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Secret World
Inside the
Animal Rights
Agenda A two-part column
featured in Fair Chase,
the Official Publication
of the Boone and
Crockett Club
“Even if an
By Lowell E. Baier
President, 2008-2010
im
Boone and Crockett Club
resulted in al research
a cure for
A
we’d be ag IDS,
ainst it.”
— Ingrid N
People for th e
e Ethical T wkirk, President
reatment o
f Animals
USA Today
vs.
D
FROM THE PRESIDENT
The Secret World Inside the Animal Rights Agenda — Part One
Queen, country and idea of a divine hierarchy based on the con- extension of “rights” principles by analogy
fox hunting are dear to cept of “dominion” from Genesis (1:20-28) to animals became an easy reach for activist
England’s landed has been interpreted for centuries to imply radicals both here and abroad when envi-
gentry, all part of the ownership, i.e., property rights over birds, wild ronmentalists began winning endangered
rarefied world of animals, livestock, and fish. species protection in the courts starting in
Lowell E. Baier inherited privilege and the 1970s.
PRESIDENT tradition. However, Animal Welfare morphs into Agitation for more advocacy following
Boone and Crockett Club when the British Labor Animal Rights World War II split the AHA, and in 1954
Party banned fox Since ancient times, animals have been The Humane Society of the United States
hunting in England in 2004, the victory protected from cruelty and animal welfare (HSUS) split off, and then in 1960 suffered
went not to the liberal politicians, but has been a consistent theme in animal its own split when The Society for Animal
rather to the secretive, clandestine, protection legislation. In England, this Protective Legislation (SAPL) was created,
Machiavellian worldwide animal rights became an important movement in the which has lobbied for every important mea-
and liberation movement begun in the early 19th century where it grew alongside sure on animal legislation since. SAPL is
early 1960s by a group of United the humanitarian current that advanced presently an arm of the Animal Welfare In-
Kingdom Oxford University academics human rights, including the anti-slavery stitute which was founded in 1951. These have
known as the “Oxford Group.” Animal and women’s suffrage movements. In 1824, included the Humane Slaughter Act (1958),
rightists and liberationists are of a very the Royal Society for the Prevention of the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act (1966),
different orientation than the anti- Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) was estab- the Endangered Species Act (1969), the Horse
hunting movement, which is a minor lished in London, followed in 1866 by the Protection Act (1970), the Wild Horse and
component of their agenda. American Society for the Prevention of Burro Act (1971), the Marine Mammal Protec-
Rightists are a distilled, radical exten- Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and in 1875 tion Act (1972), and all extensions and
sion far beyond anti-hunters, driven by by the National Anti-Vivisection Society, amendments thereto.
intellectuals, academics and the scholastic opposed to animals being used in research, One of the more philosophical animal
legal community in a global political move- was founded. Two years later (1877), the rightists groups in California clearly defines
ment. Animal rights advocates seek to end American Humane Association (AHA) the animal rightists’ demarcation from the
the rigid moral and legal distinctions drawn was formed as an advocate for both child original animal welfare movement drawn by
between humans and animals, end the status protection and animal welfare/animal shel- them today:
of animals as property or prey, and end their ter programs. Following World War II, the The animal welfare movement begun
use in research, food, clothing, hunting and growth of affluent suburbia and the increase in the mid-19th century... was quite limited to
fishing, and the entertainment industries. of an elderly population living independent- improve the treatment of animals that were
Their aim is to remove an animal’s current ly combined to increase the need for pets being utilized by humans without changing the
status as “property,” and to recognize and and companion animals. Today 43 percent basic nature of the human-animal relationship.
grant animals “personhood”; that is, to award of households have pets in this country. That relationship was and still is largely based
them legal rights and standing on the same Humane groups flourished and prospered on ownership and exploitation.
terms humans enjoy fundamental rights to on this expanding base of pet owners, and Unlike the animal welfare movement,
protect their basic interests. The “bible” of with their growth came
the modern animal rights movement, Animal
Liberation, was authored in 1975 by Professor
conflicts amongst their
leaders over the extent HSUS is ruthless in
using the rhetoric
Peter Singer from Princeton University. to which principles of
The philosophical and moral founda- animal protectionism
tions for the animal rights position are that should be articulated and
animals have the ability to suffer and feel advocated. During this of its name and national image to
pain, and that capacity is the vital character- same period, societal pro- confuse and deceive the American
istic that gives every creature with a will to gressivism ushered in the
live the right to equal consideration which civil rights and women’s public to contribute to HSUS, not
must be recognized in any moral community liberation movements,
and philosophy of natural law. Contrarians disability, handicapped
realizing their money is not going
argue that animals lack rationality to distin- and elder rights, the to local animal shelters.
guish between right and wrong; they lack global human rights
language and are not able to enter into a social movement, the growth In 2008, HSUS made
contract, make moral choices, assume moral
obligations, nor have a moral identity; and
of environmentalism
and the recognition of
donations to pet shelter
hence, cannot be regarded as a possessor of endangered species, the organizations in only 15
rights. Only humans have duties, therefore
only humans have rights, and rights must be
right to life movement,
and most recently, gay
states—less than one-half of
accompanied by duties. Theologically the and lesbian rights. The one percent of its budget.
2 n Fair Chase Magazine Fall 2010 | Reprint
Emotion seems to
always win over facts,
and once emotion is provoked,
the animal rights movement recognized that benevolent sentimentality
there is no way that humans can own and towards animals, and the financial contributions readily follow.
exploit animals without cruelty as the very acts words they used to express That’s why animal rightists use these words
of ownership and exploitation invariably lead their sentiments were “wel- interchangeably with numerous photos and
to horrific abuses and deny animals the natural fare,” “inhumane,” “cruel,”
videos of mistreated dogs, puppies, kittens,
lives that their species were intended to lead. and “protection.” These
Thus, the animal rights movement seeks noth- are the same words used by cows, horses, etc., to theoretically raise money
ing less than the complete transformation of the animal rightists inter- to protect animals from cruelty.
our relationship with other species from one changedly over the last 50
based on ownership and exploitation, to one years, but they deviously That’s the con, because the
based on a guardianship model in which all added the concept of money doesn’t make it to your
human relationships with animals must be “rights” into their rhetoric.
based on what is in the best interest of the ani- Subconsciously the public local animal welfare shelters. It
mals, not humans. The guardianship model
for animals is itself based on the guardianship
has now come to believe
that animals really do have
goes to support the hidden
model used for children and it recognized that rights because of our con- agenda of animal rightists
animals, like children, cannot protect them-
selves from many harms and need special
fusing parlance using
words with multiple mean-
groups…
protections. Thus, the animal rights movement ings that evoke emotional
seeks to create legal protections for animals, reaction. Emotion seems to always win over a self-addressed stamped business envelope
not as an end to themselves, which is the goal facts, and once emotion is provoked, financial to HSUS. This was clearly a colossal fund-
of animal welfare, but as stepping stones on contributions readily follow. That’s why raising freebie for HSUS. However, the real
the way to the total liberation of animals from animal rightists use these words interchange- gift—in addition to the cost-free mailing to
the ancient model based on ownership ably with numerous photos and videos of 125 million prospects courtesy of the U.S.
and exploitation. mistreated dogs, puppies, kittens, cows, Postal Service—was the huge credibility
Fortunately, the animal rights move- horses, etc., to theoretically raise money to boost, gained by the apparent alliance with
ment’s influence in the animal welfare protect animals from cruelty. That’s the con, a government-run agency. This tactic suc-
community seems to be growing every year with because the money doesn’t make it to your ceeded in further confusing the public:
more and more animal welfare organizations, local animal welfare shelters. It goes to sup- United States Postal Service teams up with
like HSUS, adopting animal liberation goals port the hidden agenda of animal rightists the United States Humane Society—it
including the most important to our transforma- groups, i.e., get animals to be recognized with wouldn’t be too much of a reach to think
tion to a more humane human species: “personhood,” and award them legal rights, HSUS wasn’t in some way government
vegetarianism. Thanks to animal rights groups and end their use in research, food, clothing, connected.”
like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment hunting, entertainment, and as pets and A February 2010 national survey con-
of Animals), Farm Sanctuary and the League companion animals. ducted by Opinion Research Corporation in
for Earth and Animal Protection, we can look Princeton, New Jersey, determined that 71
forward to the day when the animal welfare HSUS Uncovered percent of Americans think HSUS is the
movement will be relegated to the dust bin of The two most recognizable animal rights national umbrella group representing thou-
history, where it belongs, to be replaced by true organizations are HSUS and PETA, sands of local humane societies all across
animal liberation (League for Earth and Animal both major multi-national conglomer- America, and 63 percent believed HSUS
Protection website, www.leapnonprofit.org). ate enterprises. HSUS’s name, Humane contributed most of its money to affiliated
Society of the United States, can easily local organizations that care for cats and
HSUS didn’t start out as an animal confuse contributors into thinking HSUS dogs. HSUS is ruthless in using the rhetoric
rightist organization in 1954, but by 1990, in is a sanctioned government organiza- of its name and national image to confuse
the view of one watch dog group, Center for tion or agency, which it is not, and that and deceive the American public to contrib-
Consumer Freedom (CCF), its focus changed its donations go to local animal shelters. ute to HSUS, not realizing their money is
from animal welfare to animal rights spurred Conveniently enough, HSUS is headquar- not going to local animal shelters. In 2008,
by the influence of the British Oxford Group’s tered in our Nation’s Capital; hence, it has HSUS made donations to pet shelter orga-
philosophical influence and militant competi- a Washington, D.C. address. To perpetuate nizations in only 15 states—less than one-half
tion to capture donations being attracted by the government connection myth, one of of one percent of its budget. Between 2006
PETA, which was started in 1980. the leading investigators and authorities and 2008, HSUS spent $277 million, yet only
Rhetoric and linguistics became the on animal rightist tactics reports that “… $6.9 million or 3 percent went to local animal
bridge the animal rights and liberation move- in the mid-1990s, HSUS partnered with shelters in 39 states. The rest, $270.1 million,
ment led by HSUS used to hook the emotions the U.S. Postal Service to send out 125 was spent on litigation, lobbying, legislation,
of the world’s public into believing animals million oversized postcards saying: ‘Don’t advertising, fundraising, direct mail, telemar-
had “rights.” The humane movement had let your dog bite the hand that serves you!’ keting, grant proposals, special events, public
been grounded primarily in sincere, Recipients were asked to send a donation in relations, and related programs and salaries
New Jersey;
■■ Banning trapping in the state of Washing-
HSUS didn’t start out as an animal rightist organization in 1954, but by 1990,
fur sales at over 100 retailers including Saks
in the view of one watch dog group, Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), its
Incorporated, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, J.C.
focus changed from animal welfare to animal rights spurred by the influence of
Penney Co., and Lord & Taylor;
■■ Demonizing hunters and trappers;
the British Oxford Group’s philosophical influence and militant competition to
■■ Disseminating literature and lesson plans
capture donations being attracted by PETA, which was started in 1980.
to grade schools with the message that
animals used in medical research is “bad”;
4 n Fair Chase Magazine Fall 2010 | Reprint
■■ 35,000 classrooms (more than 868,000
children) in grades K-6 monthly receive
public’s mainstream inter-
est in animals; hence No one could have
KIND News promoting the consumption
of only cage-free eggs, and the message that
public association for poli-
ticians with HSUS appears conceived that animal
eating meat and drinking milk causes
animal cruelty, thus promoting a vegetarian
to be one of Pacelle’s high-
est priorities in Washington rights organizations
diet, and stories on how children must learn in maintaining and culti- could politically maneuver the British
to live peacefully with wildlife and not vating HSUS’s political
disturb or hunt animals; and agenda. Pacelle proudly Parliament into banning fox hunting, yet in
■■ Infiltrating unsuspecting youth groups such says, “We’ve turned senti- 2004 they did so, turning sentiment and
as the National 4-H Conference, the Youth ment into legislation and
Convention of the U.S. Equestrian Federa- law.” It is reported that emotion into public policy and legislation.
tion, etc. Pacelle, while working for HSUS President Pacelle speculated in 2004 that
the Fund for Animals (now hunting in America, like the use of wild animals
One of HSUS’ major programs was part of HSUS) proposed in in circus acts and biomedical research, will end.
enabled by the 1970 Horse Protection Act 1988 merging HSUS,
and 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act. Political PETA, and the Fund for Pacelle stated, “If we could shut
agitation and litigation initiated by HSUS to
compel the Bureau of Land Management to
Animals, which would
have really increased their down all sport hunting in a
strictly interpret and implement the 1971 Act combined political muscle. moment, we would.…”
has now resulted in 37,000 feral horses and Moreover, HSUS engages
burros free-ranging in herds far larger than in campaign funding backing or opposing anti-meat activist hired by HSUS in 2005,
the carrying capacity of the land, degrading candidates based on their animal-related was acknowledged in 1999 as a financial
the landscapes by overgrazing and hard- voting history. HSUS even has its own ac- benefactor of No Compromise magazine, a
packing the soil and polluting the streams credited Humane Society University in publication that supports the ALF and pro-
across 45.96 million acres of public rangelands. Washington, D.C., offering bachelor’s degrees motes arson and other violent tactics. In an
Another 33,000 feral horses and burros are in Animal Study, Animal Policy and Advo- investigation leading to the 2005 animal-
in 35 government-maintained corrals and cacy and Humane Leadership. enterprise terrorism trial of six SHAC (Stop
pastures that cost the American taxpayer $40 According to the Center for Consumer Huntingdom Animal Cruelty) activists, Park
million annually. That’s 70,000 feral horses Freedom (CCF), one item you will not find was among those named in at least six federal
and burros the American taxpayer supports. on the HSUS website is its connection to wiretap warrants.
In FY 2007, the federal government’s budget people like John “J.P.” Goodwin, affiliated
to support this was $38.8 million. In the FY with listed FBI eco-terrorist organizations. Animals Rightists
2011 budget, that figure has risen to $75.7 Goodwin, a former Animal Liberation Front take on Hunting
million, and another $42.5 million from the (ALF) member with a lengthy criminal record No one could have conceived that animal
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and history of promoting arson to achieve rights organizations could politically ma-
to buy land for feral horse and burro preserves animal liberation, was hired by HSUS in 1997, neuver the British Parliament into banning
in the East and Midwest. according to the CCF. The HSUS sent him fox hunting, yet in 2004 they did so, turning
USDA-regulated commercial horse to China on an anti-fur junket in 2000, and sentiment and emotion into public policy
slaughter for human consumption in America a year later he was identified as a HSUS leg- and legislation. HSUS President Pacelle
was halted by congressional mandate, driven islative affairs staffer (www.activistcash.com). speculated in 2004 that hunting in America,
by HSUS, forcing horses to be commercially CCF continues reporting that “Goodwin like the use of wild animals in circus acts
slaughtered in Canada and Mexico by un- himself has been arrested and convicted for and biomedical research, will end. Pacelle
regulated, inhumane means. American horse being the ringleader of a gang that vandalized stated, “If we could shut down all sport
meat is considered a delicacy in many foreign fur retailers in multiple states during the hunting in a moment, we would. Just like
countries. HSUS is currently lobbying Con- 1990s.” The animal-rights newspaper Animal we would shut down all dog fighting, all
gress to prevent the export of horses from the People News profiled Goodwin in 2000, noting cock fighting or all bull fighting.” HSUS
United States for slaughter and human con- that he “gleefully announced a string of with a staff of 30 attorneys (and a network
sumption abroad, the consequences of which Animal Liberation Front mink releases and of over 1,000 pro-bono attorneys) operating
may force many owners to simply abandon arsons against furriers and fur farms” while a in its Animal Protection Litigation Section
their injured, sick and old horses to die if they “spokesman” for the underground terrorist has led much of the litigation utilizing the
can’t afford to euthanize and properly dispose group. Goodwin also fielded press inquiries Endangered Species Act (ESA) to force
of their carcasses. after a Petaluma, California, slaughterhouse continued protection of wolves and griz-
For more on HSUS’s activities, go to arson in February 1997, and shocked the zly bears from hunting, as was reported in
its website (www.hsus.org) and click on the public with his comments on the March 1997 this column in the Spring 2010 issue of Fair
links to “Campaigns,” “Victories,” Legisla- arson at a farmer’s feed co-op in Utah. Refer- Chase. Moreover, they were a lead plaintiff
tion,” and “Legal Action.” The scope of its ring to a fire that caused almost $1 million in in the case that convinced Federal District
diverse activities is both amazing and disturb- damage and could easily have killed a family Court Judge Donald W. Molloy on August
ing. HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle is well-versed sleeping on the premises, Goodwin told The 5, 2010, to re-list the gray wolf as an en-
in the importance of political access and Deseret News, “We’re ecstatic.” J.P. Goodwin dangered species in Montana, Idaho and
influencing policy decisions. Animal issues doesn’t represent HSUS’ only intersection Wyoming (even though biologically the
are a priority for politicians in maintaining with the animal rights movement’s violent wolves are recovered), perpetuating a case
their popularity and getting votes, given the underbelly. Miyun Park, a Washington, D.C., that has now been ongoing for years.
Fair Chase Magazine Fall 2010 | Reprint n 5
HSUS Wildlife
Land Trust
Sanctuaries and
Partnerships in
North America
Since 1988, HSUS has been a plain- as a cause-related issue to solicit donations greater Yellowstone ecosystem that covers
tiff in 88 federal district court cases. In 2009 through massive, well-choreographed na- three states where the gray wolf was reintro-
alone, HSUS spent $26.3 million on advo- tional public relations and fundraising duced in 1995-96 as a “nonessential
cacy and public policy. However under the campaigns. The con is that these groups experimental population.” The official 1987
Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), enacted collect twice. For example, they pursue the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan
during the Carter Administration, and the wolf issue in court and cover first their litiga- provided that a sustainable population would
Judgment Fund (1956), HSUS and other tion costs under the EAJA and the Judgment be reached—and “recovery” assured—when
animal rightists and environmental activists Fund, gain huge publicity that supports and three states (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming)
groups recover most of their litigation costs legitimizes their fundraising, and then had a combined total of 300 wolves compris-
and attorneys’ fees, so it’s cost effective and second, solicit money from unsuspecting ing 30 breeding pairs for three successive
beneficial for them to perpetuate litigation donors to “finance” the litigation already years. That objective was reached in 2002.
such as the wolf appeals. During the last paid for with taxpayer dollars per the EAJA Because of the prolonged litigation and in-
decade alone, $36 million has been paid out and the Judgment Fund. All the while, ap- ability of the three states to establish a
to just nine animal and environmental activ- peals in the wolf cases remain in play as they hunting season (except for 2009 in Idaho
ists groups alone under EAJA and the have for years, and the wolf remains a listed and Montana), today the wolf population is
Judgment Fund in more than 3,300 lawsuits. threatened and endangered species, their 1,660—more than 5.5 times the 1987 agreed-
In the Montana wolf case referenced above, populations continue to expand, and their upon limit of 300. Moreover, the animal
in 2008 alone, HSUS petitioned the court food source populations (deer and elk) con- rightist litigants are now saying in court that
for $388,370 in attorney’s fees, and were tinue to decline; hence, the animal rightists the 1987 limits of a sustainable population
awarded $263,099 by Judge Molloy. This win again in protecting and expanding the of 300 was biologically incorrect, and the
represents an hourly rate of $300 notwith- wolf populations. And, they cunningly win number should now be 3,000 wolves.
standing a federal statutory cap of $125 per again in their campaign to stop hunting Now translate this into the effect this
hour. HSUS received $280,000 in 2007 for because as the elk and deer populations expanded wolf population has had on just
a similar wolf case in the Great Lakes Region. dramatically decline, sportsmen have fewer one state, Idaho, which has the single-largest
This continued litigation is the vehicle and fewer animals to hunt. wolf population at 835. Idaho’s management
HSUS and other rightists groups have used Here are the statistics just for the unit No. 10 on the North Fork of the
vs.
Did You Know?
PETA is using your contributions for a
es,
campaign to boycott the March of Dim
the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the
tion
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Founda
(Race for the Cure).
Why? Because these charities may use animals
in their medical research.
da at
Learn more about PETA’s extremist agen
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