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IWMC
World Conservation Trust |
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Conference
Sketch:
The Ethics of
Slaughtering Baby Sheep |
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| Delegate: |
On a point of order, Mr.
Chairman, do we have time to discuss whether it is a measure of our human
civilization to allow countries to hunt whales, as some would have us believe,
or does rejection of whaling run counter to our fundamental being? Is it what
we do, or how we do it, that dictates how enlightened we are? |
| Chairman: |
Mexico? |
| Delegate: |
On a point of order, Mr.
Chairman, this is not a point for Mexico alone to decide, even though the
distinguished Commissioner for Mexico appears to be a thoroughly nice and
courteous person, and is very eloquent and knowledgeable. It seems to our
country, well this delegation at least… well, really just to me, that the
ethical argument whether it is acceptable to eat whale meat can never be
separated from most people’s wishes to eat meat from other animals. It can
never, therefore, be a decisive argument. |
| Chairman: |
Do you want a consensus on this? |
| Delegate: |
No, Mr. Chairman, I want to have
an opportunity to think aloud and demonstrate to anybody who is listening how
smart I am. After all, the New Zealand economy is based on breeding and
slaughtering baby sheep and selling the meat for profit overseas. Western
society has a love affair with anthropomorphism, but it also loves its steaks,
chops and filets. What is going on here? |
| Chairman: |
New Zealand? |
| Delegate: |
On a point of order, Mr.
Chairman, this is not a matter for New Zealand either. They have an obvious
interest in killing baby sheep and have many years experience in the practice.
They are the last people whose opinion we should seek. Their experts could
hardly be objective. |
| Chairman: |
Where are you going with this? |
| Delegate: |
What I want this meeting to
establish, Mr. Chairman, is whether the distinguished Commissioner from New
Zealand has eaten any baby sheep recently. I have here a plastic bag labeled
"lamb chops", given to me by the British Commissioner, and as far as
I know it has not been DNA tested. |
| Chairman: |
Do you want it testing? |
| Delegate: |
Yes I do. Everything should be
DNA tested because we need to be absolutely sure what we are eating. |
| Chairman: |
Norway? |
| Delegate: |
On a point of order, Mr.
Chairman, this is not a point for Norway either. They will simply say that this
issue is not a matter for the IWC and that none of us are competent. What I am
saying is that to be truly enlightened, all the meat we eat must be carefully
DNA tested. Only then, can we apply ethical arguments to it. |
| Chairman: |
But everyone opposes what you
are saying. There is complete consensus against you. Look, Japan, Norway,
America, Mexico, Antigua and Barbuda, they are all against you. |
| Delegate: |
On a point of order, Mr.
Chairman. I wanted to see if it was possible to gain a consensus on anything.
That was my real purpose. Now we have all succeeded. We are one big happy
family again!  |
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