PILGRIM'S PROGRESS Paul Watson allies with a far-right Republican in his fight against aboriginal whaling by: M-J Milloy HOUR Magazine Montreal, Quebec 10.9.98/ page 12 www.afterhour.com It took the early white missionaries and explorers weeks to navigate the rugged coastline of northern Washington State to reach the Makah nation, perched on the very northwestern tip of the US. It w Sometime next month the veteran anti-whaling activist will make that trip with a three-ship flotilla from his Sea Shepherd Society. Their goal is to disrupt, by almost any means necessary, the first Watson who promises to ³talk to the whales² with Orca-like sonar signals and may try to physically block the Makah vessels is no stranger to uncompromising, and very media-savvy, direct action. Itıs an image that sells and his exploits and opinions are rabidly eaten up by many in the media and trendy liberals in Hollywood, including Daniel Baldwin and Jane ³Dr Quinn² Seymour. But when Watsonıs three-ship flotilla and the Makah whaling boats weigh anchor in early October, their conflict in the Juan de Fuca Strait will be about more than just the fate of some unlucky grey And there will be more than just the spirits of the past along on Watsonıs armada: supporting Watsonıs actions are Jack Metcalf, the local Republican congressman, who has links to the American far r With missionary zeal, Paul Watson has made an unholy alliance and chosen a no-longer endangered species over an endangered nation. For the Makah that support the hunt most of the tribal elders and about 85 per cent in a 1995 referendum, according to the tribal administration the hunt means a chance to revive Makah tradition ³Many of us believe that the problems besetting our young people stem from a lack of discipline and pride. We believe the restoration of whaling will help to restore that,² wrote the Makah Whaling C The Commission also notes that they are guaranteed the right to whale in their 1885 treaty with the US government, and that the Makah would take at most 20 whales by the year 2000 out of a total p Watson is dismissive of the Makahıs claim of cultural revival. All theyıre reviving is ³pulling the trigger on a 50-calibre gun,² according to Watson. In addition, the Sea Shepherd Society has conde ³Progress affects everyone living in this new era of the Global Village. No legitimate argument can be made that the Makah, or any other ethnic group, can move their culture forward through ritual k Although these words echo early Christian missionaries who condemned aboriginal culture as savage and obsolete during colonization Watson isnıt uncomfortable acting as the arbiter of Makah cultu ³If you want to revive culture and traditions, how do you do that by killing something?² he said. Watsonıs arrogance is almost more than one local observer, a professor in Vancouver, Washington, and a Blackfoot, can take. ³Iım watching daily the destruction of Indian people and culture is a central aspect of that. I see our culture ridiculed, mocked, defiled... and all this emotion about whales and nothing said abo For Watson, the Makah motivations are neither social good nor cultural revival but strictly economic gain. ³This is a community that is very well off. Iıve not seen any poverty in their community. Theyıve wiped out their fishery and now they want to take the whales,² he said. The hunt will only enrich part of the community, and is being supported by whaling nations like Japan and Norway who want to use ³cultural exemptions² to restart their own whaling fleets, accord But while Watson uses the alleged Makah connection to the Japanese whaling industry to oppose the hunt, he has entered into his own marriage of unholy convenience. Congressman Jack Metcalf represents the extreme northwestern chunk of Washington State that includes the Makah territory. Watson and Metcalf are longtime opponents of the Makah hunt, and Metcalf has How do you explain a Republican supporting an environmentalist, let alone the most militant of the lot? Metcalfıs involvement in the wise-use movement tells most of the tale. Sometimes called ³property rights² advocates, wise-usersı main concern is the defense of individualsı property rights, including the rights of individuals to own, develop and enjoy primarily throu Metcalf has been at the centre of the movement. Before being elected to Congress in the ³Contract with America² Republican wave, Metcalf helped start the United Property Owners of Washington, a prop One observer believes Metcalfıs support of Watson is an alliance of convenience to support Metcalfıs greater goal of rolling back native treaty rights. ³I donıt believe for a minute that Jack Metcalf cares about the whales,² said Bill Watson of the Northwest Coalition, a Seattle NGO. ³Itıs a way to go after the tribe. Itıs a way to extend his anti-Indian campaign. Believe me, if it was someone else doing the whaling, he wouldnıt mind at all.² Case in point: Metcalf had one of the lowest scores on environmental legislation during the last session of congress, voting against bills for clean air and water, and for bills to weaken the Enviro But there is also evidence that Metcalf is much more than simply anti-environment and anti-Indian, since the wise-use movement, and Jack Metcalf, are gaining increasing support from the furthest fri Metcalfıs supporters include the Spotlight, a far-right newsletter published by Willis Carto. Carto called ³the most influential professional anti-Semite [in the US]² by the Simon Wiesenthal Centr Bill Watson hasnıt heard of Metcalfıs connection to Carto et al., but heıs not surprised. ³Metcalf is floating on the edge of the extreme patriot right.² Paul Watson claims ignorance of any of the links between his anti-whaling ally and the lunatic fringe of the American right. ³I havenıt seen any evidence that heıs anti-Indian at all,² he said. ³You have to agree to disagree on certain things and take your support where you can get it.² Paul Watson will speak at Concordiaıs de Sève Auditorium on September 16 at 18h. Free. Info: 848-7483 _________________________________________ M-J Milloy News Editor, Hour Magazine Montreal, PQ 514.848.0777 (voice) 514.848.9004 (fax) www.afterhour.com James Craven Dept. of Economics,Clark College 1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd. Vancouver, WA. 98663 [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Tel: (360) 992-2283 Fax: 992-2863 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards Indians; their land and property shall never be taken from them without their consent." (Northwest Ordinance, 1787, Ratified by Congress 1789) Those who take the most from the table, teach contentment. Those for whom the taxes are destined, demand sacrifice. Those who eat their fill, speak to the hungry, of wonderful times to come. Those who lead the country into the abyss, call ruling difficult, for ordinary folk. (Bertolt Brecht) *My Employer has no association with My Private and Protected Opinion* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
