Japanese Whaling and the Spanish Inquisition

Once again, and only within a matter of weeks, a Japanese Whaling ship collides with an anti-whaling campaigner in the open seas. This is dangerous stuff - and really completely unnecessary. Why do these people feel the urge to persecute the Japanese whalers to such levels of violence and intimidation? And why are these people so afraid of science?


Yes, this is what it's all about - science. The Japanese are out there capturing these whales solely for scientific experiments. That's why they don't worry about capturing and killing them using humane methods - you only use those when you're hunting for commercial gain.


But science has always been the catalyst for fear and aggression. Consider the Spanish Inquisition when Christians (Bless their pereptual state of dillusionment) went completely mad-ape over anyone tinkering in scientific thought, imposing all manner of torture and death upon them (from drawing and quartering them to stretching them into a bone-cracking sack of jello). And the irony of it all was that the equipment used by the Inquisitors to bring this blood curdling pain and death to the heathen scientists had been developed by those heathen scientists in the first place.


But once again I digress...


There's no doubt, we do give our scientists a hard time and this persecution of Japanese whalers is a prime example. These fellows are just doing their job - and it's not like they're doing it for profit or profile - it's all about the knowledge and discovery - and they're out there capturing and killing as many whales as they can to boost the accumulation of that knowledge and discovery - now that's true dedication.


And consider it from their side. They're having to go out more often and capture more whales as they have come to realise that soon, we may run out of whales altogether. Then how will we improve our scientific knowledge? How will we advance the development of our favourite cosmetics, our most trusted adhesive products, the tastiest frozen Chinese TV dinners and snacks?


And why are the Japanese the only ones who seem concerned about the long-term prospects of whale survival and scientific discovery?


Well I think it's totally unfair of the West to persecute the Japanese people for their devotion to science. Let us not forget the support they gave America in the 1940s when the Yanks needed a live population to test out their new nuclear arsonal on. I say let the Japanese get on with their experiments - let them develop a better Minki Burger - it's all good science and we should all support it.


That's what I think... and usually I'm right.