Let us recall  the recent incident of the exploding donkey in Israel that caused Ingrid Newkirk of PETA to write a letter to Yasser Arafat about the use of a donkey to deliver an explosive device. When Newkirk was asked if she had "considered asking Arafat to persuade those who listen to him to stop blowing up people as well", she responded "It's not my business to inject myself into human wars,". Now just what does that mean? Does it mean if it is of benefit to humans, she don't give a rat's a$$ about it?

 

Could we say historically the Utilitarianistic Vegan Animal Rights Political Movement has evaded human, civil, and constitutional rights issues claiming "It's not my business"?  But, just how long can a thin humane sugar coating keep a putrid inner agenda from oozing to the surface? Could it be until a putrid inner system could become labeled criminal in the eyes of the general public and sentenced accordingly? Would  then the words "It's not my business" be uttered?

http://www.furcommission.com/news/newsF03i.htm

Intercepted Message from the Animal Rights Camp Courtesy: TAI Network

Subj: [Texas-Animal-Protection] Help Kill HB 433 the animal rights and ecological terrorism bill!
Date: 02/15/2003 8:15:17 AM Central Standard Time
From: lindajhoward@earthlink.net
To: Texas-Animal-Protection@yahoogroups.com
File: ACLUEcoTerrorFS.zip (25519 bytes) DL Time (28800 bps): < 1 minute
Sent from the Internet (Details)

From: Cile H. [mailto:nikemudge@coserv.net]

Your help is urgently needed to kill HB 433, the animal rights and ecological terrorism bill.   Please see the attached Action Alert describing the bill and the action needed to defeat the bill. I have also attached a copy of HB 433, along with a fact sheet published by the ACLU.  Currently the Network is joined by the Lone Star Sierra Club, the ACLU, the Humane Society of the United States, and the ASPCA, in aggressively working to stop this bill in its tracks. We need hundreds of letters written to the Committee members that will be hearing this bill very soon. Please write and/or call today!   If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me at 972-668-9962 or Skip Trimble at 214-855-2960.  Thank you for your help on this urgent matter!

Cile Holloway, President
Texas Humane Legislation Network
nikemudge@coserv.net

TEXAS HUMANE LEGISLATION NETWORK

 ACTION ALERT

 

The Network is asking for your immediate assistance to help defeat

H.B. 433 (Animal Rights-Ecological Terrorism Bill)

We are asking everyone to contact House Representatives on the Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee and encourage them to oppose this bill.

Details of the bill follow this page and to view the bill in its entirety, go to The Network’s web site at www.thln.com, click on links and go to Texas Legislature. If you have any questions please call The Network’s, toll free number at 1-888-548-6263.

 CONTACT INFORMATION

 The contact information for members of the Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee is as follows:

 Chair               Frank J. Corte, Jr.   District 122 (Bexar County – part)             512-463-0646

Vice-Chair            Scott Campbell            District 72 (Coke, Mitchell, Scurry,            512-463-0331

                                                                                     Tom Green)

Members            Leo Berman                      District 6 (Smith County)                                   512-463-0584

                        Dianne Delisi District 55 (Bell County – part)                        512-463-0630

                        John Mabry             District 56 (McLennan County – part)            512-463-0135

                        Tommy Merritt District 7 (Gregg/Smith County)                       512-463-0750

                        Paul Moreno                       District 77 (El Paso – part)                            512-463-0638

                        Richard Noriega            District 145 (Harris – part)                            512-463-0732

                        Eugene Seaman            District 32 (Aransas, Calhoun,

                                                                        Nueces, San Patricio)                     512-463-0672

 

To write to your State Representative:                    Represenative (name)

                                                                                    Box 2910

                                                                                    Austin, TX 78768-2910

 

TIME IS OF THE UPMOST IMPORTANCE, THIS BILL CAN BE HEARD AS EARLY AS THIS WEEK!  (Feb 17^th)

 

Thank you in advance,

JoAnne Jackson

Texas Humane Legislation Network

ACTION ALERT – PLEASE ACT NOW

 

BACKGROUND

 

HB 433 (the so-called “Animal Rights - Ecological Terrorism Bill”) has been introduced into the Texas House of Representatives by Rep. Ray Allen (R-Grand Prairie) and has been assigned to the Committee on Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations.  This bill preys on the current fear of terrorism to advance the interest of billion dollar industries that get rich from the exploitation and abuse of animals and the environment.  In short, this bill criminalizes legitimate political and social protests, demonstrations, civil disobedience and debate by animal or environmental advocates.  It also prohibits anyone from donating money to an animal or environmental organization engaging in these activities.  The bill also seeks to gag free speech and political and social discourse by authorizing treble damages and the recovery of attorneys fees in private suits against caring people who oppose animal and environmental exploitation.  The bill also creates a state run website at which people advocating against animal and environmental exploitation would be identified, photographed and stigmatized as “terrorists” much like they now do with sex offenders and child molesters.

 

ACTION

 

This bill is an embarrassment to every Texan who values the fundamental freedoms of speech and assembly.  To stop this bill in its tracks you must immediately contact the members of the Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee and let them know you oppose this bill.  Some talking points are as follows:

 

$ The provisions of this bill make a mockery of the constitutional right to freedom of speech, association and assembly. 

 

$ This bill singles out the political and social advocacy of two groups, animal and environmental protectionists, and treats their political activities different from the political activities of all other political and social advocacy groups like right-to-life groups, civil rights groups, child protection groups, etc.  Will they be targeted next?

 

$ This bill treats animal and environmental groups as though they are Al Queda.  These groups carry signs, not bombs!

 

$ The bill is so wide-sweeping in its application it would make “terrorists” out of whistle blowers, investigative reporters and other individuals seeking to bring to the public’s attention animal and environmental exploitation.

 

$ If this bill were applied to all advocacy groups, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of assembly and freedom of political descent would disappear in this country.  These are the very freedoms that this country was built on.

 

$          The few truly criminal activities mentioned in the bill such as destruction of property, unlawful entry, etc. are already violations of the Texas Penal Code and should be applied uniformly, not discriminatorily based on political motive.

 

Bill: HB 433 - Legislative Session: 78(R)

Council Document: 78R 01710

INTRODUCED   02/10/2003 H Referred to Defense Affairs & State-Fed Rel Relating to criminal offenses involving acts against certain activities involving animals or involving natural resources and to civil consequences arising from convictions of those offenses.

Author:

Allen

Subjects:

Agriculture Animals Civil Remedies & Liabilities Crimes--Against Property CRIMINAL JUSTICE, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

House Committee:	Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations
Status:	In

Source:  http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/db2www/tlo/billhist/billhist.d2w/report?LEG=78&SESS=R&CHAMBER=H&BILLTYPE=B&BILLSUFFIX=00433

78R1710 BDH-F

By:  Allen                                                        H.B. No. 433

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 

AN ACT

relating to criminal offenses involving acts against certain
activities involving animals or involving natural resources and to
civil consequences arising from convictions of those offenses.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                       
SECTION 1.  Chapter 28, Penal Code, is amended by adding
Section 28.09 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.09.  ANIMAL RIGHTS AND ECOLOGICAL TERRORISM.  (a)  In
this section:
(1)  "Activity involving animals" means any lawful
activity involving the use of animals, including:
(A)  hunting and trapping;                                           
(B)  food production, processing, and
preparation;                 
(C)  clothing manufacturing and distribution;                        
(D)  medical or other research;                                      
(E)  entertainment and recreation; and                               
(F)  agriculture.                                                    
(2)  "Activity involving natural resources" means any
lawful activity involving the use of a natural resource with an
economic value, including mining, foresting, harvesting, or
processing natural resources.
(3)  "Animal facility" means a vehicle, building,
structure, or other premises where an animal is lawfully:
(A)  housed, exhibited, or offered for sale,
including a zoo, amusement park, or preserve or a location at which
a circus or a rodeo or other competitive event is held; or
(B)  used for scientific purposes, including
research, testing, and experiments.
(4)  "Animal rights or ecological terrorist
organization" means two or more persons organized for the purpose
of supporting any politically motivated activity intended to
obstruct or deter any person from participating in an activity
involving animals or an activity involving natural resources.
(5)  "Political motivation" means an intent to
influence a governmental entity or the public to take a specific
political action.
(b)  A person commits an offense if the person, with
political motivation or while acting on behalf of an animal rights
or ecological terrorist organization:
(1)  prevents an individual from lawfully
participating in an activity involving animals or an activity
involving natural resources by:
(A)  obstructing the use of an animal or a natural
resource owned by the individual, if the obstruction is for a period
of time sufficient to significantly decrease the value or enjoyment
of the animal or the natural resource to the individual;
(B)  damaging or disposing of an animal or a
natural resource owned by the individual, if the damage or disposal
substantially reduces the condition or usefulness of the animal or
the natural resource; or
(C)  detaining an animal or a natural resource
owned by the individual and demanding compensation in exchange for
release of the animal or the natural resource; or
(2)  prevents an individual's use of an animal facility
without the effective consent of the facility's owner by:
(A)  damaging the facility or property in the
facility;            
(B)  physically disrupting the operation of the
facility;          
(C)  unlawfully entering or remaining in the
facility and engaging in an activity described by Subdivision (1);
(D)  unlawfully entering or remaining in the
facility despite notice denying entry; or
(E)  entering the facility to take photographs or
a video recording with the intent to defame the facility or the
facility's owner.
(c)  A person commits an offense if the person knowingly
provides financial support, resources, or other assistance to an
animal rights or ecological terrorism organization for the purpose
of assisting the organization in carrying out an act described by
Subsection (b).
(d)  An offense under Subsection (c) is a Class B
misdemeanor.  An offense under Subsection (b) is:
(1)  a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of pecuniary
loss resulting from the commission of the offense is less than $500;
or
(2)  a state jail felony if the amount of pecuniary loss
is $500 or more.
(e)  The punishment for an offense described by Subsection
(d) is increased to the next higher category of punishment if the
offense results in bodily harm to any individual.
(f)  It is an exception to the application of Subsection (b)
that the conduct is engaged in by:
(1)  an employee of a government agency acting in the
course and scope of their employment;
(2)  an employee of a financial institution or other
secured party acting in the course and scope of their employment; or
(3)  an employee of an animal control authority or a
recognized animal shelter or humane society acting in the course
and scope of their employment.
(g)  If conduct that constitutes an offense under this
section also constitutes an offense under any other section of this
code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or both
sections.
SECTION 2.  Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 148 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 148. ANIMAL RIGHTS OR ECOLOGICAL TERRORISM

Sec. 148.001.  CAUSE OF ACTION.  (a)  A person who is injured
or whose property has been injured as a result of a violation under
Section 28.09, Penal Code, has a civil cause of action if the
conduct constituting the violation was committed knowingly or
intentionally.
(b)  A person must bring suit for damages under this section
before the earlier of the fifth anniversary of the date of the last
act in the course of the conduct constituting a violation under
Section 28.09, Penal Code, or the second anniversary of the date the
claimant first discovered or had reasonable opportunity to discover
the violation.
Sec. 148.002.  DAMAGES.  A person who establishes a cause of
action under this chapter may recover:
(1)  an amount equal to three times the amount of
economic damages, including any damages related to damaged records,
lost profits, or the cost of repeating an experiment; and
(2)  court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.                      
SECTION 3.  Subchapter D, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 411.0422 to read as follows:
Sec. 411.0422.  INFORMATION REGARDING ANIMAL RIGHTS OR
ECOLOGICAL TERRORIST.  (a)  The department shall create a record of
each individual who commits an offense under Section 28.09, Penal
Code.
(b)  A record created under this section must include the
individual's name, residence address, and signature and a recent
photograph of the individual.
(c)  If an individual who is the subject of a record makes a
change in name or address, the individual shall, not later than the
30th day after making the change, provide to the department written
notice of the change.
(d)  The department shall maintain an Internet website
containing each record described by this section.  A record must
remain on the website for at least three years, at which time the
individual who is the subject of the record may apply to the
department for a hearing on removal of the record.
SECTION 4.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this
Act.  For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before
the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs
before that date.
(b)  An offense committed before the effective date of this
Act is governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.