Harpoon Him!

Posted on | April 2, 2010 | 22 Comments

An anti-whaling activist has been indicted in Tokyo for illegally boarding the Shonan Maru II, a Japanese harpoon boat, as part of a protest against a whale hunting expedition in Antarctic seas.
Peter Bethune, a 44 year old activist from New Zealand, “was indicted on Friday for trespassing, causing injuries, obstructing commercial activities, vandalism and carrying a weapon”, a spokeswoman at the Tokyo district court said.
Bethune, from the US-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, boarded the harpoon boat from a jet ski in Antarctic waters on February 15, allegedly carrying a knife which he used to cut a guard net as he boarded the ship. . . .
“Bethune inflicted a chemical burn on a Japanese whaler’s face by hurling a bottle of butyric acid which smashed aboard the Shonan Maru II days before he boarded the ship,” the prosecution brief said. . . .
Bethune faces assault and business obstruction charges, which each carry prison terms of up to 15 years or fines of up to $5,000.

Environmentalism as justification for vandalism? Maybe the Japanese whalers should hire a few dozen unemployed American rednecks. Give ’em a couple of boats and tell ’em to bring their deer rifles. Open season on environmentalists.

Just sayin’ . . .

Category: Environmentalism

Comments

22 Responses to “Harpoon Him!”

Free-range Oyster
April 2nd, 2010 @ 7:10 pm

I think there’s an argument to be made for lethal force in self-defense against what could be classed as piracy – especially once they set foot on board. I’m wondering why it (lethal force) doesn’t get used in these cases. Is there some complication I’m not seeing?
Free-range Oyster
April 2nd, 2010 @ 2:10 pm

I think there’s an argument to be made for lethal force in self-defense against what could be classed as piracy – especially once they set foot on board. I’m wondering why it (lethal force) doesn’t get used in these cases. Is there some complication I’m not seeing?
Adobe Walls
April 2nd, 2010 @ 7:24 pm

The USN captured 4 or 5 Somali pirates yesterday. I am apalled that the fact that ships no longer have yardarms precludes sensible treatment of piracy.
Adobe Walls
April 2nd, 2010 @ 2:24 pm

The USN captured 4 or 5 Somali pirates yesterday. I am apalled that the fact that ships no longer have yardarms precludes sensible treatment of piracy.
Jack
April 2nd, 2010 @ 7:57 pm

“Give ‘em a couple of boats and tell ‘em to bring their deer rifles.”

Sullivan’s mouth is hanging agape. Calling for the extermination of Palestinians is one thing, but these are BEARDED New Zealander MEN you’re talking about! I think this will officially place you next to Sarah Palin’s uterus as Sully’s most hated thing.

Malkin Award!
Jack
April 2nd, 2010 @ 2:57 pm

“Give ‘em a couple of boats and tell ‘em to bring their deer rifles.”

Sullivan’s mouth is hanging agape. Calling for the extermination of Palestinians is one thing, but these are BEARDED New Zealander MEN you’re talking about! I think this will officially place you next to Sarah Palin’s uterus as Sully’s most hated thing.

Malkin Award!
Jack
April 2nd, 2010 @ 8:02 pm

BTW, the sea hippies put out a press
release.

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/editorial-100215-1.html
Jack
April 2nd, 2010 @ 3:02 pm

BTW, the sea hippies put out a press
release.

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/editorial-100215-1.html
Live Free Or Die
April 2nd, 2010 @ 8:29 pm

Sea Shepherd ‘Conservation’ Society(of which Peter Bethune is a ‘leader’ of) has been harassing Japanese Whalers for years. More confrontational than Greenpeace. Once he boarded the Shonan Maru II, Peter Bethune may have met his ‘Kobayashi Maru’. Since Peter Bethune is a leader of this organization, I wonder if Japan would make an example of him, and send him to prison; because he could pay the fines.
Live Free Or Die
April 2nd, 2010 @ 3:29 pm

Sea Shepherd ‘Conservation’ Society(of which Peter Bethune is a ‘leader’ of) has been harassing Japanese Whalers for years. More confrontational than Greenpeace. Once he boarded the Shonan Maru II, Peter Bethune may have met his ‘Kobayashi Maru’. Since Peter Bethune is a leader of this organization, I wonder if Japan would make an example of him, and send him to prison; because he could pay the fines.
Natedawg
April 2nd, 2010 @ 11:08 pm

Even better, Japan could issue Letters of Marque to the rifle toting rednecks. That way they could legally claim as prizes any environmentalist boat (along with its contents) they can capture..
Natedawg
April 2nd, 2010 @ 6:08 pm

Even better, Japan could issue Letters of Marque to the rifle toting rednecks. That way they could legally claim as prizes any environmentalist boat (along with its contents) they can capture..
Adobe Walls
April 2nd, 2010 @ 11:53 pm

at Natedawg; Brilliant!!
Adobe Walls
April 2nd, 2010 @ 6:53 pm

at Natedawg; Brilliant!!
Randy Rager
April 3rd, 2010 @ 12:06 am

Letters of Marque has a definite appeal to it, as does hanging any captured pirates on the spot.
Randy Rager
April 2nd, 2010 @ 7:06 pm

Letters of Marque has a definite appeal to it, as does hanging any captured pirates on the spot.
Molly Furie
April 3rd, 2010 @ 6:32 am

I wonder if you are aware that (1) The Japanese whalers were BREAKING THE LAW. Sea Shepherd is trying to enforce that law, since no one else has the guts to stand up to Japan;
(2) The Shonan Maru deliberately rammed Bethune’s boat, then broke not on ly the law but defied human decency by ignoring the fact that the Ady Gil’s crew’s lives were in danger,; (3) the chemical that Sea Shepherd bombarded the whalers with was (oh horrors)RANCID BUTTER; and (4) Bethune boarded the boat to present the captain of the Shonan Maru with a bill for the destruction of his boat and to make a citizen’s arrest of the captain, who is the real scofflaw in this case. But I guess illegal whaling (including killing some endangered whales), attempted murder and the destruction of valuable private property are perfectly alright in your book – so long as the perps are not environmentalists. Meanwhile, japan also continues to harvest blue fin tuna, although they are definitely on the verge of extinction.
Molly Furie
April 3rd, 2010 @ 1:32 am

I wonder if you are aware that (1) The Japanese whalers were BREAKING THE LAW. Sea Shepherd is trying to enforce that law, since no one else has the guts to stand up to Japan;
(2) The Shonan Maru deliberately rammed Bethune’s boat, then broke not on ly the law but defied human decency by ignoring the fact that the Ady Gil’s crew’s lives were in danger,; (3) the chemical that Sea Shepherd bombarded the whalers with was (oh horrors)RANCID BUTTER; and (4) Bethune boarded the boat to present the captain of the Shonan Maru with a bill for the destruction of his boat and to make a citizen’s arrest of the captain, who is the real scofflaw in this case. But I guess illegal whaling (including killing some endangered whales), attempted murder and the destruction of valuable private property are perfectly alright in your book – so long as the perps are not environmentalists. Meanwhile, japan also continues to harvest blue fin tuna, although they are definitely on the verge of extinction.
Estragon
April 3rd, 2010 @ 8:40 am

I agree with Free-range Oyster @ #1: the anti-whaling crowd’s behaviors often cross the line into what can only be described as piracy. Their belief in their own high-minded motivation is no more exculpatory than a thief’s intent to distribute his booty to the poor, a la Robin Hood.
Estragon
April 3rd, 2010 @ 3:40 am

I agree with Free-range Oyster @ #1: the anti-whaling crowd’s behaviors often cross the line into what can only be described as piracy. Their belief in their own high-minded motivation is no more exculpatory than a thief’s intent to distribute his booty to the poor, a la Robin Hood.
Amused Observer
April 3rd, 2010 @ 8:51 am

The Sea Shepard Society has a long record of dangerous attacks on commercial fisherman. Paul Watson deliberately rammed a whaling vessel some 15 or 20 years back with an old rust bucket ship Cleveland Armory bought for him. He had reinforced his ecowarship with poured concrete.

Given their track record the use of deadly force is certainly appropriate. I hope the japanese put that man in prison for as long as possible.
Amused Observer
April 3rd, 2010 @ 3:51 am

The Sea Shepard Society has a long record of dangerous attacks on commercial fisherman. Paul Watson deliberately rammed a whaling vessel some 15 or 20 years back with an old rust bucket ship Cleveland Armory bought for him. He had reinforced his ecowarship with poured concrete.

Given their track record the use of deadly force is certainly appropriate. I hope the japanese put that man in prison for as long as possible.