That Asian Logic is Just More Efficient is All

I know whaling is an issue that is on the forefront of everyone's minds; it certainly occupies much of my day. But I did notice in last month's National Geographic a short piece about suspicions that Japan is secretly commercially whaling, which was banned in 1986 because there were about 11 whales left alive. And then I came across this story a few minutes ago. It featured this gem:

" Japan says the annual hunt is necessary to prove whale populations have recovered enough to justify a return to commercial whaling, which was banned in 1986."

So let me see if I have their argument right. They want to show that whale populations have risen to the point where they can be hunted again. And in order to prove it, they're going to go out and kill whales. Isn't that sort of like arguing that I have enough money to retire with and trying to prove it by spending the retirement fund?
Also, I continue to love the Aussies. They're sticking up for the whales, and good for 'em. And they should, because whales are pretty cool. Think about it: If you saw a whale in the wild, wouldn't you remember that for the rest of your life? If someone you know says they've seen one, don't you ask them to tell you about it? Isn't that something worth protecting?

On a related yet coincidental note, I got my National Geographic Society membership card in the mail. Neat. With it is an offer to renew my dues/membership (it expires in July) early. And if I do so, I get to lop $15 off the price. Considering subscribing to the magazine has been nothing but an absolute joy, I intend to take full advantage of this.

I also feel impelled to pass this story along to you (assist to Cheryl). This is a very big, very important, and very unnoticed problem. You would think with all the horror stories that the Vietnam era had to tell would leave us better equipped and more willing to tackle this problem, but we seem determined to repeat our mistakes. People are paying a very heavy price for a war that was entered into in a cavalier fashion. The toll taken for war is not always told in the casualty count. This is why we as a people need to move forward and make war less and less common.

It also highlights a frustrating trait many in our society share: The fear and refusal of counseling services. There is still the sense that going to a psychologist or a counselor is a sign of weakness, of unmanliness. When people hold that mindset, they keep things in until they're killing their wives for reasons they don't even understand. Starting now, we need to teach our children: If you are troubled, get help. That is the right thing to do. There is no such thing as weakness.