Thanks to all who attended the Taiji Dolphin Demo, held on October 8 worldwide.
In Toronto, the demo was very well-attended, with approximately 125 people attending, picketing the Japanese Consulate on King Street, and marching to Dundas Square, in the heart of our downtown.
Now the real work begins, as the dolphin slaughter is well underway, and will be until the spring of 2006.
What You Can Do NOW - Important Message from Richard O'Barry
No, we didn't end the annual dolphin slaughter in one day, but we did plant some very important seeds. We sent the Japanese Government a loud and clear message: something is happening all around the world, and they know it. The Japanese Embassies and Consulate General Offices must report our protest to their Government in Tokyo. They now understand that there is serious, international opposition to the inhumane dolphin slaughter. Our work is all about exposing this brutal practice, and we did that in a big way on October 8th all around the world.
We can continue to keep the pressure on the decision makers in Tokyo by contacting our local Japanese representatives through phone and e-mail. That's a simple thing that anyone can do. These official complaints are recorded. Usually, e-mail complaints are answered, and they are always reported back to Tokyo.
Here's how simple it is: when the Japanese Consulate General Office in Miami opens for business this morning, I'll pick up the phone and file a formal complaint. I will also send an e-mail message -- a very short, to the point and polite message: tell the Japanese Government to stop the dolphin slaughter. Next to my computer is a yellow post-it-note with the phone number of the Consulate Office and their e-mail address. I will give this contact information to all of our supporters, friends and family in Miami who want to know what they can do to help abolish the dolphin slaughter. Our hope is that they will pass on the contact information to their friends and families.
If we all did this simple thing in our community, the Japanese Government would come to realize that Japan Dolphin Day was not just a fleeting moment. It was the start of an ongoing international campaign, and it is growing every day. Can you imagine the local Japanese representatives dealing with this every day? They will understand that we will not go away until the killing and captures are stopped.
You will find local Japanese representatives here: http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html
We are all busy with other issues, and we have limited resources. We can't work on all of the issues all of the time. This is understandable. But consider how simple it is to keep a note on your desk with one phone number and an e-mail address. Pass this contact information around to others. It won't get you off-track of your normal workload. By doing this simple thing, we may be able to get a million people to contact their local Japanese Embassies. Thank you all for showing up on October 8th.
Ric - October 12, 2005
Please follow this link for further information, and how you can help STOP THE SLAUGHTER NOW!!!
http://www.eii.org/saveTaijiDolphins/
