Saving whales (From York Press)

Saving whales

11:03am Tuesday 12th February 2008 in Letters By Reader's letter

I am sure I cannot be the only person who is utterly disgusted by the actions of Japan and her whaling fleet as they systematically murder and butcher hundreds of whales "in the name of research".

There is absolutely no justification for their abominable killing of all these lovely, giant, peaceful creatures.

What do they need to research and why must the whales be killed?

Answer: to find out how old they are, and to meet the huge demand for whale meat in Japan, where this food is regarded as a delicacy, and thus to make a profit.

Only a very small number of nations are in agreement with commercial whaling, and I fully support organisations such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and others who are doing all they can to hinder and stop the Japanese whaling fleet from carrying out its vile task.

World governments seem reluctant to put real pressure on the Japanese, so we ordinary citizens must act.

What we should all do is hit the Japanese where it hurts - in their pockets.

We should stop buying all those Japanese products such as cars, computers, mobile telephones, music centres, cameras, motorbikes, scooters, lawnmowers, garden tools, beauty products, clothing, DIY tools, kitchen appliances, and any other form of Japanese business, like foreign travel and holidays to Japan.

We should not partake in nor encourage cultural exchange visits until Japan accepts that her desire to go on killing whales is not acceptable.

Action like this, which is totally legal and non-violent, would have a big impact, if only we all carried it out.

Is anyone willing to try and get a world boycott of Japanese products up and running?

David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.