(no subject)

So it's whaling season again.

I was talking to a local woman the other day who was telling me that years ago, she helped butcher a whale that they thought was at least 115 year old. They think that because they found an antique handmade harpoon stuck in its head.

I'm not very culturally sensitive it seems, because I thought that was really depressing. To have lived that long and survived those hunts just to have an explosive shot into your eye? I always get depressed at this time of year. After a summer of hearing about how wonderful and spiritual and majestic and wise the whales are, the fall comes and the same animals are being dragged out of the water with big holes in their heads from exploding harpoon heads to be hacked up and divided up through the town.

Don't get me wrong, I know people have to eat. I appreciate how hard it is to keep traditions alive in a changing world. It just strikes me as weird and kind of sad. And I can't help but think that if it's the tradition that's important, they would hunt in the traditional way, sans explosives.
But what do I know? I'm a long way from home.

There's so much I don't understand about humans.

What kind of headjob shoots little Amish girls?

The news said he had carried a grudge for 20 years and the he was 32 years old. So something happened when he was 12? And shooting baby girls in the head was the only way to make it right??? AMISH girls??

How can you have a grudge against the Amish????? Especially Amish who weren't even born until ten years after whatever happened happened???

It's insane. This morning, I was depressed that humans shoot whales that they claim to honor and respect. What chance do whales have if we'll kill some of the most peaceful and innocent of our own kind??

And to cheer me up, my Dad (who also works at the elementary school with me) says, "It'll happen here someday."
Thanks, Dad. It had better NOT, is all I can say.