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Political Ecology
Related to country: United States

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While the race for the presidential elections are in full-swing with our southern neighbors and our own federal candidates are fighting for the big seat – there are politics that are hidden from the media spotlight. Whaling.

The politics of whaling currently have President George W. Bush organizing a meeting with members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in St. Petersburg, Florida this week. No cameras, no media, no public inside the conference room. Discussing lifting the moratorium on commercial whaling that has been established since 1986.

Every year, the IWC meets to discuss whaling, sustaining whale populations and setting legal precedents for both.. Every year, Norway, Iceland, and Japan kill whales illegally as they kill whales commercially and go against the IWC’s international moratorium on commercial whaling. Every year, activists go up against these whaling fleets to uphold these conservation laws when countries that are members of the IWC do not.

Japan specifically targets over 1000 whales including endangered in the Antarctic waters. Defying six conservation laws, such as C.I.T.E.S. that protects endangered wildlife.

Last year, activists from both eco-group’s Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) attempted to stop the illegal killing in the southern oceans risking life and limb. With the Sea Shepherd campaign, two activists were taken hostage on one of the whaling vessels for two days and a gun to the heart shot the captain, founder of SSCS, Paul Watson. No fatal injuries occurred.

This winter, if Bush’s plan to lift the moratorium is accomplished, when activists go out again on the high seas to stop the whaling project – they will become the criminals. Attempting to interfere with something that is illegal, can be claimed to be justified. Attempting to interfere with something that is perfectly legal, is not and can be counted as an act of piracy.

In Bush’s last days in office, the fate of the largest mammal on earth and an highly intelligent species will be determined. And a precedent will be established for how we treat the ecological perpetrator vs. disgruntled citizens standing up for something they believe in.

Soon, the politics surrounding our near ecological future, may have eco-warriors be treated as the sinners and the true eco-criminals as the saints. And the word ‘eco-terrorist’ will be the only one in our vocabulary.

September 18, 2008 | 6:37 PM Comments  0 comments





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