When Will We Stop Making Exceptions For Native Americans

When Will We Stop Making Exceptions For Native Americans

Susan Allen
Susan Allen

 

Washington State Cattlemen were concerned about disease, other regional farmers worried about crop loss but as we have seen before when it comes to conservation issues Native American tribes sidestep regulations the rest of Americans must comply to. I’m Susan Allen stay tuned for Open Range. The fact the Yakima Indian Nation was able to reintroduce antelope to their reservation by doing (as The Spokesman-Review so aptly put it, “an end run around state bureaucracy and red tape” is pretty appalling.  Cattlemen raised concerns over the fact that the transplanted antelope could carry potential diseases and other basin farmers didn’t relish the fact antelope might find their alfalfa and grain crops  more appealing  than native flora but as is typical with anything tribal, it fell on deaf ears. The Yakima Tribe along with volunteers from Safari Club International released ninety- nine antelope on their reservation that is already overrun with feral horses that the Indians have failed miserably to properly manage.  In typical tribal fashion the tribe is trying to obtain a "special exception", (there it is again), that would allow them to bypass national anti-horse slaughter legislation, in order to construct their own horse rendering plant and profit from butchering the very animal school children for generations have been taught was cherished in their heritage and culture.   Be it salmon, elk, horses, eagles, whales now big –game antelope hunting, all are exploited by modern tribes for financial gain. It’s very telling that the Yakima Nation wouldn’t allow members or wildlife biologist involved with transplanting antelope to be interviewed after numerous requests by the Spokesman-Review. I pity those poor antelope that have had the misfortune of ending up on the reservation, their future is bleak. 
 
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