icnmgrjill
06-29-2010, 05:47 AM
Living here in California, I have had the absolute privilege of seeing the whales migrating off of the coast. You first see sprays of water as they spout... and then long, beautiful backs as they glide up to the water surface and then down again. Mother whales often bring their babies into small coastal bays to rest during the journey. We have pods of killer whales occasionally that swim down from Canada and Washington. And, most majestically of all, the magnificent blue whale, the largest mammal on the planet. You would not believe how BIG they are. Yet, in our utter greed, man has hunted most whale species to the brink of extinction in cruel, barbaric ways.
I completely despise those would be researchers from Japan, Norway and Iceland who take whales for "scientific purposes" when... oh wow... the meat ends up being sold to restaurants. Worse, an article in the SF Chronicle this weekend documented a decade long attempt by the Japanese to bribe countries in Africa, including land locked countries who have no interest in whaling, to join the International Whaling Federation and vote to support hunting. It's heartbreaking. I honestly believe that whales are as bright and as intelligent as we are... and that this is simply murder.
Thus, I'm happy to share with you this letter that just came in from the US Humane Society.
Dear Jill,
It was a close call, but you made the difference: the attempt to sink the ban on commercial whaling was blocked!
At last week’s international meeting to determine the fate of the world’s whales, some nations and groups pushed for a deal that would have granted authority for Norway, Japan, and Iceland to kill whales. But they couldn’t drum up the support -- and that was because of an outpouring of public concern: You said that all whaling must end.
You told the Obama administration that protecting whales was more important than pleasing whalers, and they listened. Thank you.
Never doubt it for a minute: Your voices were heard.
You weren’t alone: Hundreds of thousands of activists from around the world told their governments to choose policies that protect whales, not kill them.
Together we held the line, and I hope you will celebrate along with me.
We won’t relent in our fight to protect all whales from commercial slaughter and to create a global sanctuary for whales.
I’m thanking President Obama for listening to the wishes of the public, and I’m calling on him to take the next step: support the global whale sanctuary.
Our fight is not over. Now we must take the next step.
Thank you and congratulations: This victory belongs to you.
Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
I completely despise those would be researchers from Japan, Norway and Iceland who take whales for "scientific purposes" when... oh wow... the meat ends up being sold to restaurants. Worse, an article in the SF Chronicle this weekend documented a decade long attempt by the Japanese to bribe countries in Africa, including land locked countries who have no interest in whaling, to join the International Whaling Federation and vote to support hunting. It's heartbreaking. I honestly believe that whales are as bright and as intelligent as we are... and that this is simply murder.
Thus, I'm happy to share with you this letter that just came in from the US Humane Society.
Dear Jill,
It was a close call, but you made the difference: the attempt to sink the ban on commercial whaling was blocked!
At last week’s international meeting to determine the fate of the world’s whales, some nations and groups pushed for a deal that would have granted authority for Norway, Japan, and Iceland to kill whales. But they couldn’t drum up the support -- and that was because of an outpouring of public concern: You said that all whaling must end.
You told the Obama administration that protecting whales was more important than pleasing whalers, and they listened. Thank you.
Never doubt it for a minute: Your voices were heard.
You weren’t alone: Hundreds of thousands of activists from around the world told their governments to choose policies that protect whales, not kill them.
Together we held the line, and I hope you will celebrate along with me.
We won’t relent in our fight to protect all whales from commercial slaughter and to create a global sanctuary for whales.
I’m thanking President Obama for listening to the wishes of the public, and I’m calling on him to take the next step: support the global whale sanctuary.
Our fight is not over. Now we must take the next step.
Thank you and congratulations: This victory belongs to you.
Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle