Gearing Up for the Battle Against Animal Rights Extremism
Portland, Oregon –-(AmmoLand.com)-We owe a debt of gratitude to the hard work of grassroots members like you.
Time and again you have taken time out of your day to defend pet ownership and stand up for reasonable laws governing animal ownership in your state — and nationally.
If the firestorm of radical legislation in 2009 is any indication, 2010 promises to be even more intense. This year we spent the lion’s share of our time fighting over 75 radical bills across the country, backing two important lawsuits to protect pet owner rights and supporting NAIA’s ongoing programs. We’ve devoted every spare moment to gearing up for next year, a year we think could be a defining moment in the battle against animal rights extremism.
We have our work cut out for us. The rising level of legislative activism is part of a coordinated strategy aimed at achieving the animal liberationists’ goals, namely “… to inflict economic loss on people who [according to the animal rights doctrine] exploit animals … and to escalate events to a point where all of these industries are under threat and can’t operate.”
Since summer we’ve seen draft after draft of potential ballot box initiatives and scores of state and federal bills slated for the 2010 session. Even more foreboding is the deluge of high-tech TV ads featuring gut-wrenching images of suffering animals, along with “big lie” allegations about who’s to blame and Siren song appeals. The timing of this sophisticated propaganda campaign carefully lays the groundwork for the upcoming session. Like well-aimed artillery, these ads are being launched over and over to soften up targets, to break down defenses and to saturate the audience with imagery and ideas so twisted and volatile that when the time comes, only the slightest legislative spark will be needed to ignite them.
So this year, in addition to our core responsibilities, we’ve been working overtime to gear up, to strengthen our alliances, develop new resources, and to be ready for the coming year. NAIA is excited to be proposing proactive legislation in 2010 in key states that will actually improve conditions for animals, not advance some subversive agenda. We feel emboldened by our progress and better positioned than ever before, but we must have the full engagement of our grassroots to succeed. We need you to volunteer, and we need your financial backing.
With your help, and continued advocacy, we will be ready for the Big One and prepared to take on anything that threatens to take away choices and harms responsible animal ownership in America.
Thank you once again for your commitment, and may you have a safe and happy holiday season!
Sincerely, Patti Strand National Director and Board ChairmanAbout:
The Mission of NAIA is to promote the welfare of animals, to strengthen the human-animal bond, and safeguard the rights of responsible animal owners and professionals through research, public education and sound public policy. Visit: www.naiaonline.org