The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Ride On, Spirit Horses

    By LisB on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 7:31pm |

    I just received my ASPCA newsletter and yet again have to mention a cause in the hopes that we can help make a difference.  The ASPCA asks that we help halt the Bureau of Land Management's wild horse roundups:

    As part of BLM's program, the BLM has spent the past several years rounding up 38,000 wild horses and burros, and corralling them in private holding pens, often without proper veterinary care or nutrition, and with a long-term plan to eliminate them once and for all from public lands though methods that include mass euthanasia...to make matters worse, the BLM has successfully barred public observers of these roundups, despite a court order that calls for open access by the public.

    You can read more about the barring of the public here in this article about the Cloud Foundation.  I was heartened to see that Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona) and Nick Rahall (D-West Virgina) recently sent a letter to Ken Salazar calling him to suspend the roundups pending assessment by an independent third party.  Good thing these two gentlemen were reelected Tuesday night!

    Please read the links and write your State Representative and do all you can to spread the word about this violation of the Wild and Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act.  Please help save these beautiful horses.

    (Cross-posted from Once Upon a Paradigm)

    Comments

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfywu-ycBoM&feature=channel


    by wabby on Fri, 11/05/2010 - 10:35pm

    This whole thing is pretty devastating to me, it's been going on for a while and the POS Gibbons has been breaking the law in the last few months to make it go even faster on his way out of office (Ranchers want the water/grazing resources). In Nevada, I shared the wild spaces with the herds they are killing off. And the poor little burros too. They are ending bloodlines as old as America. It's one of those painful situations the magnitude of which I can only process in pieces. Like the gulf disaster. Just sort of hard to wrap my head around.

    Thanks for the highlight.


    by kgb999 on Sat, 11/06/2010 - 2:35am

    Yes, as usual I'm kind of late to the game with this issue and last night was able to find petitions and news items from a year ago that I would have signed and read had I known about it.  Good thing I read the ASPCA newsletter every time they mail it to me or I wouldn't know about a lot of things (like the updates on puppy mill laws, etc.).  And, man, that picture of the dead coral in your link about the gulf brings me to tears.  I never truly believed everything was fine on the ocean floor and so this is kind of expected, but hard to take, nonetheless.  Thanks for the link.

     


    by LisB on Sat, 11/06/2010 - 10:26am

    Lis, I have a friend who is very focused and active on this issue. If you're on facebook you might want to friend him. His name is Haviland R Gordineer.

    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=610622871


    by oceankat (not verified) on Sun, 11/07/2010 - 5:34pm

    Thanks, Oceankat!  Will do!!

     


    by LisB on Sun, 11/07/2010 - 6:12pm

    FYI, I just received the following response from my (beloved) Congressional Representative Nita Lowey:

    Dear Ms. B:

    Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) round-ups of wild horses. I appreciate having the benefit of your views and am glad we agree on this important issue.

    BLM is charged with ensuring the health of our nation’s public lands so that species depending on them – including horses and burros – can thrive. However, the recent round-up conducted by the Wild Horse and Burro Program occurred in extreme temperatures, using deeply flawed methods, and without allowing any public observation. As a result, 34 wild horses died. This comes just months after another round-up resulted in the death of over 100 horses.

    I recently cosigned a letter to Secretary of the Interior Salazar requesting that the Tuscarora round-up, along with any pending gathers, is placed on hold until the BLM can demonstrate that it has addressed the failings of the Wild Horse and Burro Program and can ensure the health and safety of these federally protected animals. It also asks the Secretary to request a study to help determine scientifically sound, non-lethal, and effective management practices.

    I am a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus and consistently among Members of Congress rated most highly by the Animal Humane Society. Rest assured I will continue working to protect our nation’s animals.

    Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. If you would like more information on this or other issues, or to sign up for my regular e-newsletter, visit my website at http://www.lowey.house.gov. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can help you in any way.

    Sincerely,

    Nita Lowey
    Member of Congress


    by LisB on Mon, 11/08/2010 - 12:43pm