The anthropomorphism of whales is the very cause of the arguments of the anti-whaling nations and non-use organizations.

It’s easy to see how that’s been developed. From Save The Whales to Free Willy, whales became the idol of the sea. "The Leviathans of the Deep"; Endangered. The world got their first critical view of these mammals when confronted with the viewpoint that so-called Industrial Whaling had driven them to the brink of extinction.

But the reasons for stopping whaling until an effective management regime could be implemented, in this case the Revised Management Scheme, have changed since 1982 when the International Whaling Commission voted for the moratorium.

The reasons for stopping whaling have gone from wanting populations to recover before resuming on a sustainable basis through an effective quota system to total protection. As a result, we have seen the argument turn from "the numbers aren’t there" to "it’s wrong".

And "it’s wrong", so it goes, not only because whales are endangered or there is not enough scientific information available as to birth rates and population estimations, but also because whales have "culture", are "intelligent", sing "songs" and generally just "love their offspring".

The argument, therefore, has extended to: "It’s no longer acceptable to harvest whales. Cultures must change and eat other meats." So it goes. It is now culturally unacceptable to hunt whales. And that is the crux of the anti-whaler’s argument.

Without realizing it, nations such as the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and New Zealand – the Big Four in anti-whaling – have given an animal the same rights and obligations as a person and are now fighting with all their might to uphold their right to ascribe human values to whales.

And why not? It saves on having to expend much thought on science and customary rights, on working with and accepting other cultures, on putting their own money into effective research of marine mammals. Hell, some IWC Commissioners could go for years on sucking the good life from the taxpayers just to keep up the international travel (first class, for some), the hotels and public recognition. All without having to think!

The awful consequence is that with the effort the Big Four have gone to, some have overlooked the way they treat their own citizens and guests.

Both the United States and Australia failed in this year’s Amnesty International record of human rights, both among the worst five nations in the world for their treatment of individual citizens. They really should improve the way they treat their citizens before championing the rights of whales.

These two nations, together with the United Kingdom and New Zealand, are the world leaders for the rights of whales, but their reputations totally fall down when it comes to rights of their own citizens.

Australia’s treatment of refugee claimants at the centre in Woomera leaves a lot to be desired. IWMC suggest that many in that camp would just love to be whale, and that Australia put more PR into its whale efforts to keep people’s minds from what’s happening in their own backyard.

By being perceived as the saviours of the whales, by calling the people of whaling nations ‘barbarians’, ‘savages’ and ‘villains’, they transfer rights and emotions from people to whales – so their sins against humanity are easily forgotten. The world switched its political correctness from people to whales, and is now less than vigilant over the treatment some governments give to their citizens.

It’s time for the pendulum to switch back!