here are examples of how big business and animal exploitation groups coerce government into doing things for them. this matter of course isn't restricted to animals of course - people get exploited through the same mechanism.
if you support big business, be prepared to be exploited like any commodity they sell.
however, city hall can not only be fought - it can be changed:
if you want your country/state/city back, you're going to have to fight for it ... or you'll lose.
in friendship,
prad
Permalink Reply by pradtf on this is from jeff nelson of www.vegsource.com
Florida law would make it a felony to photograph factory farms
text copied below.
in friendship,
prad
====
About ten years ago while driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco along Interstate 5, we stopped and took some photographs of the Harris Ranch, a huge feedlot operation which provides a lot of meat for California fast food outlets.
We were on a public street, and pulled over and took several shots. (Link at end of article below to original story and photos.)
While taking the shots, a small dark sedan pulled up behind us and parked. The man in the vehicle didn't get out, just watched us.
A few days later, I received a phone message from a detective in the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, wishing to speak with me. I called him back, and "Special Detective Asselin" told me Harris Ranch had reported my license plate and said I had been engaged in "suspicious activity," and he said that on viewing my website, he noticed I was somehow associated with an organization called Earthsave.
After questioning me about Vegsource, Earthsave and why I was taking photographs of what must be the single largest taxpayer in Fresno County (i.e. someone the Fresno County Sheriff's office obviously feels it must keep happy), I guess Detective Asselin was satisfied that I wasn't planning to try to blow something up.
That was the old days...the cops looking out for big corporate farms, harassing people who took photos of the operation.
Today in Florda they're taking it a step further.
A new law SB1246 has been introduced which will make it a felony to do what I did, to simply be on a public street and take a photo of a factory farm, unless you have written permission of the corporation whose farm you snap.
That's right, if Republican state Senator Jim Norman of Florida has his way, it will be a felony to photograph from public property or even set foot onto a factory farm -- and not just any felony, but a first-degree felony, which carries a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison.
So any citizen who might snap a shot from their car while driving past a factory farm, would be viewed as a murderer or rapist under the new law. They just commited a "life felony." (The maximum would be 30 years, mandatory minimum 25.)
And again, it also makes it a first-degree felony if you simply trespass on a factory farm, without written consent.
Here is what the law, proposed by Florida Republican Senator Norman:
(1) A person who enters onto a farm or other property where legitimate agriculture operations are being conducted without the written consent of the owner, or an authorized representative of the owner, commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, Florida Statutes.
(2) A person who photographs, video records, or otherwise produces images or pictorial records, digital or otherwise, at or of a farm or other property where legitimate agriculture operations are being conducted without the written consent of the owner, or an authorized representative of the owner, commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, Florida Statutes.
(3) As used in this section, the term “farm” includes any tract of land cultivated for the purpose of agricultural production, the raising and breeding of domestic animals, or the storage of a commodity.
Note that subsection 2 is independent of subsection 1 — photographing farms would be made a felony even if the photographer isn’t trespassing (for instance, because he’s on a public road, or lawfully on neighboring property). And not just any felony — a first-degree felony, which is the highest degree felony other than capital crimes and “life felonies” (which carry a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison). The precise term of imprisonment would be dictated by the Florida Sentencing Guidelines, but the maximum would be 30 years.
Plus subsection 1 has problems of its own. First, it makes simple trespasses into serious felonies. Second, it covers even behavior that isn’t trespassing, because it covers visits that are based on oral permission (e.g., going to a party at somebody’s farm), and visits that would generally be seen as implicitly permitted or otherwise nontrespassory (e.g., stopping at someone’s farm to ask for directions, or to sell Girl Scout cookies). And of course this law protects puppy mills from being photographed in any way.
It would seem this should be a First Amendment issue which Florida would have a hard time making stick, though some people could spend a long time in jail while a group like the ACLU worked to have it overturned.
Still, you look at the number of freedoms taken away by the Patriot Act and Homeland Security, and it's not such an illogical next step.
Here is a link to the original story from 10 years ago, when we were investigated and interrogated for simply snapping some shots of a factory farm from the side of a public road: A "Tail" of Harris Ranch photos
Permalink Reply by pradtf on here is a thread by gio on this issue specifically:
Two US states move to outlaw unauthorized photos of farming operations
in friendship,
prad
Permalink Reply by pradtf on Permalink Reply by pradtf on ooops! make that one other!
the effort failed in minnesota from this report by bigG:
minnesota investigation ban is dead
in friendship,
prad
Permalink Reply by pradtf on this is from sarah west of www.cfawr.org
Canada Revenue Agency moves to Muzzle Charities
below is a letter you can send to
consultation-policy-politique@cra-arc.gc.ca
pm@pm.gc.ca
in friendship,
prad
As an active volunteer with our local SPCA, it was with absolute shock and
horror that I read that tax exemptions of most animal advocacy groups will be
revoked. Apparently “an activity or purpose is only charitable when it
provides a benefit to humans”. Any organization that polices cruel
vivisection practices, or wishes to keep an eye on slaughterhouses, or even
disagrees with any government policy considering the treatment of wild or
domestic animals, will be subject to penalties.
This would allow many barbaric practices to continue without scrutiny. It is
a step backward for civilization. Perhaps you are unaware of the implications
of such actions. Cruelty towards those who are weaker and less able to defend
themselves is easily escalated to society’s weakest members, including women
and children. Many of the nation’s serial killers started their career by
disregarding the pain they caused to animals. By not enforcing cruelty laws,
or allowing animal charities tax free status so that they can expose
unconscionable acts of cruelty, you are condoning this depraved behavior.
Your department should be aware of public opinion, which is becoming less
tolerant of crimes against animals. It would be unconscionable to not
recognize human activities that are insensitive to the suffering of living
creatures. Would Canada want to be world renown for displaying so little
compassion to those who are weak or have no voice? It is time that people
were educated to realize that animals feel pain and fear. Only the very
basest of human beings are incapable of recognizing this. I hope that you
will use your position to recognize the valuable service that animal charities
provide.
Permalink Reply by pradtf on just received this good news from super activist lane ferrante who heads up league of humane voters ohio.
she fought and she won!
anthony denicola is a deer exterminator and has been hired by various city clowncils to do the murdering. lane with the help of steve hindi (www.sharkonline.org) worked to stop him. here is an update on the shark website regarding prior activities:
http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000432
see text below.
lane just doesn't quit! here's more of her initiatives locally.
in friendship,
prad
====
Hello Friends,
Last November when I called upon you for help to contact the city of Hudson OH
to tell them about Anthony DeNicola and why conducting mass deer slaughter
would not work all of you responded immediately by sending emails to the
council, city mgr and mayor.
IT WORKED
Not only did they decide not to contract with De nicola but they had him
investigated!! Without all of you that never would have happened.
I am asking for your help again. At last week's work session it was
unanimously decided that bow hunting should be passed. The first reading will
be May 4th. This councils' Achilles heel is their sensitivity to their fine
reputation. Hudson is a wealthy, quaint, historic town which resembles
Stepford exactly. Unlike most towns, they do care about what outsiders think
and say and that's why I'm calling upon you again to send emails telling them
why they should not allow bow hunting and to focus your message not only on
the horrors of bow hunting but that their fine reputation and respectability
is on the line. Your emails will make a difference and your help once again
is greatly appreciated.
Permalink Reply by Chris P. on Permalink Reply by pradtf on it's funny what happens to constitutional rights when money and convenience come up.
in friendship,
prad
Permalink Reply by Chris P. on You've got that right!
I don't know if I'm just going bonkers myself, maybe I'm turning into a cranky old codger, but it seems to me that decisions being made by "leaders" these days are more and more ill-conceived, transparently greedy, not forward thinking, and just downright stupid.
I've been trying not to watch news because I get worked up in a negative way when I see so much stupidity (IMO), so I am glad to see the things I care about , such as what you post. I also read Google News now and then to see if I need to take action, write letters, make calls, etc for particularly heinous things.
Permalink Reply by pradtf on it is good you've put the word "leaders" in quotes.
at one time people in power really were leaders - much like elders. they got to their position through acquiring respect for their integrity and were trusted for their judgment.
these days politics is nothing more than a money game. politicians abound and do things for money during and after their term. there are exceptions of course, but the honor has long gone from what should be a reputable and lofty profession.
in friendship,
prad
Permalink Reply by pradtf on ok this bit about filming is all over now and city hall has lost!
read this item from peta:
http://www2.peta.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=82298.0&printer_f...
(text copied below but you won't get the links unless you click the above one)
in friendship,
prad
====
We are thrilled to announce that today, after bills that would have
criminalized the filming of cruelty to animals on factory farms died in Florida
and Minnesota, similar bills in Iowa (H.F. 589) and New York (S. 5172) have
also officially died despite aggressive attempts by the meat industry to push
them through! This news comes after months of PETA cross-country campaigning
against the bills. Among other actions taken, Republican strategist Mary
Matalin personally appealed on PETA's behalf to every Republican representative
in Iowa where the GOP-backed bill was closest to passing; Iowa native Cloris
Leachman called on legislators in her home state to reject the bill, which made
Iowa look like it had something to hide; PETA visited each state capital and
met with legislators; and thousands of PETA members and supporters expressed
their outrage against the bills. This is a victory for animals and will protect
undercover investigative work in these states that is crucial to exposing
cruelty.
These pieces of legislation were desperate attempts by agriculture-industry
giants to prevent consumers from learning the truth about how animals on
factory farms suffer and die. Citizens' right to document cruelty to
animals?wherever it occurs?is crucial to helping local, state, and federal
officials enforce anti-cruelty and other animal-protection laws. With the
failure of these bills, we can continue to conduct undercover investigations,
such as our 2008 investigation of an Iowa Hormel supplier, which found that
workers were beating and sexually abusing pigs, to uncover cruelty and ensure
that the abusers are held accountable.
Thank you again for your help in making this possible.
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