Boneheaded Whale Hunt

The Makah tribe vows to fully prosecute the 5 men who participated in the illegal whale hunt.

They had better. If they can't show that they can control their own members (and this hunt included a member of the Makah Whaling Commission), they are going to have a tough time getting that exemption to hunt more whales.

Certainly the tribe is in full damage control mode. Members have already planned on flying out to Washington DC to meet with Members of Congress. They certainly have some explaining to do. This was more than just a rogue hunt. Wayne Johnson, who was captain of the last legal hunt in 1999 and is also a member of the tribe's whaling commission, was a participant.

This looks like a political act, and a particularly dumb one at that. It makes the tribal leadership look foolish, and makes the hunters look like incompetent, cruel men who killed a whale purely to make a point.

Is this the cultural heritage they seek to preserve?