On Monday, May 13th, 2013,
Tennessee Republican Governor, Bill Haslam elected to veto the Tennessee legislation known
as the Animal Abuse Reporting bill (HB 1191/S 1248) under the guise that the
current wording of the legislation needs to be reworked to avoid constitutional
challenges.
While I want to give Governor Haslam the
benefit of the doubt, what was really at work here was an over the top effort
by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights
activists to pressure Governor Haslam into submission. Although there were many
non-Tennessean’s such as singer Carrie Underwood and celebrity Ellen DeGeneres
who were involved in this effort, HSUS, the self appointed arbitrator of animal
welfare, is the loudest of the voices who regularly manipulate the facts and,
in many cases, lie to support their ideological view.
While they claim the mantle of free speech,
those who don’t agree are ignored or told to shut up. Unfortunately, this
particular subject matter has serious consequences which ruins lives and
businesses while throwing the 4th, 5th and 14th
Constitutional Rights of American citizens out the window.
In this recent instance, HSUS has used every
dishonest tactic available to them to pressure Governor Haslam to veto this
legislation passed by the Tennessee legislature to protect animals from abuse,
while also protecting the Constitutional and private property rights of
citizens. The legislation, fraudulently labeled by HSUS as the “Ag Gag
Bill” was a response to abuses perpetrated by HSUS and other animal rights
extremists attacking animal owners, animal related businesses, and animal
agriculture around the country.
HSUS targets animal owners and businesses,
illegally gathers or manufactures evidence of supposed “animal cruelty,” while
manipulating prosecutors and judges to obtain search warrants and/or seizure
warrants against private citizens or companies. The subjects of
most cases are law abiding citizens caught unprepared in a cruel web of
accusations, and without legal representation or the funds to defend
themselves.
HSUS takes weeks or months, and sometimes
years to plan out these actions to create the biggest spectacle with the real
intent of raising money from the process while destroying their target. The
target is then blanketed in the media as an “animal abuser,” ruining their
reputation and business before having their day in court. Overwhelmed by
the process and the cost, some cop pleas to lesser charges, but those who have
fought back have, in most cases, had charges dismissed.
Unfortunately however, their lives and businesses are already destroyed, and
their private property (animals) have been euthanized, sold off, or have
disappeared without a trace.
Case in point, HSUS issued a press release
last week claiming that the Tennessee Walking Horse industry required HSUS to
police their industry with lengthy undercover investigations. To support
that claim, HSUS produced a lengthy evaluation of the inspection results from
the Super Bowl of the Tennessee walking horse industry, the 2012 Celebration
intended to provide evidence for the need for HSUS’s ongoing investigations
claiming that 76% of the horses were found in violation of the rules. As
typical of HSUS, they again manipulated the facts and fabricated information to
make their point.
The actual USDA inspection results present a
much different picture with actual violations issued to only 9% of
the participants rather than the 76% that HSUS would like you to believe.
To further pressure Governor Haslam, HSUS and former HSUS employees (now
working at USDA) orchestrated a surprise attack on a facility owned by high
profile Tennessee walking horse trainer, Larry Wheelon, who has been targeted
for years by animal rights activists.
The legally questionable search and
subsequent seizure of 18 elite horses from the facility raises some serious
questions especially when some of the horses were immediately released to an
owner with ties to one of the animal rights groups involved in the
seizure. Notwithstanding the fabricated propaganda, Mr. Wheelon has been charged with only
one count of animal cruelty and legal sources close to the case expect the
charges to be dropped. Unfortunately, HSUS and cooperative media outlets
don’t care about Mr. Wheelon’s right to be considered innocent until proven
guilty. They have declared him guilty, and in addition to bullying
Tennessee lawmakers they are using this case to raise money for future HSUS
terrorist activities.
The Tennessee Animal Abuse Reporting Bill attacked
last week by HSUS would have required accusers to simply bring forth evidence
of animal cruelty to law enforcement within 48 hours to get law enforcement to
act. Common sense would require that if an animal is at risk, law
enforcement should be contacted immediately with the evidence to protect the
animal. I would think that HSUS would be in favor of such a law.
To further connect the dots, you may remember
that last year Pilot Travel Centers, owned by the Haslam
family, dropped their support of the Humane Society of the United States due to
HSUS’s attacks on animal enterprises and agriculture. It’s clear that
this correct change in corporate policy coupled with the Animal Abuse Reporting
Bill awaiting Haslam’s signature put the Governor in the cross hairs of HSUS’s
intimidation tactics.
Hopefully Tennessee lawmakers and Governor
Haslam will rise to the challenge and reinvigorate their efforts to pass
legislation to protect Tennessee citizens and businesses from those who want to
abuse due process, and private property rights under the guise of animal
welfare.
Mark Patterson is the CEO of The
Cavalry Group a private member based company
protecting and defending the Constitutional and private property
rights of law abiding animal owners, animal-related businesses,
sportsmen, and agriculture concerns legally, nationwide at the local,
state, and federal levels.
Thanks You..for telling the TRUTH about H$U$ and what is and has been going on in Tennessee.
ReplyDeleteH$U$ is an Evil, vile and corrupt business..that wants all Animal Agriculture Abolitished!
Amen. We must take back our constitutional rights in this country and the HSUS is nothing more than a mini terror organization.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he was embarrassed by that little soring incident.
ReplyDelete