duckie1978
06-02-2003, 08:31 AM
Has anyone else heard about this bill being introduced in Texas and in New York? There have been articles at other web sites but I haven't seen anything here yet so I thought I would post a link to an article on the bills. Basically it says that anyone who is involved with an AR or environmental group you can be labeled and tried as a terrorist in the US!!! This would include vegans!!!
http://www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm/ID/7748
Here is also a letter I sent to my NY Reps, GWB and Cheney in case anyone else wanted to write a letter. You can copy mine or use it as a guideline. I took a lot of info from the above article because I had trouble looking up the actual bill without the numbers.
I am writing in regards to the Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act that was introduced in March to the Assembly by Assembly member Richard Smith (D-Blasdell) because I am opposed to this bill turning into a law. As a vegan (strict vegetarian) conserned with animal and enviromental issues, I feel that this bill is unfair to vegetarian and environmental groups who are non-violent. From what I have read it is supposed to read similar to the bill introduced in Texas that states : an "animal rights or terrorist organization" is defined as "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... natural resources." The bill adds that "'Political motivation' means an intent to influence a government entity or the public to take a specific political action." How is this defining a terrorist group? Even the Patriot Act defines terrorist groups as having to harm someone's life. This bill's definition is so broad in regards to terrorist groups that virtually every animal rights/vegetarian/environmental group is included! I do not see Religious Terrorism Acts being introduced and there are far more religious terrorists *actually* harming people (bombing abortion clinic, killing abortion doctors, bombing gay clubs, killing gay/lesbians) than the targets of this bill. While I realize this bill is targeting "violent" groups, there are already laws in place that can be used to prosecute these individuals: trespassing, breaking & entering, vandalism, detruction of property, disturbing the peace, etc. The organization that proposed this bill, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has a questionable agenda as they are funded by Altria (Phillip Morris), the Nat. Rifle Assoc., the U.S. Sportsman's Alliance, Family Research Council and Heritage Foundation, among others. They also have 2,400 lawmakers in all 50 states as members. Please take the time to look into this bill as I feel it is far to vague and actually unnecessary with the current laws. I don't feel that we need a bill that targets animal rights/vegetarian/environmental groups as "terrorists" because they are far from it. Please feel free to contact me if you/your office has any questions.
I hope i get a better response than "Thanks for writing to us." I am concerned about this mostly because so many veggies do not get politically involved (all the ones I know anyways) and our voice needs to be heard.
http://www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm/ID/7748
Here is also a letter I sent to my NY Reps, GWB and Cheney in case anyone else wanted to write a letter. You can copy mine or use it as a guideline. I took a lot of info from the above article because I had trouble looking up the actual bill without the numbers.
I am writing in regards to the Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act that was introduced in March to the Assembly by Assembly member Richard Smith (D-Blasdell) because I am opposed to this bill turning into a law. As a vegan (strict vegetarian) conserned with animal and enviromental issues, I feel that this bill is unfair to vegetarian and environmental groups who are non-violent. From what I have read it is supposed to read similar to the bill introduced in Texas that states : an "animal rights or terrorist organization" is defined as "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... natural resources." The bill adds that "'Political motivation' means an intent to influence a government entity or the public to take a specific political action." How is this defining a terrorist group? Even the Patriot Act defines terrorist groups as having to harm someone's life. This bill's definition is so broad in regards to terrorist groups that virtually every animal rights/vegetarian/environmental group is included! I do not see Religious Terrorism Acts being introduced and there are far more religious terrorists *actually* harming people (bombing abortion clinic, killing abortion doctors, bombing gay clubs, killing gay/lesbians) than the targets of this bill. While I realize this bill is targeting "violent" groups, there are already laws in place that can be used to prosecute these individuals: trespassing, breaking & entering, vandalism, detruction of property, disturbing the peace, etc. The organization that proposed this bill, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has a questionable agenda as they are funded by Altria (Phillip Morris), the Nat. Rifle Assoc., the U.S. Sportsman's Alliance, Family Research Council and Heritage Foundation, among others. They also have 2,400 lawmakers in all 50 states as members. Please take the time to look into this bill as I feel it is far to vague and actually unnecessary with the current laws. I don't feel that we need a bill that targets animal rights/vegetarian/environmental groups as "terrorists" because they are far from it. Please feel free to contact me if you/your office has any questions.
I hope i get a better response than "Thanks for writing to us." I am concerned about this mostly because so many veggies do not get politically involved (all the ones I know anyways) and our voice needs to be heard.