While I agree that intensive farming is cruel and that other forms of animal cruelty in Australia should be stopped, that these things happen doesn't change the fact that whaling is wrong.

Is whaling acceptable when you consider that there is no way of finding out whether the whale is pregnant or has just given birth before killing it?

I assume that you also think that bull fighting in Spain is acceptable because it's a cultural thing and the meat of the tortured bull is given to the poor after the kill?

"While I agree that intensive farming is cruel and that other forms of animal cruelty in Australia should be stopped, that these things happen doesn't change the fact that whaling is wrong.

But why is it wrong? Sure it doesn't change whether it is wrong. But it does help people to put things into perspective and realise that it is just a form of cultural imperialsim.

"Is whaling acceptable when you consider that there is no way of finding out whether the whale is pregnant or has just given birth before killing it?

Yes. Just like Kutti pi is acceptable. Just like Kangaroo is acceptable. Just like veal is acceptable.

"I assume that you also think that bull fighting in Spain is acceptable because it's a cultural thing and the meat of the tortured bull is given to the poor after the kill?

There is a fundamental difference between bull fighting and whaling.

Whaling is wrong because Japan undermines international efforts to protect whales.

Japan is dishonest about their grounds for whaling. It’s obvious that they kill whales for profit- to sell the meat for consumption, not for scientific research.

When Australian scientists claimed that equally good scientific data can be collected with techniques that don’t involve the killing of whales, how do the Japanese justify ignoring this if their purpose for whaling was, indeed, merely scientific research?

"Whaling is wrong because Japan undermines international efforts to protect whales.

Circular argument.

http://www.ozpolitic.com/sustainability-party/why-allow-whaling.html#hollow-arguments

"It’s obvious that they kill whales for profit- to sell the meat for consumption, not for scientific research.

No it isn't. In fact, they have to subsidise the hunt. Even if profit were the motive, that still doesn't make it wrong.

"When Australian scientists claimed that equally good scientific data can be collected with techniques that don’t involve the killing of whales

You cannot demonstrate the capacity for a sustainable commercial hunt without killing whales.

Freediver, no pro-whaling argument matters to me; slaughtering whales is cruel and I don't support animal cruelty.
Whales are being harpooned to death which means pain and suffering and a slow death.
On the news today we watched a calf being killed this way. I find this very upsetting.

I don't condone the way dingoes or kangaroos are killed either.

At least our farm animals are being pre-stunned in our abattoirs to minimise the pain and suffering involving slaughter.
I oppose Halal and Kosha slaughtering methods- it's animal cruelty and a DISGRACE that this happens in Australia.
I don't eat meat from animals that come from intensive farms, I don't eat eggs that come from caged hens.

I do realise that the media is quite one-sided; the images about the killing of whales should be balanced by images of Australia's killing of dingoes, kangaroos... our intensive farming industry It's all cruel and all wrong and should be drummed into us that we do this to our animals.

Whaling is NOT OK just because Australia has animal cruelty issues as well.

About the alleged 'mother and calf' photo:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1168478179/208#208