Dolphin Massacre in Japan begins for months of winter

[Winged Mermaid]

Today is September 1st, the day that dolphin massacres in Japan begin for months of winter. Some of you may know about the slaughter of dolphins that takes place in Japan each year, but you don't really know just how monstrous this is until you've seen footage of it for yourself. Please watch this video. (Note that video is VERY graphic.)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvJ9cS7ACU0

Video from: http://www.glumbert.com/media/dolphin

There are rallies taking place all over the world today. Still I doubt it will even come close to being enough to stop this. People go to rallies, they sign petitions, they donate money.. but it's never enough.

It just makes me really think- what will make this stop? There are treaties in place, but that does nothing to stop them. This article (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/11/japan.dolphins/index.html) provides some insight into their side of things.

It would be one thing if it was, "Well we don't eat deer and you don't eat dolphins. Don't try and tell us what we can and can't eat. Our cultures are just different." plain type situation. BUT not only is their hunting practices incredibly inhumane and cruel, but dolphin meat contains high levels of chemicals that are very poisonous to humans- one of the most problematic being mercury. Some believe it is a tradition that shouldn't be lost as well as defending it's place in the economies of many Japanese cities. They deny that many of their customers are becoming ill from the meat.

I agree that "tradition" is BS. The reason the civil war broke out was because the south wanted to preserve their culture and traditions- their way of life. Slavery was a part of that package. Changing and separating from such traditions is important for the evolution of society as we move forward. However, the problem is that Japan highly respects traditions and they are a huge part of their culture.

The world wants Japan to stop, but they still continue. What would really make this stop?

[HBMermaid_Angela]

The main town that does this actually had stopped at one point, until AQUARIUMS came and asked the fishermen to catch them some dolphins and then told them that they could just go ahead and kill the rest! People need to understand that there is no such thing as Captive Breeding....remember, even the first whale and dolphin at SeaWorld was taken from the wild. Dolphins and whales form close nit families. Imagine that you give birth in a hospital room, and that for the rest of your life you will be forced to live in the hospital room, on view for everyone to stare at. Your child is your closest bond, but they will soon be taken away from you to go to a different "room" where you will never see them again. Then they introduce a male into your room just for the process to start all over again.

**I know that there are those who think differently than I do, I am not trying to "stir the water" but just think about it.**

Even if Japan argues about "tradition" and that "this is what we eat." There is a big difference between Americans (Westerners) eating deer, cow, etc. compared to dolphin. Dolphin meat contains such a high level of Mercury that they (the Japanese) are literally poisoning their children. Pregnant woman who have been exposed to dolphin meat have actually give birth to more children with birth defects than those who haven't been exposed to it. Dolphin meat is given to school children where they constantly show health problems. So, I never realized it was "tradition" to poison your own people, especially your children. So I agree with you Winged Mermaid.

Also, it has been proven that previous "dolphin villages" have actually boosted their economy by taking tourists out to see wild dolphins as opposed to those who still hunt the dolphins....

[Little_Orca]

I've done art to bring awareness to this event in the past, but sadly most people that saw it Just didn't care.

One painting I did (which I will only link (http://little-orca.deviantart.com/gallery/24817443#/dz72pc)to since it is gory) was 12 1 ft x 1 ft images depicting the slaughter from happy dolphins to toxic meat wrapped in plastic wrap with paintings of different organs and a fetus in between. Do I need to do another gory warning before you click on the link?

Another one I did was more dramatic, to me anyways. It's not as terrible as the other one, in terms of actual imagery, but nonetheless it can be disturbing. This one did get some people to take notice at my college, back in 2007, but mostly my efforts there to raise awareness were in vain.

1196
"The Panic"
Melissa Thomas
Oils
2007

[HBMermaid_Angela]

You should send those to Ric O'Barry....I'm sure he would love them! You should go to Cafe Press and try to put that on shirts...I would totally buy one, especially if some of the proceeds went to Saving Japan Dolphins....Just a thought LO

[Maple]

That is one of the most single horrible things I have ever seen.

[Winged Mermaid]

That is one of the most single horrible things I have ever seen.

Yeah, I'm not going to lie- I was sobbing really hard by the end of that and for a while after. I knew about this, but I had never seen footage that graphic. I know people put themselves in danger to get this kind of footage for that very reason though. If we see just how horrible it is, that's when it stirs emotions deep enough to get us to DO something about it.

[Aquatarian]

I remember I first saw this when I was in 8th grade doing a project for my English class. It really horrified me and opened my eyes to stuff like this. I was so surprised that:

1. This was STILL going on in the 21st Century.
2. That it was being so well hidden.
3. That no one was really doing anything about it or even really cared long enough to.

It really sickens me that such intelligent creatures are being killed, and in such a violent way. I seriously don't know how or why these people are getting around whaling laws. It personally sickens me as a human being to say that there are people doing such unforgivable things with no consequences.

To this day I cannot watch this video. I watched it once and it left an imprint that has stayed with me for years.

[MermaidTamara]

That´s so horrible. I don´t have words for these...
Why can´t they see, that this is the wrong way???

[AniaR]

one of the most scary moments of that doc was when they showed an underwater view and you couldnt see the dolphins but you could hear their screams and then the water went red. They did a follow up TV special to the cove. As far as I know so far no dolphins have been killed because of typhoons

[Mermaid Saphira]

PLEASE TEXT "DOLPHIN" TO 44144
To recieve updates and a website
to sign a pettion to help save these
innocent dolphins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HBMermaid_Angela]

Please be aware that so far the Faroe Islands have also killed at least 70 pilot whales in their annual drive....it's just as disgusting

http://www.vagaportal.fo/pages/posts/umleid-70-hval-lagt-beinini-i-vestmanna-12631.php

**GRAPHIC PICTURE**

[HBMermaid_Angela]

Guys, I can't stress enough that this drive is ENCOURAGED by Aquariums....These dolphins do not just go to "foreign countries." Lolita the whale was captured and lives in Miami Seaquarium....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHXrTDxat5Y

[mikamer]

this is so fucking sick =(

[Mermaid Momo]

yeah. i cont believe this is going one. my brother and i watched the cove and my tough 14 year old brother actually started crying and didnt want to watch anymore of it. after that, he found my cove poster and hung it up in our bedroom so when anyone comes in they'll ask him about it and he'll be able to tell them about the dolphin slaughter. how he makes me proud

[Gem Stone]

The video link won't let me watch. Is it on YouTube?

[Bellasea]

It was taken done. The video is called the cove and there is a tv series to follow up called Blood Dolphin$.

[Mermaid Momo]

and actually, the japanese don't usually eat dolphin meat. It isn't a tradition at all. They're just saying that to keep people from really raging, but the other representatives must know that it isn't a tradition and that most of the dolphin meat is labeled as something as such as Kobe beef to get it to sell. But just as the Cove said: the other countries are refusing to enforce any laws or pass any protecting dolphins from slaughter.