Let’s take a closer look at Japan’s commercial (sorry, scientific) whaling and the recent Canadian seal kill and Norway’s perennial support for it.
The Economist (June 17, 2006) points out that the Japanese whaling fleet is “heavily subsidized” by the government. (Sorry. The article can be accessed by web-only subscribers.)
True to form in The Economist’s no nonsense style it goes on to suggest that the Japanese whaling industry should be put on a “proper economic basis.” In other words, make it pay for itself without tax-payers subsidies. “Put whale-hunting rights up for auction, allowing both killers and conservationists to bid,” The Economist concludes. “The chances are that those who prefer whales to swim free would be able to outbid the few remaining humans who like eating them.”
Then there’s The HSUS‘s recent expose that a Norwegian company was paid about $330,000 by the Norwegian government to burn 10,000 excess Canadian harp seal skins.
Destroying unwanted seal pelts, of course, directly contradicts the claims of the Norwegian and Canadian governments that the Canadian seal kill is a viable economic proposition.
The Grumpy Vegan particularly dislikes nationalism (not much good ever comes of it) and tradition – particularly when it is used to justify animal cruelty. Nationalism and tradition compounded inevitably by the opportunity for some mercenary to make some money out of it are the reasons why much of today’s animal exploitation continues.
