PLEASE SIGN! HELP REVOKE MAKAH WHALING RIGHTS!

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*** PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AND CROSSPOST WIDELY *** http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/help-revoke-makah-whaling-rights Dear Activists and Concerned U.S. Citizens: On Saturday, September 8th, 2007, the Washington State Indian tribe known as the "Makah", brutally slaughtered a resident Gray whale. This despicable act took place without the necessary permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service and in direct violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Makah Treaty of 1855, preserves the Indian tribe's right to whale, however, after killing a female, juvenile Gray whale in 1999, the Makah have been in the midst of court challenges brought by animal rights groups. The

U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals twice ruled the tribe must procure a "waiver" from MMPA, before being allowed to legally continue whaling. Permission was/is PENDING until the waiver is granted. The Makah broke U.S. federal laws by viciously attacking [harpooning and shooting] this whale without the necessary federal authority to do so. According to observers, it took 10 hours of agonizing suffering for this poor creature to die...its body has yet to be recovered. Three of the five tribesmen perpetrating this cowardly act, were members of the Makah's own WHALING COMMISSION. Yet, Makah Elders [who sit on the same board] maintain they had no prior knowledge of this planned atrocity. To date these men have not been jailed or charged with any crime. This killing was a contemptuous, inflammatory act carried out by individuals who enjoy HIGH RANKING POSITIONS within the Makah tribe. As such, the tribe's whaling rights under Article 4 of the 1855 Makah

Treaty should, and MUST be permanently REVOKED. Much is at stake here. If the Makah are granted their waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act it means they will be allowed to continue whaling forever--taking up to 5 Gray whales each year!! We are petitioning NOAA; asking that the agency permanently STRIP Makah whaling rights for the following reasons: A) The Makah Treaty of 1855; specifically Article 4, which allows the tribe to whale, is a 152 year old document; one which pre-dates the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR BY 6 YEARS, and therefore is no longer relevant. B) The Makah 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. C) The Makah 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. D) Whale populations are being depleted at an alarming rate. Pollution, global warming, dwindling food sources, ship strikes, 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. E) 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. 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 by increasing financial and educational opportunities for their people. At a time when the world is faced with multiple species extinction; pollution; global warming and rapidly dwindling natural resources, eliminating ALL whaling is the only ethical, moral and ecologically

responsible decision to uphold. Please SIGN THE PETITION [and contact the individuals listed below] asking for the permanent revocation of Makah whaling rights. Express your desire for the full prosecution of the 5 Makah tribesmen involved in the killing. [ Under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, people who harm whales face up to $20,000 in fines and criminal penalties.] http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/help-revoke-makah-whaling-rights NOAA ADMINISTRATOR: Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher Email: conrad.c.lautenbacher ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR: [National Marine Fisheries Service] Bill Hogarth Email: bill.hogarth Secretary of Commerce: Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20230 Email: cgutierrez Phone: (202) 482-2000 NMFS: Northwest Region Northwest Regional Administrator Office of Protected Resources [National Marine Fisheries Service] Bob Lohn 7600 Sand Point Way NE Seattle, WA 98115-0070 (206) 526-6150 Email: bob.lohn NMFS: Headquarters 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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