Fighting the Good Fight
In many Native American cultures, wolves are revered teachers. They believe that wolf medicine is in the East and the yellow eyes of the wolf rise every day with the yellow sun to teach us all day long. Their social and survival skills surpass us completely when it comes to taking care of each other as a whole. It is part of my philosophy to see through troubled times, knowing there is an invisible, mysterious force that only knows good; fueled by good intentions it is quite powerful and we are powerful allies to this force.
Since the news for wolves in the Rocky Mountain States is very troubling and critical, I am going to know that they, our teachers, have a higher lesson to teach us right now than their survival in that region. If so, wolves could be the answer, not only for a healthier ecosystem, but could commence the eradication of the corruption happening in our government. I know that sounds very dramatic, but here is what is happening…
Wolves in 5 states (Idaho, Montana, Utah, Oregon, & Washington) have been removed from the Endangered Species List. Much has happened against and for the benefit of wolves in the wild; albeit legally complicated, I will do my best to explain what we have learned. It has been both enlightening and excruciating.
Last Spring, Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana wrote and attached a rider that was buried in a 459 page Congressional budget bill that he knew would pass both houses and President Obama signed into law on April 25, 2011. Although the rider did not mention the words “grey wolves” or the Endangered Species Act, he successfully accomplished his mission to take wolves in the Rocky Mountains off of the endangered species list. We believe that Congress thought it was just agreeing to reissue a 2009 delisting rule (not knowing what it was) even though a District Court ruling had already over turned the delisting rule and returned the wolves to the Endangered Species List in July of 2010.
The language of the rider did use phrasing that “prohibits all judicial review” and what District Court Judge Donald Malloy in Missoula Montana called “magic words” that prohibited him from declaring the rider unconstitutional even though he called it “a tearing away, an undermining and a disrespect for the fundamental idea of the rule of law.” It is now in the hands of the 9th District Court due to a precedent set by them in two previous cases. However there are fundamental differences which call in question the Separation of Powers Doctrine. On Tuesday, November 8th, Shadowland Foundation supporters held a support rally outside the court and attended the hearing and heard arguments. We are anxiously awaiting their ruling.
Statements made to the press by Senator Jon Tester make it clear that he designed the rider to circumvent the District Court’s decision without amending the ESA, which is unconstitutional. He is that blatant about it. This is a U.S. Senator! Similar statements have been made by Republican Representative Mike Simpson from Idaho who has also attempted similar legislation. This is an outrage, not just because of the wolves, but as Americans, we are personally incensed at this corruption and abuse of our legislative process and know that the abuses are much broader than just saving this precious species.
How is it possible for approximately 1,650 wolves over a 5 state area to amass such devastation as to prompt an act of Congress to obliterate them? Just to give some perspective…there are approximately 5,000 coyote’s in Los Angeles County alone, 750,000 in the state of California. Hunting in these states represents about 5% of the population, Ranchers and Oil interests about 1%. These are million dollar industries along with Fish & Wildlife agencies, in place to safeguard wildlife, but their salaries are paid by seasonal hunting licenses. They are using the rhetoric, “States Rights” as their rallying call, even though wolves are living on Federal Land, which is the real issue; who gets to use it and thrive on it. Not an endangered species! Would it surprise you to know that Ecotourism brought in over a Billion dollars in 2010 just to Yellowstone National Park alone? This business serves 93% of the people and seems of no interest to these politicians.
As a result of the passing of this deliberate unconstitutional piece of legislation, wolves are now being hunted in Idaho and Montana and have been since late August, 2011. Over 37,000 permits have been sold to kill 1,000 wolves…two thirds of the entire population. The count to date of wolves killed is 201. Hunting season in Idaho ends March 31, 2012, when pregnant females and pups will be available for killing also. They call this a “Harvest”.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar claimed the wolves were recovered and created the 2009 delisting rule saying they could sustain such hunts. In a television interview recently, when asked why we would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to recover the wolves only to annihilate them again, he made no comment.
He wasted no time in giving the 5 states rights to “manage” wolves themselves and although Wyoming was not listed as one of the states in the rider, Mr. Salazar delisted them there as well on his own. As I write this, Wyoming legislators are drafting legislation to allow wolves to be shot on site over 90% of the state and also includes very contagious language “prohibiting all judicial review” in their proposal. U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming successfully inserted a no-litigation rider into a 2012 congressional appropriations bill, as well as a clause that would immediately put Wyoming wolves under state control similar to the one just passed in April. Never before has any elected or appointed official dared to take an endangered species off the endangered species list, violating its very essence with a complete disregard for its provisions and specifications.
Because these are wolves we are talking about…there have been no consequences for their actions. Tyranny is a word I learned from the writings of J. Madison lately, and it is alive and well and living in Washington DC; crossing both party lines, unchecked and most likely happening on an even bigger level on other vital issues leaving Americans without freedoms which our government is set up to protect. We do not know yet what the 9th District Court will decide, but we know that we are doing everything in our power to expose and speak up about these abuses for wolves and as proud Americans. We ask for your continued support and applaud your participation to help stop injustices of all kinds in all areas of our lives. I still believe in WE THE PEOPLE, and I still believe in ALL THE PEOPLE.
There were hundreds of riders attached to the “must pass” bill in April and even more to come in 2012. The appeal filed by 4 conservation groups to the 9 District Court where we rallied, was not about wolves, although it directly affects them; it was about corrupt, unconstitutional legislation. This is an opportunity for these judges to “Man Up” as my husband Paul Pondella puts it. These judges have lifetime appointments, but they were appointed and approved by the very legislators they would have to rule against. It is a time for courage.
The first appeal in 2010 that put the wolves back on the endangered species list was brought by 14 conservation groups. Ten of the biggest and most lucrative bowed out of the process after the April delisting in fear of losing protections for other species. The very politicians that are behind these betrayals are the ones they are now wooing for future favors. Isn’t that like inviting a snake into your bed thinking it won’t bite you?
Our neighbor and good friend, Bob McKinley had some wise words. He said, “You have to continue to fight the good fight; for wins are never permanent but neither are losses.” We are fighting with our gentle pack of eight. This is the best we can do at this time. As for the wolves in the Rocky Mountains, their current sacrifice may teach us how to stand up to Tyranny with courage and faith, for our freedoms, before it is too late.
Colette Duvall Pondella
Co-Founder of Shadowland Foundation
Lake Hughes, CA
