The U.S. ambassador to Japan just tweeted in protest of “drive hunt” dolphin killing, in which dolphins are rounded up by Japanese men in boats pounding sticks against the water, which disorients the animals. And then they are slaughtered for lunch food for schoolchildren. It is truly barbaric.

According to the Times, Kennedy tweeted, “Deeply concerned by inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing. USG opposes drive hunt fisheries”….

The response from Japan’s chief cabinet secretary: “Dolphin fishing is a form of traditional fishing in our country.”

That settles it, then.

This mindless assertion of tradition really is the weakest of arguments. “Slavery is a tradition here in this country…” Clearly, not all traditions are good ones.