>I find the Sea Shepherd press release to be very offensive. It's one thing
>to oppose whaling in general, or oppose the makah whaling because it is not
>strictly traditional, but to run around saying the makah are getting
>weapons to shoot "NMFS enforcement officers and other environmentalists" is
>beyond all reason. The insinuation has racial undertones and is
>disrespectful.

No shit. The Makah only intend to take a small number of whales. While I
disagree with their decision, I do believe they've chosen to implement it in
a responsible way.

Sea Shepard, in their response, is essentially taking the position that our
country did against the Sioux in the Dakotas. "Their land, kill the suckers,
they have no right to their land or culture", in the case of the Sioux. In
the
case of the Makah - a poor tribe I've seen close at hand, as the HawkWatch
Cape
Flattery raptor monitoring site is on their land - is poor but proud, and
works
hard to maintain their sense of tribal togetherness.

To insult them as Sea Shepard has is indefensible, whether or not one
agrees with
the decision the tribe has made.



- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
http://donb.photo.net