First things first: #shameondenmark 💔 #shameonfaroeislands #shameonisland #shameonjapan @mette @peterhummelgaard #freepaulwatson #cpwf
My past few weeks have been... mentally difficult. So harsh that I stopped publishing posts I had already written, such as this one from 17 September. To make matters worse, I was accused on Instagram for my first cover story about Paul Watson that I was harming environmental protection through my reporting. I was expected to provide evidence for my statements immediately1EU Öko Abschiebehaft, Patrick Ruppelt, published on Instagram on... damn, where can I find the date of a post on Instagram? The post was published on my blog on 29.7.2024, https://www.instagram.com/p/DAogVosupRT/ .
Let's leave the church in the village. With over 2,000 likes, more than 100 shares and around 80 comments, it's normal and good to be criticised from time to time. But this particular criticism really bothered me. Because, let's face it, it's true about the sources2. Guidelines for correct citation, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Medizinische Fakultät, https://www.med.lmu.de/de/promotion/gwp/leitfaden-fuer-korrektes-zitieren/ .
When I was still able to type and research with my own fingers, I did the same. Some articles have a list of sources that is longer than many of my own articles3Developing a corporate culture, Patrick Ruppelt, 30 July 2010, https://paddys.de/entwickeln-einer-unternehmenskultur/ . But without your own fingers... difficult.
And then, unlike a journalist, I don't research a topic specifically, compile a collection of material and then write about it. All the articles are written from start to finish in one piece from the top of my head.
I learnt the figures, data and facts at some point from what I consider to be reliable sources. Mostly from scientific publications, specialist articles and recordings of university lectures and talks. I do nothing but research all day from 11 o'clock when I wake up until I go to bed at 3, 4, 5 o'clock and my brain doesn't forget anything it has seen. I don't have a TV or Netflix - or whatever you would have today if you had it. 😉
Okay, I also have to work from time to time, I have to pay for my nature conservation projects from something. But my company has extremely competent and committed employees4ITK SECURITY GmbH, IT security, IT system house & data protection. Your Munich-based IT full service specialist since 1998 and your IT experts for law firms, medical practices and SMEs, https://www.itk-security.de/ my financial transactions generate an annual IZF of well over 30%5Patrick's portfolio, published on parqet, as at 9 November 2024, https://app.parqet.com/p/639c976919239cbe3410aa46 and even the certificate on my much more "conservative" model portfolio, which you can invest in via your online banking like any other share, generates profits that are impressive6 Patrick Ruppelt | Greenwoodfinanz, Patrick's Investment Favourites, ISIN DE000LS9U047, published on wikifolio, as of 9.11.2024, https://www.wikifolio.com/de/de/w/wfxpatrick . For legal reasons, I would like to point out that this is not financial advice. I'm just explaining why I have no money worries and can invest almost all my time and so much money in environmental protection.
I don't do what I read/see/hear for the sake of writing, but because it interests me personally. That's the crux of the matter.
I suspect that there is no one else in the world who, as his or her ALS disease progresses, continues his work for animals and nature unhindered, writes about it and invests his entire remaining salary after medical expenses in nature conservation.
The adverts alone for my Instagram posts about Paul Watson's imprisonment to raise awareness for the, in my opinion, unlawfully imprisoned Captain Paul Watson - co-founder of Greenpeace, founder of Sea Sheperd, founder of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation - will cost me several thousand euros. But in return they will also be displayed to over half a million users7Insights, Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/insights/media/3470165737186432083/ .
The vast majority of comments so far have been more than positive. I find those in which others express their support for the cause itself particularly uplifting. Because everything I write is about the cause. Just like the following comment.
"Finally someone who gets it - thank you 🙏 Too bad you live so far away. We'll take to the streets again on 20 October for his release! Because he is needed. For the whales, for the ocean, for us humans! #freepaulwatson"
Wouldn't it be nice if all comments were this nice? Maybe I'm taking it too much to heart. Nature conservation is just my thing. Sure, there will always be a few AfD trolls who get upset about my articles about gendering and that environmental damage and climate change are the problem of the generations after us. It's a shame when people have nothing better to do than publicly proclaim their contempt for minorities and their selfish ignorance at every opportunity. Let's leave this group out of the equation. I won't reach them in a hundred years anyway. I've tried often enough.
And a sobering thought always resonates a little. When I was at school, there was no internet as we know it today. When I was a student, you had to go to the library to find literature for quotes or you had to buy the necessary specialist literature. A book sometimes cost DM 400. A quote from it was really worth something. Today you can get 50 quotes thrown at you on the Internet for every conceivable statement. So when you quote, the quality of the quotations is also important. And that's where the cat bites its own tail. If you don't want to believe what I write because it doesn't fit in with your own values or way of life - see That's why cow's milk is always cruelty to animals8 Patrick Ruppelt, That's why cow's milk is always cruelty to animals, 20/11/2024, https://paddys.de/darum-ist-kuhmilch-immer-tierquaelerei/ - he, or she, will question even the most reliable source. Said quote on the lasting effectiveness of petitions at EU level... If I now say that said quote comes from Dr rer. medic. Mark Benecke, graduate biologist (awarded in Germany), publicly appointed and sworn expert for forensic security, investigation and evaluation of biological traces (IHK) - a man who enjoys my highest reputation - from a series of lectures that was originally even held in the EU Parliament itself9Mark Benecke, "Time is Up!" - Mark Benecke in the EU Parliament, Martin Sonneborn, 24 July 2024, https://youtu.be/Z_p9yYXZuCI - the exact episode with timecode will be available as soon as I have viewed the 40 hours of video material - What do you think this will change?
Nevertheless, the accusation about the sources is somehow justified.
And that's why I'm thinking about how I can do better in the future. I've already tried a few things that didn't work. If you can't move anything except your eyes, that's a very limiting factor. I wrote my last posts with references. The sources are easy to find. All the sources I use are freely accessible. But formatting, reformatting for the audiobook version and reformatting again for social media takes me what feels like twice as long as writing. That's not faster. At least not by eye control. Precious time that I would actually prefer to spend writing more. Oh well... I'll think of something. I always think of something 😉
In return, I expect the same from criticism. If I am accused of harming environmental protection and am asked to "immediately" provide proof of allegedly false statements, then I also expect to be given a source to prove that I am wrong. Furthermore, let's remain polite and not insult each other.
Deal?
And since I've been talking about "the thing" all this time, let's finally get down to business. And it's sad. This is slowly becoming a bad habit in my reports. It's probably in the nature of things. Not everyone cares as much about nature as I do. A fortnight ago we were still thinking about Canada, oh Canada10Patrick Ruppelt, Canada, oh Canada, Where the senses and the mind meet, 8 November 2024, https://paddys.de/kanada-oh-kanada/ . The last time I wanted to finish writing this article was yesterday. The transition was even better then. 😉
Today we're heading even further west. So far west that we end up in the east. Namely in Japan. It's all about animals. Japan and animal welfare, that could be fun11 Sebastian Schuster, Animals and animal welfare in Japan, Japan my love, 14 October 2024, https://japanmeineliebe.de/2021/03/10/tiere-und-tierschutz-in-japan/ . But it gets worse.
Japan has killed its first fin whale in 48 years12Kyoko Hasegaw, Japan shows first commercial fin whale catch in 48 years, Japan Times, 11.9.2024, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/11/japan/commercial-fin-whale-catch/ . Some time ago, I wrote about the new Kangei Maru euthanasia factory, originally disguised as a research vessel. I said at the time that the Japanese would never invest 7.5 billion yen (approx. 45.2 million euros) in the construction of a ship for marine research13Patrick Ruppelt, EU Öko Abschiebehaft, Where senses and reason meet, 29 July 2024, https://paddys.de/eu-oeko-abschiebehaft/ . Aerial photographs of the Kangei Maru also cast considerable doubt on whether the trawler might not be more suitable for commercial hunting of the largest creatures. That was my opinion. I hate it when I'm right,
Meanwhile, Japan declares in passing that it recognises internationally "recognised protected areas14Japan hunts whales in the whale sanctuary], Greenpeace e.V., Background, https://www.greenpeace.de/biodiversitaet/meere/fischerei/japan-jagt-wale-walschutzgebiet and withdrew from the international moratorium, which prohibits commercial whaling on a global scale, as early as 2019. Japan at least "understandingly" declares that it does not want to hunt in protected areas15Valentin Schatz, Whaling Convention without Japan - The end of hide-and-seek, Legal Tribune Online, Wolters Kluwer, 2 January 2019, https://www.lto.de/recht/hintergruende/h/japan-austritt-walfangkonvention-voelkerrecht-moratorium-politik and does the opposite. I have already explained the reasons for this in this article here: THIS is what Japan's whaling has to do with German milk in Africa16Patrick Ruppelt, DAS hat Japans Walfang mit deutscher Milch in Afrika zu tun, Where senses and reason meet, 15.10.2024, https://paddys.de/das-hat-japans-walfang-mit-deutscher-milch-in-afrika-zu-tun/ .
To be precise,
- Japan violates the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling signed in Washington in 1946.
- Japan is violating the indefinite ban on commercial whaling that was adopted in 1982 and came into force in 1986.
- Japan is violating international maritime law, which clearly requires whaling nations to co-operate with the International Whaling Commission (IWC) regardless of whether they have withdrawn or have ever been a member of the moratorium - a fundamentally important point.
- Japan violates the Southern Ocean, which was declared a whale sanctuary in 1994.
- The International Whaling Commission (IWC) adopted resolutions in which Japan was unequivocally called upon to respect the international whale sanctuary.
- Japan's calculation of the catch quota for a viable population of endangered species is wrong. It is based on far too large numbers allegedly in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ = up to 370 kilometres from the coast.
- Japan's invocation of research purposes has been declared invalid by the UN Supreme Court.
- The International Whaling Commission (IWC) condemns Japan at every meeting and calls on Japan to stop whaling.
- Japan's reference to a centuries-old whaling tradition in the Antarctic is a lie. It started in 1934, and two hundred years ago ships were not technically capable of hunting in the Arctic. Japan's argument is so obviously wrong that it hurts.
17Japan hunts whales in the whale sanctuary], Greenpeace e.V., Background, https://www.greenpeace.de/biodiversitaet/meere/fischerei/japan-jagt-wale-walschutzgebiet 18International Court of Justice : Japan may no longer hunt whales in the Antarctic, Frankfurter Allgemeine, 31/03/2014, https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/internationaler-gerichtshof-japan-darf-in-der-antarktis-keine-wale-mehr-jagen-12872493.html 19Katrin Matthes, Japan out of control? The fin whale quota disaster, 30.7.2024, https://de.whales.org/2024/07/30/das-desaster-um-die-finnwal-quote/
And what does Japan say? It will have to kill another 58 fin whales "for research purposes" 20Bianca König, 31 July 2024, https://de.whales.org/2024/07/31/japan-jagt-finnwale/ [,/footnote].
Just to put this in context, because very few people are familiar with the fin whale. We are talking about the second largest animal that lives on earth. The killed animal is 20 metres long and weighs over 55 tonnes. A single animal filters up to 60 million litres of seawater per year. This is elementary for a functioning marine ecosystem, without which humans would not be able to survive in the way we know (fact, I don't need to prove it, you can google it yourself if you're a troll).
Humans must finally realise that they are not part of the global ecological balance. Every living being has its place in the global ecosystem. Yes, every one. But not humans. If humans were gone from one day to the next, it would make no difference20Comes from Mark Benecke, lecture series "Time is up", in which lecture exactly... phew 😉. (fact) It would actually benefit most animals. (my opinion)
I'm sure we'll be walking on Mars soon21Mars, NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/humans-to-mars/ . Colonise... mmh no 22Cedric Engels, Doctor Whatson, How will we live in 2050? Doctor Whatson: Live from the future, 21 April 2024, https://youtu.be/nKrvDNk5D84 Sorry Elon. But we may one day be able to keep ourselves alive with machines even without a healthy nature. In some metal cans deep underground. At least if and as long as we don't kill each other. Unlike many others, I know what it means to never be able to go outside again. I also know very well the feeling of suffocating as soon as I am separated from the machine. I've just experienced it again - report to follow tomorrow. Spoiler: I survived it. But trust me, you don't want to. You won't like it. Neither will your children. And neither will your grandchildren.
What I'm trying to say is this:
Keep your hands off the whales.
Scientists around the world are conducting minimally invasive and non-whale research23Our research and conservation projects, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), https://de.whales.org/wale-delfine/artenschutz-und-forschung/wdc-forschung-schutzprojekte/ . Japan does not do research. Japan has never done research and never intended to. That was already clear 15 years ago. Japan is lying. Japan did nothing other than revive their commercial international whaling programme. Why do we have a UN court if its judgements have no consequences? Right, so that NGOs can enforce them at the risk of their lives at the behest of Interpol, and so that the Japanese can be thrown under the bus when things get delicate (cynical parable).
Japan's stance is not new. As far back as Japan's activities in 2010 - which triggered Paul Watson's activism against Japan in 2010 and which, ironically, are now set to bring him certain death in Japan's prison - the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague established beyond doubt in 2014 that Japan's activities intervening in Sea Sheperd were illegal and ordered all permits and licences issued for scientific purposes to be withdrawn24International Court of Justice : Japan may no longer hunt whales in the Antarctic, Frankfurter Allgemeine, 31/03/2014, https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/internationaler-gerichtshof-japan-darf-in-der-antarktis-keine-wale-mehr-jagen-12872493.html . This is a subtle difference that Watson's critics tend to "overlook". Watson does not practise vigilante justice in the true sense of the word25 Selbstjustiz, die, Der deutsche Wortschatz von 1600 bis heute, DWDS - Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, https://www.dwds.de/wb/Selbstjustiz but enforces existing law ("Purple Notice") in cooperation with and at the request of (!) Interpol due to a lack of capacity on the part of local law enforcement authorities, to whom the criminals are then handed over together with video evidence26ARTEde, Sea Shepherd - Pursuit on the high seas | Doku HD Reupload | ARTE, 12.10.2024, https://youtu.be/dkPzZU-Dm3E . Watson's weapon is the camera. That's what makes him so unpleasant for countries like Japan.
In any case, I wonder what Japan's marine biologists want to "research" with 3,000 tonnes of fin whale carcasses in the freezer. Already portioned and packaged on board ready for sale. Japan doesn't even try to lie. Anyone who disrupts the system is silenced27Ten years in prison for Japanese whale conservationists?, Greenpeace Switzerland, 16 February 2010. https://www.greenpeace.ch/de/story/16118/zehn-jahre-gefaengnis-fuer-japanische-walschuetzer/ . Whether on Japanese soil28Sea Shepherd - Japanese arrest whaling opponents, stern, 12.3.2010, https://www.stern.de/panorama/wissen/natur/sea-shepherd-japaner-nehmen-walfanggegner-fest-3569918.html or in European territory29Paul Watson Controversial whale conservationist arrested in Greenland, 22.7.2024, https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/europa/paul-watson-festgenommen-100.htm - and Europe and the rest of the world look on impassively I don't know which is more criminal.
To emphasise once again, there is no international arrest warrant and certainly no conviction. Denmark's only reason for considering the extradition of Paul Watson is because Denmark itself hunts whales on the Faroe Islands30The structure of the government, https://old.visitfaroeislands.com/de/ueber-die-faeroeer-inseln/die-struktur-der-regierung/ and Watson has already "disturbed" it with his previous nature conservation organisation Sea Sheperd since the 1980s31Campaigns in the Faroe Islands - Sea Shepherd, https://sea-shepherd.de/kampagnen/kampagnen-auf-den-faroer-inseln/ and, with his new Captain Paul Watson Foundation, continues to fight senseless slaughter to this day32 cpwfgermany - The Faroe Islands and Denmark must stop the grindagrap! https://www.instagram.com/cpwfgermany/reel/DAB0PNqNs8P/ . Denmark wants Paul Watson to disappear. Denmark even accepts that if Watson is extradited to Japan, he will die in Japanese prison in any case33 Sabine Oelmann, Whaling opponent Paul Watson still imprisoned, ntv Panorama, 22 August 2024, https://www.n-tv.de/panorama/Walfang-Gegner-Paul-Watson-noch-immer-in-Groenland-inhaftiert-FreePaulWatson-setzt-sich-fuer-Freilassung-ein-article25173640.html . That's disgusting. And the EU... is watching.
What a fortunate "coincidence" for Denmark that Japan got wind of the secret refuelling of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation ship in Nuuk (Denmark) and is now, of all times, pulling a "Red Notice" over a decade old out of the drawer34Patrick Ruppelt, in Held braucht deine Hilfe, Wo Sinne und Verstand aufeinander treffen, 17.11.202,4, https://paddys.de/ein-held-braucht-deine-hilfe/ . Japan do the dirty work for Denmark, nothing more. The timing couldn't have come at a better time for Japan. Paul Watson's ship had just set sail on its next mission, the "OPERATION KANGEI MARU". Mission objective: To stop the hunting of whales and endangered species, which is illegal under international law and has been condemned several times and imposed by resolutions, by the new flagship of the Japanese commercial whaling fleet, which had also recently sailed and which had slaughtered the first - endangered - fin whale directly after Paul's arrest: the Kangei Maru footnote] Captain Paul Watson Foundation, New Campaign: OPERATION KANGEI MARU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoRPKRxnwH8 [/footnote]. And the world is watching.
