Consolidated Animal Rights  Movement is Sportsmen's Nightmare

 

HSUS growth is threat to  sportsmen

November 28, 2007                                                                                                         

U.S. Sportsmen's  Alliancewww.ussportsmen.org

In a  precisely-calculated effort, the Humane Society of the United States is  assuming control of the animal rights movement political agenda. In doing  so, it becomes an even greater threat to conservation and hunters  rights.

Wayne  Pacelle, the mastermind behind HSUS, recently told the Chronicle of  Philanthropy that his organization may soon merge with at least three  unnamed animal rights organizations. The HSUS calls itself a mainstream  animal charity, but the growing organization has already joined forces with  groups that push a none-too-conventional anti-hunting, anti-trapping agenda.

The HSUS  is playing up a mainstream reputation in hopes of becoming the primary  mouthpiece for the animal rights movement, said USSA President Bud Pidgeon. It is not difficult to convince a smaller group to unite with a  multi-million dollar organization that will push its political agenda - be  it to end hunting or eliminate animal research. Sportsmen will no-doubt see  HSUS continue to grow in this way.

Power in  Numbers

By  absorbing the other groups, HSUS adds to its membership and bank accounts,  which gives it even more political muscle. The group now has 10.5 million  members or supporters, up from 7.4 million five years ago.

When  Pacelle took control of HSUS in 2004, he realized the way to advance his  political agenda was to develop an even larger following of animal  activists. It was not by chance that HSUS assumed control of the Fund for  Animals in 2005 and the Doris Day Animal League in 2006. It was all part of  a plan to make HSUS the powerful and efficient mouthpiece for the animal  rights movement.

Bank On  It

With a  staggering $112-million budget, a new legislative arm and a political action  committee to boot, HSUS definitely has lawmakers attention. The group spent  $2.5 million this year to push state and federal animal rights legislation.  Last year, for the first time, it got directly involved in candidate  elections and spent $600,000 to back or oppose nominees based on their  animal-related voting history.

To remain  in control of the animal rights movement, HSUS plans to continue its  financial development. In fact, it will soon begin a five year, $100-million  fund-raising effort that will put its budget well over $200 million!

Looks  Can Be Deceiving

Sportsmen  know the HSUS is a political machine that campaigns to ban hunting.

The HSUS  tries to sell itself as a group with mainstream goals, but if that were  truly the case, would it merge with animal rights organizations that  stigmatize and try to prohibit hunting and trapping?

For  example, it led the effort to bulldoze dove hunting via the ballot box in  Michigan, and it championed a recent bear hunting ban in New Jersey.

Those and  dozens of other overt attacks on hunting are not the only threats HSUS poses  to sportsmen. It has also plotted no-holds-barred campaigns that will have  subtle, yet equally devastating, impacts on outdoor sports.

Sportsmen  who breed and raise hunting dogs are being caught up in proposals that HSUS  advocates as efforts to wipe out large-scale, abusive dog breeders. At the  same time, the anti are fanning a public frenzy against animal fighting  and lobbying for legislation that could make sportsmen who hunt with dogs  vulnerable to animal cruelty charges. For instance, if a dog breaks point  and grabs a pheasant the hunter could be charged with an act of animal  cruelty. The USSA Sporting Dog Defense Coalition is on call to make sure  hunters rights are protected.

The  Future In Your Hands

American  sportsmen have a savvy foe that is influential in politics and the media. It  is coordinating attacks against hunting and all animal use and will not be  an easy opponent to defeat.

Let this  message ignite your passion for hunting. Help the USSA defeat legal and  legislative attacks by this anti-hunting giant and others within the  movement.

ﾠJoin the USSA now! Your year-end gift  will be a significant step toward tackling the anti-hunting movement.