From the outset of this thread, I asked for purchasing options for displays that didn't come from Japan or Korea. I wasn't seeking a critique of my reasoning. True, I did state my rationale, but that was only because someone was bound to ask why I wasn't interested in Panny, Sammy and Sony et al.
You are certainly right about things not being black and white. While Panny, Sammy and Sony are not in the whaling business,
the whole culture consumes whale meat that is being harvested under the guise of "research" which is just a transparent circumvention of the international moratorium on whaling.
To repeat what I said earlier about my personal boycott:
Boycotts
can have an effect and in this case I hope other people follow my lead (although it was not my intent to use this thread to further that aim.)
My objective of finding a "Whale Friendly" display manufacturer has been met and I don't think it would be productive for me to continue posting in this thread.
Thanks to all for the Vizio recs.