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Corporate Animal Abusers Fighting Back With Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act
Few enterprises practice more cruelty than Kentucky Fried Chicken, though the company has never been prosecuted for either its inhumane policies or its widespread torture of chickens. Now KFC has petitioned the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp honoring its "American entrepreneurial icon," Harland "Colonel" Sanders.
Farm Sanctuary has written a letter to the U.S. Postal Service, asking that Sanders and KFC not be honored, and is inviting citizens to express their disapproval to the USPS.
Across the nation, people are taking steps to stop institutionalized animal abuse, especially the abuse of factory farming. Four years ago, Florida became the first state to ban industry-standard pig gestation crates (crates so narrow that the pigs cannot turn around), the city of Chicago and the state of California have banned production and sales of foie gras, and there are pending laws to ban cruel factory farm practices in Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Laws banning industry-standard battery cages for hens are bound to be introduced some time soon.
The factory farming industry and other industries that treat animals inhumanely are ready. Currently under consideration is HR 4239, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, which would make it a crime punishable by imprisonment to engage in any act that causes an "animal enterprise" (factory farm, puppy mill, research facility, pet stores, circus, etc.) to lose a profit. These acts include legal activities, such as peaceful protesting and organizing media boycotts. Furthermore, it would make no difference if the animal enterprise were engaging in an obviously illegal activity. Also, there is no exemption for financial damage caused to an enterprise by the dissemination of public information.
Last year, the FBI declared that so-called eco-teorrists and animal rights anarchists were more dangerous to the country than right-wing militia groups and militant anti-choice groups. The groundwork has been laid to do anything to protect American corporations, and the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act has already passed in the U.S. Senate.
Thanks for this posting. But as an animal rights activist, I am confused as hell about this bill. I see it as having passed and become law years ago, in the early 1990s! I see that recently there was an amendment which passed which 1) made it harder to prosecute protestors for violence (such as scuffling) and 2) easier to prosecute them for economic losses. I see a lot of warnings about the bill but it has already been law for more than ten years! I also see in the amendment that peaceful legitimate protest is specifically EXCLUDED from any prosecutable offenses. Just exactly what is going on??
I replied to you right away, Charles, but something has gone awry with the software and my reply never appeared, so let me try again:
The current bill expands and strenghtens the original of which you speak. Two factors stand out: 1. Anyone connected in any way with an animal enterprise can be considered a legal "victim"--vendor, attorney, spouse, etc. 2. There are much stronger penalties for those who go after research facilities, regardless of what those facilities may be doing, and regardless whether the protesters use democratic, legal means.
And I'd like to add a third factor--that using the term "terrorism" gives strength to the prosecution.
We have got to get this bill repealed.I oppose ALF tactics,such as arson and vandalism,and I believe such tactics were in part what made this bill go into effect.I believe in nonviolent protest and have seen the successful results of leafletting and picketing for almost 15 years of activism,but now I could be jailed for it.ALF actions are counterproductive,they do not speed up the animals' cause,and we now need a strong effort to make it legal to practice free speech and investigate to protect the animals that are suffering so badly in commerce.