sample size and methods proposed, it was unlikely that several of the objectives of the programme would be met, especially with respect to sperm whales. They commented that the ecosystem modelling approach was poorly developed and that the likely precision of any fisheries information (both past data and future) was poor. “
“Watson evaded the issue, and refused to acknowledge that racism is behind a significant number of anti-whaling attitudes when non-white people are involved.”
…
“Watson scapegoated the Japanese, then dodged the issue by talking around the subject.”
It’s similarly revealing that the first response to the article does the exact same routine.
Dodge, Deflect, and Distract with made-up allegations of mythical violations.
Unfortunately, like so many other pro-whaling antagonists, the author has chosen to skew the discussing away from real issues like the whaling conflict by making allegations of racism against anti-whaling activists.
Any student of history can debunk this very tired and intellectually devoid argument.
Was Paul Watson’s first anti-whaling direct action against Soviet whalers in 1975 an act of racism?
Was Watson’s participation with Greenpeace and later Sea Shepherd in direct action against Canada’s sealing industry an act of racism?
Was Watson’s Sea Shepherd led action against Iceland’s whaling industry an act of racism?
Was Watson’s ramming of the pirate whaler “Sierra” owned by a Andrew M. Behr (hint: not a Japanese man) an act of racism?
Was Watson’s Sea Shepherd action against Norwegian whalers (where they were fired upon by a Norwegian naval ship) an act of racism?
Was Watson’s Sea Shepherd action in the Faroe Islands an act of racism?
What do these events have in common? They were not actions taken against Japanese whalers and every nation mentioned above is primarily populated by people of white European descent, just like the activist, Paul Watson.
So why do activists pay so much attention to Japan?
Most people don’t realize that even before the existence of the international moratorium on commercial whaling and Sea Shepherd, Japan had established a long history of whaling regulatory violations.
The history includes violation of size limits, species protections, seasonal limits, sanctuary boundaries, all manner of quotas, and even facilitating “pirate whaling” (that’s front companies with foreign labor illegally killing whales in secret and smuggling the unreported meat to Japan).
Today Japan’s whaling industry uses a loophole to justify ignoring the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling and the 1994 Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
Annually, the whalers kill endangered Fin and Sei whales, vulnerable Sperm whales, Bryde’s whales, common Minke whales from the vulnerable J-stock, and Antarctic Minke whales (which could also be in decline according to the IUCN). The International Whaling Commission has issued multiple resolutions calling on Japan to stop killing whales.
Japan also acts as the world market for illegal whale meat by importing endangered fin whale from Iceland. The trade in whale meat is prohibited by another international agreement called CITES.
Unfortunately, pro-whaling antagonists tend to ignore the long and sordid history of whaling in order to provoke anger against environmental activists by using emotionally charged false allegations of racism. It seems they will say anything to skew the discussion away from the many valid objections to whaling.