Sunday, June 25, 2006

READERS IN COUNCIL

By BARRY FOCKLER

Brittany, France

I am 57 and all of my adult life I have had great respect for the people of Japan and their many great accomplishments. I have carried with me a sorrow for those who died and suffered at Hiroshima and Nagasaki because of the blind stupidity of U.S. President Harry Truman in his use of horrific nuclear weapons against a civilian population.

You can imagine my shock last week as I read about a group of Japanese "scientists," bureaucrats and business people who have used despicable and conniving tactics via the International Whaling Commission to bring about the mass killing of an intelligent and beautiful fellow creature on this planet, the whale. How can a people who have suffered so much plot to bring the wanton suffering and death to this glorious mammal that inhabits our seas!?

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.

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