SAOVA Friends,
The HSUS annual conference Taking Action
for Animals (TAFA) was held June 27-30, 2014 in Washington DC. HSUS describes the conference as one that
promotes “mainstream solutions” and provides attendees education to become a
better advocate for animals. In other
words, TAFA serves as a huge pep rally for animal rightists to connect, bolster
their morale, and in the words of HSUS: “recharge their batteries.” In his conference speech Wayne Pacelle told
the audience, “TAFA is an attempt to attract the elite in the animal protection
movement to help train you and educate you so then you can fan out all over the
country and spread these messages and heighten your own level of effectiveness
as an advocate.”
The various conference speakers included
many of the old guard from the animal rights industry: Gene Bauer and Bruce Friedrich (Farm
Sanctuary); Carole Baskin (Big Cat Rescue); Sara Amundson (Humane Society
Legislative Fund); Keith Dane (HSUS Equine Protection); Jonathan Lovvorn (HSUS VP Animal
Protection and Litigation); Nancy Perry (Sr. VP Government Relations, ASPCA).
Nick Cooney and Nathan Runkle from Mercy
for Animals (MFA) were also among the speakers.
MFA is probably best known for their undercover videos of animal
agriculture which Runkle calls the “lifeblood” of the organization. MFA
considers itself part of a “social justice” movement where portraying
production agriculture as harsh and cruel will move people toward a vegan diet.
Although not her first appearance, a
newer face at TAFA was Lisa Fletcher, host of “The Stream” on Al Jazeera
America and wife of Wayne Pacelle, who describes herself as a friend to all
animals and vegan food maniac. You may
remember reading recently that Fletcher provided a platform for longtime
radical activist Paul Shapiro, HSUS VP on Farm Animal Protection, on a segment
of her show covering new USDA regulations.
Other TAFA
scheduled speakers included, State Rep. Eddie Lucio III (TX); Jill Kline (Education and
Advocacy Manager, Wisconsin Humane Society); Christine Coughlin (Pres. Minnesota
Voters for Animal Protection); and Nicole Paquette (VP, HSUS Wildlife Protection/former Texas State Director).
TAFA also offered a series of workshops
for the attendees.
“Becoming
a Political Animal” workshop was moderated by HSUS director and former member
of Animal Liberation Front, John Goodwin. Presenters included former state
senator Roy Afflerbach (PA); Matt Dominguez, HSUS Public Policy Manager Farm Animal
Protection; and Wayne Pacelle. Workshop attendees were instructed on effective
lobbying at all levels of government from city council to Congress.
“Giving
Farm Animals a Voice” workshop presenters included Erica Meier, Executive
Director, Compassion Over Killing, and Kristie Middleton, Corporate Outreach
Manager, HSUS Farm Animal Protection who shared strategies for effectively
waging initiatives against farm animal cruelty.
Kelly
Peterson, HSUS Senior Vice President for State Affairs moderated a workshop
with former and current legislators to teach activists what “humane
legislators” need to hear in order to pass animal protection laws. The discussion panel included Delegate Eric
Luedtke (MD); Representative Diana Urban (CT); and former Tennessee state
Representative Eric Swafford, now HSUS Director for Rural Outreach and
Development. We will cover this portion of the conference in more detail in a
later article.
THE
HSUS PLAN AND PROGRAMS
When
Pacelle addressed the audience his speech centered on the four policy sections
that HSUS uses to break down the animal protection movement. They are: Public
Education and Awareness; Hands on Caring; Corporate Reform and Corporate
Policy; and Public Policy and Enforcement.
Pacelle
noted it is now a universal value in our society to oppose cruelty to
animals. With anti-cruelty statutes in
every state carrying felony penalties it reinforces the fact that people who
are cruel to animals are going to pay a price to society, either with
incarceration or fines. Pacelle
continued, “That is the meaningful sort of legal framework for us to build
upon.”
As part of the HSUS “hands-on” programs,
teams of staff and volunteers are assembled for disaster response, animal
rescue, and for animal fighting and puppy mill cases. According to Pacelle, HSUS can leverage
images from these programs to raise public awareness that animals are in crisis
situations every day across the country.
Pacelle
then covered the third portion which is Corporate Reform. Pacelle stated, “We live in a capitalist
society where corporations produce the products that so many of us consume.
They employ millions and millions of people. We want them as part of their
broader mission of social responsibility to include animal welfare. We ask them
to try to reach a higher standard. So this is where the anti-animal testing
policies come in and the no gestation crate policies. This is vital work for us
and we in HSUS spend a tremendous amount of time on it.”’
The
final segment of Pacelle’s speech, which focused on Public Policy and
Enforcement, should be a major wakeup call for everyone on how far the HSUS
tentacles continue to invade our communities pretending to dispense mainstream
values.
Pacelle
introduced this segment saying that laws in a civil society are not only
designed to keep order but to reflect the values which are basic to
society. The laws are not designed to change everybody; they are designed to deal
with those who are increasingly viewed as (moral) outliers in society. The law
addresses these outlier cases of people who are engaging in conduct that is no
longer acceptable. The conduct may have been acceptable at one point, but it is
no longer acceptable today. Pacelle
reminded listeners that it is up to them to advance social progress for animals
just like the other great causes of civil rights, anti-slavery, and women's
rights.
He then announced that HSUS now had
State Councils in place in half the states in order to expand the HSUS reach
and support HSUS state directors. The
councils cover equine and farm animal protection, law enforcement, faith, and
park animal protection and HSUS plans to have these councils in all 50
states. Pacelle informed the audience
that these structures were being created to empower those committed to the
animal rights industry and to advance the ideals of social reform. He reminded listeners that social reform is
not perfectly linear with consistent forward progress. Felony and increased animal cruelty
penalties, ending use of gestation crates, corporations enacting animal welfare
policies sometimes move a step or two forward toward progress and then a step
back. To quote Pacelle, “That's the
nature of a social movement -- especially when you've got big adversaries.”
We may be used to the animal rights
rhetoric and vegan agenda; however the really disturbing part of this new
“structure” plan is the HSUS District Leader Program now in place. This program is designed to engage people in
all 435 Congressional Districts and have those District Leaders lead political
efforts to advance federal legislation by concentrating on influencing members
of Congress.
Below is the ambitious position
description for a District Leader as posted on the HSUS website.
The purpose is to help HSUS advance and
accelerate animal protection priorities for companion animals, farm animals,
and wildlife with legislation at the local, state, and federal levels. Under the guidance of HSUS staff, the Leader
is to develop an action plan for successful completion of one goal related to
Legislative Advocacy; one goal for protection of Companion Animals, Eating with
a Conscience, or Wildlife Protection; and one goal related to growing the
“movement.” The Leader is also expected
to participate in the state Humane Lobby Day.
The Leaders are expected to organize grassroots activities, attend
community events and meetings, and will be given a 'Toolkit' with program
ideas.
Qualifications for District Leader
positions include a commitment to the mission of HSUS; willingness to cultivate
strong relationships with elected officials and lawmakers; and willingness to
recruit new members, among other requirements and abilities. It should be noted that these are volunteer
positions and HSUS membership or greater philanthropic commitment is required.
Pacelle explained to listeners that this
new structure being developed for the District Leader program was very
important. It is not just
political. The Leaders will work with school
districts to establish Meatless Mondays; connect with small farmers to unite
them against “factory farms;” work with animal shelters on spay/neuter
initiatives in the community. The
program is designed to build an army in every community in the United States
and it is well underway.
In addition to the District Leaders,
HSUS plans to include within this framework County Leaders in all 3,100
counties across the U.S. Quoting
Pacelle, “Our ambition is to have thousands and thousands of people involved. If we get this done, we’re going to be hell
on wheels.”
PLEASE CROSS POST WIDELY
The world not only belongs to those who
show up, it's controlled by the best informed and most motivated. Cross posting
is encouraged.
Susan Wolf
Sportsmen's & Animal Owners' Voting
AllianceWorking to Identify and Elect Supportive Legislators
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