But where should you draw the line? You don’t like the death penalty in the USA? Maybe you shouldn’t spend your tourist dollars there either (or shouldn’t go to the states where it’s permitted). Historically, Australia hasn’t been kind to Aboriginals. The Brazilians are wiping out the Amazonian rainforest. The Turks, Iraqis, Armenians, Iranians and Azerbaijanis have it in for the Kurds. The Norwegians and Japanese are hunting whales. The more you think about traveling ethically, the trickier it gets. Just about every country on the planet has dozens of skeletons in the closet if you choose to look closely enough. And once you start down that path, it’s hard to know where to stop. It becomes a very personal decision, with few whites and blacks, just a vast collection of greys. The best thing to do is arm yourself with as much information as possible, and pass on what you learn to others.
Lansky, Doug. The Rough Guide to First-Time Around The World. Rough Guides Limited, 2013.