SOLO-NZ Op-Ed: Greens' Hypocrisy Exposed

By Lance Davey

16 January 2008

First, let me apologise for the redundant headline, there's no real exposition here. The Red-Green Party's hypocrisy is a well-established fact. But even I had to flush the coffee from my nasal sinuses and wipe down my monitor this afternoon after reading the latest presser from the eco-communist Red-Greens. Usually the first to tout endless negotiations and appeasement when matters of our own or our allies'national defence are on the line, the Red-Greens are calling upon the New Zealand government to immediately send armed warships to Antarctica, apparently to intimidate the crew of a Japanese whaling vessel who were acting in self-defence when they detained two militant whaling protesters whom even the radical Greenpeace have explicitly distanced themselves from.

The group in question are known as Sea Shepherd. They were not there protesting with banners or placing themselves between the whaling vessel and the whales. No, Sea Shepherd were there initiating force, and endangering human life and limb. The two detained men forcibly boarded the Japanese whaling vessel, the Yushin Maru, after attempting to entangle the propellers of the vessel using ropes, and throwing bottles of acid onto the decks. Frankly they were lucky not to be shot or harpooned on sight. A captain of a vessel, especially in a notoriously dangerous environment, would have every moral right to use lethal force to ensure the safety of himself, his crew and his vessel. The captain of the Yushin Maru showed compassion and restraint in merely detaining the men.

Greens spokesthing Metiria Turei says, "The latest events in Antarctica are unprecedented and may well escalate to a situation where lives are put in direct danger." What the breathlessly arrogant woman is failing to recognise is that lives were in danger! The lives of the crew of the Japanese vessel. But now, with the detention of the two eco-terrorists from Sea Shepherd, those lives are safe (provided the terrorists are kept under close guard). At any rate, what pray tell does she think sending an armed New Zealand warship to "observe" would do to de-escalate the situation? Bloodthirsty hypocrisy of the highest degree.

The fact is that the victims here were the crew of the Yushin Maru—they were attacked and boarded by extremists with less regard for human life than animal. And yet the captain and crew of the Yushin Maru acted compassionately and with regard for even the lowest forms of human life.

If we're to send frigates to Antarctica, it should be to help the Japanese fend off pirates and terrorists.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

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