I am deeply obliged to my regular commenter, Dom, for linking me to this story - actually, more like a nightmare tale thought up by Bram Stoker - on what happens when the mighty Federal Government of the United States of America decides to crack a nut, even the tiniest of little peanuts. It all concerns a 50-year old lady and a hump-backed whale and, no, this is not the start of one of those sorts of stories! She is Ms. Nancy Black, a marine biologist and the owner of a whale-watching boat, and no again, I don't know why anyone in their right mind would want to look at hump-back whales either but they do and Ms. Black, with considerable expertise, I imagine, helps them to do so.
It was in this capacity seven years ago that she committed one of the most foul, odious and disgusting offences possible by a human against an innocent animal - she whistled at it! I know, I know, shockin', shockin'. Apparently whistling at a whale is a crime in 'The Land of the Free' although I do not understand why given that they tend to whistle at us, at least, spurting all that air and water out of the tops of their heads, as they do, I have always assumed was whale-whistling. But this was worse than just any old crime, like shooting people dead in Chicago on a regular basis, dear me, this was an environmental crime, no less, because it amounted to harrassment of a marine animal.
You are probably sniggering at all of this but let me assure you Ms. Black is not. Over the last seven years this has already cost her $100k , has led to a raid on her house by a dozen agents and the impounding of all her scientific photos, business files and computers, according to the story by George Will in the WaPo. And which particular agency of the United States of America has been leading this gallant assault against a harmless, middle-aged lady? Why, none other than our old friends-not, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), those infamous lying liars who featured so wretchedly in my previous post.
God Save America - from itself!
Thank God they haven't shot her. Seriously, remember Waco and Ruby Ridge. These effers seem to be free to do whatever takes their fancy. (At least that thuggish policeman from the Met was charged and tried - if the jury won't convict, it's not the fault of The System.)
Posted by: dearieme | Monday, 30 July 2012 at 17:52
You know, DM, how resolutely pro-American I am - despite it all - but it is always the little things that get to me. And the problem with little things as executed (carefully chosen word) by megalithic government agencies is that the results are almost always catastrophic for the individual. That, incidentally and I know you don't need any convincing, is why we must get out of this European construction as soon as possible.
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 30 July 2012 at 18:03
I wouldn't whistle at any cetacean. It can get you into serious difficulties.
http://rense.com/general79/dolph.htm
Posted by: Whyaxye | Monday, 30 July 2012 at 19:30
So that's why the Memsahib keeps agitating for me to take her to Weymouth - and I thought it was to see the Olympic sailing boats!
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 30 July 2012 at 19:48
Well, at least Georges isn't gay.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Posted by: Andra | Tuesday, 31 July 2012 at 01:27
Dammit, Ma'am, there's nothing gay about us west countrymen, er, or our dolphins either!
Posted by: David Duff | Tuesday, 31 July 2012 at 08:23
Didn't think you knew any of the Nigerian royals David?
Posted by: JK | Saturday, 11 August 2012 at 12:53