Guest guest Posted October 6, 2007 Report Share Posted October 6, 2007 Hello everyone! I just wanted to give a brief recap of the campaign kickoffs to the statewide ballot initiative seeking to outlaw battery cages, veal crates, and gestation crates! See our website for more information! www.humanecalifornia.org <http://www.humanecalifornia.org/> We had great turnouts at both the Sacramento and San Francisco events! We had 200 attendees, more than a quarter of whom committed to join the 1000 Club-gathering 1000 signatures throughout the campaign! At the kickoffs, Wayne Pacelle, Paul Shaprio, and Mike Markarian from the Humane Society of the United States inspiringly explained the significance of this initiative. It would vastly improve the lives of more than 19 million egg-laying hens in California, as well as 20,000 sows, and it would send a huge message that raising animals in conditions so inhumane that the animals cannot even turn around is simply unacceptable. We also went over some of the key things to know about signature gathering. We did some role plays for people to see what public signature gathering is like, and we went over some of the most important things to keep in mind when gathering signatures, including how to approach people and what disqualifies a signature. Please read the synopsis below so that you can make the best use of your time and be effective as possible in signature gathering! Briefly, some tips regarding approaching people: * Always be kind and respectful to everyone you talk to about the campaign, even if they disagree with you. * If someone isn't interested in signing, move along to the next person who might be, and if people want more information, have lots of questions, or are very supportive and want to get involved, give them a flyer so that they can check out our website and contact us. Then quickly move on to the next person! * Dress in an appropriate manner. Present yourself in a way that will not distract from or discredit our message. (This may go without saying, but just in case!) * Carry petitions with you wherever you go! Rules regarding signature gathering: * You must be registered to vote in California to sign and to gather signatures for this campaign. If you are not registered (register if you can!) and cannot register (because you are under 18, not a US citizen, live out of state, etc.), you can still be involved in the campaign by directing people to signature gatherers who are registered, doing office work, or participating in other ways. Email me at nora if you'd like to be involved! * Petitions are organized by county such that everyone who signs on a particular page needs to be registered in the same county, which you'll fill in at the top of the page. So, if you've gathered a signature from someone who is registered in Alameda County and then someone from Sonoma agrees to sign, you need to have them fill out their info on a new petition that you'll fill in at the top to say that it is for Sonoma County. Otherwise signatures gathered from people who do not live in the county that you write in at the top of the page will not count. * You need to witness all the signatures on the petitions you gather, so you can't leave petitions in cafes or other places to collect at a later time. * Signers need to write in pen. A signature in pencil will be disqualified. * PO Boxes are not accepted. * Do not write on the petitions except to fill in the info required. * Send in your petitions every week to the office address we'll send you when you get your petitions. * You cannot sign on a petition that you yourself are gathering signatures on. You will be filling out an affidavit at the bottom of each page acknowledging that you witnessed the signatures on that page, so when you want to sign yourself, you need to sign on a petition that someone else will be witnessing. (You can trade with someone.) We had a very generous offer from Joe Connelly of VegNews that anybody who gathers 1000 signatures for the campaign will get a gift subscription for 3 free years of VegNews! Thanks Joe!!! Another great incentive/reward came from Beth Ellenberger, a massage therapist, who will be giving a free massage to the first person in the Bay Area to gather 1000 signatures! We will have petitions available next week and will be sending those out immediately to everyone at the kickoff and to people who sign up to volunteer at www.humanecalifornia.org <http://www.humanecalifornia.org/> . We'll need office help when the petitions arrive to make this happen, so let us know if you can help us in our office in downtown San Francisco! This campaign provides new and experienced activists with a tremendous opportunity to make a tangible difference for animals, and to make a huge statement against the cruel conditions on factory farms. If you haven't already, please let me know if you are interested in getting involved or if you have any questions! You will be hearing a lot more about the campaign shortly, and over the next year, but, for now, THANK YOU for caring and becoming involved in this historic initiative! Nora Bay Area Coordinator Californians for Humane Farms Interested in taking action online to help animals? Then join our online community! Go to http://humanesociety.org/join Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hi Eric, Thanks for this email and for signing up to collect 1000 signatures! Your support of this initiative is extremely valuable. This is a tremendously important initiative for farm animals, and we need as many people as possible to volunteer to gather signatures! I'd love to talk more with you about this, but I want to address the points you raised for you and for others who received this email. § We did take questions at the kickoff, and we have had people ask us many questions about the initiative. We welcome these questions and are happy to have people so engaged in the campaign that they want more information. § Thankfully, there are currently no veal crates in California. This initiative would prevent any farms here from using these inhumane crates and would also send a message to other states that do use veal crates that these systems are out of step with a majority of Californians (and Arizonans). In fact, it was after veal crates had been outlawed in Arizona despite there being no veal industry in Arizona that the veal industry announced their intent to phase out these crates! However, I feel more confident passing a law prohibiting veal crates than trusting the veal industry to voluntarily phase them out. § Female " replacer " calves are not included in the measure, nor are male pigs. There are, unfortunately, countless other cruel practices on farms that are also inhumane, and no one bill would address every issue. The people crafting this initiative care tremendously about animals, and a great deal of thought and consideration was put into structuring this initiative. As it is right now, the initiative will protect 20 million animals every year in California-a hugely influential initiative. In fact, it is important to note that this is the broadest factory farming initiative ever waged in the US. The Humane Society of the United States has a tremendous record (~80%) on ballot initiatives that has earned my trust that they know what they are doing. § In fact, I can vouch that HSUS did work very closely with many California-based organizations and actually modified the initiative based on feedback of local activists. I'm sorry that you were not part of that process, and I'm quite sure that that was an unfortunate oversight, but many California organizations and activists were instrumental in the wording and planning of this effort, and virtually all of the animal protection groups in California have endorsed this initiative. I hope that anybody else with concerns about the initiative will direct these to me so that we can address them. This initiative is a tremendous opportunity for us to have a huge impact on the lives of 20 million animals each year in California, as well as to send a critically important message that egregiously cruel practices such as gestation crates, veal crates, and battery cages are unacceptable. To learn more about the campaign and how you can volunteer, please visit www.humanecalifornia.org <http://www.humanecalifornia.org/> . Thank you all for all you do for animals, Nora <nora Interested in taking action online to help animals? Then join our online community! Go to http://humanesociety.org/join Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 11, 2007 Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Nora, The fact there are no veal crates in California was not given at the kickoff. Wayne mentioned them being phased out giving the impression they are still here. Nor was there any mention of the dairy calves not being included. I would not expect everything to be included such as castrations, de-beaking, branding, etc, but the effort is specifically about crating/caging. I have seen bills die in the legislature because too much is put into them and they die of their own weight and complexity. Nobody needs to tell me about that. That is not my point. I just want this movement to be upfront and honest with advocates. Instead I see manipulation.. The questions were specifically limited to the process of gathering signatures. There was no opportunity to ask/discuss the initiative itself. I would have liked to hear about the possible opposition. Will it include the Chamber of Commerce, United Grocers, United Farm Workers, Restaurant Assn, even Wolfgang Puck? To say it was simply an “oversight” that Eric was not included in any discussion (nor was I), is impossible to believe, as he has been active for decades in gathering signatures and in legislation. Like the dairy calves, it was a purposeful omission. I think a big challenge for the initiative to gain needed activists is the view of some that actually oppose any improvements in housing because they think it will be an excuse for some to eat “humanely raised” meat. I hope they can realize that the animals don’t care about one’s philosophy, religion, or politics. All they know is they are cramped in crates and need all the help they can get. Thanks for your efforts. I am happy to do what I can from this office. The initiative has already been on the legislative email alert for weeks. Virginia Animal Switchboard On Behalf Of Nora Kramer HC Tuesday, October 09, 2007 4:20 PM RE: Ballot initiative kickoff recap Hi Eric, Thanks for this email and for signing up to collect 1000 signatures! Your support of this initiative is extremely valuable. This is a tremendously important initiative for farm animals, and we need as many people as possible to volunteer to gather signatures! I'd love to talk more with you about this, but I want to address the points you raised for you and for others who received this email. § We did take questions at the kickoff, and we have had people ask us many questions about the initiative. We welcome these questions and are happy to have people so engaged in the campaign that they want more information. § Thankfully, there are currently no veal crates in California. This initiative would prevent any farms here from using these inhumane crates and would also send a message to other states that do use veal crates that these systems are out of step with a majority of Californians (and Arizonans). In fact, it was after veal crates had been outlawed in Arizona despite there being no veal industry in Arizona that the veal industry announced their intent to phase out these crates! However, I feel more confident passing a law prohibiting veal crates than trusting the veal industry to voluntarily phase them out. § Female " replacer " calves are not included in the measure, nor are male pigs. There are, unfortunately, countless other cruel practices on farms that are also inhumane, and no one bill would address every issue. The people crafting this initiative care tremendously about animals, and a great deal of thought and consideration was put into structuring this initiative. As it is right now, the initiative will protect 20 million animals every year in California-a hugely influential initiative. In fact, it is important to note that this is the broadest factory farming initiative ever waged in the US. The Humane Society of the United States has a tremendous record (~80%) on ballot initiatives that has earned my trust that they know what they are doing. § In fact, I can vouch that HSUS did work very closely with many California-based organizations and actually modified the initiative based on feedback of local activists. I'm sorry that you were not part of that process, and I'm quite sure that that was an unfortunate oversight, but many California organizations and activists were instrumental in the wording and planning of this effort, and virtually all of the animal protection groups in California have endorsed this initiative. I hope that anybody else with concerns about the initiative will direct these to me so that we can address them. This initiative is a tremendous opportunity for us to have a huge impact on the lives of 20 million animals each year in California, as well as to send a critically important message that egregiously cruel practices such as gestation crates, veal crates, and battery cages are unacceptable. To learn more about the campaign and how you can volunteer, please visit www.humanecalifornia.org <http://www.humanecalifornia.org/> .. Thank you all for all you do for animals, Nora <nora (AT) humanecalifornia (DOT) org> Interested in taking action online to help animals? Then join our online community! Go to http://humanesociety.org/join Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.6/1061 - Release 10/10/2007 8:43 AM Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.6/1061 - Release 10/10/2007 8:43 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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