Guest guest Posted October 8, 2007 Report Share Posted October 8, 2007 Dear Nora, et al. - Thanks for the update, and for all your efforts. I think you'll be a grand local coordiinator for this ballot initiative, one which I strongly support (with a few reservations). I was one of those 50 who committed to gathering 1,000 signatures--pray for us! Now let me play Devil's Advocate for a moment. It's unfortunate that there was no time allotted for some discussion at the kick-off. Signature gatherers and the general public should be aware that CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO VEAL CRATES IN CALIFORNIA. Indeed, the industry itself has promised to phase out veal crates nationwide over the next decade or so. Therefore, it seems a bit disingenuous to me for us to say that this initiative would ban veal crates in California when there aren't any, or likely to be any in the future. Secondly, there are thousands of dairy replacement heifer calves in California's Central Valley who are forced to live in tiny, cramped wooden crates nearly identical to the veal crates. (Ask to see the many photos by Christine Morrissey, of East Bay Animal Advocates.) These animals are NOT covered by this initiative. Neither are boar (male) hogs used in the gestation crate industry. Surely these animals deserve as much protection as the others. Hopefully, we can include them all in future efforts. Lastly, I am dismayed that HSUS (for which I have much respect) didn't have the courtesy to ask California activists for our input on the initiative's wording before it was printed. They merely showed up and asked for our support. With some discussion of the issues in advance, I think we could have come up with a stronger and better initiative for all farmed animals. Hopefully, HSUS (and other national organizations) will do better by the locals in this and other states in the future. AND A FINAL TIP ON SIGNATURE GATHERING: As I stated at the kick-off, MOVIE THEATER LINES are one of the most time-effective venues at which to gather signatures. Simply go to a popular movie about 30-40 minutes before showtime with half a dozen petition boards. Announce to those in line that you saw this movie last night and, if they don't sign the petition, you will tell them how it ends! Always gets a laugh, and then most people will sign. See you on the street. Cheers, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS P.S. - I recently saw a letter from an activist vegetarian group which has decided not to work on this campaign, because they thought it sent the wrong message: That it's O.K. to eat animals if they're raised humanely. With all due respect, I believe those sentiments are misguided. Frankly, I don't think the animals give a DAMN about our personal philosophies. They simply want out of the battery cages, the gestation/farrowing crates, and the veal crates. That " all or nothing " kind of thinking usually ends up in just that: nothing for the animals. Seems to me these folks could do BOTH: circulate the petitions as a step in the right direction to get these animals some immediate relief, and promote their abolitionist goals at the same time. Keep in mind, too, that we're on a strict time schedule. We have only five months to get this job done. In the end, what do you think the ANIMALS would wish you to do? Then act accordingly. Nora HC wrote: > 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/ > <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 <nora%40humanecalifornia.org> > 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/ <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 > <http://humanesociety.org/join> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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