RE: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....

I am surprised at the uproar over 20 animals over a 5 year time frame..
Given the 20,000 estimated numbers for this species the number is rather
insignificant and the impact on banning whaling on the Makah culture is so
much more potentially damaging. We need to understand that ours is not the
only culture that has value and worth. Something greater needs to be called
on, not this call for action based solely on the emotional impact of
visualizing the slaughter of innocent animals. All food animals are
slaughtered and who are we to tell another culture that they can't eat an
abundant food animal?

As for the complexity of the issue, show me the "official" document or
better yet have it verified and release it to the press. They are rabid
whale huggers also.

Please don't misunderstand me, I love the sight of whales and  I wouldn't
want to eat whale meat, however, I also love the sight of a flock of geese
in flight and do still enjoy eating wild goose.

Remember only people inherently have rights. Animals only have the rights
that people assign them (cruel sounding but reality).

Having Much Too Much Fun,

Will Sahli


-----Original Message-----
From:	wayne steffens [mailto:wsteffen_at_skypoint.com]
Sent:	Saturday, October 24, 1998 7:47 PM
To:	Michael Kundu
Cc:	paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subject:	Re: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....

At 07:21 PM 10/22/98 -0700, you wrote:


> To make matters more complex, I have personally, in hand at this time,
>federal documents requested under the freedom of information act, that
>proove the Makah whaling commission are launching this hunt in order to
>commence a future trade in whale meat with Japanese and other foreign
>whaling countries.

Then why dont you share it with us? This directly contradicts the
statements put out by the Makah. If this forum is suitable for this
subject, we should be able to discuss both sides, not just yours. You are
making very serious allegations, and you say you have "proof" but dont
provide any. So please share it. This isnt the first time that the claim
has surfaced (http://cda.net/stories/1998/May/29/S397322.asp) from Sea
Shepherd, without proof.


>Steph and Heidi are presently on-site in Neah Bay, where they had hoped to
>offer the Makah whaling commission a non-lethal alternative to the Makah's
>planned slaughter of 5 gray whales this month.

Dont you feel just a little bit guilty about this misleading statement? The
Makah do not have a "planned slaughter of 5 gray whales this month". In
fact they are allowed UP TO 5 whales a year, but only twenty over a 5 year
period. That averages out to 4 per year MAXIMUM. And nowhere have I seen
anything that indicates that they intend to take the maximum quota. And
even if they do, that hardly qualifies as "slaughter".


  The Makah whaling
>commission have refused to consider anything short of killing these whales.

Would you prefer they eat them alive?


>
>At this point, Steph Dutton and his operation are in desparate need of feul
>and supporting donations to keep them on-site to continue field efforts to
>prevent the hunt from occuring.

I could make a number of helpful and patronizing suggestions as to how
Steph could run his life better and avoid the cultural strife these fuel
shortages are causing him-isnt that the same thing he is trying to do to
the Makah?

>
>This call for help is for anyone who would support Steph and Heidi in this
>important field exercise -- please send whatever you can to them, c/o Heidi
>Tiura and Steph Dutton, C/O General Delivery, Neah Bay, WA 98357.  Detailed
>updates are available from their website at www.graywhale.net.
>
>We've exhausted all other options...  field intervention is absolutely
>necessary.  Steph and Heidi's boat Sea Dog is one of only five on-site
>vessels that can handle the water enough to do any good.  If you oppose the
>new slaughter of whales in the Pacific Northwest, please do what you can to
>help.

And dont forget to get both sides of the story and the facts before doing
so.
http://www.makah.com/whales.htm

The facts:

1)The Makah will kill a few whales. There is no "slaughter" planned,
2)there is no plan to sell whale meat overseas (or prove that there is), it
is illegal to do so
3)Some people who probably buy their dead meat in a store dont like the
Makah exercising their treaty rights to kill their own meat
4)The hunt is not being done in a way that will affect whale populations
so...
5)It really isnt a conservation issue, it's an animal rights issue. Thats
fine but as  such I dont think it belongs on Paddlewise.


Wayne

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