Guest guest Posted April 19, 2003 Report Share Posted April 19, 2003 Hi all, Seems like there are good animal legislations pending and critical hearings coming up or have just recently happened. Perhaps someone who attended one of the recent hearings for one of the other animal or veg bills could tell the rest of us about your experience: what did you do, was it difficult, did you feel it made a difference at the time, was there lots of " opposition " showing up voicing their opinions, and did the vote reflect the testimony given at the hearings? It would be really great for someone to share their experience, especially if you just did it for the first time! Cheers, Tammy Join the vegan r/evolution! http://www.generationV.org/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FREE vegan info kit: http://www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack/free-vsp.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 Hi Tammy and all, This is in response to an e-mail wondering whether someone who attended recent legislative hearings about the animals would share the experience. I decided at the last minute to head to Sacramento, though that week seemed very bad timing for me. I was between two big projects at work, and feeling tired. Then I saw an e-mail on this listserv, drumming support. Its author wondered how often we get an opportunity to help so many animals in one day. Argh. My conscience. Four animal welfare proposals were slated to be heard: one dealing with cock fighting, another with using hounds to hunt black bears, another with rodeos - and the one nearest my heart - a proposal addressing pig gestation crates and veal pens. I decided I just needed to go. So, I packed a small bag, left work at 9 Monday night, and headed with another AR supporter toward the Capitol. We stayed at a hostel, and in the morning met at the Capitol building at 7:30 a.m. AR folks were standing in line to enter the building, and so were hunters defending hunting black bears with hounds. It was heartening to spot AR folks like Colleen Patrick Goudrey, to greet and support one another. Once inside we met in a cafeteria with the folks who'd organized the day of AR support and lobbying. The hearings were staggered through the morning and afternoon, held in various subcommittees and it was nearly impossible to visit them all. The organizers urged us to attend the bear hunting proposal as so many hunters were attending. Because of timing and tactics, I wound up attending two hearings - on hunting and gestation crates. In the first, dozens and dozens of orange-clad hunters gathered. The AR folks, wearing stickers supporting the outlawing of hound-hunting for bears, sat amongst them. When the bill under consideration came up, the lawmakers heard about 45 minutes of testimony on both sides. The bill's sponsor explained his position, and then officials such as the Senior Vice President of the American Humane Society and reps from other animal rights and animal welfare groups spoke up. There was time for anyong to come to the microphone and lend support, and several AR supporters did so. The hunting advocates then took their turn. Walking in and out of the area were spectators were sitting, and wading through the groups of hunters, felt a bit tense. But all those gathered - the hunters and AR folks - behaved respectfully toward one another. What felt important about being in that room was supporting the elected official who pitched this plan, and supporting the other Animal Rights advocates who had traveled all this way - some from Southern California - to do this. The legislators, for various reasons (including, I gathered, because some believed this kind of change needed to be a statewide referendum rather than happen in this forum), voted against outlawing the use of hounds to hunt bears. Many of us moved to the hearing on gestation crates. The forum was similar, with the bill's sponsor making a presentation, and various spokespeople such as Farm Sanctuary co-founder Gene Bauston, supporting the measure and explaining why this small act of compassion makes sense. Spokespeople from farming industry then argued their position. At one point, the bill's sponsor asked all those who supported this proposal to stand, and the AR people - 50 or more of us, all ages, mainstream-looking - rose. That was the first concrete thing I'd " done " to be counted all day. It was a small thing, but it felt like it mattered. That measure was approved, and comes next week before the next committee - the Agriculture Subcommittee, I understand. I hope to go. I left Sacramento feeling energized and absolutely glad to have gone. My energy, about seeing the inside of this process, about supporting other AR folks and spending time with them, about raising awareness of the conditions in which animals live and die, had me sailing for the next day or two. I hadn't thought much previously about legislation on behalf of animals. I've thought more about transforming hearts than changing laws. And I struggle over spending lots of time on incremental, welfare changes for animals. I want people to confront the enormity of the suffering, and I've worried animal welfare allows for an evasion of that. And yet, as a friend pointed out to me, we remain in the beginning stages of this movement. There is an incredible amount to be done. And we need to push everywhere we can. For myself, I am keeping my eye and committment on a world where all beings live out their lives in peace. And during that long haul, I want to help wherever I can, however I can. Even in the incremental ways. In peace, and for the animals, Mary Margaret > " Tammy " <govegan > " Bay Area Veg " >[sFBAVeg] CA legislative hearings >Sat, 19 Apr 2003 10:18:43 -0700 > >Hi all, > >Seems like there are good animal legislations pending and critical hearings >coming up or have just recently happened. Perhaps someone who attended one >of the recent hearings for one of the other animal or veg bills could tell >the rest of us about your experience: what did you do, was it difficult, >did you feel it made a difference at the time, was there lots of > " opposition " showing up voicing their opinions, and did the vote reflect >the >testimony given at the hearings? > >It would be really great for someone to share their experience, especially >if you just did it for the first time! > >Cheers, >Tammy > >Join the vegan r/evolution! >http://www.generationV.org/ >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * >FREE vegan info kit: >http://www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack/free-vsp.html > > > > > > >::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: >Bay Area Vegetarians is a community group for veggies to network & find >support. Free >membership and lots of free events :-) See below links for more veggie >info.... > >*Next Vegan Food Party -- 5/3! See SFBAVeg Event Calendar >www.generationv.org/events.htm >*New Events Only Mailing List! SFBAVeg-Events >*Vote for future event locations! >SFBAVeg/polls >*Got Questions? We got answers! www.generationv.org/faq.htm >*SFBAVeg Charter: www.generationv.org/charter.htm >*FREE vegan info kit: www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack/free-vsp.html >*Online discussion forum with threaded messages >http://www.generationv.org/forum/ >*Be Active for Animals! See www.freedom4animals.org/events.html > >Tell your friends to Be-A-Veg with SFBAVeg! >http://www.generationv.org/join.htm > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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