Editorial: Makah whale hunters held accountable
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Filed Under:
Opinion
"Five Makah whale hunters, the gang that could not shoot straight, finally ended up before a federal judge as stubborn as they were.
Two Makahs were sent to jail and three ended up on probation via a plea deal as a result of last September's botched, illegal whale hunt in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Even from a distance, the arrogance and frustration that fuel this case are evident. The Makah Tribe has a long-standing application for a waiver from the federal government to take whales. The tribe is unique in that it has a treaty right to hunt, which was last exercised in 1999. Since then, a foot-dragging environmental challenge — in essence an administrative stall — has been under way.
The five men who killed a gray whale last fall had run out of patience, and made a lot of bad choices. They were also stunningly inept on the water. What they lacked in skills they made up for with smug self-confidence.
They obviously assumed they would not be held accountable by tribal legal proceedings, and they were not."
Get the Story:
A whale of a conceit
(The Seattle Times 7/2)
Relevant Documents:
Draft
EIS on Makah Whale-Hunting Request |
Q&A
9th Circuit Decision:
Anderson
v. Evans (June 7, 2004)
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