No peace pipe for Wampanoag tribe and Cape Wind Project.

The Cape Wind Project is a go. 140, 4-story wind turbines five miles off the coast of Nantucket. Ted Kennedy was opposed to it. The environmentalists are opposed to it. I suppose a number of Massachusetts residents hate it as well.

But the Native Americans?

The Wampanoag (try "Womp-a-nog") Nation of Martha's Vineyard says these wind turbines or whatever they're called will interfere with sacred rituals...something about the turbines possibly interfering with the sun (?).

Fine - but here's the other part of their claim I don't understand. Apparently, that stretch of five miles between the shore and where the turbines would be located was once above water (a thousand years ago or so) and the Wampanoag Nation is concerned there are long-submerged tribal burial sites out there...and the constructing and implementaton of the turbines would desecrate those burial sites.

Now there's probably a shitload of burial sites under water these days, representing a variety of cultures. Are you telling me that we're supposed to block the progress of a new technology that's environmentally sound for the planet because some burial sites from 1,000 years ago are a mile below the surface of the ocean?

One would think the Wampanoag Nation (keeping in mind there are many tribes within the Nation) would have more pertinent issues to deal with in this century...like how the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe chairman Glenn A. Marshall pled guilty in February 2009 to federal charges of violations of campaign finance law, tax fraud, wire fraud, and Social Security fraud – all in connection with the effort to secure federal recognition for the tribe.