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12/8/06: AETA UPDATE / Hope For Repeal? UPDATE: Records Show Big Industry Planned AETA All Along12/17/08 — READ FULL STORY: Documents Show Plans for Labeling Activists as "Eco-Terrorists" by Will Potter, GreenistheNewRed.com Ñmdash; It's been two years since passage of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, a sweeping law that wraps up non-violent civil disobedience and hurting corporate profits as "terrorism." ...Here, for the first time, are some of the internal documents outlining how corporations and industry groups planned to label activists "eco-terrorists." I've obtained them from a source who wishes to remain anonymous. They're the creation of the Animal Enterprise Protection Coalition, a network formed for the sole purpose of passing this "eco-terrorism" legislation. Members include corporate powerhouses like Pfizer, Wyeth, GlaxoSmithKline, and industry groups like the Fur Commission and National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The coalition was put together by the National Association for Biomedical Research, an industry group that has one of the most outspoken proponents of the "Green Scare." In short, this coalition is a front group comprised of other front groups... The coalition supplied its members with talking points, fact sheets, letters to Congress, news releases and more to help keep them on message when labeling activists as terrorists...
IN THIS ALERT:
1. President Signs Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Into Law 11/27/06 -- The President signed into law: S. 3880, the "Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act," which expands criminal prohibitions against the use of force, violence, and threats involving animal enterprises and increases penalties for violations of these prohibitions. ACTION: http://noaeta.org/action.htm Back to top 2. Keep Fighting, The Animals Need Us - A message from Chris DeRose SOURCE: Chris DeRose, President and Founder, Last Chance for Animals campaigns@lcanimal.org * 310-271-6096 x30 * http://www.lcanimal.org The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) has been signed into law...now what? The government can call constitutionally protected freedom of speech and the act of helping animals "terrorism," but that doesn't change the fact that millions of animals are needlessly suffering for vanity, appetite, entertainment and sport. The animals still need us, regardless of how the animal abusers portray us in the media and the halls of Congress. LCA's team of lawyers and lobbyists have been pouring over the language of the bill to figure out exactly what this means for activists and are strategizing on how to fight this absurd bill. The LCA team has two suggestions for animal rights activists, thus far: Animal abusers would love to see activists spend all their time and money defending themselves in court instead of speaking up for the animals. We won't let that happen. We have found several lawyers who will handle specific cases pro-bono and help minimize our valuable time and resources. This is a PR war and we can't give them an inch. Animal activists and this whole movement must take a step up and be savvier in how they approach the struggle; negative and threatening remarks accomplish nothing for our cause. THE RIGHT KIND OF ACTION WILL GET RESULTS! I encourage activists everywhere NOT to be swayed: but to continue and increase your non-violent activities (non-violent does not always mean laws are not broken) advocating for the animals. If we don't, who will? Back to top 3. Equal Justice Alliance Enacts Strategy In Wake Of AETA's Passage SOURCE: http://noaeta.org/ The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA, S. 3880) passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent in September. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives on November 13 because we were outmaneuvered by the Republican leadership of the House Judiciary Committee. And now the bill has been signed into law by President Bush. We appreciate your massive outpouring of emails and phone calls to Congress. We learned valuable lessons from our lobbying experience. For us, this is a new beginning. Equal Justice Alliance will continue its mission along three tracks: We plan to pursue three ways of neutralizing AETA: These are our projected tasks: Key flaws of AETA, with more details in the section on Why Oppose WHAT YOU CAN DO: —Report any cases of prosecution of social justice groups under AETA to the Equal Justice Alliance at —Send a generous contribution to help fund this ambitious, crucial campaign. Back to top 4. Animal Protesters Get Results McGovern Pledges To Help Overturn Animal Terrorism Law SOURCE: http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061130/NEWS/611300760/1008/NEWS02 EDITED FOR LENGTH The protesters were upset by the House and Senate's passage earlier this week of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, which amends and broadens existing legislation to criminalize threats or attacks against any business that uses or sells animals or animal products to include animal shelters, breeders, pet stores, furriers and other enterprises. The law, which was quickly passed on an informal voice vote, also makes crimes under the act eligible for electronic surveillance... Mr. McGovern was not among the six House Democrats from Massachusetts who were present for the vote... "We're not protesting McGovern," said Jennifer Burt, a Clark University senior and one of the organizers of the event. "We're just asking him to introduce a bill to repeal this law." By the activists' account, they succeeded. After meeting with members of Mr. McGovern's staff inside his office about 1 p.m., the protesters were given a statement from the congressman pledging to work to overturn the measure, said Drew Wilson, a junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute... Matthew Pacheco, a spokesman for Mr. McGovern, said in an e-mail message that the congressman opposed the bill and would have voted "no" in a recorded vote. Mr. McGovern's office yesterday released a letter to the congressman, dated yesterday, from the Humane Society of the United States. The letter said the group, which opposes the Animal Enterprise Terrorism law, understands that Mr. McGovern is against it as well. The letter also noted that Mr. McGovern has voted with the Humane Society 100 percent of the time this year and last year, and in the past. "We understand that you would have voted against the AETA bill had you had the opportunity to do so," wrote Mimi Brody, director of federal affairs for the Humane Society. "We deeply appreciate your recognition of the flaws in this bill. Now that this legislation has been signed into law by the president, we hope that its application will be limited and will not encroach on constitutional rights." read full article: http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061130/NEWS/611300760/1008/NEWS02 From: Odette Wilkens owilkens@nyc.rr.com To The Honorable Mr. James McGovern Dear Mr. McGovern, I am Executive Director of the Equal Justice Alliance that was formed to oppose AETA. There are over 180 organizations nationwide vigorously opposing AETA, none of whom were invited to testify at the single House hearing held on AETA. Organizations in opposition include not only animal advocacy organizations, but also environmental groups such as the National Resources Defense Council and constitutional law groups such as Alliance for Justice and the National Lawyers Guild. In addition, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, with which I am affiliated, issued Comments disapproving AETA, a copy of which is below. Representatives who we know so far who are opposed to AETA are: You may know of others. Indeed, Congresswoman Maloney's office informed me that she had intended to give a speech on the House floor in opposition to AETA when her office had discovered that the bill had already been passed. The vote was originally scheduled on 11.13.06 for 6:30pm, but was rescheduled upon short notice for a mid-afternoon voice vote. Between the Senate and the House, AETA was only voted upon by 5 members of Congress. As you know, the Senate passed AETA by unanimous consent which means that it was voted upon by default since no one blocked the vote. We heard from many members of Congress that their phones were ringing off the hook with opposition towards AETA. The week before AETA passed, I had lobbied members of Congress, along with Alliance for Justice and League of Humane Voters. One such member was Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA), who sits on the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security of the House Judiciary Committee. We spoke to Christopher Hickling, Legislative Assistant to Congressman Meehan, who was very pleasant. It appeared from the conversation that the Congressman had not reviewed the bill, having instead relied upon Congressman Robert Scott of Virginia to determine whether to support the bill. Since Congressman Scott has been seen as the first line of defense for First Amendment rights, we understood that Congressman Meehan would follow Congressman Scott's recommendation to support the bill. Indeed, many Democrats followed that recommendation. The American Civil Liberties Union had requested further changes to the bill before its passage, but were refused. The contact is Marvin Johnson at 202-675-2334 or mjohnson@dcaclu.org Many attorneys across the country at various bar associations, and constitutional, environmental and animal advocacy groups, are extremely concerned about AETA's passage, as well as the existing law that it amends. We are able to provide national grass-roots support for AETA's repeal to support your efforts. Please let me know when your meeting is in January, and I will be sure to be there. Sincerely, Odette J. Wilkens, Esq., Attorney-at-Law Back to top 5. Sunday 12/17: Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Seminar SOURCE: Alex at Equal Justice Alliance, alex@equaljusticealliance.com Perspectives on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act WHERE: The Peace Abbey
Sponsored by Mass Action for Animals - an educational, advocacy, and strategy group for animals that works with the environmental, peace, and spiritual communities. Mass Action for Animals is under the umbrella of the 501c3 of the Peace Abbey. For additional information on the seminar contact Steve B at 508-842-1450, or baerwolf@hotmail.com Back to top 6. Judge Strikes Down Bush On Terror Groups SOURCE: 11/29/06: Associated Press, Linda Deutsch read full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061129/ap_on_re_us/terrorist_designation read full article: http://www.noaeta.com/news.htm EDITED FOR LENGTH The judge's 45-page ruling was a reversal of her own tentative findings last July in which she indicated she would uphold wide powers asserted by Bush under an anti-terror financing law. She delayed her ruling then to allow more legal briefs to be filed... She also struck down the provision in which Bush had authorized the secretary of the treasury to designate anyone who "assists, sponsors or provides services to" or is "otherwise associated with" a designated group. However, she let stand sections of the order that penalize those who provide "services" to designated terrorist groups. She said such services would include the humanitarian aid and rights training proposed by the plaintiffs... In 2004, Collins ruled that portions of the Patriot Act were too vague and, even after Congress amended the act in 2005, she ruled the provisions remained too vague to be understood by a person of average intelligence and were therefore unconstitutional.. Back to top 7. AETA In Reverse? Portland Fur Dealer "Terrorizes" Protesters SOURCE: http://www.ktvz.com/story.cfm?nav=oregon&storyID=1746 EDITED FOR LENGTH  KGW photo / A sign posted on a window inside Schumachers store. Every week for an entire year Schumacher has faced sidewalk protests by animal rights activists. Schumacher has blasted city officials and police for failing to support him in the face of picketers who appear weekly to try to dissuade customers from buying his coats... Police counter that they've assigned an officer to every weekly protest and they've made occasional arrests. Police also say Schumacher has rejected their advice and has made relations with protesters worse, not better. Mayor Tom Potter has offered to mediate. Schumacher replies, "I don't think it is reasonable to ask me to mediate with a terroristic organization." "That's offensive," responds Matt Rossell of In Defense of Animals. "We're law-abiding citizens. In this day and age, we know what terrorism is and clearly we are exercising our first amendment rights. The real terror that's being caused here is the terror these animals go through." ...Schumacher wants the new "Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act," signed by President Bush on Monday, enforced against the picketers. It's language is not crystal clear. One section specifically states it is not intended to prohibit peaceful picketing or boycotts. Yet, in an apparent contradiction, it outlines penalties of a year in prison for offenses that do not instill fear of injury or death and result in no economic damage. As a result, Laura Ireland Moore, the director of the Animal Law Center at Lewis & Clark College, says she cannot predict how it would be enforced. "What this bill is certainly doing is putting a chill on the animal advocacy movement because nobody knows exactly where the line is," she said. ...Schumacher says he will move out by next spring. Until then, he is discounting every item in his store between now and the move. Some customers have been told the store may move to Bridgeport Village. Schumacher would not identify the new spot. read full article: http://www.ktvz.com/story.cfm?nav=oregon&storyID=17461
8. Levity - Dubya's "Letter" To An Animal Rights Activist SOURCE: Forwarded by AnimalVoicesNews@earthlink.net LETTER FROM GEORGE W. BUSH, from the White House Dear Lindy, I think you will find the accommodations and treatment by our staff to meet with your highest expectations. Your cell will be cozy (about 6' X 6') and kept at a comfortable 40 degrees. Your personal military police guard will be an expert in - and won't hesitate to apply - stress positions, sleep deprivation, water boarding, and rape. (You might like that last one, Lindy, as I understand it's been a while.) He will not hold back on administering psychological torture, either - relentlessly reminding you that you are completely at his mercy, that he can do anything he wants to you, that no one knows or cares that you are there, that you cannot challenge your incarceration in a U.S. court, and that you will most likely remain there for the rest of your life. Just wanted to dash off this note to you. Now, I have to get back to my international campaigning for additional troops and more funds so that I can step up my efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and go to war with Iran, Korea, and China. Sincerely, Back to top KINSHIP CIRCLE / AETA RESOURCES *Kinship Circle is a working member of the Equal Justice Alliance   GET COOL CLOTHES - http://www.kinshipcircle.org/kinshiplace/ Kinship Circle is a nonprofit organization. Donations help us meet expenses for the literature, website, research and campaigns -- that let YOU take action for animals. Please keep Kinship Circle in mind when you donate. DONATE: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/donations.html BEAR WITNESS. SPEAK. DEMAND. ACT.Kinship Circle - Action Campaigns I Literature I Voice For Animals Nonprofit working in animal protection/cruelty + animal disaster relief campaigns Brenda Shoss, president * Janet Enoch, vice-president info@kinshipcircle.org or kinshipcircle@brick.net http://www.KinshipCircle.org * http://www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters/default.html   Please use GoodSearch and select Kinship Circle as your designated cause. http://www.goodsearch.com/ SUBSCRIBE: Kinship Circle now maintains 2 separate mail lists:
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