The every-once-in-a-while I-hate-people post I was looking at the Yahoo news photos today, and noticed this thumbnail. I wasn't sure what it was, so clicked on it.

Picture here.



"A mother whale and her calf are dragged on board a Japanese whaling ship after being harpooned in Antarctic waters. The pictures, plastered over front pages and shown on television were taken from an Australian customs vessel tracking the whalers to gather evidence for possible legal action to stop the annual slaughter."

Story here.

I usually avoid this stuff, totally avoid. Avoid, avoid, avoid. I avoid the news about the seal hunt. When I was younger, PETA would send me emails and I would look at the pictures and watch the videos and get all pissed off and upset, but I've since learned my lesson since I can't do anything about it, really. I just get upset about it, so I just AVOID. I avoid stories about stupid guys in Alabama who set kittens on fire because, "We was bored." I'll still sign the petitions and all that, but leave it to the introductory, not-so-graphic pictures they put up to get you to sign the pictures to tell the story about why I need to add my name.

So anyway, I wasn't sure what this picture was about. I actually thought it was something going on in an aquarium. "Is that a beluga?" I like belugas! I clicked the picture and got this, and now I'm sitting outside at a picnic table at school, crying my damn eyes out. It takes, like, 15 minutes for a whale to die after it's been harpooned. 15 minutes. Think about that. A slow, painful death... It's just not fair.

Who the hell do they think they're kidding? Research? Everyone knows that's a joke. You can do research on whales without harpooning them and cutting them up. The people truly interested in learning about whales are doing non-invasive research right now. But the Japanese are just using it as an excuse, as a way to kill whales.

These mama whales try to protect their babies, and now here they are - both harpooned, both dead. These big, gentle beautiful creatures. Intelligent, inquistive, and all with their own distinct personalities. I've read of a place in Baja, where they are safe, that they will actually introduce their babies to people on boats. Trusting! And all that aside, there's NO POINT in doing this; it's 2008, we don't need their oil anymore! We don't need their skin! Fucking Japanese people. Why would anyone be so greedy and cruel? Why hasn't this been outlawed??? The whole world is mad at them for this, and yet they keep on at it.

Anyway. If you want to take some action, IFAW has an automated, already-written email you can send, you just have to personalize it:
Go here. I did that and made a donation, so I can feel like I did something, even if I'm sitting at a picnic table where the sun is shining, rather than in a raft in the Arctic.

More quick anti-whaling actions at Greenpeace.

Also, anti-seal hunt email. 'Cause, you know, Jesus. On what planet is this stuff necessary? I'd find it just as easy to club Gretchey to death as she was looking up at me with her big puppy dog eyes. How do these people sleep? How do their wives kiss them? I don't understand. Can they n ot find a line of work that doesn't involve killing playful, happy little creatures? This stuff is just NOT necessary in this day and age. Aggggh.

Props to the people working on these campaigns, on the front lines. I once saw some people outside my apartment in Hollywood, before one of the hurricanes, shoot at a dove with a BB gun. I was watching them with the gun and it didn't click what they were doing until I saw the bird, and it was too late... I think the bird got away, but it may have been hurt. Anyway, I was SO PISSED OFF. I could hardly speak. Of course, I did anyway. I yelled at them, said they were really awesome and really tough for trying to hurt a helpless little bird. The whole time, my voice was shaking so much. I was so upset... I just couldn't believe someone would do that, laughing after... What's funny about hurting a little dove? I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to witness this stuff on a daily basis, and not really be able to do anything about it (except, of course, take pictures and get the word out). I'm sure they're tempted to harpoon some Japanese whalers themselves...

**Original version of this post had many more instances of the f-word, but I tried to tone it down. Some of them were necessary, however. :)  ¶ 11:40 AM