Makah Whaling

On October 6 2005 there was a meeting with the feds about Makah Whaling. We were separated into groups to talk about the options presented. One Tribal Councilman suggested scientific whaling like the Japanese. Sandy Abels suggested that commercial whaling be an option.

There weren't too many antiwhalers there. Sandy came from Seattle. There were many missing from their group. Chuck and Margaret Owens were there, but not Spomer.

Mark Olson and Sandy Abels were in my group. They spouted the usual ss lies. I brought up that the antiwhalers be required to take alcohol and drug tests. I know their leadership and most of their troops would not be able to pass the tests. Sandy spouted the racist stereotypes of Native alcoholism and drug addiction. I told her I knew that Chuck and Margaret and Spomer could not pass the tests. She said she didn't use alcohol and drugs. I told her I didn't either. I poked her in the shoulder.

I walked away. Sandy said that there was a no touching rule and I could be thrown out for poking her shoulder. I decided that if I was going to be thrown out for that, I was going to knock her on her butt. I turned and headed back to her. She got scared and put a row of chairs between us. The moderator came and ordered me back.

They harrassed and baited the Makah. The Peninsula Daily News stated that Dave Sones pushed Chuck Owens. They continually baited Wayne Johnson. He simply walked away from Chuck.

I admire the Makah for their grace during these meetings. I first met Chuck, Margaret and Spomer at the Sullivan reading. I asked Sullivan why he printed Paul Watson's lies about being AIM's medic at Wounded Knee 1973. He apologized to me when he signed my book. But he didn't retract his statements on the second publishing.

I believe Dan Spomer was brought here to run the anti-Indian campaign. He used to write inflammatory articles in the PDN about Indian Treaties and Indian Religions. He wrote one article about the Hopi's sacrificing eagles. It is the same garbage as his ranting about the Makah sacrificing whales.

I wrote a letter to Paul Gottlieb, opinions page editor, and John Brewer about them printing letters about Indians sacrificing whales. We don't now and we have never sacrificed animals.

Mark Olson published a film of me at the whaling scoping meeting. He filmed me from across the gym. He is an asshole and I flipped him the finger. I may do a gallery of hate and publish photos of the antiwhalers.

I suggested to a Makah Tribal Councilman that the antiwhalers be required to take alcohol and drug tests before they are allowed on the water to protest. That would be for the safety of the Whalers, the antiwhalers themselves, the Coast Guard and the general public. Remember that lunatic that rammed her jetski into the Coast Guard's rubber raft?

Despite all the money spent by the antiwhalers, it looks very good for the Makah. Maybe the Federal government will honor the treaties and stop paying attention to the tantrums of a bunch of rich spoiled brats.

The sitting mayor of Port Angeles was defeated in this election. The big issue was racism and the city's relationship with the Elwha Tribe. The racism of the antiwhalers tore apart Clallam County. Things have changed with this election.

Many citizens have made a stand against racism. The antiwhalers accuse me of playing the race card. They played it first by using racism. They cry that anyone who disagrees with an Indian is called a racist. They say that as they attack our culture, traditions, ceremonies and spirituality.

It's funny. I have never spoken with an antiwhaler that actually does anything to better the environment. They do nothing to clean up the rivers or oceans. They don't take a stand against corporate pollution. I doubt if they recycle.

The antiwhalers don't even talk about gray whales. They just attack Indians. How does that save gray whales?

I am the Indian most hated by the antiwhalers. You can tell by Spomers attacks against me in his newsletters and Olson's publishing of the film of me on his site. I am not a whaler or Makah. I simply support our Treaties and freedom of religion. That tells me that the real issue is hate.

I was at the city pool with a group from the rez. Three or four white women came to the bench I was sitting on. One threw her bag and hit me. I was shocked and kept talking to my cousin. It COULD have been an accident. She hit me again. When she hit me for the third time, I shoved her stuff back at her hitting her. I said excuse me, am I in your way? She got scared and said of course not. They went to a different section of the pool. They have never bothered me since. Racism is live and well in Port Angeles.

The antiwhalers will find a different climate in Port Angeles and Clallam County. Every word of hate will discredit them.

Maybe now we can get down to the real issue of saving whales. The hate mongers will have to go elsewhere allowing the Tribes and real environmentalists to work together to save the gray whales.

One point many of us have continually brought up to the antiwhalers is that it should be a natural union between Natives and environmentalists. Who doesn't want that union to happen? I would say follow the money. Who footed the bill for the racist campaign against the Makah? Who paid Dan Spomer's salary?

Monica