WHALE GUARDIAN NETWORK MEETING REPORT SEATTLE, WA June 30th 1998 A June 30th meeting of Sea Shepherd’s Whale Guardian Network was attended by approximately 120 people in Seattle, Washington. Media present included KING 5 and KCPQ (FOX) 13 TV (both TV stations remained on location for the entire 3-hour meeting), print journalists from the Seattle Post Intelligence, the Seattle Times and the Associated Press. Televised coverage included segments that same evening on both stations; KCPQ FOX 13 ran the story as a lead item. Speakers present included Lisa DiStefano and Michael Kundu of Sea Shepherd, US Congressman Jack Metcalf, gray whale documentary producer Steph Dutton, Makah Tribal Elder Alberta Thomsen, Kelley Balcomb-Bartok of the Center for Whale Research, Canadian naturalist with Prince-of-Whales Tours Anna Hall, Deer Harbor Charter Tours Owner/Operator Tom Averna, Friday Harbor Port Commissioner Brian Calvert and PAWS’ Will Anderson. Also present were WA State Senator Gary Strannigan and WA House Representative Mike Wensman The panel presented an excellent cross section of concerned opinions who were critical of the Makah Whaling Commission’s hunting plans. Opinions expressed came from a consortium of business owners, environmental groups, researchers, animal welfare groups and political representatives. The vast majority of attendees were peripherally familiar with the issue, but many expressed alarm that the hunt was actually occurring this year. The level of interest in the room was thus that 90% of the attendees remained for the 2 1/2 hour presentation. Prior to the meeting, a group of seven native rights/Makah supporters held a small outside of the facility; while they did speak to the media, the prevailent reaction was that this meeting was not about native rights, but about the preservation of whales. Makah elder Alberta Thompson, the only member of the Makah tribe present, gave a summary statement which disarmed the protesters prior to the onset of the formal panel presentation. There was a minor outburst by one protester during the intermission; the focus of their concern had shifted from alleged ‘racism’ allegations to the observation that oppressed indigenous groups did not warrant the same level of outside support that gray whales appear to be receiving. After a short on-camera debate, the protester left. The protesters were disarmed by the presence of a Makah tribal elder as a guest of our meeting. To date, the television coverage has been positive and supportive of the anti-whaling stance; the meeting has generated building interest and concern about the issue, and spurred plans to potentially set up a similar event in Victoria, B.C. and Port Angeles, WA in the near future. Michael Kundu Project SeaWolf/Arcturus Adventure Communications "The Source for Extreme Adventuresports Photojournalism" respond to ProjectSeaWolf_at_seanet.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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