NEED HELP--ASAP---TO STOP THE RIGHT TO MURDER!

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*** URGENT-- PLEASE CROSSPOST WIDELY ***Dear Activists: As you may already know, the Makah tribe of Washington State have recently, ILLEGALLY slaughtered [harpooned & shot] a resident Gray whale. This poor, trusting creature [who unknowingly came alongside the butchers' boat] took an agonizing 10 hours to die!...its body has yet to be recovered. PLEASE send letters, make phone calls & write emails to the officials below and strongly urge that the Makah's whaling rights [under Article 4 of the 1855 Makah Treaty] be PERMANENTLY REVOKED!! If no one speaks out ASAP on this issue, the Makah will soon be REWARDED with a waiver from the National Marine Fisheries Service to BEGIN WHALING ONCE AGAIN--LEGALLY! They will be able to murder 5 whales per year--into infinity! Please, please take time out to let these officials know you want a REVOCATION of the Makah's right to whale. My letter below, contains all of

the pertinent info you need to know. Keep in mind that the Gray whale population is DECLINING [yet they have been de-listed and are no longer considered endangered]. Scientists believe this is due to dwindling food supplies caused by global warming...PLEASE SPEAK OUT ON THEIR BEHALF! IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN!! Everyone needs to email NOAA and the National Marine Fisheries Service! If you are NOT from Washington State, you can still PHONE OR FAX the Washington State Congressional Reps below. These whales belong to ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS and as such, you must make your protests heard! NOTE: The International Humane Society is calling upon the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to stop any consideration of a waiver UNTIL a full investigation has been completed. ***THIS IS NOT ENOUGH!!!*** Please urge NOAA and the officials on this list to PERMANENTLY WITHDRAW MAKAH WHALING RIGHTS!! NOAA

ADMINISTRATOR: Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher Email: conrad.c.lautenbacher ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR [National Marine Fisheries Service] Bill Hogarth Email: bill.hogarth WASHINGTON STATE SENATORS: The Honorable Patty Murray United States Senate 173 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510-4701 202-224-2621 (Phone) 202-224-0238 (Fax) http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm The Honorable Maria Cantwell United States Senate 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510-4704 202-224-3441 (Phone) 202-228-0514 (Fax) http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm MAKAH'S

[Democratic] DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE: The Honorable Norm Dicks United States House of Representatives 2467 Rayburn House Office Bldg. Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 225-5916 (Phone) (202) 226-1176 (fax) http://www.house.gov/htbin/formproc_za/dicks/zip_authen.txt & form=/dicks/contact_form.html TOLL FREE NUMBER (800) 947-NORM (947-6676) LETTER TO OFFICIALS: REVOKE MAKAH WHALING RIGHTS As a neighbor of the Makah tribe and an environmentalist, it is extremely difficult to contain my outrage over the recent slaughter of one of Washington State's resident Gray whales. I have observed

Makah tribal leaders astutely attempt to manipulate politicians, the media, National Marine Fisheries agents and the public, into believing that this killing was the work of five 'rogue' tribesmen who decided to take it upon themselves to hop into a speed boat with high powered rifles and harpoons; and slip anonymously out to sea without the knowledge of other tribal members. [At least one version of the story told to the media.] What makes this scenario so ridiculously improbable is that three of these 'rogue' whalers also sit on the Whaling Council of the Makah tribe. Wayne Johnson, captain of the Makah tribe's whaling crew; Theron Parker, one of the individuals involved in the killing of the juvenile, female Gray in 1999 [along with Johnson]; and Andy Noel, another member of the Makah Whaling Commission; were three of the five rogues who decided to ignore state and federal laws and participate in an act they KNEW was not only criminal, but inflammatory. Wayne Johnson has stepped before the media on several different occasions, expressing, not remorse--but contempt and monumental arrogance at breaking federal laws. Johnson has said that he does not feel that the Makah need to use traditional boats and harpoons. "It's about killing the whale," he stated in 1999 and added, "if nothing else we pissed off the white man." At the International Whaling Commission meeting in Anchorage, in May of this year, Wayne Johnson told Captain Paul Watson [sea Shepherd Conservation Society] that he was looking for a Humpback to kill. "Why eat hamburger (referring to the Gray whale) when we can eat steak (referring to the Humpback). When Captain Watson informed Johnson that the Humpback was endangered and protected, Johnson replied that such things meant nothing to him. "We are Makah and we can do what we want with the whales. We have the right to kill them ALL if we so choose." Given Makah politics, and Johnson's

and fellow criminals' status within the tribe; it is highly PROBABLE that tribal elders not directly involved in the killing knew what was taking place. To date, these men have gotten away with this cowardly act. No charges as of yet, have been filed. It appears that if and when they ARE filed, it will be in a superficial effort to do damage control. Makah 'justice' may ultimately be more about appeasing further public outrage; than any real punishment. Not only must these 5 be prosecuted to the fullest extent under U.S. federal law, but the Makah tribe should be permanently stripped of its whaling rights. It is outrageous that a treaty which is 152 years old, still gives 1000 people a 'privilege' which should no longer apply to anyone living in today's world. The 1855 Makah Treaty is a 2 and 1/2 page document. Article 4 states: "The right of taking fish and of whaling or sealing at usual and accustomed grounds and stations is further secured to said

Indians IN COMMON WITH ALL CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES." In other words, EVERY U.S. citizen was allowed whaling privileges at the time this treaty was written. Whales were plentiful in 1855. They were not facing the multitude of environmental threats confronting them today. Whale populations are being depleted at an alarming rate. Pollution, global warming, dwindling food sources, disease, sonar disturbances and rogue whaling worldwide, have all taken a devastating toll on a species capable of producing only one calf, per adult female, per year. No ONE group should be exempt from the global responsibility we ALL share for ensuring the continued survival of our whales. Scientists have recently admitted to miscalculating the 'success' of the Gray whales' return from the brink of extinction. They have observed several "skinny" Gray whales and conclude that their food sources may be rapidly declining due to global warming.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003878122_webwhalestudy10.html A past attempt has been made to negotiate with the Makah...offering concessions to the tribe in exchange for permanently withdrawing their right to whale. A few elders, after 2 1/2 hours of consideration, flatly refused. Obviously, this matter was not brought before the Makah people for a vote. There are several reasons why the Makah should forever forfeit their 1855 whaling rights: A) Their claim of 'subsistence' whaling [under the International Whaling Commission's criteria] is obviously false. You can not "subsist" on whales that your tribe has not hunted for over 70 years. B) The Makah's right to whaling on a 'cultural' basis is no longer true or applicable. In the hunt of 1999 the tribe availed itself of speed boats; cell phones; Coast Guard cutters; "spotters" from helicopters; high powered rifles and machine guns to bring down their prey. The

traditional long boats and spears used by their ancestors played a minor and incidental role in the kill. From a "traditional" standpoint, the methods employed were solidly 21st century...and a complete travesty of Makah ancient whaling practices. C) The Makah's cousins, members of the Maa-nulth First Nations, who reside on the Western shores of Vancouver Island have signed an agreement with the Canadian government in which they will honor a 25 year moratorium of their whaling rights. In return, they were given generous concessions of land and cash. I respectfully submit to you that a treaty which pre-dates the American Civil War by 6 years, has no relevance in 2007. At a time when we are faced with multiple species extinction; pollution; global warming and rapidly dwindling natural resources, Article 4 of the 1855 Makah Treaty should, and must be permanently revoked. Other tribes have made similar concessions, and in turn, have increased

financial and educational opportunities for their people. If the Makah are genuinely interested in "honoring" whales, they must be committed to allowing them to live in peace and safety, while helping improve the quality of life for all Makah. Brennan Browne BOYCOTT CHINA! END ITS ANIMAL TERROR [Petition]http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/395884823END WHALING--NOW! [Petition]http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/194508729

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