After reading the diatribe between poor Ramone and AuntyM, I must comment a bit. To quote AuntyM "I am tired of having a target on my back for challenging a man who makes these kinds of remarks and then whines that he is the one being picked on here."
I assume by this she claims to be part of a Tribe? Awful pale and blonde aren't we?
I spent many years on the Columbia River interacting with various Yakima Indians and I can say that many of them do need "to be kept honest". Underreported catch, illegal fishing methods, etc. were all too common. When reporting this to Yakima, Umatilla, and Warm Springs officials, I was basically told that as a white man, it was none of my business. One official actually told me "It is our River, and you have no right to be on it".
AuntyM, you want to talk of a "target on your back". I for one am tired of having the target on MY back because of the color of my skin, yet I am in the majority of folks in this country that put up the zillions to support the different minorities, yet we remain "the bad guys". I am really tired of having to explain to my part-indian heritage son why caucasions are seen as bad people......

End of rant......

Hey Auntie!

Let's try to remember that I apologized for the remark and explained that I never meant to imply that the Yakamas were trying to be dishonest; I was just using a poorly chosen figure of speech. You were right; given the subject and the context, I should have been more careful. But I made a mistake, and admitted it. A little credit where it's due?

Ramon Vanden Brulle,
Washington Trout

Anyone on this board ever climbed Molehill Mountain?

I want to make sure everyone knows that Auntie and I are on exactly the same page on this (let's try to watch that; I don't want the internet exploding or anything).

One of the reasons I should have been more careful in my use of language is that the last thing I want to do is encourage tribal bashing and/or race baiting (which, let's face it, there's evidence of on this and other fishing boards from time to time).

When WT opposes tribal positions on hatcheries or harvest, we have a responsibility to make clear that we are not trying to oppose their rights, just the details of specific management decisions. We also have a responsibility to be careful about legitimate tribal sensitivities, a lot more careful than I was the other night.

Let me put it this way. Despite what some on this board appear to believe, WT is in fact very open to alliances with people and organizations on issues where we agree, even if we have fundamental disagreements on other issues. But there are some "friends" we neither want nor need. We have absolutely no tolerance for bigotry, or for people who think its too much trouble to understand and accomodate tribal sensitivities that are borne of cultural difference and historical injustice.

Ramon Vanden Brulle,
Washington Trout

Funny, I've never heard of that crowd? Are they a similar group to the "Bald is beautiful" crowd?

Perhaps you could elaborate for us Aunty on just exactly who you are referring to?

I promise I won't even e-mail Bob to complain...

4SALT

You are becoming WAY too predictable.

Well AuntyM, you seem to be an intelligent person but you swim right along with the majority of the minority that use the same "poor me and my people" stories to further their own and no one elses kind. to quote you "It's apparent that you have no problem stereo-typing people based on appearance. Is that something you are proud of? Is that what you are teaching your son? Intolerance of others based on appearance? "
You seem to have no problem stereotyping me with your statements, but I guess since you have a few drops of the poor indians blood in you that makes it alright. You and most of the diluted indian bloodline in this country have that attitude, which would be no different than a 1/32 black man feeling he had a right to reparations. Almost comical. I teach my son to be proud of who he is, to accept people for who they are, not what they are, and most of all, to not feel his problems are always the fault of others or that he deserves more than anyone else. I would have loved to live like the indians did 200 years ago, and yes, the Europeans did ruin that way of life. But those indians of long ago would be ashamed of the way their descendants act now. And yes, although you have watched Dances with Wolves one too many times, there are a lot of bad indians out there. Just being full or part indian does not make one a saint.........

Actually, not trying to "Bash" anyone.... Just wondering why it is always alright to "Bash" the white man for his wrongdoings, or WT and similar groups for their mis-guided tactics, but whooooa!, say anything negative about a minority group and suddenly you are a racist, bigot, or "Basher/Flamer".
My initial point was how absurd your defensiveness was when Ramon mentioned that WT wanted to keep the Yakima's "Honest". Just because you are of indian descent does not automatically make you a good, honest person. Although the majority are probably in the honest group, their are those in the tribes that could give two rat's asses whether a native run survives as long as they can make money selling them.... Point taken I hope???

Just remember there is nothing native about native americans, they where just simply at the fishing spot first????????

Minority is a white male 18 years of age or older!!!!