Faux Outrage

A few days ago we had a story in the news about Manitoba First Nations goons having hissy fits over the slaughter of caribou by the evil "White Man", done apparently solely for the purpose of obtaining a rack of antlers as trophies, which is perfectly legal.

It wasn't that long ago that First Nations were slaughtering eagles:

Traditional regalia seized in raid for eagle feathers

for nothing but their tail and wing feathers, to be used for ceremonial purposes, of course, not for the profit motive, much less for food, Indians being so "spiritual" and all.

However, once the eagle was placed on the endangered list, they had to seek permits, which of course was a violation of their sovereignty.

"...aboriginal hunters would never have done such a thing because First Nations use every part of the animal, including the meat and hides."

Pure bullsh!t on every level.

"At the time the charges were laid, Bomok said an undercover officer visited her shop in the fall of 2007 and made the first payment on an Indian dance costume, called a bustle. Months later, conservation and police officers walked into the store and arrested her and employee Anthony Fineday. Bomok said she and Fineday spent six hours in jail while the officers searched her shop, seizing two bustles -- one made of goose feathers, one of eagle feathers -- a mounted deer head, mounted deer horns, her computers and records. The computers and records were returned and the pawn shop reopened the same day.

Provencher has said Saskatchewan Environment recognizes the treaty rights for First Nations people to use costumes such as feathered bustles."

Fineday is a very common name in the Battlefords area. The City of North Battleford and the Town of Battleford (just across the North Saskatchewan River from the City) are surrounded by several First Nations communities, and there are plenty of Finedays living in the Battlefords and on those reserves. I have to wonder what connections there are.

And how about that word "regalia". It used to be called "costume" until sometime in the 1970s that word became insulting. Since then it's "regalia", you know.

Some day I might write about this "every part of the animal" BS, too, but I've got too much on my plate for the next few days. Painting walls takes time, time away from my 'puter.