Last Chance To Pass AETA This YearAction Needed Now!

By National Animal Interest Alliance Trust
Posted Monday, October 9, 2006

When a political cause is used to justify terror, violence, harassment, destruction and even murder, the cause itself becomes tainted grotesque and shameful. So it is with animal-rights extremism. More and more people are saying “no” to terrorists who hold legitimate animal interests hostage to extremist agendas. On September 30, 2006, by unanimous consent, the US Senate passed Senate Bill 3880, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), which strengthens the federal response to criminal activities conducted against organizations and individuals directly or indirectly related to animal ownership and care, “animal enterprises,” as the bill calls them.

The bill now comes before the House Judiciary Committee and the House of Representatives as HR 4239. In order to become law this year, HR 4239 needs support now. Locate your US Representative in Washington or at their home district offices where they are likely to be until after the elections, and urge passage of the bill.
http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/home/
A call or visit to their home
office could make a big difference now.

We must say no to terrorist tactics that threaten our Constitutional ideals and certainly have no place in our efforts to promote responsible, legal animal interests. This is our last chance to pass AETA this year.

Among its actions, the bill would:

· Broaden the definition of “animal enterprise” to such private and commercial enterprises as animal shelters, breeders, pet stores, and furriers.
· Define “economic disruption” as losses or increased costs resulting from threats, acts of violence, property damage, trespass, harassment, or intimidation perpetrated against a person or entity on account of their relationship with an animal enterprise.

Contrary to a heavily waged Internet disinformation campaign fomented by animal rights groups claiming that this bill will override First Amendment protections, nothing could be further from the truth. Please note section (e) below. It’s from the actual bill passed by the Senate, S. 3880.
‘‘(e) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. Nothing in this section shall be construed
‘‘(1) to prohibit any expressive conduct (including peaceful picketing or other peaceful demonstration) protected from legal prohibition by the First Amendment to the Constitution;
‘‘(2) to create new remedies for interference with activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of the First Amendment to the Constitution, regardless of the point of view expressed, or to limit any existing legal remedies for such interference; or
‘‘(3) to provide exclusive criminal penalties or civil remedies with respect to the conduct prohibited by this action, or to preempt State or local laws that may provide such penalties or remedies.’’
From our beginning in 1991, the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) has worked for laws to protect animal enterprises from terrorist tactics. To this end, NAIA participated in the campaign that culminated in 1992 passage of the Animal Enterprise Protection Act. In the intervening years, we have endorsed several necessary amendments to strengthen that law.

But animal-rights extremists found a huge loophole in the Act: There was no prohibition against attacking third parties connected with animal-related businesses. Extremists stepped up their acts of arson, theft and assault against these unprotected targets. They have attacked researchers, shareholders and shelter workers; vandalized country clubs; harassed employees’ families; dropped bombs on the doorsteps of researcher’s neighbor; and torched homes and negatively impacted personal security in their campaigns to achieve goals that range from ending animal-based research to dominating community animal-control programs and even eliminating the right to own an animal.

Encouraged by NAIA and other concerned citizens, Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, convened a hearing on animal rights and environmental terrorism on October 26, 2005. At that session, Dr. Jerry Vlasak, a physician who often speaks for the Animal Liberation Front, stood behind his 2003 statement that murdering researchers would be an acceptable tactic in the crusade against animal-based research. Other witnesses described how they had been threatened and victimized by animal-rights extremists and had suffered personal and financial losses as a result.

As a result of this hearing Senator Inhofe and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced S. 1926, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. After being amended with input from the ACLU to protect free speech, the bill came to be known as S. 3880.

NAIA applauds the Senate for their stand against what the FBI reports to be the number one domestic terrorist threat in the US.

“Legitimate businesses and innocent people are suffering," says NAIA national director Patti Strand. “We cannot tolerate criminal activities without forfeiting the rule of law that forms the basis of our democratic society. We are grateful to Senators Inhofe and Feinstein for addressing this critically important threat to our country. We are especially pleased that the bill now protects legal activism, free speech and legal boycott – all good choices for people wishing to express their opinions. However, the bill is tough on arson, vandalism, and campaigns of death threats, all methods of expression that are violent and chilling to the civil liberties and free speech rights of the victims, the defenseless targets of such disgusting campaigns. We hope that everyone working with animals, everyone owning animals will see that AETA protects them from the extremists who use death threats, arson and other criminal acts to make their point. We urge strong support and quick passage of the AETA.”

For more background information on this issue, log on to;
http://www.naiaonline.org/body/articlesarchivesStop_Animal%20_Rights_Terrorists.htm

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Copyright © 2006. National Animal Interest Alliance Trust. All Rights Reserved.