Action Alerts

Best Friends: Texas Residents: Innocent Dogs At Risk In Your State!
“To Texas Residents Only: Call your state legislators today to oppose House Bill (H.B.) 925! Representative Harold Dutton has introduced a breed discriminatory bill that will make it a Class C misdemeanor if the owner of a pit bull-type dog allows a minor under the age of 15 to handle or care for the dog without adult supervision.”

Kinship Circle: 2/6/09: Coyote Solution: Kill Them All?
“Despite stating it knows of “no instances in which coyotes…have acted aggressively toward visitors or staff,” The Huntington maintains a “coyote abatement program,” paying a private trapper to snare and kill coyotes on its property… This winter a security guard was allegedly fired after attempting to free a coyote trapped in a snare. He was so disturbed by the coyote’s suffering that he filmed it…” – Camilla Fox, Project Coyote Director

Peace Action West: The nuclear weapons complex does not need economic stimulus
“Does the nuclear weapons complex need economic stimulus? I don’t think so. But amidst the billions of dollars for good things like creating jobs and investment in infrastructure is $1 billion in funding for nuclear weapons. It’s all part of the economic stimulus plan. The Senate could vote today on the economic stimulus plan, and I need you to tell them to cut the nuclear pork.”

PETA: Ask Armani to Drop Fur in Time for the Oscars
“Oscar nominations have just been announced, which means that Armani Executive Vice President Wanda McDaniel will be trying to get Armani’s designs on celebrities who will be walking the red carpet. We need you to speak up for animals by asking Armani to drop fur immediately to help ensure that this year will be a fur-free Academy Awards ceremony. Even if you have already taken action before in behalf of rabbits destined to be killed for Armani’s designs, it’s important that you send a strong message again during this popular time for high-end fashion.”

PETA: Demand Jail Time for Dolphin Bomber
“Garry Alvin Key of Panama City, Fla., recently pleaded guilty to a two-count federal indictment for throwing homemade pipe bombs at dolphins to scare the animals away from fishing lines. Although Key’s actions are reprehensible, they unfortunately are most likely not uncommon. Accusations abound of fishers who use violent and illegal methods of dealing with dolphins, sea lions, and other sea animals. Key is scheduled for sentencing on March 25. His case calls for the stiffest penalty possible, as it will serve not only as punishment for Key’s cruel actions but also as a deterrent to others who would perpetrate similar atrocities against wildlife.”

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Action Alerts

Alaska Wilderness League: Revoke Bush’s Plan to Drill in ‘Polar Bear Seas’
“The icy waters of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, north of Alaska, are home to 20 percent of the world’s remaining polar bear population. Thanks to George Bush, these waters might also become home to a massive and dangerous network of oil rigs and pipelines. On his way out of Washington, Bush proposed the largest block yet of Arctic Ocean waters for drilling – right in the heart of threatened polar bear habitat. Oil spills are a certainty in that harsh climate and no technology exists to clean them up. Drilling is simply not worth it.”

American Rivers: RiverAlert: Help Us Designate 86 New Wild and Scenic Rivers
“A few weeks ago, our eActivists helped us get legislation passed in the Senate to protect more than 80 new Wild and Scenic Rivers — sending more than 1,500 letters urging Senators to vote for the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. Now we need your help again, this time with the U.S. House of Representatives. Next week the House will vote on a package of bills that include Wild and Scenic designations for 86 rivers. The bill would safeguard more than 270,000 acres along more than 1,100 miles of rivers, including the Snake Headwaters in Wyoming, rivers in the Owyhee River basin in Idaho, and rivers flowing off of Mt. Hood in Oregon. Only once before in history has Congress protected more rivers at one time under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers System.”

Kelly’s note: As always, if you choose to use the sample letter provided by American Rivers, please remove the following phrase in paragraph #2: “fantastic hunting, fishing and boating recreation.”

Ecological Internet / Forests .org: Action Alert: Support Finnish NGOs in Their Fight for Lapland’s Ancient Forests
“Protest Finnish timber giant Stora Enso and the government profiting from destroying Finland’s last ancient forests. Let them know Finland and the World’s old-growth must be protected and restored to sustain the Earth’s biosphere and ecosystem processes including climate, water and biodiversity.”

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Time to Act on ACTA: Tell Congress to Open the Secret IP Pact
“Despite the new administration’s policy of openness, the Anti-Counterfeiting Copyright Agreement (ACTA) still remains shrouded in secrecy. But language leaked from the negotiations reveal that it threatens to shift the balance of copyright law across the world, with little or no oversight from lawmakers. ACTA is currently being negotiated between the US, Europe and other states, including Japan, Australia, and Canada. It reaches a fifth round of deliberations in Morocco next month. Some expect the document to be ready for signing by then. Even though the process has taken over a year to reach this stage, the entire negotiation has been kept secret from the public.”

Environmental Defense: Urgent Alert: Oppose Sinister Barrasso Amendment
“We need your urgent help to oppose the sinister Barrasso amendment to the Senate stimulus bill. If it passes, the Barrasso amendment would waive America’s core environmental law, the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), for all projects funded by the economic stimulus. NEPA is the law that ensures that individuals and communities that may be harmed by major federal actions have advance notice of the project, an opportunity to comment, and information about the impacts of the proposed project and alternatives to it.”

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Via the Center for Food Safety:

Are you concerned about Factory Farms? Do you live near a Factory Farm, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFOs)? Are you concerned about the animal waste at animal feeding operations such as those located near your home? Did you know they commonly generate toxic gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide? Are you concerned about the negative impact that such toxic releases may have on your health and that of your family? Do you ever smell odors? Suffer health effects? Are you concerned about the farmer workers’ exposures while working in CAFOs? Do you think these agricultural operations should have to supply regulators and emergency state and local responders with their pollution information?

The Center for Food Safety has just become a party to an important lawsuit challenging a midnight rule change by the outgoing Bush Administration exempting CAFOs from our pollution laws. CFS needs your help!

Please respond ASAP to the True Food Network if you are interested in this issue and want to help in this important case. We need TFN members that:

* Live within a few miles of a CAFO or more than one, especially a small or medium size one
* Spend time outside in their yard, walking in their neighborhood, etc..

If you live near a CAFO and would consider speaking to us about our lawsuit, please email us at office [at] centerforfoodsafety.org with “CAFO” in the subject line.

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts center for food safety true food network cafo factory farms factory farming pollution epa lawsuit environment class action lawsuit meat food farmed animals

Okay, okay, last contest for today – promise!

I’ve blogged about the CNN Heroes project in years past. Whereas I was under the impression that it was a one-time contest (with a one-time sequel in ’08), it appears that CNN plans on holding the Heroes contest annually. You can nominate a Hero any time throughout the year; at least, until CNN selects the year’s finalists and opens up viewer voting. I was unable to find a definitive timeline on the Heroes website, but nominations for 2009 are now open.

The process is rather straightforward: simply fill out this form and submit it online. You’ll need to know your Hero personally, at least well enough to provide full contact info. There are a few essay-type questions as well, with a cumulative 500 word maximum.

Your Hero must belong to one of seven categories:

1. Championing Children — Commitment to the welfare of young people.
2. Community Crusader — Creating solutions to a local program or social issue.
3. Defending the Planet — Innovative efforts to preserve and protect the environment.
4. Everyday Superhero — Spontaneous acts of courage in the face of danger by members of the public.
5. Medical Marvel — Dedication to the enhancement of human health.
6. Protecting the Powerless — Advancing the cause of human or equal rights.
7. Young Wonder — Outstanding achievement by a person 25 and under.

An animal advocate might “fit” in several of these groups. For example, someone working to trap, neuter and release feral cats may be a “community crusader,” inasmuch as she is finding non-traditional solutions to a community problem (e.g., companion animal overpopulation and feral cats). Activists who focus on whale protection are “defending the planet.” “Medical Marvels” could include scientists or activists who use (or encourage the use of) humane research methods. And so on.

If you know someone who is working to better the world for non-human (and human) animals in 2009, share their story with CNN today. It’d be great to see one or more animal advocates make the cut in 2009! And keep checking back for updates – I’ll let y’all know when voting’s open for the 2009 finalists.

If you do nominate a Hero, drop us a line in the comments – I’d love to hear about him or her!

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts animal advocacy contest activism volunteerism cnn heroes cnn heroes

Nominations are open through March 5, 2009 for the Purpose Prize:

Launched in 2006 as the first Baby Boomers turned 60, The Purpose Prize is a major initiative investing in a new generation of social innovators – individuals in the second half of life who are marshaling their accumulated experience to tackle some of America’s most pressing problems.

Unlike any other major national award or fellowship, The Purpose Prize challenges prevailing perceptions by investing significantly in accomplished social innovators over the age of 60. Each year, up to six people who have demonstrated uncommon vision, determination and entrepreneurialism in addressing community, national and international problems win $100,000 each. A second group of innovators wins $10,000 each, and dozens more are named Purpose Prize Fellows.

All are making extraordinary contributions to society in their encore careers. Nominations for the 2009 Purpose Prize are open through March 5, 2009. For more information or to nominate someone (including yourself), go to purposeprize.org.

The Purpose Prize is sponsored by Encore Careers. To nominate yourself or a friend, acquaintance or loved one, go to www.encore.org/prize

As with the Public Citizen contest I blogged about, this is a great opportunity to put animal advocacy issues front and center. If you know someone over the age of 60 who includes animals in his or her circle of compassion and activism, nominate them for the Purpose Prize today!

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts animal advocacy contest encore careers Purpose Prize activism cash prize volunteerism

Public Citizen wants your photos! The group is running a photo contest through the month of February – show President Obama what issues matter to you, and you might make it onto the front page of Public Citizen’s newsletter or inspire a new action campaign.

Here’s the announcement, from their January 31st enewsletter:

Photo Contest: Get Out Those Cameras!

If you could tell the Obama administration what issues matter to you, what would you say? Would you call for greater government accountability? Would you ask the administration to ensure every American has health insurance? Or maybe you’d ask for safer prescription drugs. Whatever the message, Public Citizen wants to know!

Over the next month, we’ll be collecting YOUR photo submissions to feature on our Flickr page, in this newsletter and possibly in future online campaigns. So take a photo of yourself holding up a message of what you’d like to tell the new administration. It can be a word, a policy goal or an issue you think is crucial in America. Submit your photos to feedback [at] citizen.org. We’ll spotlight our favorites next month.

So what are you waiting for? Get out your camera today!

This is a great opportunity for animal advocates to have their voices heard. Veg lunch options? Repeal the AETA? Public assistance for companion animal guardians in need? Stricter (pet) food safety laws? Share your veg*n wish list with Public Citizen today!

My photo(s) forthcoming…

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts public citizen photo contest flickr barack obama animal advocacy

Action Alerts

Audubon: Historic Opportunity for Bird & Wildlife Habitat
“If we don’t act now, Congress could miss a historic opportunity to provide much needed funding to restore major ecosystems such as the Everglades, Long Island Sound, and Coastal Louisiana and to address the huge operations and maintenance backlog that is crippling the National Wildlife Refuge System—and put Americans back to work and help to put America’s economy back on track.”

Coal River Wind: Help save Coal River Mountain
“Coal River Mountain is slated for a 6,600-acre mountaintop removal site, but local residents have developed plans for a wind farm there instead. The wind farm would provide over a million dollars more in tax revenue per year than the mountaintop removal site, and would provide jobs and clean energy forever. Citizens have been working to convince West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin to support their plan for their community, but they’re running out of time. That’s why we need your help! You can join us by calling Gov. Manchin at 1-888-438-2731 and / or using our simple web form to email the governor. Tell him that West Virginia and the nation are ready for a clean energy future, and that he MUST Stop the Blasting! on Coal River Mountain.”

CREDO Action: How not to screw up the stimulus in five easy steps
“This week, the Senate will consider a mind-bogglingly large stimulus package – the latest figures put it somewhere in the neighborhood of $900 billion. Here at CREDO, we believe a stimulus package this large is necessary because our economy is in dire straits. But there is a right and a wrong way to stimulate the economy. Join us in asking the Senate not to screw up the stimulus in five easy steps. The Senate needs your help — so please add your own suggestion when you sign the petition.”

Democrats .com: Special Prosecutor for Bush War Crimes
“President Obama’s choice for Attorney General, Eric Holder, was confirmed by the Senate yesterday and sworn in today. In another proud historic first, Mr. Holder will be our first African American Attorney General. During his confirmation hearings, Mr. Holder declared unequivocally, “Waterboarding is torture.” This terrified Republicans because it means Holder must prosecute George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzales, and other top officials who authorized waterboarding and the rest of the “Bush System of Torture,” as Keith Olbermann calls it.”

Environmental Defense Fund: Urgent Alert: Oppose Wasteful Highway Funding Amendment
“The U.S. Senate is about to vote on an amendment to the stimulus bill that would add up to $50 billion more for surface transportation programs without safeguards to prioritize road repairs and better transit. This would lead to a massive highway system expansion that will spur sprawl, traffic and all the pollution and other environmental damages that come with it. The vote could come any moment. Please act now to oppose the Boxer-Inhofe amendment to the stimulus bill.”

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Action Alerts

American Rivers: Take Action to Create Green Jobs and Protect Clean Water
“Investments in green solutions will create jobs, save money, and protect public health and safety. Just last week the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the country’s water infrastructure a grade of D-, while also recommending a shift towards prioritizing sustainability, resilience, addressing life cycle costs and ongoing maintenance in infrastructure planning and design. It is now up to the Senate to make sure that we create plenty of jobs to protect rivers and water quality.”

Center for Biological Diversity: Tell President Obama: No New Coal-fired Plants
“Following a plan launched by the Bush administration, the Bureau of Land Management has just released environmental documents for the Ely Energy Center — a massive, coal-fired power plant proposed on public lands in Nevada that would emit 10.6 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year — and is now distributing the reports for public review and comment. Please let the Obama administration know that you oppose the Ely Energy Center and support the phaseout of all coal-fired power plants.”

DawnWatch: Ringling Brothers lawsuit in New York Times — 2/1/09
“Now a pivotal lawsuit in the world of animal, and particularly elephant, advocacy, which has been in the works for years, is set to begin this coming Wednesday, February 4. It is covered in today’s, Sunday February 1, New York Times. The article, by David Stout, is headed, ‘Suit Challenges Image of Circus Elephants as Willing Performers.’”

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Tell officials to put California’s devastated fisheries on the road to recovery
“California must repair the damage suffered by its native fish populations during eight years of neglect under the Bush administration. Urge the California Fish and Game Commission to protect the longfin smelt and delta smelt as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act.”

Kelly’s note: If you choose to use NRDC’s sample letter, you’ll need to some editing, as it’s oozing speciesism, e.g., the line about “depriving fishermen and fishing communities of their livelihood.”

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Tell state legislators and Gov. Schwarzenegger to pass a responsible budget [For California residents only!]
“Governor Schwarzenegger and Republican leaders continue to use our environmental laws and public transportation funding for leverage in state budget negotiations. The state budget could be finalized any day, so tell the governor and state legislators to uphold public health and environmental protections, and to maintain public transportation funding in the state budget.”

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Over at Change .org, Stephanie looks at some of the rank sexism and speciesism – both of which are played for laughs, natch – found in last night’s Super Bowl ads. We’re talking chimps in suits, simulated animal abuse, “exotic” “pets” and nagging, insufferable potato-headed women – and that’s just for starters. (For more feminist analysis, see Feministe and geekdad at Wired.)

Instead of adding to the pile – which is too easy, really – I’d like to single out a commercial that actually made me blub-smile: Budweiser’s Clydesdales / Circus ad:
 

 
In the ad, a dilapidated, run-down traveling circus sets up camp next to a pristine, idyllic pasture. Over a white picket fence, the eyes of two horses meet – love at first sight. On one side of divide is Daisy, the circus’s “show” horse; on the other, our hero Romeo, a [Budweiser] Clydesdale. The two horses run to one other – in cinematic slow motion – and embrace. Daisy and Romeo’s loving gazes and sweet nuzzles are rudely interrupted by the circus owner, who hauls poor Daisy off into a creaky old trailer, promptly kidnapping her off into the sunset, away from the distraught Romeo.

Set to strains of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Romeo sets out in search of his love, traversing meadows, rivers, cliffs – even golf courses and city streets thick with traffic. Once Romeo catches up to the circus, he bursts into the tent in which Daisy is performing. The circus owner catches Romeo’s eye and knows what’s coming; Daisy bucks her rider, and she and Romeo escape together, ripping through the canvas of the tent for extra-dramatic effect.

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In their latest link roundup, Vegan Soapbox includes not one, but two recent examples of intersecting oppressions in the news.

First up, in the AP, “Ohio dad who shock-collared kids gets 16 years“:

An Ohio man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for disciplining his children with a dog shock collar.

David Liskany of Jamestown had pleaded guilty to charges of felonious assault and attempted felonious assault.

In court Friday, Greene County Common Pleas Judge J. Timothy Campbell compared the punishments to torture.

The judge said Liskany punished the children in 2006 and 2007 by putting them in cold showers, holding them underwater and using the shock collar, which is commonly used to train dogs.

The judge said the case sounded “like something from Guantanamo Bay.”

The children are now 5, 12 and 14.

As Elaine noted, shock collars used on children constitute “felonious assault,” “Yet shock collars are OK for dogs!?!”

Honestly, this case should come as no surprise. When we (either collectively, as a society, or on an individual level) come to accept physical punishment as a legitimate training method for use on the family “pet” – an innocent, sentient being – should we be shocked (pun intended) when this form of training is extended to other, “lesser” members of the family? If it’s socially acceptable to shock a dog for doing what comes naturally – instead of employing gentler, more humane training methods – then how might we expect Dad to react when his young children act in a similarly “wild” or “disobedient” manner? We’ve already told Dad that violence is permissible, even preferable in some situations*; we’ve eliminated the taboo against inflicting unnecessary harm. If the cane is ok for “his dog,” why not “his children,” as well?

In the above paragraph, I use the term “lesser” deliberately, for – as far as the “traditional” nuclear family goes – Dad occupies his position at the apex, followed by Mom, the children and (finally) any non-human members of the household. Everyone is “lesser” from where Dad sits. Start abusing those lowest on the ladder, and it’s only a matter of time before the violence seeps upward.

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