//I think that the whales should be left alone, no one needs to eat them and whale oil long ago became redundant with the widespread use of electricity//.

Thumbs up Issy, I didn't know you had the greenie within, good to see.

Interesting according to the wife, in her cultural mythology whales and dolphins are seen as the carriers of the spirits of the ancestors on their long trip back to their ancestral home of Hawaiki (not to be confused with Hawaii). If theses creatures entered into the Bay of Islands it was seen as a good sign. On the occasions when they washed up on shore, it was a bad sign. She got all excited recently when we seen a pod of dolphins in Morton Bay. She claims few Maori would work on whaling ships back in the day. Although her ancestor Hongi Hika was not adverse to applying a 5 pound anchorage fee on whaling ships, at its peak up to 60 or more ships at a time, the money was used to buy muskets to engage in the Musket Wars with other Maori. HH was always the businessman.

Oh dear.

SR asserts that Japan's cultural affinity with whaling only started post-WW2.

I show him evidence that it goes back way beyond that with a brief hiatus during WW2 (big surprise there, eh?).

Incredibly SR thinks that evidence supports his view.

Oh dear.

Paul,

"Thumbs up Issy, I didn't know you had the greenie within, good to see"

You forget that I was at Middle Head beach and was a supporter of Ian Cohen, the last and only Greens MP in the NSW Parliament.

I was in charge of the camp hygiene (and wood supplies for the Rainbow Cafe's kitchen), as such I earned the soubriquet of "Camp Commandant" and praise from the local Council Health Inspector when the Northern Star newspaper tried to stir up trouble about the hygiene in the hippies'/protesters' camp.

Overall, it's great to see the Japanese putting it right up the Green fruitcakes. There's a lot to like about the Japanese: reliable cars, almost nil immigration, no multiculturalism, no SSM, no gender-bending or perversion, good manners and pride in their culture - and they politely ignore busybodies and get on with things.

Dear mhaze,

Oh dear indeed.

You: “SR asserts that Japan's cultural affinity with whaling only started post-WW2.”

Well no, I question whether there is a cultural affinity at all.

Once again I refer to your excellent article.

“Japanese defenders of whaling have actually accused whale defenders of being racists for opposing the killing of whales. The opposition of the killing of anything cannot be dismissed as racist. There is no racial or cultural justification for slaughter. None. Especially for a practise that is not, and has never been a tradition.”

Me: “There are groups within Japan which are furiously virtue signalling the nationalistic benefits of thumbing their noses at the world community through the resumption of whaling. This will just gee up another bunch of hard right wingers.”

Your article: “Today Japan is leading an effort to slaughter more and more whales. Japanese whaling industry spokesman Joji Morishita has publicly stated that whaling is not about the money but about pride. Morishita vows that Japan will never surrender to the anti-whaling views of non-Japanese.”

It goes on to make this very good point

“Less than 1% of the Japanese people participated in whaling as consumers until 1908 and less than 10% participated as consumers until 1930. Today only a small percentage of Japanese people eat whale meat.”

This was far more about profiteering from a resource;

“Japan sent its first ships to Antarctica in 1935. The sale of whale oil helped to finance the invasion of Manchuria and China.”

Japan has refused to apologise for much of its barbarity during the war, and continues to honour war criminals, this is just a continuation of that mindset. I repeat the earlier point “whaling is not about the money but about pride. Morishita vows that Japan will never surrender to the anti-whaling views of non-Japanese.”

I note that Hasbeen is in lockstep with what is essentially celebrating Japanese militarism and ethos.

Anyway thank you for bringing us this well written, superbly argued, and very welcome article to me attention. I have posted it through my lists.

Steele,

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