Did You Know?
As the year 2001 swings into full bloom and horse shows, trail riding and related Equine Events such as nationwide horse fairs, play days and seminars fill our sunnier days and nights, we need to be aware of and thankful for these beautiful creatures that fill our lives with so much joy, fellowship & entertainment. Any true horseman's life would surely be amiss without the horse to bear his soul to on that leisurely trail ride, during the twilight hours sitting in the barns, listening, and the only sound is of the munching of hay and grain, the tense moments just before entering competition, the winning moments and the silent trailering home, when all didn't go quite as expected.
Okay, you say just where is this going?
Look back to the word entertainment! Now think PETA. Do you really know what that means or what it is or do you even care? Well, you'd better stop and take the time to find out .... PETA - People for Ethical Treatment of Animals is an animal rights activist group founded in 198O & has grown from a small group of volunteers to an international organization with more than 600,000 supporters. Do you know how much money that represents?
Do you know what they primarily work against? The issues of animals used for experimentations, food, clothing, & entertainment. There's that word entertainment again, and that's where the breeding, raising, showing, and pleasure of the Spotted Saddle Horse comes in.
Have you ever pulled up www.PETA.com on your computer? You should. I did, and pulled 60 some pages alone on their "Guide to Becoming an Activist." I have no idea how many total pages could be printed off this sight - volumes I'm sure.
We blunder along, caught up in our own little world, and, believe me, it's little compared to theirs. Into the sand our heads go as we enjoy the entertainment that "Ole Slowcome" and "Nellie Bell" provide us, giving us so much pleasure.
This groups guide to becoming an activists is as well planned and thought out as any major corporate business and better than most, I'm sure. Sections in this guide are - Getting Started, Tabling, Making Displays, Making & Distributing Leaflets, Starting a Group, Public Speaking, Organizing a Public Meeting, Lobbying, Researching the Facts, Working with the Media, Campaigning, Fundraising, Incorporating & Applying for tax-exempt Status and Frequently Asked Questions & Comments.
Under "Getting Started" they suggest if you're not already - Become a Vegetarian or better yet become Vegan. "What's that", you ask? A "vegan" not only eats no meats; they also eat no eggs or dairy products that contain animal ingredients. They will also send you a list of companies to boycott.
They tell you how to make effective displays. They will send just about anything you need or teach you.
Lobbying - they give utmost instructions down to the nth degree. They suggest in order to research the facts - do your homework and recommend the most valuable research effort of all is to get a job in a laboratory (or any other facility that exploits animals). Any other facility, well that's pretty broad isn't it - a dairy farm, beef cattle farm, and yes, could be a horse barn. Believe me, there are spies within the horse industry. These people are instructed not to give any hint that they are pro-animal rights or even a vegetarian. In other words - play along while building their case against you.
PETA tells activist how to campaign and how to use civil disobedience (the open, deliberate, violation of the law and it can be either direct or symbolic action or non-cooperation and usually leads to arrest). They tell how to deal with police confrontations or citizen interactions. They tell activist's basic legal rights and recommend that, if questioned, only give your name & address. They tell what the police can & can not do and suggest activists never answer questions and do not talk with the police.
They recommend fundraisers from bake sales to recycling & everything in between. In 2001, SSHBEA's membership could very well surpass 5,000. That times $30 equals $150,000. What if PETA's supporters only gave $30? That times 600,000 supporters is $19,800,000. Yes, we are the TARGET!
There is a section on incorporating and applying for tax-exempt status. Groups handling $1000 or more are recommended to do so. Activists are using tax-free money to campaign against the very sport that we the horse people hold so dear.
The very groups that you send money to help the fight against starving puppies & kittens are the very groups that have us as a target. Some of the action alert campaigns PETA is after range from getting veggie dogs into ballparks, to stopping the hunting of doves in Iowa, to stopping Coca-Cola from peddling cow's milk to children, to stopping Toys R Us from promoting circuses, to putting pressure on raccoon hunters & punishing them, to stopping baby chicks from being hatched, to boycotting Budweiser and to stopping the frivolous killing of mice.
You & I are the first as animal lovers to rescue and care for starving animals, and there's plenty out there that need our help! We are the first to admit that. But I dare say the animals under our care have better care than many children that are abused by their parents on a daily basis. Think what PETA's money could do for our children.
I beg of you as horse people, be alert. If you have access to the World Wide Web, log on to www.peta.com & other such groups. You can bet they are monitoring horse-related sites. Give up that fun evening on the chat lines. Whatever you do - pass the word. We are the TARGET! Don't stick your head in the sand any longer.