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AETA – Where Do We Go from Here?

Source: Equal Justice Alliance

Dear fellow animal activist,

As you are well aware by now, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA, S. 3880) passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent in September. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives on November 13th because we were outmaneuvered by the Republican leadership of the House Judiciary Committee. And now the bill has been signed into law by President Bush. We appreciate your massive outpouring of e-mails and phone calls to Congress. We learned valuable lessons from our lobbying experience. For us, this is a new beginning.

What We Are Doing

We have resolved that Equal Justice Alliance must continue its mission along three tracks:

* To protect equal justice and freedom of speech for animal and other social justice advocates by working to repeal AETA and to prevent future repressive legislation;

* To provide an alternative Congressional watchdog function;

* To promote an atmosphere of respect for animal advocacy within Congress and Justice Department.

We plan to pursue three ways of neutralizing AETA:

* By convincing federal district attorneys not to prosecute under AETA because the law is too broad and vague to make it through the courts;

* By convincing federal courts to dismiss a test case because the law is too broad and vague;

* By convincing Congress that the law is unworkable, unconstitutional, and should be repealed.

These are our projected tasks:

* Establish friendly relations with key legislators, Justice personnel, and defenders of civil liberties.

* Work with bar associations to obtain their support.

* Place favorable stories in the media.

* Develop talking points for contacting your senators and representative to begin the repeal process.

* Plan a major national conference next summer in Los Angeles to promote repeal.

* Compile guidelines for operating in the face of AETA.

* Compile a record of discriminatory enforcement of AETA.

* Ask animal rights and other social justice advocacy groups and individuals to join our effort.

What’s wrong with AETA

Here is a quick summary of the key flaws of AETA, with more details in the section on Why Oppose:

* It was passed by a voice vote of only five Representatives as a non-controversial bill.

* It is excessively broad and vague.

* It imposes disproportionately harsh penalties.

* It effectively brands animal advocates as ‘terrorists’ and denies them equal protection.

* It effectively brands civil disobedience as ‘terrorism’ and imposes severe penalties.

* It has a chilling effect on all forms of protest by endangering free speech and assembly.

* It interferes with investigation of animal enterprises that violate federal laws.

* It detracts from prosecution of real terrorism against the American people.

What You Can Do

Clearly, we can not take on this ambitious challenge without your active and continuing support. We need your help in three specific areas:

* Keep the issue alive among Members of Congress by contacting your two senators and representative periodically, using the arguments on our website, which expand on the talking points listed above.

* Report to us any cases of prosecution of social justice groups. This will help us to demonstrate that AETA enforcement discriminates against animal activists.

* Send a generous contribution to FARM – EJA to help fund this ambitious, crucial campaign. In addition to online giving, checks can be mailed to FARM – EJA, 10101 Ashburton Lane, Bethesda MD 20817, or call us at 800-632-8688 to donate by phone.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts equal+justice+alliance free+speech first+amendment censorship aeta Animal+Enterprise+Terrorism+Act terrorism animal+terrorism eco-terrorism activism advocacy

Over 160 animal welfare/rights and other progressive organizations oppose AETA, including the ACLU. If AETA becomes law, there’s no doubt that it will be challenged in the courts, wasting valuable taxpayer money. Explain this to your Rep. If you voted for her last Tuesday, tell her why: did she receive the endorsement of Humane USA, the Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF), the League of Humane Voters, the Sierra Club, and/or the League of Conservation Voters – all animal rights/welfare and environmental groups that could be labeled “terrorists” under AETA? If you voted for your Rep. because she’s been an ally of activists groups in the past, AETA would undermine her (and your) progressive politics. Tell her so! On the flip side, if your Rep. overwhelmingly sides with Big Business (and their corporate abuses), then remind her that Americans voted last week – and we voted for change! Citizens are sick and tired of politics as usual, and those politicians with little regard for average Americans are on their way out. Remind your Rep. that she’d better get with the times, or prepare to be voted out next election cycle!

Past action alerts concerning AETA are available here. Many, such as those from No AETA.com, the PCRM, Kinship Circle, and NAVS, contain sample letters to get you started. Please personalize these (with some of the points raised above, as well as your own thoughts) to double your impact. Talking points also abound, should you wish to phone your Rep. (Try to do both if possible.) Finally, please pass this along to your friends, family, and fellow activists. AETA may single out “animal terrorism,” but it affects activists everywhere.

The Equal Justice Alliance is lobbying against AETA today from 10 AM to 2 PM EST. Details are available here: www.noaeta.org/lobby.htm:

Meet at the Longworth House Office Building at Independence Ave and C Street, SE (orange map icon ).

Meet in the cafeteria between 10am and 2pm for lobbying materials and instructions. Please dress conservatively. Capitol South Metro (blue and orange lines) is closest metro. Click here for metro map.

Call FARM/Equal Justice Alliance at 800-632-8688 for details, or call Dawn Moncrief onsite at 202-468-4834.

Please consider joining them if you’re in the area – and stay tuned to www.noaeta.org for breaking news.

Inspirational artwork after the jump.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts aeta Animal+Enterprise+Terrorism+Act free+speech terrorism animal+terrorism eco-terrorism censorship

Please forward immediately & widely — (online version)

BREAKING NEWS
Action Alert — House Vote on AETA this Monday!

This is your ONLY chance to defeat the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (HR 4239, S3880)!

In a late night move on Friday, AETA was added to the House Suspension Calendar for THIS Monday! This underhanded fast-track maneuver, like the one in the Senate, means that AETA will not have any debate… only an up/down vote.

Contact your Representative this weekend and Monday morning!

Identify your House Rep: name, fax, e-mail, and phone number at www.house.gov.
Then, use our sample letter and/or the talking points below to…

Be a triple hitter for the animals:

1. Call direct or use the switchboard 202-225-3121

2. Fax

3. E-mail

Remember, all contact info is at www.house.gov.

Talking Points!

“As your constituent, I strongly urge you to: (1) vote NO on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (HR4239, S 3880), which is currently on the suspension calendar for 11/13 to be voted on Monday after 6:30pm, and (2) to contact Rep. Sensenbrenner to remove the bill from the suspension calendar. The measure is much too important to pass without discussion.”

The bill must be opposed for the following reasons:

* AETA is opposed by more than 130 animal protection, social justice, and civil liberty organizations including: National Lawyers Guild, Humane Society of the U.S., ASPCA, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the League of Humane Voters. Click here for opposition list.

* AETA deserves a hearing to afford its many opponents a voice.

* AETA denies equal protection under the law and limits freedom of speech and assembly.

* AETA unfairly brands as ‘terrorists’ nonviolent animal protection advocates.

* AETA unfairly brands as ‘terrorism’ nonviolent civil disobedience and undercover investigations.

* AETA invokes excessively harsh penalties for comparable offenses.

* AETA is excessively broad and vague by covering innocent parties.

* AETA may authorize unwarranted wiretapping of animal protection advocates.

* AETA has a chilling effect on all forms of social justice and life affirming advocacy.

* AETA interferes with prosecution of real terrorism against the American people.

Join Us for the Anti-AETA Lobby Day on Monday!

Please join us in Washington, DC for an emergency Anti-AETA Lobby Day on Monday, November 13, starting at 10 am. Please dress conservatively. The details will be announced on NoAETA.org by Monday morning. You can also call 800-632-8688 or 202-468-4834.

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This alert is sponsored by the Equal Justice Alliance, a national coalition of social advocacy organizations preserving free speech and equal treatment under the law by defeating AETA. Details at 800-632-8688.

Thank you and please forward widely and immediately!

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with more than 85,000 members and supporters dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by protecting their rights and welfare. IDA’s efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts, grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through our sanctuaries in Mississippi and Cameroon, Africa.

In Defense of Animals 3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, California 94901 – P: (415) 388-9641 F: (415) 388-0388

email: ida [at] idausa.org

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts aeta Animal+Enterprise+Terrorism+Act free+speech terrorism animal+terrorism eco-terrorism censorship in+defense+of+animals ida