===== A message from the 'makahwhaling' discussion list ===== TRADITION: MAKAH STYLE ----------------------------------------- This is how tradition is practiced by the killers of Neah Bay... ...Tribal Chairman Ben Johnson drove a new black Volkswagen bug, won in a tribal bingo game. The parade was led by an Army-surplus flatbed truck with whaling captain Wayne Johnson aboard, sporting a jacket emblazoned ".50 Caliber Shooter's Association..." (Seattle Times) ***** COAST GUARD COMMANDER ACCEPTS AWARD FROM MAKAH WHALE KILLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Folks, we have tried our very best to give our U.S. Coast Guard the benefit of the doubt with their involvement in the Makah whale kill. We have been tolerant. We have been patient. We have given the Coast Guard every chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of the public, and we have been working with them, hoping that they would show a bit of common sense and clarify their involvement with the Makah whale killers. They have endured a barrage of threats from fringe elements of society and have fielded thousands of calls from irate citizens like yourselves. Sadly, it is quite clear that our public servants are NOT going to show any degree of neutrality on this issue. We regret that they have chosen to do so, but it appears that the U.S. Coast Guard is quite content to side with the Makah whale killers. We share the following documented incidents from the last twenty four hours: "In a stunning turn of history, Makah Tribal Chairman Johnson publicly thanked the U.S. government for keeping its promise, and the crowd gave the U.S. Coast Guard a roaring, standing ovation for backing that promise at gunpoint, policing the hunt on the open Pacific." (Seattle Times) "It's a great day," said Bob Coster, commander of the Coast Guard station here, as he relaxed with his family at roadside, skirmishes with protester vessels forgotten for the moment. (Seattle Times) Makah leaders yesterday presented the commander of the Neah Bay Coast Guard station with a plaque, stating that "without his help, this hunt would not have been possible." As stated earlier, The Peninsula Citizens for the Protection of Whales (PCPW) had created a memorial site for the baby gray whale murdered by the Makah whalers. Last night, the memorial was vandalized twice. Clallam County sheriff's deputies managed to intervene at least once, however. A deputy spotted two vandals racing from the scene in a white pickup truck. Imagine our suprise when the occupants of the vehicle turned out to be a Coast Guardsman and two intoxicated Makah tribal members. (Clallam County Sheriff's Dept.) Yesterday, it was reported that a Coast Guard vehicle driven by Special Investigator Richard Gardner hit Chuck Owens, a member of the PCPW. The Coast Guard quietly claims that "a side mirror from one of their vehicles touched a protestor as the Coast Guardsman slowly made his way through a group of anti-whaling protestors." Here is the truth: This matter is being taken seriously by the Clallam County Sheriff's Dept., who photographed and documented the entire scene- including large gouges in gravel where the vehicle accelerated quickly and grass burns from rapidly spinning tires. Perhaps the most shocking development is the fact that Mr. Gardner's government vehicle was packed with electronic eavesdropping equipment- and that he was parked on a hill overlooking the protestor's cabins in Sekiu. Even more serious is the discovery by Sea Defense Alliance crew members of listening devices in their Sekiu headquarters. This is how your tax dollars are working for the good people fighting this hunt, folks. Your government is spying on them, following them, harassing them and Coast Guard personnel have now VANDALIZED a memorial built in honor of the killed baby whale! For now, Seattle area television stations aren't even turning their heads. LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! Northwest Cable News (206) 448-3600 KING-5 (206) 448-3850 KING-5 FAX (206) 448-4525 KOMO http://www.komotv.com KIRO http://www.kirotv.com NWCN http://www.nwcn.com KING http://www.king5.com (If they display anything other than respect to you, please let me know. If they have questions, have them call Dan at (360) 317-6345.) We also think this would be a wonderful time to inform your Congressman of what is really going on here, folks. Be sure and fill them in on these shocking developments, and remember to ask them why they are allowing your tax dollars to fund an agency that is CLEARLY taking sides on this issue! You should also ask them why the Coast Guard is spying on U.S. citizens who are peacefully exercising their CONSTUTIONAL RIGHTS in protesting this despicable, federally-funded killing! To find your representatives, go to: http://www.hsus.org/forms/search_reps.html or http://www.berkshire.net/~ifas/activist or http://www.popularis.com Your Congressional representative: 1-800-504-0031 "Who's my representative?" (202) 224-504-0031 Senate and Congress with Committees www.capweb.net ***** SOME ADVICE FROM 'AUSTRALIAN FOR ANIMALS' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is more important for American citizens to push this issue at the domestic level than to try and persuade the IWC to take action. Commissioners are instructed by their own governments on their actions at IWC and the more pressure put on at a domestic level, the more likely a result. For example, at Aberdeen IWC, when the US tried to cajole and threaten its way through the IWC member nations on the Makah issue, the whole deal fell apart when a large number of US Congressional reps signed on to a motion condemning the actions of the Clinton Administration. All international groups and citizens should also protest strongly at the level of their own Governments in order to bring about a change in vote or to push an amendment at the IWC level. The IWC is in effect a dead duck. Its lifespan is now seriously limited by the actions of the US and its unlikely that the like minded ( member countries who oppose whaling) will be able to restore credibility to the treaty. We have to work hard at the domestic level to reverse the likelihood of nations now using the US precedent of making their own recognition of aboriginal subsistence whaling. Effective opposition to global whaling (which is now just a breath away) needs to come from the domestic constituency. What we need is an international organisation which can deliver consumer boycotts in place of now defunct trade sanctions. In other words, we, the global community, must now organise so that we can put those sanctions in place and make delinquent countries hurt. This is not going to be easy without the support of the major US, UK and European environmental groups. Given the extraordinary lack of support by these groups, particulary the US organisations, it may be that lobbying of these groups on the whaling issue will deliver a more effective outcome than banging our collective heads against the IWC . We need to mount a boycott that will make the corporations and the vested interests understand that the collective community can take back its power and make changes. Sue Arnold ***** FROM WEST COAST ANTI-WHALING SOCIETY ----------------------------------------------------------------------- A note for our Canadian friends... We have an info sheet with appropriate addresses, phone numbers etc., ready for distribution along with our newsletters & brochures. Anyone wanting this information with our petition can either phone us or attend a general information session 6 - 8pm, June 2, at the Sticky Wicket top floor patio. We will have sweatshirts for sale and will be available to answer questions. Information: http://www.anti-whaling.com ***** A BIT ON THE TASTELESS SIDE? -------------------------------------------------- To our friends in the Seattle area, you may want to pay a visit to Jackson Gallery in Pioneer Square. We're told that they have a Makah whaling display in their front window, apparently trying to capitalize on the death of the unfortunate gray whale. Next time you are in the downtown area, be sure to check it out and let them know what you think. Be sure and tell them how many dollare you were going to spend before you saw their tasteless display! ***** PLEASE LET US KNOW... --------------------------------------- If you are part of, or know any Native American or First Nations group opposed to this hunt, please let us know. We would very much like to assist these organizations in their opposition to the killing, and most importantly want to assist in preventing the public from incorrectly assuming that ALL Native Americans or First Nations members support this hunt. The fact is that MANY native peoples and organizations are opposed to this hunt. Please help us stay informed on this, so we can inform you. BOYCOTT! BOYCOTT! --------------------------------- A lot of you are asking "how can we boycott these killers?" It's really easy, folks, and takes very little effort on your part. 1) Don't travel or spend any money in the Neah Bay area. Of course, you would be putting your lives in danger travelling there at this time, so most will avoid the area, anyway. 2) Don't purchase any Makah crafts or goods from merchants selling them. IMPORTANT: Tell the merchant you will never shop in their store until he stops selling these items. And be SURE to tell them you are going to inform all your friends and neighbors to do the same. Even now, Makah craftsmen are working to ensure they are able to sell items crafter from this dead baby gray whale. ENOUGH! Don't allow the Makah to profit from their despicable act! Get these merchants' attention and KEEP their attention. 3) ORGANIZE! Tell your friends, neighbors and associates to do the same. If you have a small group of like-minded people, STAND UP AND FIGHT BACK! Plan on gathering in front of these stores to inform people where these goods are coming from. Let them know that the crafts they may purchase come from the same people responsible for the atrocity in Neah Bay. Don't let these killers line their pockets with any more of our money! 4) SPREAD THE WORD! NO MORE DOLLARS FOR THE KILLERS! If you know of any merchants selling Makah-crafted items, please let us know. Even now, many of you are working to actively put a stop to the cash flow of these killers. These killers hurt us badly with their murderous activity. Now it's our turn to make THEM hurt- in the place they can least afford- THEIR POCKETBOOK! We'll have a LOT more on this developing boycott shortly... Keep the pressure on! Keep your congressman on top of this issue, and FORCE him to ask questions about the murderous ways of the U.S. government. We hate to keep reminding you, but the Makah are already talking about trying to kill another whale- soon... *****