animal extremists attack
May 11, 2015 09:22:03 #
no propaganda please
Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun
animal extremists attack
Barton James
By Barton C. James Published May 05, 2015 FoxNews.com
In this Jan. 3, 2015 photo provided by Feld Entertainment Inc., elephants perform at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said it will phase out its iconic elephant acts by 2018. (AP Photo/Feld Entertainment Inc., Gary Bogdon)
If youre like me, you may have an uncontrollable nostalgia for things that impacted your childhood. On Thursday, March 5, I picked up my iPhone to read my morning news alerts and saw the headline, "Ringling Bros. eliminating elephant act.
It took a few moments for this to sink in. When it did, I realized a special childhood memory of watching elephants march down Main Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and seeing my first circus show with my grandfather would never be one I would share with my sons, at least not in the same way. I also realized animal rights extremists had just landed a blow to my family and me I hadnt seen coming.
Sadly this news likely went unnoticed by the majority of Americans, or those that heard it mistakenly may have thought that the decision to retire elephants is cultural progress and an actual victory.
Who knows what may be the next target of these groups, which would rather see an elephant die from poaching than be cared for by a circus or zoo.
Think again -- as a lifelong conservationist and h****r that has been blessed to be on the front lines of shaping conservation policy for over two decades as a Congressional staffer, p**********l Appointee, and lobbyist for several national conservation organizations, I know firsthand the devastation these extremists have had on Americas conservation legacy.
Well-funded, politically active groups like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) use any means necessary to put an end to the traditions we cherish through the use of frivolous lawsuits and judicial action.
They use the courts instead of relying on science-based wildlife management to advance their agenda.
It's worth noting that Feld Entertainment, the parent company of Ringling Bros., has fought a number of these frivolous lawsuits, winning every one and receiving $25.2 million in settlements from animal rights groups.
Until now I have associated these extremists' impact on my life as being limited to my love of the outdoors as a h****r, and my concern with my ability to pass those traditions on to my children.
For years Ive watched the devastating effects of their propaganda machine as it seeks to criminalize h****rs, eliminate access to favorite public hunting grounds through endless legal challenges and tie the hands of public land managers and state wildlife officials, forcing them to forgo science and in turn deterring sportsmen and their future personal investments in conservation. The number one reason for the decline in h****rs is the lack of access.
Taking a moment to put things into historical perspective, the idea of conservation protecting wildlife" in America began with members of the hunting community, who introduced game laws and programs to protect our natural resources, eventually leading to the creation of state and federal wildlife agencies. This same community led the charge in passing taxes to fund our conservation system, which serves as a model for the world. Americas 13.7 million h****rs contribute over $38.3 billion annually to the U.S. economy, and create over 681,000 jobs.
Despite extremists claiming that theyre speaking for the interest of animals, the record shows that they are doing nothing more than lining their pockets and restricting our interactions with wildlife.
Year after year extremist groups like HSUS get C and D grades from the American Institute of Philanthropy for spending as little as 55 percent of money raised on their stated mission.
HSUS raises over $110 million annually, yet only spends $40,000 on African elephants grants. The same holds true for the Asian elephant--rather than spending their budget to help animals, they're spending it fighting groups like Ringling Bros. and sportsmans groups like Safari Club International that are actually investing in conservation.
For example, in Tanzania h****rs invest over $20 million annually in conservation efforts and wildlife management, and Ringling Bros. is credited with successfully raising more endangered Asian elephants than anyone in the Western Hemisphere and establishing partnerships in Sri Lanka to save Asian elephants in their native habitat.
I fear this misguided work by extremists will ultimately lead to these animals leaving our lives at the circus, zoo, or in the field, destroying opportunities to make memories and connections with animals in person.
Weakening the connections between humans and the animal world will only hurt future investments in the conservation of wildlife. These interactions are what elicit sympathy and interest in faraway places like Africa and Asia that are facing staggering levels of poaching and loss of habitat.
Its time we all wake up and realize our American traditions are under attack, and recognize the dangers of accepting victory" when a circus is forced to remove elephants from their show or another acre of land is closed to hunting due to the efforts of the propaganda machine and non-stop frivolous lawsuits.
Who knows what may be the next target of these groups, which would rather see an elephant die from poaching than be cared for by a circus or zoo.
It's time we take a stand and decide our future, or say goodbye to many of the species we hold dear and the American system of conservation and h****rs that contribute enormous numbers of jobs, taxes, and funding for on-the-ground habitat conservation.
I hope, before it's too late, that the American public unites with the sportsman conservationist community, companies like Feld Entertainment and Ringling Bros. and others that have been under attack from these extremists for far too long. Anything less is a concession to these groups so eager to claim victory at any price
Barton James
By Barton C. James Published May 05, 2015 FoxNews.com
In this Jan. 3, 2015 photo provided by Feld Entertainment Inc., elephants perform at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said it will phase out its iconic elephant acts by 2018. (AP Photo/Feld Entertainment Inc., Gary Bogdon)
If youre like me, you may have an uncontrollable nostalgia for things that impacted your childhood. On Thursday, March 5, I picked up my iPhone to read my morning news alerts and saw the headline, "Ringling Bros. eliminating elephant act.
It took a few moments for this to sink in. When it did, I realized a special childhood memory of watching elephants march down Main Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and seeing my first circus show with my grandfather would never be one I would share with my sons, at least not in the same way. I also realized animal rights extremists had just landed a blow to my family and me I hadnt seen coming.
Sadly this news likely went unnoticed by the majority of Americans, or those that heard it mistakenly may have thought that the decision to retire elephants is cultural progress and an actual victory.
Who knows what may be the next target of these groups, which would rather see an elephant die from poaching than be cared for by a circus or zoo.
Think again -- as a lifelong conservationist and h****r that has been blessed to be on the front lines of shaping conservation policy for over two decades as a Congressional staffer, p**********l Appointee, and lobbyist for several national conservation organizations, I know firsthand the devastation these extremists have had on Americas conservation legacy.
Well-funded, politically active groups like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) use any means necessary to put an end to the traditions we cherish through the use of frivolous lawsuits and judicial action.
They use the courts instead of relying on science-based wildlife management to advance their agenda.
It's worth noting that Feld Entertainment, the parent company of Ringling Bros., has fought a number of these frivolous lawsuits, winning every one and receiving $25.2 million in settlements from animal rights groups.
Until now I have associated these extremists' impact on my life as being limited to my love of the outdoors as a h****r, and my concern with my ability to pass those traditions on to my children.
For years Ive watched the devastating effects of their propaganda machine as it seeks to criminalize h****rs, eliminate access to favorite public hunting grounds through endless legal challenges and tie the hands of public land managers and state wildlife officials, forcing them to forgo science and in turn deterring sportsmen and their future personal investments in conservation. The number one reason for the decline in h****rs is the lack of access.
Taking a moment to put things into historical perspective, the idea of conservation protecting wildlife" in America began with members of the hunting community, who introduced game laws and programs to protect our natural resources, eventually leading to the creation of state and federal wildlife agencies. This same community led the charge in passing taxes to fund our conservation system, which serves as a model for the world. Americas 13.7 million h****rs contribute over $38.3 billion annually to the U.S. economy, and create over 681,000 jobs.
Despite extremists claiming that theyre speaking for the interest of animals, the record shows that they are doing nothing more than lining their pockets and restricting our interactions with wildlife.
Year after year extremist groups like HSUS get C and D grades from the American Institute of Philanthropy for spending as little as 55 percent of money raised on their stated mission.
HSUS raises over $110 million annually, yet only spends $40,000 on African elephants grants. The same holds true for the Asian elephant--rather than spending their budget to help animals, they're spending it fighting groups like Ringling Bros. and sportsmans groups like Safari Club International that are actually investing in conservation.
For example, in Tanzania h****rs invest over $20 million annually in conservation efforts and wildlife management, and Ringling Bros. is credited with successfully raising more endangered Asian elephants than anyone in the Western Hemisphere and establishing partnerships in Sri Lanka to save Asian elephants in their native habitat.
I fear this misguided work by extremists will ultimately lead to these animals leaving our lives at the circus, zoo, or in the field, destroying opportunities to make memories and connections with animals in person.
Weakening the connections between humans and the animal world will only hurt future investments in the conservation of wildlife. These interactions are what elicit sympathy and interest in faraway places like Africa and Asia that are facing staggering levels of poaching and loss of habitat.
Its time we all wake up and realize our American traditions are under attack, and recognize the dangers of accepting victory" when a circus is forced to remove elephants from their show or another acre of land is closed to hunting due to the efforts of the propaganda machine and non-stop frivolous lawsuits.
Who knows what may be the next target of these groups, which would rather see an elephant die from poaching than be cared for by a circus or zoo.
It's time we take a stand and decide our future, or say goodbye to many of the species we hold dear and the American system of conservation and h****rs that contribute enormous numbers of jobs, taxes, and funding for on-the-ground habitat conservation.
I hope, before it's too late, that the American public unites with the sportsman conservationist community, companies like Feld Entertainment and Ringling Bros. and others that have been under attack from these extremists for far too long. Anything less is a concession to these groups so eager to claim victory at any price
May 12, 2015 14:06:13 #
Darn good post... will not get much comment, but truly a cause close to nearly all h****rs and outdoor lovers... Thank you.... :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
May 12, 2015 21:46:32 #
no propaganda please
Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun
permafrost wrote:
Darn good post... will not get much comment, but truly a cause close to nearly all h****rs and outdoor lovers... Thank you.... :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
I am surprised that you are the first to comment. Groups like the NRA do more to support wildlife than all the animal activists put together. The claim is that h****rs and the NRA are concerned about some species but not others. Huntable species are first on the list and the poor little innocent bait fish smelt are last on the list, along with the naked mole rat. I have talked to a number of PETA and HSUS members and they are horrified that we force species like dogs to live with us, and not be wild and free. Of course they have no concept of the human animal bond, nor do they care. I don't hunt, and enjoy watching wildlife outside my window. My wife loves snakes (except poisonous ones) and carries spiders outside because they are useful and welcome. but we also train dogs, love dog shows and believe in people being responsible for their pets. Wild animals used to be of no interest to most people until they were able to see them in zoos, or in movies, then they started being concerned about them. all the HSUS wants to do is ban tail docking on dogs, forbid castration of farm animals and demand castration of all dogs and cats. Something is backwards there, isn't it? Perhaps castrating the HSUS people would be the solution.
May 13, 2015 08:27:11 #
no propaganda please wrote:
I am surprised that you are the first to comment. ... (show quote)
NPP,
While I think the current version of the NRA has gone political and is a promotion for the mfgs, it was one of the first things I did when I got my first full time job. Joined the NRA. got the hunting magazine of the 3 choices they had back then.
I used to hunt, not so much fish.
We have had an endless chain of animals up here, raised hogs commercially for about half a dozen years. Had the usual dozens on cats, lots of dogs, (did have a real standout, best friend ever dog), sheep, cattle, goats, lamas, horses, game birds. You name it, good chance we had some..
As for PETA. Never agreed with them, I think animals deserve good treatment but do not have rights.
Also one of my sons worked in the medical animal lab when he want to the U of MN. He fed and cleaned them..
ONe night, PETA raided the place, destroyed cages, equipment, freed animals to run all over the building, spray painted obscenities on the walls.
I see no way that helped the animals in anyway..
And speaking of Deer, we have two deer trails passing through our property on the way down to the lake. We have countless deer and hopeful h****rs who want to use the land.
But the number is down considerably now. A few people put up houses in just the wrong places to mess up the trails..
Also have bears, only once did they prove to be pests, when they kept raiding the bird feeders all summer..
so , my entire family love animals and are concerned for their well being...
Elephants I know nothing about..
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