Column: Racism and ignorance in Makah Nation hunting debate

With the Makah Indian whale hunt back in the news this past week, also back is the flood of advice for the tribe.

The lecturing, finger-wagging advice.

“The tribe’s culture should evolve,” read a letter that ran in this newspaper. “Honoring whales through arts and storytelling is fine; sinking harpoons or bullets into protected marine mammals … is not.”

That was one of the nicer ones. Sort of a pat on the head compared to the typical comments posted online: “Wake up in your teepee, put on your buffalo skin, paddle out in your canoe and stick it with a wooden harpoon,” said one. “Until then, spare us the ‘spiritual existence’ nonsense.”

“Where in tribal heritage do casinos fit?” asked another.

“What is ceremonial about a 50-cal elephant gun, motor boats, winches, pickup trucks, chain saws and freezers?” read another.