Discussion: Anti-whaling--just racism?

[cherubfish]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z_9e59QQn24

In reply to Japan's statement of "Australia and Sea Shepherd--Racists and Terrorists!", a mouthful of deception to their local residents, which portrayed Australians to be racists solely because they are against whaling. The government of Japan is obviously trying so hard to connect anti-whaling with so-called 'racism', just to achieve what they want to achieve--gain international approval of whaling rights, in other words, to create accountability in order to stop any countries to be against their whale hunt.

see full article at http://www.freewebs.com/dolphin8ice/...ust_racism.htm

from SSCS forum

[In response to "SSCS racist and terrorist, proof!"]

Don't think this is called racist.
Japan likes to call non-racist people racists, by making up misleading statements that makes it seem that those people really were racist, in fact not.
Whilst, racial problems is the main issue in Japan nowadays, so said UN
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/4671687.stm

And I agree.
According to the statements they (I mean the government) make, and how they treat the Ainu (Japan Aborigines) , how they call Koreans, Chinese and South East Asians... I would not think they have the right to speak out that someone else's being racist to them.

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Unfortunately this is the same line of logic people follow who oppose all animal creulty of any sort. "Well it's part of our tradition. Those who oppose it are racist!" So I guess we're all supposed to live in stagnant societies with nothing improving for the better? Some people are absolutely ridiculous...
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They don't know what racism really means.
And unfortunately, the Japan government does not ever educate its own residents with what racism really is.
They themselves are not clear neither.
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I would have to agree.
I have a mate from Malawi who recently returned from Japan where he had lived for 2 years with his wife and kid. Now he speaks near perfect Japanese (people don't comment that he speaks Japanese well, thats how well he speaks it!), which no one ever expects and was constantly over hearing blatant racist remarks.

To put it as simply as possible, he is black and his wife is white. People would go as far as to stand in front of his baby stroller, so they could get a chance to point and stare. He would get pointed out where ever he went. Children would call him the Japanese version of 'nigger' and parents would not even attempt to correct them. He explained it as not being vicious hate hate kill kill racism but almost an innocent child like type.... niave and open in the extreme.

Now this is not a poor me by any stretch. This guy can more than take care of himself and compared to some of the shit he has been through in his life (eg almost getting cut in half with an AK) this was merely a laugh. The point I want to make is that in Japan racism is OPEN. It is not a crime (google how the UN feels about that) and there is no culture of hiding it. If you are not Japanese then you are instantly discriminated against as a gaijin. Clubs, restraunts, gyms, swimming pools, shows.... all can have the infamous "Japanese Only" signs displayed.

Minoritys are scape goated over crimes. For example, given front page attention over the theft of a necklace..... "GAIJIN CRIME GANGS TAKING OVER JAPAN!" while a few pages later are buried the tales of barabara jiken (Also known as "scattered-pieces incidents" or "dismembering and throwing away crimes" ) that continue to increase in frequency. The media in most countries would get eaten alive for this style of reporting but it doesn't even raise an eyebrow.

As Susanna says, they don't know what racism really means. They know its a buzzword in western society though and that is why it is frequently used. Just like the most magical word of all "science".

But hey, to quote a recent email, what would a "cultural imperialist racist gaijin anti-Japanese terrorist communist westerner" like myself know about anything! lol
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Normally in Japan, black people are the most discriminated.

Most whale meat restaurants have staff and boss that are reluctant to treat foreigners.

Once the government of Japan had stated the ultimate "reason" of Japan's low crime rate, is because of its low percentage of foreign population. (The original version was because of African Americans, but I fail to find the same article)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p..._E&refer=japan

In contrary to many countries, which racism laws aim to protect the minorities, Japan's racism laws aim to protect their own ethnic group, and often suggests to tighten the immigration laws.

These statements give me a lot of "fun".
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Right Wing still working on tighten Japanese laws on immigration.

Don't they even know that their society is already too homogenic?

Those politicians really deserve a laugh.

And with all these racism happening in Japan, it still wants to get into the head quarters of UN?
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Don't they know why we pick on Japan so much on whaling?
They are the headquarters in convincing more countries to support them (mainly through bribery).
They are the only ones who hunt in international waters, and also hunt other endangered cetaceans, (numerous dolphins and porpoises each year), according to WDCS.
They have cruel aquariums with whale sharkS (plural!) swimming in a tank that is about 20meters in length (you know how big whale sharks are...)
They have cruel dolphin shows where people don't care about the mental health of the show dolphins.
They have drive hunts when dolphins that are merely hung from the tail, dragged on the ground, whilst transported on a trunk to marine parks.

All above from WDCS.

[biggles]

you've become very interested in racism of late ...

[cherubfish]

Originally Posted by biggles

you've become very interested in racism of late ...

Not lately really.
I had been dealing with racism for a long time, from when I was 13.
Most of these information are ancient.
Just never had the chance of bringing racism issues into whaling.

These information all proves that government of Japan lies a heck lot,
and think that they can fool many.
Since there is a chance to show how they twist things,
I obviously want to make people know the truth.

Japan has always argued about being anti-whaling is being racist to Japan.
This is why whaling has so many supporters in Japan.
The yahoo.co.jp poll asking if people are pro-whaling or not, showed 90% votes favoring whaling!

There are so many internet rumours about how anti-whalers are racists,
we had been talking a lot about this on SSCS's forum.
They shout racist words to us, they violate us, they spam our sites...
They have been very rude to us on-line, regardless to what sort of websites.

[biggles]

Just never had the chance of bringing racism issues into whaling

I just can't see the point in highlighting one of the pro-whaling lobby's spurious arguments ... its as disingenuous as the "scientific whaling" ruse and no more than a polarizing distraction from the relevant issues on each side of the debate.

I had been dealing with racism for a long time, from when I was 13.

I've experienced a little racism having mixed blood, being alternatively too goy or too semitic in the eyes of the "purists", LOL.

[cherubfish]

The current issue in Japan is,
the Japanese government invented the whole thing about "Anti-whaling is racist to Japanese because whaling is Japan's culture"
This causes a lot of Japanese to support whaling,
whilst anti-whaling Japanese are considered as unpatriotic, or even traitors of their country.
That's why the yahoo.co.jp poll rates of pro-whaling is so high.
No one has the guts to stand out.

However, is anti-whaling really racist to Japanese?
No.

From the information I gave, I did not solely pick on the person who said "u chink?" I also picked on Japan's immigration laws, how Japan portrays foreigners, how Black people and Chinese people are treated in Japan, how xenophobic and monogenic their society is, and MOST IMPORTANT IS:
THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN DOES NOT BOTHER TO SET UP LAWS TO PROTECT FOREIGNERS FROM RACISM.

UN itself HAD showed concerns on racism in Japan, in year 2005, which is very recent indeed. (They are all in the article)

[Lumpfish]

Originally Posted by Pikey

I blame the Americans,two atomic bombs changes people`s attitudes in a BIG way!
Ok,seriously now............................................... ...................................
HOW can anyone honestly believe a person who does not agree with whaling is racist towards Japan?
They need to seriously readdress their cultural beliefs.
They`ll be setting up labour camps next,anyone need any bridges built?

It is a classic attempt at subterfuge and fudge. Using a word like 'racist' against the very people who abhor racism is a clever ploy and part of a 'defending the indefencible' strategy by pro-whaling interests. Demonising your enemy is a well known strategy, and in these PC times, the racism card is an easy one to pull.

[Pikey]

Subterfuge and fudge a new ice cream flavour from the `Trump` food industry?
Demonising the `perceived` enemy,ah yes the western worlds little number for terrorism too.
Again I say WHO in their right mind can call a person who doesn`t support whaling racist?
The Japanese should look back into their own history to recover their lost wisdom.

[Rupster]

Originally Posted by cherubfish

In reply to Japan's statement of "Australia and Sea Shepherd--Racists and Terrorists!"

Originally Posted by cherubfish

Most pro-whalers, including the government of Japan stated, "Whaling is our tradition. To disagree with our tradition is being racist."

Can you provide citations or links to where you obtained the above quotations please?

[Rupster]

Originally Posted by cherubfish

The current issue in Japan is,
the Japanese government invented the whole thing about "Anti-whaling is racist to Japanese because whaling is Japan's culture"
This causes a lot of Japanese to support whaling,
whilst anti-whaling Japanese are considered as unpatriotic, or even traitors of their country.
That's why the yahoo.co.jp poll rates of pro-whaling is so high.
No one has the guts to stand out.

I don't know where you got that quote from but I'll take it at face value for now.

The Japanese government uses propaganda to support its pro-whaling policies. I doubt this should come as any suprise - governments and politicians use propaganda all the time. The Australian government uses propaganda in its anti-whaling stance also.

Having said all that; I'm an Australian and I think that this quote is wrong. The Australian government stance against Japanese whaling is not racism.

I'm not too fussed about the Yahoo poll - these polls are far too easy to rig. Usually the only people that bother voting are people that feel strongly about the issue and that would be pro-whalers in Japan. The rest of Japan probably doesn't know about whaling or doesn't care - probably they aren't receiving the Greenpeace propaganda - maybe you should up your advertising budget there?

Originally Posted by cherubfish

From the information I gave, I did not solely pick on the person who said "u chink?" I also picked on Japan's immigration laws, how Japan portrays foreigners, how Black people and Chinese people are treated in Japan, how xenophobic and monogenic their society is, and MOST IMPORTANT IS:
THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN DOES NOT BOTHER TO SET UP LAWS TO PROTECT FOREIGNERS FROM RACISM.

UN itself HAD showed concerns on racism in Japan, in year 2005, which is very recent indeed. (They are all in the article)

The word 'monogenic' means single gene - one wonders which gene you are refering to (is there a Japanese gene that I don't know about?) - but seriously I assume by this that you really mean that Japan is dominated by a single culture (i.e. Japanese)? I would hardly describe this as racist - Japan is a heavily populated country, some people would describe it as over crowded. Why would they have a policy of immigration if they are already full? This policy will change, in fact it is changing already, as they have a big problem with aging population.

As for Japan having right wing politicians who are racist - show me one country in the world that doesn't have a group of right wing racist politicians. Australia has the One Nation party whose policy objective it to destroy the racial discrimination act. I'm sure if I did some research I could find a right wing racist political party in any western democracy. So this is proof of nothing except that the country has a working democracy.

It is true that there are problems with migrants in Japan especially Chinese and Koreans (I have never heard of problem with black people, but I'll take your word for it). These problems exist, like most racism, because of ignorance. And since Japan doesn't have many migrants there is plenty of ignorance there concerning them.

Japan should have anti-racial vilification and anti-discrimination laws if they don't already - presumably this is what the UN were talking about. Probably the reason for this is the same as above - predominantly Japanese people living there, and it isn't a problem or an issue for them. Its just a problem for the migrants who being a minority have very little say.

Ignoring Chinese migration to Australia during the gold rush period - migration of non-British (non-anglosaxon) people in Australia started in the late 1940s and Australia didn't get anti-discrimination laws until the Racial Discrimination Act was passed in 1975 and we didn't get anti-racial vilification laws until the 1990's - and even then it was contravercial. I suppose we were racists all that time as well (although I was born in 72 so I was only a racist for 3 years)

People only create laws when they perceive a problem in their society - Japanese people like Australians in the 1950's are making the mistake of assuming that the foreigners are the problem. They will discover their mistake in the next decade and pass the laws. Its not realistic to expect 120 million people to suddenly become culturally aware overnight - these things take a generation to filter in.

I would agree with you when you say that Japanese people don't undertsand what racism is. If you were born and raised in a country where you hardly see a foreigner you probably wouldn't know what it means either. It is only in multi-cultural countries where racism appears in the public's conciousness. Countries with large populations of different cultures like the USA, Australia, Canada and many european countries know what racism is because they have been through the process of integrating new cultures into a previously mono-cultural society. Japan is only just starting to experience this with some Brazilians migrating to Japan.

A friend of mine moved with his family to a Japanese city with a population of around 100,000. His child was the first white child that anyone in his neighbourhood had ever seen. This ocurred in the mid 1980's. When I was in Japan recently, there were school children who would point and giggle at me because I was the first white person they had seen that wasn't on TV.

Sure, Japan calling Australia racist over its anti-whaling stance is a complete load of rubbish - and it does bother me - but it is just propaganda. And Japan has problems with racism and needs to pass some laws. But most Japanese people that I have met are very nice. And given some time they will start to sort out their multi-cultural issues just as countries like Australia and other western countries are trying to do (I don't think any of us are finished with it quite yet).

[Deb]

Well done on creating a relevant and intelligent thread topic, Cherubfish. I saw the you tube videos at the beginning of the year and was angry. The best way to deflect criticism of your country is to counter it with accusations and irrelevant claims against another country, such as my own.
I am sure there are racist Australians who hate Japanese, mainly war veterens such as the nurse who survived a mass genocide (there was an incident where 20 or so nurses were made to walk into the water at a beach and shot in the back, one survived by playing dead) or those who worked in the labour camps and were subject to malnutrition and harsh treatment.
Now, I am not a racist, I have a whole "rainbow" of friends, but I call a situation as I see it. The Japanese government are merely looking for support within their country and causing a xenophobic culture. I am hoping that the old government will be ousted and a new beginning will dawn for the people of Japan in the coming elections.