Ric O’Barry of the Dolphin Project,
the saga continues…..
Ric O’Barry one evening in Taiji, Japan was stopped by the
police on a tip he might be drunk while driving. Mr. O’Barry passed the breathalyzer test and
was asked for his passport. He did not
have his passport with him. The police
gave him the opportunity to get his passport from his hotel and he refused,
thus causing his police detention (arrest).
After spending a night or two in police custody he is
released and is involved in a little auto accident. Recently Mr. O’Barry wrote this on his Dolphin
Project Facebook page:
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| Ric O'Barry Japanese police |
“If something
happens to me please contact the American Embassy in Tokyo. I am constantly
being harassed by the police. We were stopped again a few minutes ago and I was
asked if I would come back to the police station tomorrow at 1300 hours for a
three hour (minimum) interrogation. The reason I'm posting this online is
because I am afraid of the police at this point. They arrested me a few days
ago and tortured me for more than 24 hours. This was not torture by beatings it
was by all night interrogation even though there are no charges against me. Now
they want me to come back to the police station to be tortured again. If you do
a Google search of Japanese prison systems you will see what I mean. Here's one
of many articles which exposes the brutality of the Japanese jails and the
reason I am refusing to voluntarily be interrogated again:
Japan’s prison system life is systematised
daily torture. One American who was transferred to serve the second part of his
prison sentence in the US proclaimed after the move: ‘I felt like I had died
and gone to Disneyland. The difference in the two prison systems is
incredible.’”
If he is “constantly being harassed by the police,” could it
be because his group as Sea Shepherd are constantly harassing the people of
Taiji? When Karma happens these people
bellyache like spoil children. Grant you
Mr. O’Barry’s group has not behaved as reprehensibly as the Cove Coward
Guardians of Sea Shepherd. However their
goal is the same, harass the Japanese and exploit the Japanese to illicit
donations from emotional people around the world.
How oppressive can the Japanese police be if they requested
him to show up the next day for questioning?
If they were as oppressive as he is trying to portray in his writing
they would have taken him in for questioning immediately.
Mr. O’Barry claims because he was asked questions for many
hours and not charged that was torture. What
was the torture: not being charged or the questions? People in Sea Shepherd and now it seems Mr.
O’Barry and his group find any questioning of their activities or behavior as
“torture” because their lack of logic cannot stand up to reasonable scrutiny.
He quotes a criminal as claiming the Japanese prison system
is though as oppose to the “Disneyland” American prison system. Perhaps that is the reason Japan has a lower
recidivism rate than the USA. Also what has
Mr. O’Barry done that he fears a prison cell?
Did he do something he is not broadcasting to his followers? Or perhaps like Sea Shepherd he is appealing
to the emotions of his followers at the expense of the Japanese? Such exploitation by people of his ilk is
easy due to the latent anti-Japanese sentiment they harbor.
Japan is a wonderful country to visit if you do not go there
to break the law or skirt on the edges while disrespecting their culture.
It is curious and well as humorous that the people in the
Faroe Islands deported fifteen Sea Shepherd clowns this year and reduced their
tolerance for their behavior. Now Japan
this year already deported two Cove Guardians and the rest of the floating
circus (Sea Shepherd minions) fear going to Taiji to possibly be deported.
Why are the Japanese authorities being a bit more assertive
this year as oppose to previous years?
The people of Japan are peaceful and very tolerant, however all people
do have their limits and it seems these so called “animal rights” groups have
exceeded that limit. They may want to
start looking for another culture to exploit for their much needed funds.
On Mr. O’Barry’s Facebook page where he wrote the above, his
supporters are leaving comments on how to help him. They are advising people to contact U.S.
Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy. Are they sure
that is a good idea, remember a few years ago Sea Shepherd got Madame Ambassador
Kennedy to Tweet something negative about the dolphin activity in Japan. This alarmed the Japanese authorities because
they do not want a diplomatic confrontation with the U.S. resulting in a more
assertive stance in Taiji. Get Madame
Ambassador involved again and it will only result negatively for the two groups
in Taiji (Sea Shepherd and the Dolphin Project).
His followers comment on his Facebook page:
“Just sent this to Caroline Kennedy! It is time she did
something about the horrors going on in Taiji!”
“LEFT 2 TWEETS FOR KENNEDY TO SAVE THIS MAN FROM THIS POLICE
HARASSMENT FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING AND SAVING THE INNOCENT!”
“She has done something. She's condemned them and spoken out
about it, which is huge in the political world. And, that's about all that she
can do within her power.”
“Isn't Caroline Kennedy our Ambassador to Japan? Perhaps she
should be notified of this unfair harassment. Stay safe, Ric”
“I'll write them right now!! Request all followers of Ric
O'Barry to follow suit”
“The Japanese Embassy in DC can also be contacted at
202-238-6700 to let their Ambassador Sasae know that the world is watching out
for Richard and the dolphins in Taiji. They are closed but have an option for
emergencies...”
This one is funny as it is pathetic:
“Have sent a message to the embassy in japan. Here's the
template. Included parts of some of your own messages.
Dear Embassy,
We have been informed by M. Richard
O’Barry M., head of the Dolphin Project association, is now the subject of
constant harassment from the Japanese police in Taiji. For years, Ric O’Barry
has been honorably known and appreciated by the defenders of dolphins in Japan
and worldwide for his work and activism, including his Academy Award winning
documentary The Cove. The aim of his presence in Taiji is documenting the
bloody hunts and cruel catches of wild dolphins conducted in Wakayama
Prefecture. These drive hunts have already been condemned by your ambassador Caroline
Kennedy as well as the people of Japan and worldwide. He was recently the
subject of an all night arrest and interrogation by the police in Taiji for
failing to carry his passport on his person 24/7. He was released and cleared
of all charged when police found his passport in his car.
Fearful for his life he has once
again informed us that he has been stopped and asked to return to the station.
What is being done to help this activist in Japan? Given his frail age he
cannot in good conscious be the subject to another interrogation as it is both
mentally and physically draining.
We kindly await your answer.
Respectfully yours”
Link to Ric O’Barry’s Facebook page:
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| Ric O'Barry Dolphin Project Karma |
