Was the Grey Whale Killed by the Makah, ?!

Earlier tonight, I heard on the news that the whale killed by the Makah could have been 'JJ' who had washed up on a Marina Del Rey(Los Angeles)beach and was then transported to 'Sea World'(and was released into the waters off San Diego last year). If that whale was 'JJ', I will be even more saddened(and even more damn angry!)than I already am!

Given that I'm located within driving distance of Neah Bay, I can at least tell you what I've heard locally.

There's not been any mention so far of whether or not this particular whale was the one Sea World rehabbed. However, the local news did run a story last night with footage of the 'feast' hosted by the Makah tribe, and footage of protesters getting turned away at the reservation entrance by local sheriff's deputies.

I forced myself to watch it because I could not believe, at first glance, that I would ever see whale meat eaten in the United States. The sight was stomach-turning at best. Perhaps it is that 'shock value' that the local news was aiming for. If so, they certainly reached their goal.

It has been said that if one cannot say something good about another person or group, then one should not say anything at all. Ergo, I will not get myself started. Words alone would fail to describe the disgust I feel in any case.

I will say this much. Subsistence hunting, where a tribe or indigenous people cannot survive without killing a whale, is one thing. Killing a whale merely to appease some set of tribal 'traditions,' especially when there is not a survival need, is another can of worms entirely. The Makah have plenty of grocery stores within easy reach of the reservation.

May God forgive the Makah people. I really don't know if I will be able to.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, Associate member, IMATA / AAZA

Beautiful picture of 'JJ:

oops. Missing one letter:
http://jj.seaworld.org/graywhale/annpress.html

for the article on JJ the whale.

Stop the Makah Whale Sacrifice <http://mindprod.com/whale.html>

The Makah were, by tradition, commercial whalers. Thus they always took more than they needed for subsistance and sold the rest.

Agreed.

Rich

******************************************************* ********************* 'One breath of a great whale contains more than the sum of human knowledge.' Penelope Smith ******************************************************* *********************

: in the especially Pacific Northwest (their neighbors) would become upset : along with others. : After watching the news...the US Government is spending a lot of money to : protect the Indians. Maybe its time that the Indians defend : themself...after all, its their tradition restored to life for killing. : What happens when the Salmon is almost all dead, will the Makah claim its : their right and destroy what is left?

After totally decimating their culture how can you presume to tell them what they can and can not do in an attempt to retain or regain the little of their culture left to them?

The Makah did not decimate the whales. WE decimated both the whales and the Makah. I think WE (us non-natives) should keep our murderous hands and guilty mouths shut in this matter.

How any silicon-chip contaminating middle class person dare pronounce judgment on any native-american indian tribal decision is beyond me.

Susan R.

This being beyond you is no surprise.

Yes, I know, as you have proven many times, you are totally unashamed of your hypocrisy.

Susan R.

: This being beyond you is no surprise. : : : >: Did they really kill the whale for a dead tradition or because they could : so : >: deep down there was a thrill behind the idea, the thrill knowing the : people : >: in the especially Pacific Northwest (their neighbors) would become upset : >: along with others. : >: After watching the news...the US Government is spending a lot of money to : >: protect the Indians. Maybe its time that the Indians defend : >: themself...after all, its their tradition restored to life for killing. : >: What happens when the Salmon is almost all dead, will the Makah claim its : >: their right and destroy what is left? : > : > : >After totally decimating their culture how can you presume to tell them : >what they can and can not do in an attempt to retain or regain the little : >of their culture left to them? : > : >The Makah did not decimate the whales. WE decimated both the whales and : >the Makah. I think WE (us non-natives) should keep our murderous hands : >and guilty mouths shut in this matter. : > : >How any silicon-chip contaminating middle class person dare pronounce : >judgment on any native-american indian tribal decision is beyond me. : > : >Susan R. : > :

Killing potentially intelligent (human-equivalent) animals is not the way to do it.

Part of the U.S. culture once included activities like dog fighting, cock fighting, Negro-baiting, killing passenger pigeons wholesale (and not even for food), slaughtering buffalo wholesale (and again wasting most of all of the animals), and so on. I see no desire for restoring any of these elements of America's 'culture.'

Similarly, bullfighting is part of Mexico's and Spain's 'culture,' but I think it is high time for that to stop- or be replaced with a variation in which the bull is not killed or injured.

What has Graeme said that is hypocritical? Check the country he posts from. Since you don't know his nationality, why would you tell him that he is responsible for decimating the whales and the Makah?

Rich

******************************************************* ********************* 'One breath of a great whale contains more than the sum of human knowledge.' Penelope Smith ******************************************************* *********************

: What has Graeme said that is hypocritical? Check the country he posts : from. Since you don't know his nationality, why would you tell him : that he is responsible for decimating the whales and the Makah?

I am sorry, you don't seem to understand how to read posts. The indentations (see above) indicate who said what.

When I was speaking about hypocrisy on Graham's part it only indirectly had anything to do with the Makah. My conversation about the Makah was directed more to you.

By the way. You don't seem to grasp the historical cause and effect that has led to the wealth and technology of the currently living population in the 'First' world. New Zealand was stolen from a native population also. Without the Europeans stealing the land from native populations around the world, the middle class as we know it today would not exist. And the widespread popular technology could not exist without the widespread middle class as it exists today. To wave your hands around and insist that the Makah be held responsible for the diminished whale populations while the middle class computer users not be held responsible for the decimation of the native populations AND the decimation of the dolphin/whale populations strikes me as naive at best.

Susan R.