Mike K - I disagree. The treaties were negotiated between two nations - the U.S. Federal government and the Tribal nations that existed here for many years. Nations and races are completely different. For example, the United States is a nation, but it is NOT a race. The U.S. is made up of many races and ethnic denominations. Nation and race are completely different. It's gets real scary if you begin to merge those two concepts. (If in doubt, ask the Germans who lived through the 1930's and 1940's.)

Also, the right to fish and hunt in the usual and accoustomed places is a tribal right, not an individual right. Therefore only those tribes with treaty reserved rights can exercise those rights. If someone were a 100% full blooded Iroquois Indian from upstate New York and moved to the Pacific Northwest they would NOT have hunting and fishing rights because the Iroquois tribe does not have treaty reserved fishing and hunting rights. The fact that person is 100% Native American (their race) does not matter because they are not part of a nation (tribe) with treaty reserved rights. Again, their race is not the issue. What matters is the treaty reserved rights and who has them. The Yakama's do, the Iroquois don't. Nor do the Seminoles, the Ojibways, the Lakota, the Blackfeet, etc.

Lastly, since treaty reserved rights are tribal rights, the tribes have the authority to designate those individuals who have that right. If they decide that white guys from Vancouver can have treaty reserved fishing rights, I would have those rights. As you can guess, they are very careful about whom they select to exercise those rights. But don't think for a minute that it's only restricted to those persons of a particular race. It is not. Indeed, I know several non-indian guys who have been designated as having treaty reserved fishing rights. The reason they were selected is because they married a tribal gal (amoung other reasons), not because of their race, which is European American (i.e., white). Once again, race is irrelvant.

Although we seem to disagree on some of the issues, I respect your position and I'm glad we can have this discussion without generating alot of emotional responses.