Guest guest Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Dear Kate, et al. - I've known and worked with Rose Lernberg for nearly 30 years. I'm convinced there's no one in the California animal movement more politically astute on animal legislation, hard-working, or committed to animal welfare, than Rose is. Anyone working on animal legislative issues would do well to confer with Rose and consider her carefully thought-out opinions before taking action, especially of the knee-jerk variety so prevalent in our movement. SB 1520 was a wonderful bill when introduced. It is considerably less so in its current state. I would encourage everyone to re-read Rose's alert and consider the points made therein. Then make up your own mind and act accordingly. Civilly, of course. Perhaps now would be a good time for the bill's sponsors, proponents and detractors to be considering a state or county (Sonoma) ballot initiative for the near future, regardless of whether the Governor signs or vetoes SB 1520. There are other animal bills currently on the Governor's desk. I do hope that some of this energy will be directed toward getting an animal bill signed that we all agree on, AB 1857, by Assemblyman Paul Koretz. AB 1857 would ban the brutal de-clawing (maiming) of captive big cats (tigers, lions, leopards, mountain lions, etc.) No controversy there, I trust. Cheers, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS Kate Danaher wrote: > Rose, > What are you doing asking people to oppose SB1520!!!! > I’m really upset you are advocating this position. > Kate > > > > on 9/8/04 2:48 PM, Rose Lernberg at lernberg wrote: > > *Please note: *This alert is produced by Rose Lernberg and is no > longer in any way affiliated with or endorsed by The Fund for > Animals. The position listed below does not reflect the position > of The Fund for Animals. For information on The Fund for Animals' > positions on legislation, please visit www.fund.org. > > --------- > > If you do not wish to continue receiving this alert, send a > message to <_lernberg_> with UNSUBSCRIBE on the > subject line. > --------- > > *Please Note: > *I take complete personal responsibility for the content of my > alerts on animal legislation. No other person, and no > organization, determines the content > > ------------------------ > > *Please contact Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and ask him to veto > SB 1520. Tell him that Sonoma Foie Gras is the only beneficiary of > this amended bill, which not only legalizes the procedure of force > feeding ducks until July 1, 2012, but also immunizes Sonoma Foie > Gras from any civil or criminal actions based on forced feeding > during that time. > > *The Governor has until September 30 to act on this bill. Letters > are preferable. It is very difficult to access the fax line. > > Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger > State Capitol Building > Sacramento, CA 95814 > Fax: 916-445-4633 > > You can also phone: 916-445-2841 and express your opinion on SB > 1520 in an automated message. > > Press 2 to voice your opinion on legislation, > Then press 4 to comment on SB 1520, > Then press 2 to oppose the bill. > > Or you can e-mail the Governor at _http://www.govmail.ca.gov/_ > Scroll down and choose " Force fed birds.\SB01520 " as your subject. > *---------------------- > > Briefly, here is my perspective on SB 1520: > > *You may have noticed that I showed no position on SB 1520 on my > alert for many weeks. I greatly admire Senator Burton. But the > time has finally come when, based on my 25 plus years experience > working on state legislation as a volunteer, I can not in good > conscience continue to stay neutral. > > In its original form, SB 1520 would have banned the practice of > force feeding ducks. Unfortunately, SB 1520 was amended so that it > would not take effect until July 1, 2012. Then it was later > amended again to prohibit any civil or criminal action based on > forced feeding against the foie gras producer in the meantime, > including a pending lawsuit. > > It might have been wiser to first ask the Attorney General for an > opinion on whether force feeding violates the existing > anti-cruelty codes. If SB 1520 becomes law and a positive opinion > were to be obtained in the future, nothing could be done about it > because SB 1520 provides Sonoma Foie Gras, the only producer in > California, with unprecedented legal immunity for seven and > one-half years. Israel’s Supreme Court recently ruled that force > feeding breaks Israel's laws banning cruelty to animals. > > At the same time, SB 1520 was also amended to say that the purpose > of delaying the operative date until July 1, 2012, is to allow > " individuals engaged in agricultural practices that include > raising and selling force fed birds to modify their business > practices. " Does this sound as though Sonoma Foie Gras is planning > to go out of business? Also, one of the final amendments to the > bill removed language that would have helped those in this field > to find other employment. Are they not expected to find other > employment? > > There are assertions " that foie gras, when done by artisan > producers rather than 'factory farms,' does not necessarily equate > with inhumane treatment of ducks and geese. Francine Bradley, a > poultry specialist with the University of California Cooperative > Extension at UC, Davis, said, 'I've known the Gonzalez family > [owners of Sonoma Foie Gras] since they first came to California. > From the beginning, they wanted to do everything the correct way. > They came to the university for advice before they bought land or > birds, and I've always been impressed with the great care they > take with their birds.' " (/Wine Spectator Online,/ 9/04/2003). > Does this mean that U.C. Davis will be working with Gonzalez to > help him stay in business? > > I was at the hearing in Sacramento the day after SB 1520 was > amended to include the immunity clause. I heard Guillermo Gonzalez > thank Senator Burton for amending the bill and for allowing him to > continue in operation. > > Assemblyman Joe Nation, when presenting AB 1520 on the Assembly > floor, stated that Sonoma Foie Gras supports SB 1520. > > I recently spoke with Beau Biller, a lobbyist, and confirmed that > he had been hired to represent Sonoma Foie Gras in lobbying for SB > 1520. > > In short, a company that a bill is trying to shut down approved > amendments to the bill and then actively supported the bill, > because it put the company in a desirable strategic position. It > is with great disappointment that I ask activists to oppose SB > 1520, but the harmful aspects of this bill, as amended, outweigh > its likely future benefits. > > Rose Lernberg > > > > > > >^..^< > > > For events: > Please see message archives and calendar at > baarn > > > * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Isn't it a little late? I've been calling the govenor's office for days supporting SB1520. On top of that, I've been pestering my friends to call. If Rose Lernberg had concerns she should have spoken up sooner. This is very annoying! --- EricM <afa wrote: > Dear Kate, et al. - > > I've known and worked with Rose Lernberg for nearly > 30 years. I'm > convinced there's no one in the California animal > movement more > politically astute on animal legislation, > hard-working, or committed to > animal welfare, than Rose is. Anyone working on > animal legislative > issues would do well to confer with Rose and > consider her carefully > thought-out opinions before taking action, > especially of the knee-jerk > variety so prevalent in our movement. SB 1520 was a > wonderful bill when > introduced. It is considerably less so in its > current state. I would > encourage everyone to re-read Rose's alert and > consider the points made > therein. Then make up your own mind and act > accordingly. Civilly, of course. > > Perhaps now would be a good time for the bill's > sponsors, proponents and > detractors to be considering a state or county > (Sonoma) ballot > initiative for the near future, regardless of > whether the Governor signs > or vetoes SB 1520. > > There are other animal bills currently on the > Governor's desk. I do hope > that some of this energy will be directed toward > getting an animal bill > signed that we all agree on, AB 1857, by Assemblyman > Paul Koretz. AB > 1857 would ban the brutal de-clawing (maiming) of > captive big cats > (tigers, lions, leopards, mountain lions, etc.) No > controversy there, I > trust. > > Cheers, > > Eric Mills, coordinator > ACTION FOR ANIMALS > > > Kate Danaher wrote: > > > Rose, > > What are you doing asking people to oppose > SB1520!!!! > > I’m really upset you are advocating this position. > > Kate > > > > > > > > on 9/8/04 2:48 PM, Rose Lernberg at > lernberg wrote: > > > > *Please note: *This alert is produced by Rose > Lernberg and is no > > longer in any way affiliated with or endorsed > by The Fund for > > Animals. The position listed below does not > reflect the position > > of The Fund for Animals. For information on > The Fund for Animals' > > positions on legislation, please visit > www.fund.org. > > > > --------- > > > > If you do not wish to continue receiving this > alert, send a > > message to <_lernberg_> with > UNSUBSCRIBE on the > > subject line. > > --------- > > > > *Please Note: > > *I take complete personal responsibility for > the content of my > > alerts on animal legislation. No other person, > and no > > organization, determines the content > > > > ------------------------ > > > > *Please contact Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger > and ask him to veto > > SB 1520. Tell him that Sonoma Foie Gras is the > only beneficiary of > > this amended bill, which not only legalizes > the procedure of force > > feeding ducks until July 1, 2012, but also > immunizes Sonoma Foie > > Gras from any civil or criminal actions based > on forced feeding > > during that time. > > > > *The Governor has until September 30 to act on > this bill. Letters > > are preferable. It is very difficult to access > the fax line. > > > > Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger > > State Capitol Building > > Sacramento, CA 95814 > > Fax: 916-445-4633 > > > > You can also phone: 916-445-2841 and express > your opinion on SB > > 1520 in an automated message. > > > > Press 2 to voice your opinion on legislation, > > Then press 4 to comment on SB 1520, > > Then press 2 to oppose the bill. > > > > Or you can e-mail the Governor at > _http://www.govmail.ca.gov/_ > > Scroll down and choose " Force fed > birds.\SB01520 " as your subject. > > *---------------------- > > > > Briefly, here is my perspective on SB 1520: > > > > *You may have noticed that I showed no > position on SB 1520 on my > > alert for many weeks. I greatly admire Senator > Burton. But the > > time has finally come when, based on my 25 > plus years experience > > working on state legislation as a volunteer, I > can not in good > > conscience continue to stay neutral. > > > > In its original form, SB 1520 would have > banned the practice of > > force feeding ducks. Unfortunately, SB 1520 > was amended so that it > > would not take effect until July 1, 2012. Then > it was later > > amended again to prohibit any civil or > criminal action based on > > forced feeding against the foie gras producer > in the meantime, > > including a pending lawsuit. > > > > It might have been wiser to first ask the > Attorney General for an > > opinion on whether force feeding violates the > existing > > anti-cruelty codes. If SB 1520 becomes law and > a positive opinion > > were to be obtained in the future, nothing > could be done about it > > because SB 1520 provides Sonoma Foie Gras, the > only producer in > > California, with unprecedented legal immunity > for seven and > > one-half years. Israel’s Supreme Court > recently ruled that force > > feeding breaks Israel's laws banning cruelty > to animals. > > > > At the same time, SB 1520 was also amended to > say that the purpose > > of delaying the operative date until July 1, > 2012, is to allow > > " individuals engaged in agricultural practices > that include > > raising and selling force fed birds to modify > their business > > practices. " Does this sound as though Sonoma > Foie Gras is planning > > to go out of business? Also, one of the final > amendments to the > > bill removed language that would have helped > those in this field > > to find other employment. Are they not > expected to find other > > employment? > > > > There are assertions " that foie gras, when > done by artisan > > producers rather than 'factory farms,' does > not necessarily equate > > with inhumane treatment of ducks and geese. > Francine Bradley, a > > poultry specialist with the University of > California Cooperative > > Extension at UC, Davis, said, 'I've known the > Gonzalez family > > [owners of Sonoma Foie Gras] since they first > came to California. > > From the beginning, they wanted to do > everything the correct way. > > They came to the university for advice before > they === message truncated === New and Improved Mail - Send 10MB messages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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