States move to outlaw taping of animal abuses

[Judi Lynn]

Source: New York Times

States move to outlaw taping of animal abuses
The New York Times
Published Sunday, Apr. 07, 2013

On one covert video, farm workers illegally burn the ankles of Tennessee walking horses with chemicals. Another captures workers in Wyoming punching and kicking pigs and flinging piglets into the air. And at one of the country's largest egg suppliers, a video shows hens caged alongside rotting bird corpses, while workers burn and snap off the beaks of young chicks.

Each video – all shot by undercover animal rights activists – drew a swift response: Federal prosecutors in Tennessee charged the horse trainer and other workers, who have pleaded guilty, with violating the Horse Protection Act. Authorities in Wyoming charged nine farm employees with cruelty to animals. And the egg supplier, which operates in Iowa and other states, lost one of its biggest customers, McDonald's. But a dozen or so state legislatures have had a different reaction: They proposed or enacted bills that would make it illegal to covertly videotape livestock farms, or apply for a job at one without disclosing ties to animal rights groups. They have also drafted measures that would require such videos to be given to the authorities almost immediately, which activists say would thwart any meaningful investigation of large factory farms.

~snip~
Some of the legislation appears inspired by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a business advocacy group that in the past has drafted bills adopted by lawmakers for such things as "stand your ground" gun laws and tighter voter identification rules.

~snip~
Livestock companies say that their businesses have suffered financially from unfair videos that are less about protecting animals than persuading consumers to stop eating meat. Don Lehe, a Republican state representative in Indiana, said videos can cast farmers in a false light and give them little opportunity to correct the record.




Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/07/5322267/states-move-to-outlaw-taping-of.html

[life long demo]

1. Makes a lot of sense - NOT

Let's not punish those who are abusing animals, let's punish those who are trying to stop the abuse. Horrid. I hope this doesn't stop those good people who are trying to stop animal abuse.

[DeSwiss]

2. Here's an idea.....

...they should alter the animal abuse campaign this way:

''If they don't want anyone video-taping their cows then I suppose we can only conclude that these farms must be abusing the shit out of their animals, all with the aid and support of certain obviously compromised elected officials in your state legislature!!!!''

''They could even be having SEX with their cows and we would never, ever KNOW!!!''

''Don't buy from suspected potential cow SEX-ABUSERS.''

''BOYCOTT these abusers until they let us SEE what their doing!!!!''

- It could work.....

K&R

[In_The_Wind]

7. I agree!

[Phillip McCleod]

20. considering how sex-obsessed the right-wing is..

..it might just work!

nothing freaks out the squares like tacking the word "sex" onto something.

[krkaufman]

22. Who's the real victim, here?

[img][/img]

'They could even be having SEX with their cows and we would never, ever KNOW!!!''

''Don't buy from suspected potential cow SEX-ABUSERS.''

Can you really blame them? Elsie gussies up like that any you think she isn't asking for it?!? Just ridiculous.

[DeSwiss]

45. Why, the lil heifer! :-P n/t

[freshwest]

38. +1,000. An anti-bestiality campaign against the party that talks about it half the time!

[DeSwiss]

48. {Unspoken part: ''And doing it the other half!''}

- They even put the nuptials in the newspapers with pitchurs and everything now.....

[ck4829]

3. Yeah, that'll stop it. Just close your eyes, the Tea Party solution.

[meti57b]

4. "persuading consumers to stop eating meat" .... *is* a good way to protect animals.

[still_one]

10. That isn't going to happen. The best way is to bring this to the courts. How can they suppress

first amendment rights legally.

They also tried to suppress someone taking a video of a policeman beating someone. I just do not believe these tactics are legal.

[Nika]

35. They aren't legal, but they are willing to force people to test unconstitutional laws in the court..

.. system knowing it takes time and money to do so.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

43. ...and the environment.

I haven't eaten it in years and besides health and personal preference (taste) issues, this is a HUGE reason why - the abuse these animals suffer and the damage to the environment factory farming does.

[fasttense]

5. Well, the simple solution is to go in, videotape the abuses

then go to a state without stupid Koch Brother funded ALEC laws that prevent revealing abusive farmers. Release the videotaped crimes in a state without RepubliCON control.

I have sheep and chickens, you may come here anytime and videotape my animals. Especially in spring when the newborn lambs arrive.

[wtmusic]

9. .

[mtasselin]

6. KIDDING

You have got to be kidding, we will allow this shit to continue and then punish the people who are brave enough to bring it to our attention. What the hell has are country developed into, this alec and any other bunch of assholes trying to pass this need to be put out of business.

[still_one]

8. That is a violation of first amendment rights. On what grounds can they do that. I sure hope

this gets to the courts, because not only does this violate our first amendment, but covering up something that is immoral is wrong, and only demonstrates the depravity where this country is going to

[freshwest]

39. +1

[Zoeisright]

47. It's also a violation of whistleblower protection laws.

http://www.whistleblowers.gov/

[obama2terms]

11. This is terrible

Now you can't even prove that you saw what you saw, so the abuser can kSep on abusing the poor animal STUPID STUPID PEOPLE!

[UnrepentantLiberal]

12. They figured it out.

Who's gonna stop us? Most Americans don't read political websites and blogs. Their kids want milk, they buy milk at the supermarket. A two minute report on CNN is easily forgotten when the latest celebrity scandal breaks.

What are you gonna do if the politician we own puts this law in the books? You ain't gonna do shit.

What are you gonna do if you're making less money now than you were 30 years ago? You ain't gonna do shit.

What are you gonna do if we bust your union? You ain't gonna do shit.

What are you gonna do if we close down the factory that provided your grand father, father and you a means to provide for your families? You ain't gonna do shit.

What are you gonna do if we privatize your rotting town and part out what's left? You ain't gonna do shit.

What are you gonna do if we cut off the social services you now need to survive? You ain't gonna do shit.

What are you gonna do when we steal the Social Security account that you paid into for 50 years? You ain't gonna do shit.

What are you gonna do if you protest and we beat you, arrest you on trumped-up charges and then have Erin Burnett make fun of you? You ain't gonna shit.

And when it's all gone and we're living a life of luxury with the money we took from you? Well, you know the drill.

Suckers.

[nineteen50]

13. Simple remedy

stop abusing.

[City Lights]

14. Right. Because if we can't see it happening, it's not really happening.

Chalk up another win for our corporate overlords.

I'm fucking sick of it.

[nineteen50]

16. Once again

profit before people.

[Archae]

15. I can understand some of the concern.

If a James O'Keefe-type decided to make a badly edited video, it could damage a farmer's reputation falsely and destroy his business.

BUT...

These laws being proposed will only protect factory farms, where abuse is rampant.

[zonkers]

17. Shameful but futile.... Animal lovers will not be phased! In fact,

I suspect this will harden their resolve. I do not think any individual municipality could deal with the onslaught of viral attention if they ever tried to prosecute someone for illegal filming abused animals.

[Phillip McCleod]

21. *this* ^^^^

these states just put a big fat target on their shithole farms. narrows the field for ALF.

..expect a sudden *increase* in the amount of footage.

[MsPithy]

18. If you damage PROFITS of animal enterprises,

you are a terrorist. That is already the law.

http://ccrjustice.org/learn-more/faqs/factsheet%3A-animal-enterprise-terrorism-act-(aeta)

Don't think the 1st Amendment is going to protect you. Corporate profit is our new Constitutionally protected "freedom."

[krkaufman]

24. same train

Pretty much what I was thinking, generally, that such legislation was likely only the first step, prior to characterizing -- and then legislating -- such activities as eco-terrorism.

[robinlynne]

26. imho abusing animals is identical to abusing children. We are their guardians in both cases.

[Iliyah]

19. Start with animals, end up with our fellow neighbors.

Abuse to the 10th power.

[agent46]

23. So let me get this straight

It's going to be illegal to gather evidence of crimes committed by corporate psychopaths.

Okay. We're already so far down the rabbit hole that down is up. And the sad part is, there is no indication of a turn around of any kind in the foreseeable future.

Excuse me. It's 9am on Sunday. I need a drink.

[robinlynne]

25. unfair videos? unfair videos?

[onestepforward]

27. There's a little hope in the article:

"Animal-rights supporters successfully quashed a handful of bills, including those in New York, New Mexico, New Hampshire and Wyoming." It can be stopped!

States that need attention:

Indiana and Tennessee are expected to vote soon on measures. Nebraska and Pennsylvania are debating them along with California, who is considering a similar measure with AB343.

[Tumbulu]

28. Just a little fyi so that we don't get terribly depressed about this

I raise sheep for wool, but sometimes bring in some for custom slaughter (aggressive rams who knock people down, etc) at the USDA facility about an hours drive away. There has to be a USDA inspector there at all times of operation and so the hours of opening correspond to the USDA inspector's schedule.

When I go there it is always very quiet. One cannot raise their voice above a whisper. Trained sheep and goats with bells come to my truck and then my sheep follow them to the pen that they will stay in for the night (they have to have settled in and be calm for 24 hrs before they can be killed). They have good hay (although I bring my own as mine are organic) and the place is spotless.

When it is time to kill them they follow the trained sheep again down chutes where in groups of 6 they are picked up on slings which allows them to fall into a fetal position. Then in these same groups they are all stunned and then killed. All so there is no fear, no adrenaline. No vocalizing.

The USDA inspector has no humor, he does not engage in chitter chatter. He is serious about the whole humane thing. The guy who weighed the sheep told me that this guy had just shut another entire plant down because he saw one guy drag a sheep by the leg- a huge NO NO.

So, I fully support people videoing and posting any and all animal abuse- abuse ABSOLUTELY needs to be stopped and shining a light on it helps big time. But be sure to know that the USDA inspectors are really good- at least out here in CA and let's pat them on the back a bit and appreciate the real work that they do to keep the slaughter facilities humane.

[Cedric the Clam]

41. Good to Know

It is good to know that there are decent people out there who insist on decent treatment for farm animals.

[sulphurdunn]

29. It's not much different

from laws making it illegal to film cops breaking the law. It's ironic but not surprising that as the surveillance state expands, the conduct of economic and political power elites is shielded from it.

[L0oniX]

30. Our corporate overlords at work ...again ...and again ...and again n/t

[Blue Owl]

31. Corporations are very sick and depraved people, apparently

n/t

[Deep13]

32. 1st Amendment.

They can exclude trespassers, but not media per se.

[SpankMe]

33. We need to start acting more like Republicans in these cases

What I mean is, we should pass laws that preemptively ban laws that would ban illicit video taping. (You'll have to re-read that a few times.)

That's what Repubs do. In one state, they're working on a state law that would ban local jurisdictions from passing laws that regulate or ban foods in any way (as a retaliation for the NYC, Bloomberg soda size regulation.)

In many instances the "beacon of democracy and rule of law" Republicans are proposing and passing laws that would preemptively ban other laws from being created and passed that would negatively affect anything near and dear to their hearts. They're really taking law-making into a surreal realm where they're sealing in place for all time their own unique view of the world through some really stubborn and contorted legislation. It's maddening.

[liberal N proud]

34. Out of sight - out of mind?

Just sweep it under the rug.

If we don't talk about it, it can't be happening, right?

[Chipper Chat]

37. In a related note..

Shawn Hannity moves to outlaw taping of abuse of human basketball lplayers by coaches.

[bloomington-lib]

36. United we stand with our heads in the sand

[Cedric the Clam]

40. Seen the Videos ?

Has anyone seen any of these videos being talked about? PETA has some of them on their website.

WARNING! Do not look if you can't take it. The events in the videos are QUITE BAD and will horrify you for a very long time afterward.

So what to do?

I personally believe that its OK to eat some meat, but NOT from animals who have been forced to live their lives in fear and torture, and that means most factory-farmed animals, or 99% of available meat.

Possible Actions:
Buy from farmers that you know.
Research the food labelled "humanely raised" in your area.
Research the local food movement in your area ...in some areas, the local animals are well treated.
Plant your own food.
If you don't want to be a vegitarian, you can at least start to reduce your meat intake. It's healthy.

Remember that becoming a vegitarian means that you have to work a bit harder to get all 8 essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) plus iron and vitamin B12 in your diet. Those who try vegetarian and fail are not educated about this.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

42. "their businesses have suffered"

I DON'T GIVE A SHIT. They DESERVE to be put OUT of business. Fuck 'em!

[burrowowl]

44. K&R

[Zoeisright]

46. Sure, because covering up abuse

makes it go away. Didn't you know that???