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| Bald Eagle (Photo by Yathin S. Krishnappa) |
A survival threat to bald eagles is once again making headlines.
This time around, a mysterious disease is causing bald eagles in Utah to first become crippled "with leg paralysis and tremors," and then die. Laura
Zuckerman of Reuters reports that these deaths remain "unexplained."
A more obvious cause of some bald-eagle deaths throughout the years has been the killing of them for religious purposes. In March 2012 the United States government granted special permission for the Northern Arapaho tribe ("a Wyoming Native American tribe") to kill two bald eagles for use within sacred ceremonies.
One tribal elder gave this reason for the ritualistic inclusion of bald eagles:
It has been since the beginning of time with
us… we get to utilize the eagle, which we
consider a messenger to the Creator.
What therefore takes precedence? The bald eagle's right to survive within the delicate web of life, or the rights of these Native American people to engage in some traditional religious practices?
Some say that freedom of religion grants citizens the right to believe what they want, but not necessarily the right to do what they want.
Then there are those who say that the United States government has for so long suppressed the religious expression of Native Americans that it owes this tribe some leeway from a federal law concerning bald eagles.
Resources
http://news.msn.com/us/utah-officials-suspect-bald-eagle-deaths-linked-to-die-off-of-shore-birds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_Eagle
Copyright December 28, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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