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The Makah waters get murky
In what will certainly be an interesting event in the history of the
Makah whale hunt, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the
federal government did not conduct an adequate environmental
assessment of the hunt.
Animal rights activists and their new best friend Representative
Jack Metcalf were certainly jumping for joy on Friday afternoon, but perhaps because they
did not read the ruling in its entirety.
While the ruling suspends
an agreement between the government and the Makah
Nation of Washington, the decision does not go into effect until
later this summer, well after the current hunting season ends.
And contrary to beliefs within the animal rights camp, the decision does not rule the
whale hunt illegal nor does it abrogate the 1855 Treaty of Neah
Bay. Only Congress can do that.
The ruling does require a new, more complete environmental study
be done, which could take up to a year, possibly more. As the
court said, the Makah waited 70 years, the tribe can wait a little more.
But in the eyes of the
dissenting judge, why conduct a new environmental assessment when his fellow judges
could find nothing wrong with the first?
In related news, Erin Abbott the 24-year-old protester who had her shoulder
broken by the US Coast Guard in May, pleaded guilty to violating the
500-yard moving exclusionary zone (MEZ) around the hunt, a crime for
which she can face up to 6 years in prison or a $250,000 fine. Her guilty
plea came just as Metcalf and friends reveled in the 9th Circuit ruling.
Get the Story:
Protester
to face court (Tribal Law 6/6)
Makah
ruling overturned (Tribal Law 6/9)
Metcalf
pleased with ruling (Tribal Law 6/9)
Metcalf's
Indian history (The Talking Circle 6/9)
The Digital Divide Returns
The Federal Communications Commission
adopted a new plan which makes phone service on reservations
cheaper. More importantly, for the first time in the agency's
history, the FCC recognized the sovereignty of
Indian nations and vowed to work directly with tribes on
issues that affect Indian Country.
Of course, if you want to take advantage of the plan, you've
got to qualify to the income-based requirements of the Lifeline
or LinkUp America program, which vary state by state.
You've also got to have an existing infrastructure so that
your home can actually get hooked up.
According to a Navajo Nation spokesman, the very place Clinton
visited in order to announce the plan, that infrastructure is
largely non-existent in certain parts of their reservation
costly to boot.
So even though there are plans to bring more wireless service
to reservations, which may be a better solution for places like
the Navajo Nation, we'll probably have to wait and see if
this new order will have a significant impact on phone service.
Get the Story:
Breaking
the Digital Divide (Tech 6/8)
FCC
embraces sovereignty (Tech 6/9)
Native music hits the big time
Well, for Indian Country, Native music has always been big time
but now the rest of the country is catching on. With the
creation of a new award honoring Native music, the GRAMMY
awards have finally opened their eyes and ears to the
diversity of music made by Native Americans today.
We just wonder who the first nominees will be? The Black Lodge
Singers? Primeaux and Mike? Wayquay?
We aren't holding our breath but you can bet the first year of the
new award will draw a lot of groans throughout Indian Country for
choice of nominees and for the one who actually wins.
So like us,
you'll be more satisfied with the Third Annual Native American
Music Awards, the NAMMYs, to be held later this fall. We'll
see you there!
Get the Story:
GRAMMYs
to honor Native music (Arts and Entertainment 6/7)
more top stories
But wait, there's more! Get a recap of the
other top stories
of the week.
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