Culture Under Attack By HSUS
February 6, 2008
Hunting, fishing, ranching, farming, and private land ownership are very much part of our American culture and heritage but much of this is under attack. This is not new but the consolidation of many of the animal rights groups and an effort on their part for more coordinated attacks we will also have to be diligent in our strikes back. Like many liberal organizations they are comfortable with making changes incrementally over time by doing that they draw in more mainstream Americans.
I was reading on the Outdoor Pressroom how the HSUS is focusing more on state issues and state initiatives to push their agenda. One of the examples they sited was the effort to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Now I’ll admit that I don’t really have a desire to eat horse meat but why should I care if someone else wants to? I guess there is a European market for that so why shouldn’t horse owners be able to sell horse for human consumption? This is an example of an emotional issue that draws many mainstream folks in to oppose this business and to pass laws to stop this practice.
This is not unlike the efforts to ban trapping or other methods that they can get the emotional plea or wedge issues within the sports community. Yesterday I posted on efforts in NJ to alter the wildlife commission and to give more seats to those who want to utilize non lethal methods to control wildlife populations. Phillip from The Hog Blog weighed in that many on the board in California do not hold hunting license. I’m sure that is the case in many states.
The Desert Rat has a story about how the legislators in Arizona have a plan to raid the wildlife fund putting matching funds at risk. That too is not a new issue but one we have to stand up against. Taxes paid in the form of license fees, tag fees and excise tax on equipment are what funds the vast majority of wildlife agencies across this country. Why should non participants have any say in how that money is spent?
We have got to stand up to this attack even if we don’t see it as a very important issue to us personally, I might not trap but I must stand with my trapping friends when they are under attack like I know they’ll stand with me when deer hunting comes under attack. We need to join with farmers and ranchers in their fight against the HSUS.
Moose Droppings is a place that chronicles my journey, I’ll explore new places and ideas I’ll learn new things and I’ll teach the things I’ve learned to others. Join me on the adventure and hopefully it will help you in your outdoor endeavors.
I totally agree with you. We all need to stand together to combat any attack on hunting, fishing or outdoor sports. Hunters and anglers can become a force to be reckoned with if they can learn how to stand together as the anti-hunting groups do. If there is one thing we can learn to the antis it is how to mobilize supporters and influence public opinion.
I wish I had a lot of confidence in the outdoor groups as I am a member of most of them, but the reality is that we are a dysfunctional group. I testified at the USF&WS against the listing of the Polar Bear as an Endangered Species and the reality was that of the 80 people who testified, 75 of them were animal rights activists and groups, one was the minister of wildlife for Nunavut, SCI, and three others including me. That is a really poor turnout. We are in a world of hurt out there in the world of trying to protect our traditions. We need to mobilize, vote and become very zealous in protecting our right and privilege to hunt.
[...] just an odd alignment in the stars right now… but boy the talk about hunters’ image, anti-hunting assaults on our culture, positive reinforcement for good ethics, and defending our sport’s future have really been [...]
It is sad that often outdoorsmen are unable to figure out that they need to stand together. If hunters continue to argue amongst themselves, condemning certain, guns, or weapons, as well as methods of hunting, then it is so much easier for us to be attacked from outside the sport.
I know that I need to do more to fight the legislation that is constantly coming down the line, trying to impede on our rights. This story of them trying to stop farmers from raising/selling horses for human consumption shows just how far animal rights groups will go to take away rights. After all, if they can get horses marked today, what will stop them from marking cattle tomorrow, and then deer the next day?