AR-News: (US VA) Even more comments on 'Horses and American values'

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Augusta Free Press 
(Published 06-21-04/Sports)
Listen up, Mr. Congressman
Commenting on Julia Durfee's op-ed piece (Horses and American values, June 16 
AFP), it appears Mr. Goodlatte prefers listening to another constituency, not 
his real constituents here in his own Sixth District of Virginia.
Time to start listening, Bob. Texans may have helped get you your 
chairmanship, but they didn't elect you ... we did. Stop the slaughter of our horses.
- Gerri Wenz, Glasgow, Va.


Right on, Julia
I think it is great that the horse slaughter issue is getting such attention. 
Julia Durfee's commentary is spot on in that horses are a part of American 
culture. There was also a great story on CBS Evening News on the subject of 
horse slaughter that aired last Wednesday. 
Mr. Reagan's funeral procession in Washington, D.C., truly shows the stature 
that horses have in American culture. The caisson that bore his casket was 
drawn by a team of black horses. Following the caisson was the riderless horse, 
with the boots turned backward in the stirrups to symbolize a fallen leader who 
will never again lead his troops into battle. Mr. Reagan was an avid horse 
lover; he knew the dignity and intelligence that horses possess.
I find it ironic that Mr. Goodlatte had stated that he found it to be 
appalling that other nations were imposing their values upon the U.S. when his 
Internet gambling bill failed. Yet Mr. Goodlatte turns a blind eye when the Belgian- 
and French-owned horse-slaughter industry operating here in the U.S. imposes 
the values of those who eat horsemeat upon our culture. I am among the 91 
percent of Americans opposed to horse slaughter. Mr. Goodlatte is defying the will 
of most of the country by blocking HR 857 in the House Agriculture Committee.
The reason Mr. Goodlatte gives for his opposition is that he fears that a ban 
on horse slaughter will lead to increased horse abuse. This worry is shared 
by groups such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Goodlatte 
also worries about the care of these unwanted horses costing the government 
hundreds of millions of dollars.
When you really analyze the facts, you can see that these worries are 
unfounded. Since 1990, the horse-slaughter industry has experienced a drastic 
decline. In 1990, 345,700.horses were slaughtered. In 2002, the number fell to about 
45,000. In this 12-year period, the yearly total of horses slaughtered 
decreased by anywhere from 40,000 to 80,000. During this time there were no outbreaks 
of horse abuse and neglect, nor was the government required to step in with 
financial aid to care for "unwanted" horses.
Given that the number of horses slaughtered in 2003 is around 50,000 (less 
than 1 percent of the US horse population of 7,000,000), we could ban this 
business right now with no adverse effect to the U.S. horse industry.
California has led the charge with a state ban on the horsemeat trade. As was 
stated in Mr. Holland's letter, horse abuse and horse theft have decreased in 
this state. There are plenty of facts available to back this up.
It would seem that Mr. Goodlatte has not done his due diligence as far as 
researching the horse-slaughter issue based on his inability to comment on the 
issue when confronted. If he has not studied the statistics, what gives him the 
right to kill this bill?
The fact that 224 of Mr. Goodlatte's House colleagues support HR 857 show 
that this issue is important to America. More than half of the House is in favor 
of this bill; it could go to the House floor for a vote today and become law. 
Unlike Mr. Goodlatte, these representatives have listened to their 
constituennts.
For more information, see the White Paper released by the Thoroughbred 
Retirement Foundation at: www.trfinc.org/White%20Paper.doc
- Duane L. Burright Jr., Malibu, Calif.


full story:
http://www.augustafreepress.com/stories/storyReader$23109 




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