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From: Michael Kundu <projectseawolf_at_seanet.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 19:21:22 -0700
This is an emergency call posted on behalf of Steph Dutton and Heidi Tiura,
the well-known paddling/adventuring duo and gray whale advocates.  A few
months ago, Steph Dutton and I circulated a joint editorial about a planned
gray whale hunt by the Makah whaling commission, a handful of businessmen
from a Washington State Indian tribe.  

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

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.  

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. 



Michael Kundu
Project SeaWolf/Arcturus Adventure Communications
"The Source for Extreme Adventuresports Photojournalism"
respond to ProjectSeaWolf_at_seanet.com
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From: wayne steffens <wsteffen_at_skypoint.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 19:46:55 -0500
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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From: <wmsahli_at_interaccess.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 08:40:22 -0600
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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From: Nick Schade <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1998 03:07:17 -0500
Do people have inherent rights or are they just the rights that other
people assign them. The US founding fathers were quite willing to
differentiate the rights of different peoples. If we now acknowledge that
all people really are created equal, why should we differentiate with
animals? If we feel it is morally correct to give other people rights why
is it not correct to also give other animals rights. BTW, How do you
determine when a right is inherent or not.

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



Nick Schade
Guillemot Kayaks
10 Ash Swamp Rd
Glastonbury, CT 06033
(860) 659-8847

Schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com
http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/

>>>>"It's not just Art, It's a Craft!"<<<<


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From: Richard Culpeper <culpeper_at_geocities.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 13:19:14 -0500
1.  I'm a vegetarian.  Comparing whales to cows as food animals is not
relevant to me. 

2. You'd have better luck persuading me if the folks preserving their
culture did so without the 50 caliber rifle.

3.  With only 20k whales in the species, 20 taken over 5 years is very
significant.

Richard Culpeper
www.geocities.com/~culpeper

----------
> From: wmsahli_at_interaccess.com
> To: Michael Kundu <projectseawolf_at_seanet.com>
> Cc: Paddlewise (E-mail) <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
> Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....
> Date: Monday, October 26, 1998 9:40 AM
> 
> 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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>
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> 
> 
>
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>
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From: R. Walker <rww_at_mailbox.neosoft.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Message from Steph Dutton & Michael Kundu....
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 13:54:55 -0600
[this will be my only messages on the Makah whaling thread..]

> 2. You'd have better luck persuading me if the folks preserving
> their culture did so without the 50 caliber rifle.

That rifle, as obnoxious as it sounds, is the appropriate weapon to 
insure that there are no lost woundeds.  A harpooned whale is 
virtually guaranteed to die; what is not guaranteed is the recovery 
and appropriate use of the animal's carcass.

> 3.  With only 20k whales in the species, 20 taken over 5 years is very
> significant.

>From what I know of wildlife management, 20k individuals, and an 
extremely limited annual take is perfectly reasonable.  Compared 
with all the other hunted mammals in North America, it seems very
conservative.  Now traditionally, one would auction off tags and then
use the proceeds to enhance habitat, but I don't know how that 
model could work with whales...  Sure would be a good way to 
suck money out of folks who say they want whales protected, but 
don't ever get their checkbooks out.   Every year, auction 4 new 
tags, plus any that were not filled from previous years...

Course, whale management is so tied up in emotionalistic 
nonsense that it is hard to have a reasoned discussion about 
sustainable yield in whale populations and how to issue tags and 
use the moneys collected in that manner.

In order to avoid protracted list-abuse, I will allow the anti-whaling 
folks to have the last word...


Richard Walker
Houston, TX
http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html

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