Plinky Prompt: A Must-See Documentary

I was in the middle of watching a different kind of documentary about beliefs and religion, w/c I was planning to recommend, by the way, after I finish it. Then I realized, we’re at the doorstep of September. I guess, I just have to place that one back to the shelf and share to you guys my thoughts about this month. So what’s so special about it?

September.. Lots of god memories in this first “Ber” month in the calendar. Birthday of Nong Boyet (Sept. 2, tomorrow), Birthday of my siblings (Grace – Sept. 8… Pranks – Sept 10), Birthday of my Mamang (Grandmother) who already passed away. (I missed that old woman). I guess the only dreadful thought embedded to my head is the slaughter that’s happening every month of September in Taiji, Japan.

The Cove.. with Ric O’Barry

I think most people in the internet already aware of this but for those who haven’t yet, please watch it. It’s a documentary about the slaughtering of dolphins in Taiji and the hazards of mercury poisoning you can get from their meat.

The migrating dolphins and porpoises are herded into a cove where they were netted and stabbed. About 23, 000 are killed each year every September. Yes, another killings will happen this month.

Taiji dolphin hunting

Don’t take it against all the Japanese people. I love Japan. I love their cuisine, mangas, anime etc. And some of them are not even aware of these killings. And yet, the Taiji fisherman would defend this activity and say that it’s part of their tradition. “It’s like westerners eat cows, easterners eat dolphins”. If that’s the case, should I feel free to have gorillas for my breakfast? or leopard soup? It’s already a taboo, an unnecessary activity. Besides, studies show that dolphins has a high-mercury content and it’s lethal to pregnant women and children.

“The tests showed that the average levels of mercury and methyl mercury in the pilot whale meat bought in Taiji were 9.6 ppm and 5.9 ppm, respectively. Given that Japan’s standards are 0.4 ppm and 0.3 ppm, respectively, these are extremely high levels,”

-Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido

I don’t want to pass my judgement now before you see it for yourselves but it’s just, It’s painful to think that nothing can stop another pending execution.

What can a simple man do? What can I do? I don’t have funds to get myself involve with this. I don’t have any connections to disrupt this activity. I guess the only way I can contribute is to spread the word, spread the awareness, at the very least.

“The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”

-Albert Einstein

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