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Life Arts    H3'ed 3/8/12

Unjust Ag Gag Legislation

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Message Suzana Megles
 
Today I am very sad that Ohio has lost a voice for the animals and people in general.  Because of the gerrymandering policies of a Republican legislature, part of Dennis Kucinich 10th district (mine) has been absorbed into Marcy Kaptur's 9th.  Sadly she probably won the election because of this, and as a result, the people of Ohio have lost a voice- not only for their own needs, but for those of  suffering animals as well.  Dennis scored 100 per cent on the HSUS Humane Scoreboard and Marcy Kaptur scored 38 percent. 
 
I never even had to ask Dennis to endorse compassionate legislation for the animals. He just always did.  I believe that now -writing Kaptur in behalf of animal welfare will be a lesson in futility, as it has been in writing Republican Senator Rob Portman who never replies to any of my e-mails in their regard. For me he is a clone of former Senator George Voinovich who also completely disregarded my concerns for the animals.   We are both Catholic but oh so so different in our views re God's animal creation and how they should be treated.
 
Dennis also championed saving Social Security and Medicare, and I believe some of Kaptur's stances in this regard were either weak or non-existent. Dennis is also a man of peace.  Sadly we didn't listen to him when Bush/Cheney dragged us into a war with Iraq which caused us to lose way too may precious lives of our soldiers as well as being a financial drain on our economy.  We could have used those billions of dollars today to pay off our national deficit debt-but thanx to the Republican war hawks we can't.  
 
Now I'm concerned that we have lost a powerful voice in Congress which may have been instrumental in quashing the AG GAG laws should this become a federal issue.  Right now it belongs to the states to pass these unfair laws should they choose.  Iowa has the distinction of being the first to do so.  Now in Iowa it is a crime to whistleblow cruelty on CAFO entitites.  
 
From Animal Legal Defense I read this chilling and frightening account which any decent person will read with horror: 
 
"She is nameless.  Only a yellow plastic tag piercing her ear identifies her as "5489." A dairy farm worker brutally hits her over the head with a metal pipe. Then again, and again.  She lets out a heart wrenching scream and falls to the ground.  He repeatedly kicks her in the head as she struggles to stand.  She bellows in pain, but the abuse doesn't stop."
 
If you do not feel anger at this totally brutal person and compassion for this poor innocent cow or calf, than you belong to the same group  of legislators who last week passed a law in Iowa which would make it illegal to photograph or videotape animal cruelty at agricultural facilites, and even in some cases to possess or distribute such evidence.     
 
I  am deeply ashamed of legislators who would make it a crime to bear witness to animal cruelty whose sole purpose is to expose and stop it.  Those persons of such moral depravity should be removed from any contact with animals. What has happened to our sense of justice when cruelty is defended and compassion is punished?  
 
That short  little paragraph of Animal Legal Defense pictures an occasion of animal cruelty which people of compassion should never forget.  I personally find  it increasingly hard to believe in an America where it is a crime to videotape animal cruelty and be punished if caught, while ignoring the perpetrators of such horrible animal cruelty - allowing them to go unpunished and continue to harm other innocent animals.
 
I would cringe if I saw someone striking so cruelly my cats,  bunny, and the wonderful dogs I've had in the past.  T he pain is the same for me as witnessing someone striking a poor defenseless cow, goat, horse or other animal.
 
I pray to God that no other state will follow Iowa in such a cruel, demeaning law which says that farm animal suffering is of no consequence to Iowans.  I also hope and pray that the majority of Iowans will be incensed at this cruel law and lobby for its dismissal.       
 
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I have been concerned about animal suffering ever since
I received my first puppy Peaches in 1975. She made me take a good look at the animal kingdom and I was shocked to see how badly we treat so many animals. At 77, I've been a vegan for the (more...)
 
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