On Mon, 27 Oct 1997, John Ritchson wrote:
> Mark Crispin wrote:
> >
> > On Sat, 25 Oct 1997, John Ritchson wrote:
> > > I am of Chippawa and Cree decent and the Wolf is sacred to my people,
> > > it is in fact my clans totem. I live in Montana and during the winter
> > > of 1978,a lone pregnant wolf burrowed a den under my cabin and had
> > > a litter of cubs,of which 4 survived.
> > >[Anecdote of normal and common human/canine cohabitation deleted]
> >
> > > no one for any reason,has a right to kill them for
> > > what they are.
> >
> > Do you extend this privilege to mice, rats, cockroaches, and slugs? If
> > not, then justify why one wild animal deserves more consideration than
> > other wild animals.
> >
> > The issue is not about killing wolves because they are wolves. The issue
> > is about whether or not a large predator should be reintroduced into areas
> > where it has not existed for many years.
> >
> > The only issue about killing wolves is the management of game species so
> > that their population does not exceed what the local ecosystem can
> > support. In the case of predators (such as wolves), not only does an
> > excess population depress prey species, but it also ultimately leads to a
> > crash in the predator population.
> >
> > This is happening in Alaska today; the Dall sheep, moose, and caribou
> > population are in serious trouble because of outside interference with the
> > management of predators. 35 times as many prey animal kills are by
> > predators than by hunters:
> > hunters 2.5%
> > accident/disease 10%
> > predators 87.5%
> > Predators take the easiest kills: old, infirm, pregnant, and young. The
> > latter two vastly outnumber the former. Ever since predator management
> > started to be dictated by feel-good political correctness instead of sound
> > wildlife management principles, 80% of all calves don't make it past their
> > first year. Nearly 50% of pregnant cows don't make it.
> >
> > In any case, there is no issue of killing wolves in Washington State, and
> > there will not be, at least not until some years after a reintroduction.
> >
> > Unlike Alaska, the Olympics contain populations of animals that have not
> > been subject to wolf predation for many years. The Olympics and
> > surrounding areas have a much more dense human and livestock population
> > than Alaska, and less of a wildlife (both prey and predator) population.
> >
> > This doesn't necessary mean that wolves shouldn't be reintroduced.
> > However, it should indicate, to rational people at least, that the
> > question of wolf reintroduction is not the no-brainer that is protrayed by
> > urban environmentalists. It *will* upset the balance. We have at best an
> > imperfect understanding of what the new balance will look like.
> >
> > Wolves won't do anything about the mountain goats. They probably will
> > have a substantial initial impact upon the deer and elk populations (no
> > great loss, at least the deer), until the local cervidae wise up. Then
> > it'll be the turn of livestock.
> >
> > > Is this how you would honor the sacred spirit of our earth-mother
> > > by killing her children for no other reason then that they exist?
> > > Or by denying them a home in the last wild places left?
> > >
> > > It is not the wolf that is dangerous.It is not the wolf that murders
> > > by the millions.It is not wolves that abuse their children,or sow
> > > corruption,fear,hate and madness.The wolf does not rape our earth-mother
> > > or desecrate her sacred spirit.People do.We,who were granted dominion
> > > by the great-spirit,and made to be care-takers, have committed these
> > > crimes.It is we humans that have betrayed our sacred trust and duty,
> > > and it is we humans that bear the responsibility for the fate of this
> > > noble creature,nay,for the earth-mother herself and all that live upon
> > > her.
> >
> > *Sigh*
> >
> > The only thing that ever makes me ashamed of my part-Indian ancestry is to
> > see goofy New Age "earth-mother" babble such as the above presented as
> > being the philosophy and/or "suppressed mystical secrets" of aboriginal
> > peoples. I guess that it serves a purpose, e.g. extracting cash out of
> > bleeding-heart white liberals. But it's still irritating.
> >
> > It reminds me of 19th century "noble savage" romanticism; a mix of bits
> > and pieces of distorted aboriginal religion with European idealism. "We,
> > who were granted dominion by the great-spirit" and "sacred trust and duty"
> > are very much of European/xtian influence.
> >
> > -- Mark --
> >
> > Unsolicited commercial email is NOT welcome at this email address.
>
> I am saddened that you have chosen to set aside the rich spiritual
> heritage of your Indian ancestors,and instead have elected to follow
> the path of the Washita's,who view the world as a resource to be
> exploited and who would bury her spirit in a mantle of greed,avarice,
> and political expediency at the expense of other living things whether
> wolf or slug or man.
>
> FYI,The spiritual world-view of my people has existed upon the land
> since,in the words of my grandfather,"from before the time of the
> buffalo with the long-noses." This would place it historicly at before
> the end of the last ice-age.From that time on my people have held
> the Earth-Mother and all that live upon her as sacred.We believe the
> Great Spirit placed the people upon the land to protect and care for
> the land and all that live upon it.But the Washita's have turned away
> from these things and a darkness has decended upon their hearts and a
> sickness has decended upon their souls and has made them all crazy.
> That is why the Washita's have tried to rub us out for centuries,along
> with the Cayote,the Wolf,the Bear,the Cougar and anything else that
> got in their way.I believe they called it Manifest Destiny.But the
> Washita's have failed.We still walk upon the land,and sing the old songs
> wolf and man alike.We still dance with the sun and take our sacred
> sweats,and practice our ancient ceremonies after the ways of our
> grandfathers.Our minds are no longer numb from the whiskey of the
> Washita's and we have learned their ways,and like the Wolf,we grow
> ever stronger while the Washita's grow weaker.
>
> But yet it is not too late,to reject the gross materialism and rampant
> consumerism of a society out of control,and embrace the simple spirit-
> ual ideals of an ancient and noble people,called savages by some,but
> who live at peace with the land.Then you will understand.
>
> Yut-Ta-Kawannee aka.John Ritchson
> Wolf-Clan of the Little Shell Band of the Chippawa-Cree Nation
>