To Tony and Arthur: Let the Sea Racists also sue me for my article in "Dark Night Field Notes" No. 14 "Chronicles of Ecoimperialism: Real Whales, Real People". Let them try to show that we knowingly, with intent and malice, causing tangible damages, told/wrote untruths we knew to be untrue and/or told/wrote untruths with wreckless disregard for facts (that could easily be established as facts and could easily reveal any untruths). The Discovery process alone will be out of sight guaranteed. BTW, at the Canadian/US border at Blaine the Sea Racists are out with some very ugly racist signs and literature in my opinion and in the opinion of several people with whom I spoke (right near the "Peace" Arch) and it would be great to see counter-literature/demonstrations although they weren't making many contacts as their representatives are self-impeaching. Jim Craven -----Original Message----- From: Tony Tracy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 1999 11:44 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: on the Sea Shepherd & the Makah -- and threats to native sovereigntists (fwd) Tue, 27 Jul 1999 11:29:08 -0700 Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 11:29:08 -0700 From: arthur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> CC: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Another Open Letter to Sea Shepherd (on legal action threaten) Please post widely Sea Shepherd Threatens Legal Action AN OPEN LETTER TO SEA SHEPHERD (both in the U.S. and Europe) AND THEIR SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS From Arthur J. Miller, NWLPSN/AREAN Sea Shepherd and it's supporting organizations continue to threaten legal action as a means to suppress those that stand against their racists actions. To that I say, talk is cheap! I have read the threats by Sea Shepherd and it's supporting organizations for over a year now. The threats of legal action, the threat to have me "taken care of", that I "will be dealt with" and the anomymous phone calls threatening my life. All of that has only caused me to increase my work. Upon receiving the newest threat I sent out the Declaration Against Racism to over a hundred new people. I will not only never me intimidated by Sea Shepherd and their supporting organizations, but also I issue the following challenge to Sea Shepherd and their supporting organizations. Go ahead and take me to court over the Declaration Against Racism and other statements that I have issued! As far as that goes, you Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd and it's supporting organzations will lose much credibility by issuing legal threats and never following through with them. People will begin to wonder what it is that you are hiding? I will even give you some evidence for your case. Yes, I have issued statements on the issue of racism and Sea Shepherd for over a year now. Yes, I posted the Declaration Against Racism all over the internet internationally. And after the SISIS member who was working on the declaration was involved in a car accident they turned over to me the job of distributing the declaration and I became the contact address for it. So sue me if you dare! MY CHARGES AGAINST SEA SHEPHERD AND IT'S SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS. 1. Sea Shepherd, and it's supporting organizations, knowingly joined forces with the long standing, very active and well funded far rightwing racist anti-tribal campaign here in the state of Washington. One of the main spokespersons and activists for that campaign is Jack Metcalf. Sea Shepherd and it's supporting organizations has used Metcalf as a speaker at their events and press conferences. Metcalf has a well documented history of racism, anti-environmentalism, anti-tribalism and strong connections to extreme rightwing organizations. This Sea Shepherd knows for when I first got into this I sent them information on Metcalf, thinking that they may not have known who they were joining with. They not only did not seek to deny any of the information I gave them, but they praised Metcalf for joining with them and stated that they would continue to work with him. The reason that Metcalf was willing to join with Sea Shepherd against the Makahs was that he saw in the issue of the whale hunt an opportunity to further his cause of the elimination of all treaties between the U.S. Government and the First Nations. In Metcalf's cause he has been working in the interest of corporations and white property owners who would profit greatly with the demise of the First Nations. 2. Sea Shepherd and it's supporting organizations sought to arouse a racist backlash against Native people in this state. They did this by manipulating the issue of the whale hunt into an issue of Native vs Non- Native. Watson stated that "if the Makahs take a whale, then all Indian people will suffer". Sea Shepherd even stated to the Makahs that they would be responsible for the negative affect the whale hunt would have on Native People. 3. After the racist backlash got going and all through it to this day, Sea Shepherd and it's supporting organizations have issued no statements, held no press conferences or has done nothing to try to stop it. The only thing Watson has done was to try to deny that there has been a racist backlash. You need not take my word for the reality of the racist backlash for the media out here was full of it and they did report on the death threats, bomb threats and many other aspects of it. Watson do you wish to sue the media in the state of Washington also? 4. In joining with Metcalf and trying to make all Native People suffer for something one First Nation decided to do, you Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd and it's supporting organizations have committed an out and out act of racism. In your statements on those in Norway, Japan and Iceland who want to whale, I never read where you said that all the people of these Nations would be held responsible. Nor did you attack the treaties between those Nations and the U.S. Government. The following taken from a Sea Shepherd statement shows the amount of racism you are threatening the First Nations with: "We agree that it is unfortunate that the Makah's action have brought about great anger, and have given racists ammunition to use against them. The Makah Tribal Council may well have brought their people to ruin and a state of permanent ostracism. The public anger and resentment generated by their act may now compel Congress to reexamine the legal standing of all First Nations." The legal standing means the treaties between the U.S. Government and the First Nations. Did Sea Shepherd ever issue such a statement against Norway, Japan or Iceland? 5. Sea Shepherd has harassed the Makah People, tried to disrupt their traditional ceremonies and sought to intimidate those who have spoken out against their actions. I do not speak for the Makah People, they speak for themselves. Nor do I in anyway wish to interfere with the decisions or process of them who are a sovereign Nation. I do recognize the fact that for over 500 years outsiders have tryed to force upon the First Nations their ways, stole their land and murdered many of their people. I view the actions of Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd and their supporting organizations as a continuation of that process. Though it is very true that not all people who are against whaling have conducted themselves in a racist manner, but Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd and it's support organizations have. I stand by that statement and if Sea Shepherd wishes to take actions against me for it, then go right ahead and do it. It is my view that racism is an evil disease that if left to spread can infest our communities to the point where intolerance becomes an accepted behavior pattern. I saw this happening here in the Pacific Northwest, and as I have done many times in my years as an activist I took an active stand against it. Though Sea Shepherd may want to target me and a few others for their attempt at intimidation, they are making a mistake. For we are just a few among many people who have and will continue to stand against their racist actions. The Declaration Against Racism and the many people who have signed it clearly shows that we do not stand alone. This is the reason why Sea Shepherd fears the declaration, seeks to discredit and suppress it. In Honoring Mother Earth Arthur J. Miller Tacoma, WA [EMAIL PROTECTED] To supporters of the Declaration Against Racism Sea Shepherd continues to send out messages trying to discredit the declaration and try to intimidate those working to get it out with the threat of legal action. It would be useful if all that can to send your own messages to them. Maybe some would like to ask Sea Shepherd to include them amoung those that they threaten legal action against. Sea Shepherd mush come to learn that they cannot suppress those that speakout against their actions. So please send messages to the following addresses: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] (that is Seas Shepherd in Europe) and [EMAIL PROTECTED]
