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Issue
189 - April 3, 2002
| Farm Bill Update: Keep the Animal Fighting
Provision Intact |
| Cockfighting and dogfighting are gruesome and
barbaric activities, and citizen interest in cracking down on
individuals involved in these spectacles has prompted Congress
(during consideration of their respective Farm bills) to adopt
amendments to the Animal Welfare Act to ban interstate
shipment or exports of birds or dogs for fighting. The
amendments call for felony level penalties for people who
violate federal animal fighting laws. U.S. Attorneys, who
would prosecute these cases, have stated that stiff penalties
are essential in justifying their involvement in these cases.
Cockfighting interests are lobbying to weaken core
provisions—including the felony level penalties—of the animal
fighting language in the House-Senate conference committee.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact the following key Conference
Committee members and ask them to "retain the felony penalty
provisions of the Farm Bill's animal fighting amendment."
- Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA): 202-224-2035 / Fax:
202-224-9287
- Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN): 202-224-2035 (same number
as Harkin's) / Fax: 202-224-1725
- Representative Larry Combest (R-TX): 202-225-2171 / Fax:
202-225-0917
- Representative Charles Stenholm (D-TX): 202-225-0317/
Fax: 202-225-8510
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| Final Chance for Justice in Alabama |
| In August 2000, just weeks after Alabama
Governor Don Siegelman signed a new felony animal cruelty bill
into law, Will Robinson reportedly shot and set the family dog
on fire in front of several witnesses, including his own
children. The cruelty was so blatant, and the lack of
subsequent prosecution so appalling, that we have issued
several alerts asking for your help in bringing this case to
trial. As our final plea to see justice done, we are asking
for one last round of letters to Governor Siegelman, urging
him to use his powers to make sure this case is brought before
the next Winston County Grand Jury, set to convene on April
15th. As one of the champions of Alabama's felony cruelty law,
Governor Siegelman's voice is particularly important in
bringing this case to justice. The Robinson case was the first
case to be tested under Alabama's felony animal cruelty law,
and if it continues to be ignored, it will set a bad precedent
for other crimes against animals in Alabama.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Please thank Governor Siegelman for his
past support of efforts to prosecute the Will Robinson case,
and let him know that now more than ever, his further support
is needed to bring this case before the next Winston County
Grand Jury. Time is short, so phone calls and faxes are best!
Send your letters to:
The Honorable Don Siegelman
State Capitol
Suite.
N-404
600 Dexter Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-7100
Fax: 334-242-0937
E-mail: http://www.governor.state.al.us/office/email/email.html
Please also cc the Winston County District Attorney:
Winston County District Attorney John Jackson
Bostick
P.O. Box 211
Double Springs, AL
35553
205-489-2235
Fax: 205-489-5660
E-mail: dabostic@sonet.net |
| Ask Bush To Take a Stand Against
Whaling |
| In 1986, the International Whaling Commission
(IWC) imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling, after
decades of relentless hunting of whales pushed many species to
the brink of extinction. While the majority of the IWC
countries, including the U.S., have worked to maintain this
moratorium, Japan has continuously flouted IWC rules by
killing whales under the guise of "science." This year, Japan
elevated its assault on whales by expanding the parameters of
this "scientific" whaling to include yet another endangered
whale species. It also entered into a new agreement to trade
in whale meat with Norway, also a rogue whaling nation. Even
though these actions defy international rules, the last four
U.S. Administrations have failed to follow through on threats
to levy trade sanctions against Japan for its illegal
activities.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact President Bush and ask him to
take action to save the world's remaining whales by finally
imposing trade sanctions against Japan as long as it insists
on killing whales. Let him know that not only would such
sanctions NOT violate the World Trade Organization rules, they
would show the American people that the Bush Administration
takes seriously the plight of the world's whales.
The Honorable George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW
Washington, DC 20500
202-456-1414 (switchboard) or
202-456-1111 (comments)
Fax: 202-456-2461
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov | |
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