In light of what reportedly happened to TM near Hoodsport, similar reports around Washinton, and the Columbia R. Indian fish allocation fiasco, there has been a strong backlash expressed in the form of anger toward illegal and unethical Indain fishing activity (see "WHAT CAN BE DONE"). TM brought the same subject up on our BB and it drew similar outrage. I had an e-mail from a reader that questioned whether our responses to improper Indian activities were racist. I will also post the answer here, and encourage knowledgable Indians such as Letty Potter and others to respond to these thoughts and ideals. Here is my reply to the Q (along with other's opinions): Author Topic: Is Being Critical Of Indian Fishing Activity Racist?
RT
The only Reel Truth Moderator
Posts: 723
From:Cedar Mill , OR
Registered: Apr 2000
posted 08-27-2000 06:08 PM
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I got an e-mail from one of our BB members expressing that some of our posted complaints about Indian fishing activity borders on ehthnic group racist bashing; even though in agreement with much of what was said in principle. Since I have been one of the most critical of many of the unfairnesses and abuses of Indian fishing activity I gave it some thought and replied back. (BTW, I had a Native American that I've been corresponding with say that it is OK to refer to them as Indians). I will post my reply here and welcome feedback from anyone regarding thoughts on the subject. - My reply: After reading your e-mail letter I can see that we think much alike. I don't accept pure racism. But at the same time I am resigned to the fact that many issues are defined by race; such as Northwest Indian fishing issues. So we can't help but address the wrongs within those issues by expressing that they involve Indians. We can't say that some "people" came into Hood's Canal with nets and told sportfishers to get the heck out of here while we illegally net. "What people?!?" is the legitimate big Q that would follow and have to be answered. And, as I mentioned, those people being Indian was definitely a central factor in why it happened; not because Indians are bad (that is both racist and wrong), but because they were Indians with misguided beliefs that they deserve special fishing rights even outside Treaty and lawful provisions; and those particular ones were very disrespectful of the fishers already rightfully fishing there by the time they arrived! It's the same principle with the Col. Tribal Commission's attitudes (demanding that the NMFS give them all of the ESA fish allocations and none to the sportfishers; resulting in the NW state's lawsuit). I'm glad you see that's not racism; at least not on our part. It's realism. - RT

[This message has been edited by RT (edited 08-27-2000).]

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tshickam
Chromer
Posts: 10
From:St Helens,OR,USA
Registered: Aug 2000
posted 08-27-2000 07:22 PM
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Excellent! Your a very well spoken individual and you make excellent points. I've read through the posts and I agree that the color of the offending individuals skin has no bearing on the posts. They could have been white or any other color and that wouldn't have made it any better for those people to stomp all over the rights of Timberman. My great grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee and we always used the term "Indian" to describe our family heritage. That, in no shape or form, is a racist word. What makes me spitting mad is again that a U.S. citizen following the posted laws, is walked all over by anyone and is told by goverment workers that "Our hands are tied". These Indians are law breakers and they are doing their tribes a disservice by operating this way. I agree with RT 100%, he hit the nail on the head!
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Sandybar
Chromer
Posts: 19
From:Yamhill Oregon
Registered: Jul 2000
posted 08-27-2000 07:22 PM
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RT Racism or not? No I don't think so, Indians have the right to fish how they like within the treaty set by law. However if we abuse our rights we loose our privileges, such as a D.U.I and our rights to drive are waived. If the Indians are above the law set by the treaties then they should loose there privileges.
What we need to do as fisherman, is to determine if they are indeed within the law.
I couldn't tell you if they are within the law or not, I don't understand it. But as sportmen's we need to find out.

RT I have a good friend whom I fish with that is an indian and yes he fishes with a fishing pole! Onced asked him why he did not fish with his tribe, and his reply was my tribe does not fish within the treaty and I'm embarassed to be a part of my people.
I could go on but I might sound like a racist which is what were trying not to do.

Yes I'm mad as heck about the Hoods Canal incident, and also what seems to be alot of salmon that are netted on the Columbia. Lets see if they within the law set by the treaties . Then we can act responsibly as sportsmans to the cause.


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Sandybar

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dawhunt
Chromer
Posts: 104
From:Washougal,WA. USA
Registered: Apr 2000
posted 08-27-2000 08:29 PM
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HI RT,I don't believe that,I'm a racist,I'm
just tired of hearing about there treaty rights,then they go out and do what they did at Hoods Canal,I've got pictures of that slaughter of thousands of salmon(bucks)all they wanted were the hens for eggs to sell to the japanese.I sent the pictures to fishing & hunting news they puplished them along with others that people sent in,I then had a lawyer send me a letter asking for copies to use in court in olympia,so I sent
him some copies.They did this JUST BECAUSE THEY COULD,and knew there was nothing that would be done to them for it.THEN I've got an aunt and uncle ( by marriage) that live in morton wa.,that used to have elk in there yard on a daily basis,that is untill the indians slaughtered them too,they told me they would shoot them and if they didn't die near the road they would leave them there to rot JUST BECAUSE THEY COULD !!! and dared us to do something about it cus they got treaty rights !!!.Well when those treatys were signed they didn't have high powered rifles and they didn't have snowmobiles and they didn't have gillnets so maybe they should be forced to hunt and fish the old way !!!
Now I'm not blameing all the indians for what a few bad apples do but why don't they prosacute(spelling again)them,themselves,but the indian cops see no evil and hear no evil.
I have no use for Sen Gordon,but I think he had the right idea to take away the treatys and make them citizens of the USA,then they have to live by our rules and regulations just like we do.We have bad apples in our race too,the differance is when there caught they PAY for it.How much longer are we going to be forced to pay for something that happened 100 yrs ago.If our government had any b--'s they would have said OK,you want gambleing halls to provide income for your people then you give up your fishing rights and live by our laws on hunting and fishing.Seeing as how they only fish to feed themselves right,with all the money there rakeing in with the gambleing there makeing a good enough liveing to support the tribe and don't need those fishing and hunting rights anymore.Just hunt when we do by law !!!,Now there going to have there own business makeing tax free smokes,WHENDOES IT END,If this makes me a rasict,then I guess I am.

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Bob Dawson

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RT
The only Reel Truth Moderator
Posts: 723
From:Cedar Mill , OR
Registered: Apr 2000
posted 08-27-2000 10:04 PM
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Thanks for the supportive posts here. And Bob, when you pointed out the truth that all races of people have both good people and then some "bad apples", with that genuine attitude I don't see it as racist when you are plaintive about some of the bad apple activities of some Indians; hoping to expose wrongs and have them corrected. -- While on this subject I would like to address what can be considered wrongful racism against me and many other caucasion people. That is when some members of minorities include me within group blame against "white" people for the wrongs against and plights of miniorities; such as Indians, Blacks, and Hispanics. It's becoming very annoying to hear Indian, and some non-Indian, people use phrases such as "we" stole Indian land and "we" killed off most of the Columbia fish runs by building dams. "I" am not part of "we" just because me and my ancestor's are of Euro caucasion descent! My ancestor's did not come to America (from Norway and Sweden) until the very late 1800's. So they came AFTER the Indian battles and treaties were over. My ancestors did not participate in the building of dams in the Northwest or anywhere else. They lived and raised my father and mother in a couple of small Montana ranching towns. They did not use electricity until well into the 1900's, after some northwest Indians had already begun to use it in some of their villages. My point is that many of us "whites" had nothing to do with any of the 2 major Indian issues! Yet we are racially discriminated against and BLAMED wrongly for things that were done by other's ancestors that are long gone now. Yet we pay an unfair price for it!! And the ones whose ancestors did participate in wrongful, but normal, history should not be held unfairly responsible for the actions that occured before they even existed. My questions to Indians, and their leaders, is why can't we all live together in the NOW under current national conditions; while still being afforded enough opportunity to practice some cultural customs in a manner that doesn't cause such major upset of the rest of us?- RT

I'm sure that there should be more people heard on this profound subject, from both sides of the issue! - Steve