Sometimes the illusion is worth more than the reality. Australia’s claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Antarctic was only plausible while we tried to enforce it against smaller nations because, for example, they were catching Patagonian tooth-fish. And while it was plausible it had some validity. Now a Pyrrhic court victory by an environmental organisation that purports to want to protect whales, has shown just how implausible that zone is, endangering other species while doing nothing to save whales.
The boneheaded action by the Humane Society is reported by the ABC. For reasons best known to themselves they launched court action against the Japanese for whaling in the Antarctic. While awarding them the case the judge, James Allsop, noted “that Japan does not recognise Australia’s Antarctic claim”. Tthe ABC report then goes on to note itself that “[m]ost countries do not recognise the Australian Antarctic claim, which establishes that jurisdiction.” Indeed, according to the judge the Humane Society International recognises that there is no practical way for the order to be enforced.
If there is no way that the order can be enforced, why waste money seeking it in the first place? Australia will not take action against the Japanese under this order because that would be an act of war, not under Australian law, but according to the law of most other countries in the world. It has a lot of things in common with the Iraq war in that respect. But in refusing to take action against the Japanese it will weaken our ability to take action against anyone else in those waters for any other environmental abuses.
Better that this action had never occurred.
January 15, 2008 | Graham
Whaling illusion stripped bare
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The environmentalists live in denial.Kangaroos should not be plundered for their meat,yet there are more roos than people in the land of Aus.It is OK for roos to suffer drought/fire in the natural evironment and suffer an agonising death,yet the sharp death of a bullet,is just too inhumane?
The same can be said of the Minki Whales,their numbers blossom with the abundance of crill,yet we cover our eyes to the reality of the life cycle in the guise of the sacredness of all life is supreme and absolute?
The reality is that the Japanese are harvesting whales at an envirommetally sustainable level.It is in their interest to do so.
Should they be Killing Humpbacks or Right Whales since we perceive them to be intelligent?Should we be torturing highly intelligent apes in experiments,our distant cousins ,in the pursuit of longevity?
We cannot afford be that stupid in understanding the reasons for our Japanese revulsion,because all life, both human and animal,suffers at the hands of our insecurity.
Comment by Arjay — January 16, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
The HSUS top priority is media exposure and getting headines that show “action” which in turn leads to fund raising.
Those funds in turn allow them to essentially “buy” Governmental policy on consumptive animal use.
Rural and coastal communities and people can’t stand up top the barrage of money and lawyers.
Japanese whalers on the other hand just go about their business and supply their people with fresh nutritious whale meat that they obviously demand and pay for.
The animal protest industry are hatemongers for cash; period!
Animals are just the excuse.
Comment by iceclass — January 18, 2008 @ 12:06 am
I note Graham’s words:
“Sometimes the illusion is worth more than the reality”
Graham would know illusion when he sees it. I’m sure he still believes that the Greenpeace MY.ARCTIC SUNRISE attacked a Japanese Factory ship a couple of years ago.
That recent court decision is everything Graham says of it. It is also a waypoint. I not sure Graham’s concern for the money spent should be his, nor my business.
Comment by Clink — January 22, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
Yep, Greenpeace rammed the Japanese ship. Today the ABC carries a story about them trying to block a Japanese ship from refuelling by putting their vessel between the Japanese ship and the tanker http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/22/2144004.htm. They’re not shy of violence.
Comment by Graham Young — January 22, 2008 @ 3:45 pm