Argumentative Essay: Why Whaling Should Be Banned

I agree with the position of the Japanese and Norwegian whalers, in that an international ban on whaling seems to be enforcing strictly moral concerns on their whaling activity (Culture and Globalization, Levin Institute). Assuming that their whaling practices are conducted humanely, and do not create an undue strain on the population of the animals or the environment, I don't think it makes sense for them to be subject to any punitive measures by the international community just for hunting. They should recieve an exemption to allow for appropriate hunting practices.

Eating meat is a common practice in most nations of the world, and there are plenty of cultural disagreements about which meats are appropriate to eat. There are cultures that forego pork products, cultures that revere cattle, and yet here in the U.S. both of those animals are easily purchased for consumption. I have trouble seeing the difference between why we would legislate against the hunting of some mammals and not others. It seems like a strange double standard for us to demand that dolphins and whales shouldn't be killed for any reason. Whatever value we attribute the lives …show more content…
I think its valuable to ensure that hunting practices are conducted in a humane and respectful fashion. If the practice of whaling is truly reprehensible and causes suffering to the whales, then the practice should be amended. I think a good way to manage world opinion and still allow for whalers to ply their trade, is to require the whalers to adhere to standard humane hunting practices. The consumption of meat products is common in the western world, so I have trouble imagining the outrage continuing in the face of proof that whaling is conducted in a safe and respectful manner. Hopefully, if these practices were performed appropriately, there would be responsible reporting that would help counter any ill public