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Size doesn't matter
The International Whaling Commission instituted a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986. Twenty years later, whaling still continues. About 27,000 whales have been killed since the moratorium went into effect. A loophole in the 1986 international moratorium permits so-called "lethal research" on whales. Based on this, the Japanese government intends to kill about 1000 whales a year. Many international animal welfare organizations and government agencies are working on the whaling issue, and that's a good thing. |
Now consider the fact that more than 20,000 other whales are deliberately killed and slaughtered in Japan every year. Dolphins are in fact small whales. At least 20,000 dolphins and other small whales are killed in the most brutal way imaginable every year in Japan. Why are we doing so little to stop this madness? I think it has to do with size - or the lack of it. The great whales are spectacularly big. Thus, the 1000 great whales get much more attention than the 20,000 smaller whales do.
Any one of these 20,000 smaller whales are no less - or more - important than any one of the 1000 larger whales. The problem for these smaller whales is that the same people who are concerned about the larger whales are apparently not as interested in them. Why is this? When it comes to experiencing pain and suffering, size doesn't matter.
The addresses are listed if you click here.
On September 3, 2008 you will have a small window of opportunity to bring attention to the plight of the smaller whales. All you have to do is go to the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate office at 12 noon and join the protest.
The addresses are listed here: http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html.
(The New York demo is on Thursday, September 4th at 4-6 PM - Japanese Consulate: 49th and Park Avenue)
(The Boston demo is on Friday, September 5th at 12 noon until 2 PM - Japanese Consulate: Federal Reserve Plaza, 600 Atlantic Ave)
If you would like more information about how to set up your own protest or how to join protests in other cities, please contact Ric O'Barry ricobarry@bellsouth.net or phone (305) 668-1619 / mobile (786) 973-8618.
Here is the list of participating groups and the cities where they will be protesting.
Won't you join us?
ALiberation - Dublin
Andreas Morlock-Walschutzaktionen - Munich
Animals Asia - Hong Kong
Animalisti Italiani Onlus - Rome
AnimaNaturalis - Caracas/Bogota/Barcelona
AnimalNepal - Nepal
Animal Rights Hawaii - Honolulu
Animal Rights Action Network - Dublin
Animal Welfare Institute - Washington D.C.
Asian Animal Protection Network - Hong Kong
Asociacion de Rescate de Rauna - Caracas
Atelier Orca - Tokyo
Born Free Foundation - Washington D.C.
British Divers Marinelife Rescue - London
Care for the Wild International - London
CATCA - Vancouver
Campaign Whale - London
Canadian Marine Environment Protection Society - Vancouver
Cetacean Society International - New York/Boston
Coalition for No Whales in Captivity - Vancouver
Compassion in Action - Calgary
Concern for Helping Animals in Israel - Washington D.C.
Dolphin Project - Miami
Dolphin Spirit - San Francisco
Dolphinwatch - Hong Kong
Earth Island Institute - San Francisco/Manila
Elsa Nature Conservancy - Tokyo
Environmental Investigation Agency - London
European Cetacean Bycatch Campaign - London
EVANA - Brussels
Friends of the Dolphin - Toronto
Humane Society International - Washington D.C.
HSUS - Washington D.C.
In Defense of Animals - San Francisco/ Los Angeles/Seattle
In Defence of Animals India - Mumbai/Delhi
International Animal Rescue - London
Irish Seal Sanctuary - Dublin
The Junglees - Calcutta
Lamma Animal Protection - Hong Kong
Lamma Animal Welfare Centre - Hong Kong
Linking Individuals for Nature Conservation - Hong Kong
Marine Connection - London
Marine Mammal Connection Society - Seattle
Marine Animal Rescue/Friends of Animals - Los Angeles
Marine Animal Survival Team of CSI - Boston
Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition - Boston
NY Whale and Dolphin Action League - New York
Ocean Care - Bern/Zurich
Oceanic Preservation Society - Denver
Orca Network - Seattle
Philippine Animal Welfare Society - Manila
Pour une Europe sans Delphinarium - Brussels
reEarth - Nassau
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - Budapest/Calgary/London/Sydney
SOSOPREC - Santa Domingo
Stichting Dolphinmotion - Den Haag
Wal-und Delfinschutz-Forum - Berlin
VegaPlanet - Dublin
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society - Boston/London
Win Animal Rights - New York
WSPA - Boston/London/Den Haag |
