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C. George Muller's latest book, Echoes in the Blue, ISBN: 9780615135946. Published by Koru Press Ltd. and now available from Amazon.com. Read More »
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Whalers' Reaction
Since taking a stand against whaling I have been subjected to all manner of hate mail and abuse from whalers and their supporters, most of it stemming from the flawed argument that if whales are out there they somehow belong to the first person who can harpoon them.
Japan Institute of Cetacean Research
Their name says it all really – irony is alive and well. The ICR is the Japanese government-sponsored organisation responsible for killing thousands of whales as part of their “scientific” whaling programme.
(In reality it is not necessary to kill whales to study them. What the ICR does is not scientific research but a cynical front for commercial whaling, and as a marine biologist myself I considered it my duty to expose their deception)
Apparently they don’t take criticism too well though, and according to them I’m now a terrorist for speaking out against whaling! So much for freedom of speech!
Below is the letter the ICR sent to my lawyer in response to my anti-whaling book Echoes in the Blue. Following the failure of protracted legal negotiations with the ICR, Koru Press has decided to make their letter public, so that the world may see the kind of pressure that has been exerted against us for daring to speak out against whaling…
George says…
Given the current security climate in the world, I find it disturbing that a citizen of a democratic country can be accused of terrorism by a foreign government, simply by exercising my right to free speech.
Calling me a terrorist for criticising whaling is not only extreme but irrational; the Japanese government’s continued defiance of international treaties and world opinion does far more to damage international relations. I’m just drawing attention to what they’re doing out there!
The flip side of the story is that Echoes in the Blue has received some very positive reviews, and also won a silver medal in a book award!
The book also makes it quite clear that it is against whaling, not Japan or the Japanese people.
The Japanese government’s aggressive attempts to discredit and intimidate me clearly represent their desperation to suppress any criticism of their illegal whaling programme!
- Remember these are Southern Hemisphere whales which never even cross into the Northern Hemisphere, let alone have any connection to Japan whatsoever!
- For Japan to claim that killing whales is their “culture” and insisting on the right to come down to our back yard and kill them ignores the rights and cultures of local people to use these whales for non-lethal purposes.
- Whale-watching is sustainable and is worth far more than the price of meat for a dead whale. It is also vital to the local tourism economies of New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific nations such as Tonga. Many whale-watching ventures are run by local tribes or family businesses.
- In fact, humpbacks are so curious and unafraid of boats they will happily play alongside any vessels – making the same whales an easy target for harpooning in their Antarctic feeding grounds.
[photo credit: C.George Muller]
Links…
For George’s official response to the Japan ICR’s letter see these press releases:
- Author denies responsibility for diplomatic incident
- Author denies whalers’ allegations he’s a terrorist
To check out Echoes in the Blue – the book that the Japanese government says is terrorism – click here.
You be the judge!
For more info on whaling visit these links:
Sign the petition against whaling
Thanks for your support!
C. George Muller, 2007