Action Alerts

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): URGE AN IMMEDIATE FBI INVESTIGATION
Bush and Mukasey are at it again. They’ve announced dangerous new FBI guidelines that will severely jeopardize the personal privacy of innocent Americans. These regulations need no congressional approval and are terrifying. Just how far can the FBI go without any factual basis for suspecting improper — let alone illegal — activity? Under far-reaching new guidelines proposed by Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the answer is frightening. All the FBI has to do to put you or any American under prolonged physical surveillance is assert an “authorized purpose” such as detecting or preventing crime or protecting “national security.”

Animal Person: Help Out Umbra and Thank (?) Ellen
There are oodles of holes in her [Grist's Umbra] response, so have at it and recommend your favorite cookbooks. As for Ellen, she didn’t ever say the word “vegan,” but she did say she stopped eating meat and dairy and “all that stuff” [...]

Common Cause: Deceptive Practices 2.0
As more and more people turn to the web for voting and election information, there is a real danger that so-called “deceptive practices” that we’ve seen offline will move online this year. Think about how fast rumors and misinformation can circulate on the Internet. We can’t afford to have this year’s election called into question because of online dirty tricks.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Please Support the Apache-Sitgreaves Wild Horses
The wild horses of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in Eastern Arizona have quietly lived on their ancestral home for centuries. In 2005, the United States Forest Service put out a plan to remove all of these magnificent horses and to turn them over to the Arizona Department of Agriculture to be sold at auction in Holbrook, Arizona, an auction house frequented by killer-buyers.

Invisible Voices: The 1680
We hope to gather 1680 drawings of individual ‘food’(?) animals with each representing one animal death. You do not need to be an accomplished artist to participate, a doodle will do!

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I’m not sure whether you remember us, but two years ago this September 30th, my husband and I adopted two dogs from Friends of the Friendless. Gracie and Penelope were found abandoned with a third dog, Paige, in a home that was about to be sold. While you were able to place Paige with a new family, Gracie and Penelope were still with you six months later, when we came to visit after seeing them on Petfinder. (I included their adoption listings to jog your memory. Last I checked, they were still available on Petfinder, in the “happy tales” section!)

Since their two-year anniversary is fast approaching, we thought you might like to know what your girls are up to!

Back then, we already had three dogs – Ralphie the dachshund and Peedee and O-Ren the rat terriers – and lived south of the city, in a rental home in Stilwell. We’ve since bought our own place up north of the city, in Plattsburg, with concrete floors (impermeable to dog pee!) and a huge fenced backyard for the dogs. The dogs are all doing well together; while they’ve formed their own little cliques, they all seem to enjoy one another’s company.

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Via the Arizona chapter of the Sierra Club, by way of Deb at Invisible Voices, an eloquent illustration of intersecting “isms.” In this case, racism/xenophobia (“ZOMG! ILLEGAL ALIENZ!!!1!!1!”) and speciesism (“ZUH? THERE ARE ANIMALS ON TEH BORDER?”):

The Border Campaign of the Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter has completed a 20 minute video about the environmental effects of the current border policy, “Wild Versus Wall.” This video covers the ecological effects of enforcement and infrastructure in the four states that share boundaries with Mexico.

Tucson-based filmmaker Steev Hise has been working on the film since January, 2007. He traveled to Texas and California during the spring to interview land managers, scientists, and activists who are working to limit the ecological impacts of border wall construction.

“I have been covering border issues in southern Arizona for a while,” said Hise. “One of the great things about this project was traveling to other places along the border and to see how people concerned about the recent border militarization have the same outlook as people do here. They are also trying to stop the Department of Homeland Security from running roughshod over natural resources and constitutional rights.”

Hise also gathered footage from a diverse array of sources, including some of the Border Patrol’s own employment videos, which show agents blazing along on off-road vehicles. Numerous photographers contributed images of the rich ecosystems and species that are impacted by border infrastructure projects and local biologists lent their eyes and ears to the factual background of the habitats at stake.

Order your DVD today! Send $20 to 738 N. 5th Ave., Suite 214, Tucson, AZ 85705. Be sure to include Wall vs. Wild in the memo line of the check.

Understandably, the Sierra Club focuses on the environmental impact of the border wall, since that’s what they do and all. Even so, this is an area that’s ripe for coalition building between pro-immigration/anti-racist and environmental/animal advocacy groups, since they share a somewhat similar goal: sensible immigration policy, specifically pertaining to border security.

The Center for Biological Diversity has has written extensively about the US-Mexico border wall; Google search here.

(Crossposted from.)

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Tagged: sierra club arizona border wall border fence immigration racism xenophobia speciesism center for biological diversity animals animal rights animal welfare wildlife video environment

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Sat, Sep 27, 2008 at 3:19 PM
Subject: ACT/ Palin¹s Pro-Death Platform

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY – PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN

9/27/08: Palin’s Pro-Death Platform On Animals

Next Thursday, October 2, Washington University in St. Louis hosts the vice presidential debate featuring Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden. With the spotlight on vice-prez nominees, you have a great opportunity to send comments to newspapers, blogs and discussions. Let voters know about Governor Sarah Palin’s relentless assault on wildlife and environment.

Whatever your political affiliation, Palin is clearly NOT the candidate for animals….and animals are the focus of this list.

Below are talking points and ideas for your comments, but NEVER COPY AND SEND A FORM LETTER to a newspaper or other media. As soon as an “organized campaign” is suspected, comments are discarded.

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SARAH PALIN: THE CLIFF NOTES

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Top Facts Everyone Must Know About Sarah Palin

www.grizzlybay.org/SarahPalinInfoPage.htm

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 6:47 PM
Subject: DUE 10/8: No Plea Deal For Poisoning Dogs

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY – PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN

**Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9, 2008 in Jefferson County Circuit Court. Please send comments before this date.

9/26/08: No Plea Deal For Poisoning Dogs
FOR A FORMATTED LETTER (WORD DOC), EMAIL: kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Easily modify letter. Copy/paste it into an email or print letter to fax or mail.

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FULL CONTACT INFORMATION. Sample letter follows.

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Jefferson County District Attorney Peter L. Deuel
Jefferson County Courthouse
75 SE C Street, Suite B / Madras, Oregon 97741
ph: 541-475-4452; fax: 541-475-4512
email: peter.deuel [at] co.jefferson.or.us

COPY COMMENTS TO:
Jefferson County Administrative Offices
66 SE D Street / Madras, Oregon 97741
ph: 541-475-2449; Fax: 541-475-4454.
Mike Ahern, Commissioner: Commissioner [at] co.jefferson.or.us
John Hatfield, Commissioner: Commissioner [at] co.jefferson.or.us
Bill Bellamy, Chair: Commissioner [at] co.jefferson.or.us

Crooked River Ranch Administration Office
ph: 541-548-8939 or 800-637-5435; fax: 541-548-0278
email: info [at] crookedriverranch.com

*Kinship Circle cannot guarantee validity of email addresses. During campaigns, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. Emails from government, corporate, or institute websites may be incorrect.

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In the latest Dogs Deserve Better newsletter, PR Liason Dawn Ashby offers this special Halloween fundraising tip:

Trick or Treat for DDB!

If you and your children will be out “trick or treating” this year, have the kids create a donation box or bucket for Dogs Deserve Better. When knocking on doors ask the homeowner if he/she would like to donate to help dogs as you hold up the bucket and hand them a brochure.

Whoever raises the most money and sends it in will be the lucky recipient of a “Puddles Pak” for their own “Puddle’s Party”! Whether you knock on doors, have a party at school, visit relatives, have an alternative to trick or treating party at church, it’s a fun way to raise money and get brochures into the hands of people. Or just create your own donation bucket and ask the local gas station or convenience store if you can place it on the counter through the month of October.

If you are interested, please email kim [at] dogsdeservebetter.org and tell her how many brochures you will need along with your address. When donations are raised, send them to

DDB,
PO Box 23,
Tipton, PA 16684

with the amount raised and a picture/letter.

Now my mind is reeling with ideas I can put a costume on my dogs and take them “trick or treating” for donations! Be inventive and help raise money for the dogs.

Of course, this is also a great strategy to raise money for your favorite animal advocacy organization: dress up your dog or cat in her evening best (important note: only if she is amenable, and only if) to solicit donations for a local animal shelter or rescue group, or go full Halloween and dress her up as “farmed animal” in order to raise money for a farm animal sanctuary such as Farm Sanctuary or Woodstock FAS. Get creative – who can resist a cute mutt, hmmmm?

If you’ll be the one handing out candy this Hallow’s Eve, here’s another idea: order some vegetarian starter kits or recipe booklets to hand out to trick-or-treaters with your (vegan) Halloween candy. That way, the little ones are happy, and you get to distribute some free swag – from the comfort of your own home, even. Win/win!

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts Dogs Deserve Better ddb halloween trick or treat vegan veganism vegetarian vegetarianism starter kit everyday activism

This video has been making the rounds, but I thought I might post it here anyhow, as an example of a PETA ad campaign that I quite like. It’s brutal, truthful, powerful and moving. It addresses the animal, human and environmental casualties of leather and fur “production.” It does so without pornifying women or men, without relying on ageist or sizeist slurs, and does not single out a particular culture for their use of animal skins. It calls out speciesism without engaging in another “ism” while doing so. It’s evidence that PETA, with all its faults, is a varied organization that can (sometimes!) produce engaging campaigns. After all, a little props when they do get it right would be nice, no? Positive reinforcement, yes?

And yet…I have yet to see “Whose Skin Are You In?” featured on a non-veg*n blog as of this writing. Just, you know, making a note. *shrug*

You can sign the fur-free pledge and order “Fake for the Animals’ Sake” stickers here.

(Crossposted from.)

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts peta people for the ethical treatment of animals fur leather video whose skin are you in

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Subject: Horse/Cow Convoy; Displaced By Ike; Denham Springs Snapshot

KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK

www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters

GULF COAST HURRICANES 2008
9/25/08: Horse/Cow Convoy; Displaced By Ike; Denham Springs Snapshot

IN THIS ALERT:

1. 9/26 Convoy To Aid Horses And Cows After Ike
2. Galveston Area: Help The Doghouse Stay Open
3. Negligent “Caregivers” Look For Animals Left In Ike
4. Thank You! Denham Springs, LA Animal Shelter

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1. 9/26 Convoy To Aid Horses And Cows After Ike

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As happened during Katrina, Ike’s wrath has saturated pastures with saltwater. Cows were stranded on levees. Help and supplies are urgently needed to save these animals.

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Action Alerts

Audubon: Help Save Our Migratory Birds!
Each spring, millions of birds travel thousands of miles from Latin America and the Caribbean to their breeding grounds as far north as the Arctic. Months later, as the temperature drops and winter sets in, these migrants make the long trip back to warmer southern climates. These neotropical migrants face increasing threats—habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and a changing climate. Since its inception in 2002, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act has provided millions of dollars for vital conservation efforts, including monitoring efforts, habitat restoration, education, and other projects in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. But many essential conservation projects remain unfunded.

DawnWatch: PCRM’s Dr. Neal Barnard on Ellen on Monday 9/29/08
On Monday, September 29, [Ellen] is interviewing Dr Neal Barnard, the head of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine about his new book, “Breaking the Food Seduction: The Hidden Reasons Behind Food Cravings—and Seven Steps to End Them Naturally.”

DawnWatch: Wayne Pacelle and Prop 2 on Ellen tomorrow, Friday September 26, 2008
“Then, Wayne Pacelle, CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, will be here to discuss The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, an initiative that will appear on the California ballot in November. This issue is very dear to my heart, and I am delighted to help Wayne get the word out.”

DawnWatch: Pet friendly and unfriendly dorms and housing — USA Today and Biloxi Sun Herald 9/24/08
There is a pets-in-housing theme in the US newspapers, today, Wednesday, April 24. USA Today, the nation’s most widely distributed newspaper, includes an article about campuses allowing pets in dorms. But then the front page of Mississippi’s Biloxi Sun Herald complains of a lack of affordable housing that allows pets.

Ecological Internet / The Rainforest Portal: As Rainforest Action Network Prepares to “Revel”, What Has Become of Their Old Growth Forest Campaign?
There is no chance of achieving global ancient forest protection, climate stabilization and ecological sustainability until RAN and other ancient forest logging apologists follow Friends of the Earth in withdrawing from the Forest Stewardship Council and uniting to work to end ancient forest logging

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The Surfrider Foundation, who describes themselves as “a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches,” engaged in a fun guerrilla campaign to bring attention to the problem of litter and pollution, particularly as it affects the world’s oceans and waterways:

To put beach pollution into perspective, trash was collected from various beaches, packaged it to look like seafood and displayed it at local farmers’ markets. This is the print extension for those who couldn’t actually make it to the market.

(Description and photos via Ads of the World.)

I actually kind of dig the idea and print campaign; they filled Styrofoam food packages with trash such as cigarette butts, plastic doohickeys, rusted cans and (ew!) “used” condoms:

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