LCA: Update on Federal AETA Bill
October 30th, 2006 4:15 pm by Kelly Garbato———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Campaigns Department – campaigns [at] lcanimal.org
Date: Oct 27, 2006 7:13 PM
Subject: LCA Update on Federal AETA Bill
Message from Chris DeRose
The most dangerous bill facing animal rights is about to be passed. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) will forever hurt all activities pertaining to helping animals and, not surprisingly, is being pushed by the big businesses that exploit animals.
If the AETA had been in effect a few years ago, LCA would never have been able to infiltrate and bring down C.C. Baird without being prosecuted as terrorists under this ridiculous bill.
I can’t stress it enough that the passage of this bill will mean disaster for the animals we care about so much. Even though animal activists have not caused serious injury or death to anyone, we are being singled out and branded “terrorists” by the very people committing the most heinous acts of violence against the animals we are trying to protect.
It is URGENT that you contact your federal representative and urge him/her to OPPOSE the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (HR 4239).
Click here for representative contact information and read below for quick talking points.
1. AETA needs hearings to ensure fair and adequate debate.
2. Laws should be fairly applied to all citizens without singling out animal advocates.
3. Advocating for animal protection should not be equated with terrorism.
4. More than 100 animal protection and social justice organizations oppose this act.
Please click here for more information on how you can help.
For the animals,
Chris DeRose
URGENT! Take Action to Protect Your Rights
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) poses the most serious threat to free speech and social justice advocacy in years. Violent or other illegal activities are already prohibited by law. This bill brands nonviolent activism as terrorism and imposes unfairly harsh penalties on animal protection advocacy.
Laws should apply equally to all groups and individuals, and terms like “terrorist” should be accurately and judiciously applied. The consequences of AETA are far-reaching. Animal protection activists are only the first to be singled out. If we allow this bill to become law, other social justice movements may be the next target.
Under intense lobbying by the biomedical industrial complex, the U.S. Senate passed AETA, without any hearings or debate, before adjourning for the election recess. The bill was fast-tracked through and passed by unanimous consent (meaning no Senator even requested time for a hearing or debate).
Industry will use a similar tactic to pass the U.S. House of Representatives version of AETA (HR 4239), without hearings or debate, when the House reconvenes on November 13th. President Bush is certain to sign the bill into law. They have an excellent chance of passing the bill, unless we mount a strong and immediate opposition and demand a hearing.
Congressional contacts tell us they haven’t heard from you. But they have been heavily lobbied by the bio-medical companies. Now is the time to act. Please contact your Rep before and after elections! Click here for representative contact information.
Detailed Points – Why AETA is Harmful
AETA unjustly singles out animal protect groups because of political ideology, and silences lawful advocacy seeking to expose animal cruelty violations.
AETA does not genuinely fight terrorism. AETA may divert valuable taxpayer money and resources away from real terrorism.
Existing laws sufficiently punish criminal activity. Laws already exist to protect industries against illegal actions, regardless of who commits the acts. Indictments and convictions have been made based on current federal laws, specifically, the Animal Enterprise Protection Act of 1992 and the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 2002. AETA’s additional penalties are excessive and drastically expand the 1992 and 2002 Acts.
AETA’s exceptionally severe penalties do not fit the crime. According to the United States Sentencing Commission, the 2005 median sentence in federal courts for:
larceny = 4 months
embezzlement = 4 months
sexual abuse = 4.5 years
manslaughter = 3 years
By contrast, AETA proposes up to eighteen months for an offense involving no threatened or actual economic damage or bodily harm, and up to 20 years for economic damage!
AETA is overly broad and vague to the extent that honest citizens may not know if they are acting within the law. AETA may tar honest citizens wrongfully charged with the terrorist smudge. Whether or not they triumph in court, their reputation may be irreparably damaged.
Several corporations that support AETA are repeat offenders. They have been cited for numerous animal welfare violations. These corporations have a vested interest in silencing lawful dissent.
“Animal Enterprise” includes virtually every retail business in the United States. Nearly every retailer “sells … animal products for profit.” That includes grocery stores (meat/dairy products), shoe stores (leather shoes), clothing stores (wool sweaters), restaurants (meat/dairy products). That means anti-pornography activists who target adult bookstores selling leather attire may be terrorists.
AETA may initiate a domino effect — in which legitimate environmental and social justice movements are labeled as terrorism.
If AETA were law many years ago, the suffragettes and civil rights leaders — including Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi – - may have been disgraced and prosecuted as terrorists.
Links
Last Chance for Animals Campaigns Department
(310) 271-6096 x30
campaigns [at] lcanimal.org
Last Chance for Animals | 8033 Sunset Blvd. #835 | Los Angeles | CA | 90046
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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts lca last+chance+for+animals AETA Animal+Enterprise+Terrorism+Act terrorism activism censorship free+speech freedom+of+speech
