Watching the news just now on Australian Channel Ten, I was simply flabbergasted at how a report on anti-whaling protesters completely missed the point. Apparently one of the Sea Shepherd crew was shot by a Japanese  ’scientist’. What really amazed me is that the bullet was lodged in one of the protester’s “Kevlar”. Now this can only mean one thing. Kevlar body armour.

Kevlar is strong enough to make ship hulls out of. So you can be damn sure it wasn’t thermal underwear the protester was wearing. You don’t have to be a security expert to realise that this is getting a bit bloody serious. Military Kevlar vests weigh approximately 20-30 kilos as well so you  wear them because your life’s in danger, not to pull chicks. Furthermore one or two of the Japanese coast guards (surely just a little bit out of their jurisdiction) were wearing full riot gear sans shields and weapons.  Apparently we’re not in Kansas anymore Dorothy.

SBS coverage was a little more interesting. Announcements in English from the Japanese ship’s bullhorn threatened the protesters with arrest under Japanese law. Now again, I ain’t no lawyer but aren’t they in Japanese waters?
Yes this is the clandestine side of what are genuine cultural differences. Like bulls to the Spanish, our Asian brethren tend to think you eat meat or you don’t. So once you cross that divide, there’s no difference between a cow and a whale, an abalone and a sardine; if you’re eating meat, you accept the cruelty and get on with it. An attitude definitely backed up by long time friend and Japanese host brother.

Sure most of us whitey’s are a little less black and white. If somethings endangered, you do something about it; the beauty of grey persists. Often we’ll put animal welfare before that of refugees, the homeless, even extended family. I don’t really buy into that.

While I adore protest and support it wholeheartedly, it just makes the whole thing stink. What is going on! Of all the Military bases in Antarctica e.g. those of Argentina, Australia, US and Chile(?), why can’t the be called upon to get both parties the hell out of Dodge? After all if they really love warm furry animals, they’d be really giving them the shits with all that noise? Secondly, I plead my naiveté to the issue here, but why doesn’t anyone persist on the Japanese publishing some findings or data on the issue [perhaps they have. This is a rant not an essay!]?

And finally, can someone just outline how stupid hunting these animals is!!! The animal is bloody useless and apparently quite salty! How can they justify the expense of killing the things? How can the justify the cultural connection to the Japanese people without a PR firm? It’s not as if there intuits or Scandinavians which still probably give it a red hot go - as they always have.

Anyways, someone should ‘bitchslap’ both parties hard ‘upside the head’ and remind them how bloody petulant the whole exercise is. Here we are living in a quasi-fascist, one state world and we can’t get our act together over a few blubbering whales?

On the lighter side, the Japanese are apparently threatening to use tear gas in their defense. Now again, I ain’t no munitions or combat expert, but this sounds preposterous to me. How is the gas going to ‘hang around’ on the deck of the protesters’ ship? No doubt it can be used but it sounds like a ridiculous tactic. Would love to hear if it is plausible to use tear gas on the water! It sounds like threatening to nag your wife or partner: you know it’s futile so why try?

A matter of opinion all too quickly becomes a war. Can’t we be more cunning in getting the Japanese to see the grey side of the argument rather than pushing time and resources into military action? What a waste of time.