Record Number of U.S. Horses Going to Canadian Slaughter

Growing Number of Horses Shipped to Canada for Slaughter

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

RUSHVILLE, Neb. — At dusk, after all the fancy horses had been auctioned, Doug Barnes settled into a seat at the sale barn and got down to business. Three, four, five or more horses ambled into the ring at a time.
The auctioneer stopped making sales pitches. He looked straight ahead at the familiar visitor from Fort Collins, Colo., waiting for him to tip his hand. Barnes didn't disappoint.

In about 30 minutes, Barnes bought 25 so-called "killer horses." Their new owner would subject them to what animal rights groups say is a growing type of abuse: trucking them nearly 700 miles to Canada for slaughter, circumventing a U.S. ban on the practice. Much of the meat is eventually exported to countries in Europe and Asia for human consumption.

Stacy Segal, a horse specialist at the Humane Society of the United States, and other animal rights activists want a ban on exporting U.S. horses for slaughter abroad.

"They're jammed onto trailers with no regard for breed, size, age, temperament or sex and get no feed or rest," Segal said.

Last year, when state-imposed bans closed the last three U.S. horse slaughterhouses, a record 78,000 horses were exported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics compiled by the Humane Society. That's a 138 percent increase from 2006.

Statistics show that 76,100 horses have been slaughtered in Canada and Mexico so far this year. But the actual figure is likely higher because Canada hasn't yet reported two months' worth of slaughter numbers.

Barnes and others acknowledge that the long trip is stressful on the animals, but they blame animal rights activists who successfully pushed for all U.S. horse slaughterhouses to shut down. They say the increased exportation of horses is better than the alternative: horses being neglected and abused by owners who don't want them or can't afford to take care of them.

"In ranch country, people look at this as a necessary evil," Barnes said one late September day after buying five older horses for $135 apiece.

His boss, Charles Carter, is considered one of the largest buyers of killer horses in the country. Barnes, who scours sale barns in Nebraska, Colorado, South Dakota, Montana and Texas for Carter, estimates he has bought more than 1,000 horses for him this year alone.

Carter didn't return phone messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

"We're doing them a favor by buying horses that might otherwise be neglected," Barnes said. "The big misconception animal rights people have is that all horses that go to slaughter are good, useable horses or pets ... when actually they're animals you can't do much with."

Slaughter opponents got a hopeful sign from Congress when a proposed export-for-slaughter ban was approved by the House Judiciary Committee in late September. But the bill got hung up in the Agriculture Committee during the final days of the session and will have to be reintroduced next year.

The long trip to slaughterhouses where the U.S. has no oversight isn't the only stress on horses destined for Canada and Mexico. They often spend days in feedlots, where they have blood drawn for tests necessary to get the health approval required for exportation.

Many of the horses are being bought at prices unheard of just a couple years ago. The U.S. slaughter ban, combined with overbreeding, a slack economy and high feed prices, have helped to create a glut of unwanted horses that has dampened the market. The last horse population census, in 2005, showed 9 million horses in the United States, up from about 5.5 million in the mid-1990s, Segal said.

Killer horses that used to sell for about 40 cents to 50 cents per pound before U.S. horse slaughterhouses closed now sell for about half that. At sale barns where Barnes used to compete with several other buyers, he's sometimes the only bidder.

Supporters of a ban on exporting horses for slaughter say the solution to the oversupply is to euthanize unwanted horses or take them to rescue organizations.

But capacity is a problem.

"Typically they're full," said Stephen Rei, president of the National Equine Rescue Coalition, which claims about 200 horse rescue groups as members.

That's the case at Valerie Hinderlider's horse rescue operation near Minden, Neb., Break Heart Ranch, which has 45 horses.

Hinderlider recently was forced to make a grim choice: She bought two horses so she could euthanize them rather than allow the previous owner to sell them for slaughter.

The price to kill and bury — anywhere from $100 to $250 — isn't one everyone can afford or is willing to pay. Nor is there room to bury all of the horses.

"What would you do with all these thousands of head of horses?" Rushville veterinarian Jeff Erquiaga asked, pointing to a trench outside the sale barn that has become a graveyard for euthanized horses.

Erquiaga said he's euthanizing about 25 percent more horses now than in the past. Still, the number he's put down so far this year — about 70 — is a small fraction of all the horses people want to get rid of.

Hinderlider suggested that horse owners seek out other buyers before turning to kill buyers. Many potential buyers have been scared away from sale barns because they've learned they can't compete with the likes of Barnes, she said.

"I've seen kids walk away crying because they got outbid by kill buyers," she said.

Michael O'Connell, of Mobridge, S.D., who has been buying killer horses for 40 years, isn't proud of his occupation but figures he fills a needed niche.

He said he buys thousands of horses annually, about half of them for a large Canadian supplier of horse meat.

"When I first started I hated it," he said while sitting in the sale barn. "I still don't like doing it. But if I didn't, somebody else would."

Long Island Horse Owners Feeling Economic Pinch

LI horseowners, businesses feeling economic squeeze
BY LAURA RIVERA | laura.rivera@newsday.com
10:01 PM EST, November 29, 2008
The slowing economy has pushed Amy Cirincione to the unthinkable: giving up one of her horses.

Sluggish sales and mounting debt at her chain of pet supply stores forced her to close two locations in February. She and her husband then decided to sell their Mattituck home, but just as the housing market collapsed.

The healthiest of her four horses, Chief, is the only reasonable prospect for sale. Chief would have to go.

"Getting rid of my pets, it goes against everything I believe in," said Cirincione, 35. "It's absolutely tearing me apart."

Across Long Island's horse country, many other owners are giving up their horses as they face the rising price of feed, board, veterinary care, lessons and transportation. The trend touches folks who keep pet horses in their backyards but also equestrians who compete in the elite horse show world.

It's also crimping the livelihoods of veterinarians, feed suppliers and barn owners. Times are so tough, said horse broker Debra Siegel, that more than 20 backyard horse owners have called since last spring asking her to take their animals for free.

"Usually people don't give away something they can get money for," said Siegel, owner of Grouse Ridge Farm, her private stables in Medford. "Not even in the recession in the '70s have I seen this."

Sales of moderately priced show horses - which range from $5,000 to $20,000 - have plummeted about 60 percent at the farm, Siegel said. Worse yet, the market for horses selling for $1,500 to $5,000 has shrunk. Siegel doesn't bother trying to sell those anymore.

On liequine.com, a Web site that advertises local horse properties and horses, owner Sharyn Guzzi has noticed a surge in messages from owners seeking to adopt out their horses.

"You keep watching the horses, the prices go down, down, down and then they put it up for adoption," said Guzzi, who also owns Long Island Horse Properties, a Smithtown-based real estate agency.

In those cases, nonprofit equine rescue groups often adopt the horses to find them new homes. But those groups are now flooded with requests, taxing their limited resources.

One, Project Sage Horse Rescue in Valley Stream, gets up to 10 e-mails a day from owners asking for help, but the operation is already at capacity with 14 horses. "All the rescues, everyone is jam-packed," said Brittany Rostron, the group's president. "The problem is, I can't take them all."

Even as more people adopt out their horses, rescue groups are seeing a drop in donations to pay for their work. At Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue in Sagaponack, four sponsors - three of whom worked on Wall Street - canceled their donations, said Christine Distefano.

"It's such a big expense, it's the first one to go," said Distefano, who cares for 40 horses.

Since 2005, Distefano has rescued 76 horses, mostly from auctions, where some are bought for export to slaughter in other countries. In the U.S., horse slaughter is outlawed in most states, but no federal law has banned it.

As the market has been saturated with high-quality horses, their value has fallen. At the region's biggest horse auction house, New Holland Sales Stables in Pennsylvania, the average winning bid has dropped about $500 this year, said auctioneer Chris Stoltzfus. "You hear more . . . stories [that] people had to sell because they couldn't afford their feed," he said.

Those who have been able to keep their horses are doing what they can to trim their expenses, which has sent ripples through the industry.

Will Bailey, owner of Neptune Feeds in Calverton, said he's paying 30 percent more for hay over last year, with steeper increases for the best hay. Feed, made of commodities such as soybean and rice, has gone up about 15 percent, said Josh Reale, operations manager at Agway in Hicksville.

For small business owners such as Cirincione, who sells high-quality feed for pets, farm animals and horses, that means fewer customers have been willing to pay a premium for her product. "My $1,500 a week salary has gone to nothing," she said.

In some cases, the penny pinching affects the animal's health as owners try to treat minor ailments instead of calling a vet, aggravating the problem, said Dr. Charles Greco, who has practices in Ridge and Centereach.

Over the past year, more clients have also fallen behind on their vet payments, said Dr. Judson Butler. "It is inhibiting my income," said Butler, of Manorville. "It also limits the amount of work that I'm willing to do...because the promise to pay is useless."

High-end farms like the Old Westbury Equestrian Center - a 28-acre facility on the storied grounds of a former polo estate - have seen clients cut back on lessons. Others have downsized from several horses to one, said facilities manager Christine Nagin-Vasquez. With fewer horses, the center laid off a groom.

Then, after absorbing cost increases in hay, feed, wood shavings and heating oil for nearly a year, it raised rates in September for the first time since opening in 2002. Board at the stables now costs $2,454 a month.

"Most of the people that keep horses with us can still afford to do this," Nagin-Vasquez said. "But they are cutting back and it's affecting our business."

Eileen Castro is struggling to keep the only horse she has. Though she loves her rescued Arabian gelding, Sir Gamo, she's weighing the cost of his upkeep against her family expenses.

"We basically live like the average American family. We live paycheck to paycheck," said Castro, 37, of West Babylon, a medical assistant. "I'm spending over $5,000 a year on a horse . . . Can I justify this with the way the economy is doing, having three kids, and the house, [and] the groceries?"

htttp://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-lihors1612093701dec07,0,3059359.story

Proof Positive Horse Slaughter Causes Cruelty, Neglect & Abuse

A Scathing Report from USDAs own files that should make clear to anyone with half-a-brain that the "equine slaughter pipleine" causes cruelty, neglect & abuse and/or perpetuates it BIG time.

Take a look at some of the 288 pages and pictures in this latest report in the link below, straight from the USDAs own records, thanks to a Freedom-of-Information Law Request (FOIL) by the wonderful folk at Animal Angels. There are dozens and dozens of pics documenting the cruelty, neglect & abuses of horse slaughter transport and feedlot and auction house cruelty. BE WARNED these are some of the most vivid & graphic pics of equine cxruelty you will ever see. Its shows horses with gaping cuts and wounds, some with their eyeball hanging out or no eye, some being forced to walk and/or stand on broken legs and twisted ankles and hooves, and some with no legs or feet at all.


Click link below to see Report;
http://www.freewebs.com/equinecrusaders/crueltyreport.htm

The owners of these horses or the people responsible for their care should (have been or) be arrested. No animal should be made to suffer like this, for ANY reason, and the transport and the slaughter are NEVER humane.

Equine slaughter is a completely un-necessary evil and should be BANNED in this country IMMEDIATELY and the export of our American horses to other countries for human consumption must cease. Funny thing that, as Americans, we dont eat horses for moral or ethical reasons, but still, we have the "proud" distinction of being the WORLDS LARGEST exporter of horses for human consumption in other countries! How contradictory in terms is that? We dont eat horses but yet we are "ok" with sending them off to horrendous slaughter for other people to eat? If we are ok with feeding our nations horses to foreign countries, why not export our cats and our dogs over to Asia, China, Korea, Thailand, etc. There is a BIG market for their meat over there. Think of the money to be made! See how rediclous the notion is? Americans dont eat our cats or dogs or horses and therefore we shouldnt be ok with exporting them for foreigners to consume.

When people ask me what is the difference between slaughtering a horse or a cow or a sheep or a pig or a chicken, I tell them this:
There is but one distinction that the equine has over all other "traditional" food chain animals and that is this: The USDA maintains an offical list of acceptable "food chain" animals and the equine IS NOT on that list. My point and my argument is that we should keep it that way.

Please help us to end horse slaughter in America. Call or write your Congressmen and Senators and tell them to support anti-horse slaugher legislation, and why. Send them a link to the Animal Angels Report in the link above, and remember to support Animal Angels. A more pro-active anti-horse slaughter and cruelty group you will never find, and well deserving of your tax-deductible donations. Tell them MuleKist sent you!

Thanks

CJ/MK, Founder,
Wild Horse Warriors
http://www.freewebs.com/wildhorsewarriors
"Fighting for their lives, their land and their water"

Hate Mail from a "Jane D"

I was thinking the "D" probably stands for "Doe" as is anonymous, but after reading this I am convinced it stands for DOPE;

why not get a real job and quit bellyaching about the horse slaughter plants...you are causing more harm than good..THERE IS A REAL MESS OF UNWANTED HORSE IN THE USA BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU... YOU HAVE CAUSED OUR FARMERS MORE GRIEF THAN YOU HAVE HELPED..YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY OUR JOBS AND MONEY TO FEED OUR FAMILIES...HOW COULD YOU...HOPE YOU CAN LIVE WITH YOURSELF AND CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT, I FOR ONE HAVE NOT SLEPT NOR HAD A GOOD MEAL BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR GOODY TWO SHOES YOU HAVE RUINED US TO THE POINT THAT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE SOON AND i HOPE THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH YOUR SORRY WAYS BECAUSE OF YOUR BULLSHIT ABOUT MY LITTLE PONY IS A PET NOT LIVESTOCK...ONE DAY YOU WILL BE SORRY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

America Outraged over Gov'ts Plan to Kill 33,000 Wild Horses

The Latest from the Associated Press 11/15/08

Wild Horse Advocates Make BIG STINK for BLM Over Mass Extermination
Plan of 33,000 wild horses;

Click on title above to see article;
http://madcowhorses.blogspot.com/

You too can contribute to the BIG STINK we are making for the BLM by
leaving your comments with them on the "Comments" page of their
website. They are asking for it and are feeling our rage already!

Here is a link to the BLM on-line commentary form where they are
asking for public comment;
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro/feedback.html

Also, Call the BLM and let them know by telephone; DO BOTH!
1 800- 710- 7597

Please also call SANDRA CHEREB, the Associated Press reporter who is
covering the story. She is not new to the issues. She can be reached
through the AP office number at 1-800-710-7597

Please also contact your Congressional Representatives and Senators
to express your outrage....and to ask for emergency Congressional
Hearings to be called in the matter of the BLMs mismanagment of our
wild horses and their plan for the immediate extermination of 33,000
of them. We need them to take action NOW!

Here is a link where you can find out who your representatives &
senators are, if you dont know, and I believe you can contact them
from these links also, but I may be wrong. Check and see;

Tell them to STOP the Wild Horse Killings NOW!

http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

and find your State Senators here;

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Also I would like to remind you that Rep. Nick Rahall (D.WVa) has
championed the cause of the wild horses in the past. Here is a link
where you can contact him and ask for help for the horses; tell him
to support emergency congressional hearings to be held NOW!

Rep. Nick Rahall (D. WVa.)
http://www.rahall.house.gov/

Keep Up with the Latest Developments through the
American Herds Blog, where they even have a link to a streaming live
video where you can watch Mondays Meeting of the Wild Horse & Burro
Advisory Committee LIVE and listen as they give the death sentence to
these 33,000 wild horses

http://www.americanherds.blogspot.com/

Also, I AM THINKING, why cant some of the Big-Whig Wild Horse Mother Orgs and/ or the Humane Society or the Animal Welfare Institute or even Peta or some other MILLION DOLLAR MOTHER ORG ....have one of their slew of lawyers file an administrative appeal against the findings of the Government Accountabilty Office's Report? This is the report that gives the green light to the BLm to go ahead with their killing plan. I dont think it would be to hard to prove the findings of the report are arbitrary and caprious and that the determinations therein were rendered as an abuse of their power & discretion. The GAO's Report reported that the BLMs accounting methods are inadequate and unreliable, so how can they base any "rational" or reasonable decision on said admitted LACK of reliable information? Where are all our big-whig animal rights / animal welfare / wild horse.org lawyers? There are grounds for appeal of the GAO Report and an appeal might give the 33,000 thousand American Wild Horses a temporary reprive from the death sentence the BLm and the GAO have given them. I dont want to sound too much like Ralph Nader bemoaning the death of democracy in America today, and crying out for help, but I will repeat the question he put forth to his constituants in a lecture he gave on a college campus last fall; In the midst of all the "political chananigins," and "dirty dealings," against the American People (and, of course, now, the horses) "Where are all the lawyers?"

If you care about the lives of these horses, and the future of Americas Wild Horses in general, please Call all these National News publications tomorrow and let them know whats going on and that America is OUTRAGED at the notion of our government sending 33,000 of our wild horses to slaughter FOR NO GOOD OR VALID OR REAL REASON. Tell them you know its all about special interest, exploitation & and greed.

The lives of 33,000 American Wild Horses depends on us.

Albany NY Times Union
(518) 454-5413

Arizona Republic
(602) 444-8641

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
(501) 378-3411

Asbury Park Press
(732) 643-4000

Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(404) 526-5488

BBBBBB

Baltimore Sun
(410) 332-6565

Boston Globe
(617) 929-2840

Boston Herald
(800) 234-5680


Buffalo News
(716) 849-4461

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(403) 235-7373

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(403) 250-4141

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(312) 321-2664

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(312) 222-3474

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(513) 768-8438

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(513) 352-2767

Cleveland Plain Dealer
(216) 999-4370

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(614) 461-8522

DDDDDDD

Daily Oklahoman
(405) 475-3314

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(214) 977-8444

Des Moines Register
(515) 284-8130

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(313) 222-6661

Detroit News
(313) 222-2260

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
(817) 390-7401

HHHHHHH

Houston Chronicle
(713) 220-7891

LLLLLLL

Las Vegas Review Journal
(702) 383-0298

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(859) 231-3236

Los Angeles Daily News
(818) 713-3627

Los Angeles Times
(213) 237-3569

Louisville Courier-Journal
(502) 582-4361

MMMMMMM

Miami Herald
(305) 376-3500

Minneapolis Star-Tribune
(612) 673-4447

NNNNNNN

New Orleans Times-Picayune
(504) 826-3405

New York Daily News
(212) 210-1671

New York Post
(212) 930-8000

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(212) 556-7381

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(973) 392-4023

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(516) 843-2810

OOOOOOO

Oakland Tribune
(925) 416-4803

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(402) 444-1311

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(714) 796-7804

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(561) 820-4440

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(215) 854-5700

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(215) 854-4550

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(916) 441-4100

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(210) 351-7330

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(619) 293-1342

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(415) 777-7201

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(408) 920-5354

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(206) 448-8370

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(206) 464-8278

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(954)356-4635

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(727) 893-8123

TTTTTTT

Tacoma News Tribune
(253) 597-8681

Tampa Tribune
(813) 259-7655

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(416) 585-5333

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(416) 869-4361

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(416) 947-2266

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Vancouver Province
(604) 605-2014

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(604) 605-2395

WWWWWWW

Washington Post
(202) 334-7350

WIRE SERVICES

The Associated Press
(212) 621-1631

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(609) 750-4688

Canadian Press
(416) 507-2154

Reuters
(646) 223-6290

United Press International
(312) 781-1608

NATIONAL DAILIES, MAGAZINES & PUBLICATIONS

USA Today
(703) 276-3693

Newsweek
(617) 425-0077

Time
(212) 522-2004

NATIONAL CABLE NETWORKS

ESPN News
(860) 585-2330

Fox Sports Net
(310) 369-9160 (310) 969-6049

Thanks!

Watch it Live Tomorrow!http://nvhorsepower.org/press_releases

CJ/MK

Gov't Plans to Kill 33,000 Wild Horses Looks Like a Go

33,000 Wild Horses Going to the Gallows as Cowboy Pres Makes Exit
Click on title to read article;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deanne-stillman/wild-horses-heading-to-th_b_143152.html

Wild Horses in Danger from the BLMYour Help is Needed NOW to Save Them!

Dear Wild Horse Supporters,

It is regrettable that the recently released Government Accounting Office's report failed to hold the BLM accountable for rounding up some 30,000 more horses than could be adopted over the past eight years. The GAO looked only at the train wreck and not the reasons
that the train left the tracks in the first place. As you know, the BLM has proposed killing the horses in long-term holding to remedy their self-made budget crisis. We cannot allow this to happen and I am concerned that we don't have much time to stop them from carrying
through with this despicable plan. These horses belong to us, the American public, and they should be returned to the wild, not killed by the thousands.

As I write this, the BLM is rounding up over 400 healthy horses to be removed from the Cedar Mountain Herd in Utah. It is likely that only a handful of theses horses will be adopted and the rest will end up in long-term holding where they are in danger of being killed.

Please act now to save America's wild horses, here are some things you can do: Contact your local papers, radio stations and national media outlets.

Contact both your Senators and your Representative: call
202-224-3121 or visit www.congress.org for contact information.

Contact President-Elect Obama at change.gov to ask that he take immediate action to protect our wild horses. We must also make sure that any BLM budget increases do not go to funding increased round-ups and the killing of horses.

"CC" your comments to BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.
E-mail them to BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Attn: Ramona
DeLorme, or write 1340 Financial Blvd, Reno, NV 89502, phone number
(775) 861-6583.

Click here to read my comments to the BLM Advisory Board and please do all that you can now to stop BLM from killing our wild horses.

Happy trails,
Ginger Kathrens
Volunteer Executive Director
The Cloud Foundation, Inc.
107 South 7th St
Colorado Springs, CO 80905

SomeOne Else Calling for OVERWHELMING Force to Get What They Want

Sounds good to me, the "OverWhelming Force" part espically: DO NOT go
gently into that "Good Fight!"

Click on title above to see article;
http://tinyurl.com/55tlpu

"Wharever Your Fight, DONT be lady-like!"
- Mother Jones

Fight like their lives depended on it, cause they do!

CJ/MK

Rescuers Tell Us How to "Really" Help "The Movement"

And "we" are laughing out-loud! lol

From Kathy:

I target non -horse people and most can't believe it but the thing is to get them to do something. Its one thing to hear about but another to get people to act just like voting. I will fight for the horse until I am no more.
I have no time for horse people that believe in it and can be very stoned face when trying to save a horse even from the meat man. Which we did a few years ago. The beautiful boy was headed for Mexico. You can't make people have a heart and I know that. This past year I have taken 4 horses that people cared enough for to find them a home for when they couldn't keep them any more. I even had 1 person give me some hay along with the Horse they are all welcome to come back and visit them.
Kathy
----------------

FROM BARBARA;

----- Original Message -----
From: Barbara
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 7:57 AM
Subject: How to REALLY help the anti-slaughter movement...


Protesting horse related events like Congress or the AQHA World show
is NOT going to do any good. Most horse people have already made up
their mind one way or another. Sure, have a booth, pass out some
fliers, whatever... But "protesting" is not going to work. It hasn't
in the past, it won't in the future.

If you want to actually change minds and get the message out there,
you need to target NON-horse people. THESE are the people who have no
idea that slaughter even exists. They thought the old "dog food" line
for a misbehaving or old horse was just a "saying." Most of the
general public thinks horses live out their lives in some sunny
pasture to die a peaceful death on a knoll. These people have no idea
how bad things can get, for slaughter bound horses and for horses
suffering from abuse and/or neglect. The occasional starving horse
they see on Animal Cops Huston is just a drop in the bucket.

So, if you want to demonstrate, hand our fliers, or talk to people who
might just listen, you need to find NON-horse venues. Post an ad in
your local paper. Encourage your student or students you know to do
speeches and papers on the horse slaughter issue. Find some receptive
college students and rally during campus events or just post fliers
around campus. Set up a booth at a big open rummage sale, antique
fair/mall, craft fair (get a girl scout troop to make some horse
related crafts to sell), or open outlet mall/fair. Ask your church if
you can submit an article talking about the horses and tying it
religion (how we are the keepers of the animals and what-not). Join
some message boards that interest you and strike up conversation on
the issue (try not to spam though, talk a bit before bringing it up),
groups like mothers, weight loss, knitting, painting, DIY, etc. Join
groups that are against dog/can abuse or a dog/cat rescue. If your
local humane society or animal rescue group is having a fundraiser,
see if they'll let you have a table or pass out information (that will
NOT compete for donations, information only).

Of course, all of this should be on hold until the next congressional
session begins, when we get new bills in the House and Senate. And
keep in mind that the economic and war issues are MUCH higher priority
for most people and politicians. Don't be disheartened. Just keep at
it, consistently and patiently. We won our first battles, all of the
US horse slaughter for human consumption plants are gone. If we keep
on working, we'll win the next battles too

-------------

OUR REPLY TO THEM BOTH:

Kathy, Barb;

You are so right, it is the un-informed that we need to target, and that is exactly what I "we" do when "we" protest in public - TO the public, but "we" do it right "under their industrial noses." It really irks them to see us educate the people right "in their face." Havent you read any of our "Demo Reports?" Go to the "Demo Report" page here to see what "we" are all about;
http://www.freewebs.com/friendsofequines
Doing these "in your face" public demonstrations (which, by the way, we call "public educational seminars," embarasses them for sure, we have seen it in their attitudes and even in their eyes which they cannot even look at us without turning their faces away. They Know we are right, and gaining support in public RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM puts great pressure on them to change their attitude and policies.
Do you really think public pressure and DEMANDS for change do not work? Go back in history.
We do all that you say, we educate the public AND set up information booths & pass out flyers while we are protesting and demanding in the industys face.Suprisingly, we have found our "one-person" demos to be very effective in gaining public support and embarassing the pro-slaughter "industrialites" into "right thinking and acting." We have even convinced some of the American Horse Counsil Members that it would be a good thing for them to take a vote on the slaughter issue by ALL members, to see who is for or against, some of them even promicing us to bring it up at the next meeting, and THAT indeed is progress. How can you say protests dont work when we really have never tried it as a UNITED FRONT and consistantly all together as a movement? Who has demonstrated and where and when? Except for a small group in Nevada that protested once or twice over the BLMs mismanagement of our wild horses, and a few small demos by the Anti-Fur Folk,.... I have heard nothing of any concerted effort to conduct continous actions,..so whereer or whoever it was you say "have tried it,".... wasent loud enough or consistant enough to do any good. It needs to be done continously and consistantly at all industry related events,...and CANNOT be a "once in awhile" type thing, ...we need to put the pressure on continously, until progress is made, policies are changed, breeding is controlled and alternatives to slaughter are utilized. We must demand & protest until the slaughter ends. Where are our "Mother Orgs" and our state (rescue) representatives? We need them to help us organize. We cannot do it without their help. It will take a UNITED effort and therein is the problem. We are an UnOrganized lot.
Demonstrations and protests DO work, if we can form a united front and "haunt them" whereever they go. It DOES NOT have to be done with great crowds of protesters. Even ONE person will do! They absolutely hate the PR we give them and always try to have us removed,....but the police always stick up for us. Isnt THAT a wonderful thing, just knowing that they hate for us to be their so much but there isnt a DAM thing they can do to remove us! Protest is a very important powerful tool that we should be utilizing. How could you NOT belive in the power of protest? Our country was founded upon dissent! Need I remind you, our founding fathers were revolutionaries, "revolting" against an oppressive system, and won their independance through continous and relentless protest, DEMANDS and dissent. Then there are the workers unions who protested and got workers rights. Then the womens movement, then the civil rights movment,...loud & continous protest also got us out of the Viet Nam war. I have to laugh when people say "protest dostnt work! You are here in this country standing on "free ground" thanks to the power of protest. Of course, the people have to want something bad enough to go about consistantly protesting and demanding. Guess most us just dont want to see an end to horse slaughter bad enough to do that. Thats why I say shame on us. As for the statement one of you made that there are "other, more important" things for Congress to address, I can oly say this: No wonder with attitudes like that we are getting nowhere fast. Surely you MUST know that in Congress, as far as bills go, it is the "squeaky wheel" that gets the grease. Perhaps we are not "squeeking" loud or stong enough,..for instance, right smak dab in the middle of the financial melt-down bail-out crisis, Congress did manage to pass a bill that would protect the monkey. Go look that up on "Thomas.Gov" and you will see. We arent making enough noise. We are letting them get away with the murder of our American horses and THEY FEEL we are OK with that cause no one is protesting or demanding an end to it NOW! Without this kind of GREAT pressure, you will never have your bills passed. The pro-slaughterers will stall it or kill it "in the end," like they always do. We aint waitin for no dam bill. We dont need to wait for no dam bill! The power is in US, the horses are depending upon US, not the politicians!
Listen to the so-true words of Fredrick Douglas; Do you think he was a fool? There are many other "great minds" that believe as he did also; why cant you?

"Those who profess to favor freedom, yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."

– Frederick Douglass, African-American abolitionist

Need I say more?

CJ/MK

* “It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brushfires in people’s minds.”
--Samuel Adams

* "The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.If There Is No Struggle, There Is No Progress"
-F. Douglas

"FOES" Quit "Movement" for Lack of Forward Motion: Protests NO Protests

This post IS NOT about rescue. We KNOW all the good & necessary work the rescues do. WE ARE NOT BASHING RESCUES! This post is strictly about horse slaughter and the so-called anti-slaughter "movement."

We, Friends of Equines, FOES of Equine Slaughter," are hangin our heads in shame for YOU all who profess to "love the horses" and say you would do "anything" to see their slaughter end, FOES say Goodbye & Thanks for Nothin, from the horses (Oh, we are "horse wisperers, dont you know, they talk to us and are saying, "please try harder and do something MORE to end our slaughter! DO NOT count on the promices of your politicians! We are counting on YOU!")

We are tired after so many years of exhausting our energies trying to compell you all into UNITING for some direct affirmative actions such as continued and consistant peaceful demonstrations and protests across the land. We think the anti-slaughter "movement" is a bunch of sorry-ass, dispassionate, lazy, cowardly sops and that Movement" is a Misnomer for the anti-horse slaughter camp: There are No REAL & TRUE "Die for the Cause" Warriors to be found, just "advocates" advocatin quietley and asking "pretty pleeze," and doing nothing more than faxing, emailing, and going to DC from time to time to "hobnob" with the politicians cause they care about the horses. They most certainly do talk a great line. How much do they care? How bad do they really want to see it end? The anti-Horse- Slaughter Camp "wont budge" from their comfort zones long enough to organize themselves to engage in any real-time physical protests or demos DEMANDING an END to the slaughter that would REALLY change things for the better FAST; fear of "Peta" stigmatation overides,....dont they know that that particular fear can be easily corrected with a simple sign that says:

WE ARE NOT PETA!

We Are The Main-Stream Majority of America
We Eat Meat
But not our cats or dogs or horses.

DEMAND an END to Equine Slaughter!
DEMAND an END Right Now!

"The fate of animals is of greater importance to me
than the fear of appearing ridiculous;
- Emile Zola (1840-1902)

Readers Take Note: If this blurb makes you mad, please dont come
flying back flaming at me. Consider that this "nasy goodby" is not
meant for everyone. I realize that there ARE people out there unable
to physically or financially unable to go out and demonstrate and protest all over the place,
and I realize that some of us have family obligations that over-
ride "the cause,"...I also realize that there ARE those of us amongst
us who ARE able to travel and/or go about, or to organize something
locally. Also our anger is directed mainly at the Mother Orgs., whom
we have been asking for help with UNITING US for years,..so I humbly
ask that when reading this, you consider the above, and determine
for yourself and conclude,...."If the shoe fits, wear it, if it dont
apply then let it fly...."

Thank you.

No "Friends of Equines" for OK Demos?
http://www.freewebs.com/friendsofequines/nofriends4okdemos.htm

No Support for Petition that Would REALLY Help Horses
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/a-petition-2-amend-the-farm-bill

No Help from "The Mother Orgs."
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/a-personal-challange-a-call-to-action

"To stand and do nothing when we should be protesting makes cowards
of us" - A. Lincoln

CJ/MK, Founder
"Friends of Equines FOES of Equine Slaughter"
http://www.freewebs.com/friendsofequines
"Because WE Care Enough to Give Our ALL"

PLEASE NOTE: This is the last we will be posting to any groups except
for our own. We have had it with the so-called "movement." A sorrier bunch of "half-steppers" we never knew! You profess to "care so much" about the horses but you refuse to go "that extra mile" and "move" to organize for some nationwide demonstrations and protests against their slaughter. Horses are dying everyday and they are getting ready to exterminate our wild ones. How long are you gonna wait? Til all is lost? Some dedication, some passion! With "Friends" like you, the horses dont need enemies! By NOT protesting we ARE in effect condoning their slaughter! For shame on you all for not caring enough to go all the way for them. You will never end it the "polite" way.....just keep waiting and maybe in a few more years from now you will come to realize the truth,....but by that time they will have new horse-slaughter plants built all across the USA. You will
never get your bills passed therefore never end the slaughter. There
will always be the pro-slaughter opposition to kill your bills at the very last minute. They will just keep killing your bills year after year just like they are killing our horses,...and you all are "ok" with that? Sorry but "we" are not!We do not put all of our faith & trust in politicians. The horses depend upon US, not the politicians. Again we ask, what are you waiting for? We have the power to stop horse slaughter in its tracks right now....if only you would believe,..its all up to US, NOT the politicians. So what R U gonna do? Same old same old or try somehing new? Anyways, we are through with you. "Friends of Equines" wont be bothering with you all again. We are not about wasting energy on lost causes such as your selfish selves apparently are. Too bad for the horses. They need some REAL fighters on their side, and we dont mean to fight the "polite" or paper wars; their are plenty of so-called "warriors" doing that. They have been doing it for years and look how far they have come (not.) Your "successes" are an illusion, a creation of the standard and usual "DC legerdemain." On this you are betting the lives and future of our American horses? One last warning to you all, get "moving" in the movement before its too late. Do it not for us, but for the horses.

"If you have come to help us, you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your fight is intertwined with ours, you are in the right place and have come at the right time; the right time is NOW, or never."

CJ/MK

FOES

The Hate Mail Comes Pouring In

MiltonFeathers@... wrote:

So, you're mad because most of us have real jobs that require us to
be AT THEM to get a pay check, and families to look after the require us
to be home to do so. These petitions of yours aren't even considered by the
courts since they must have REAL hand written signatures on them and hand
written addresses. ( maybe you should do some research on that ) So are
you out there collecting those or sitting in front of your computer sending out
emails? A request for help with those and a real address to send them to would have
been more appropriate. The successes these rescues proclaim are REAL, just
not the story you want to hear. Some of these people go and spend their
last dollars at horse sales and feed lots to purchase horses in an attempt to keep
them from slaughter. Then take them home and eat spaghetti or ramen noodles
every night to spend all they can on getting or keeping these horses healthy
and finding them homes. Yes, all so the horse didn't wind up in a slaughter
house or living in poor conditions. So, I am sorry for you that you have now " burned some bridges " and alienated yourself from some of the greatest people you could have on your side. People you could possibly need in the future. Calling them ......a bunch of sorry, dispassionate, lazy, cowardly sops:
That's the dumbest most uneducated thing you could have said. I
happen to know some of the rescues around here. I know they do all ( which
means every little thing ) they can to help and protect as many equines as
possible. Even some individuals who do the same, just not under the name of a
rescue. I know what they give up to this, The hard work, long hours ( on top of
the jobs and families they have ), the extras in their lives they could have
for themselves, and pain they suffer being hurt sore and tiered.
dispassionate, lazy, cowardly I don't think so.
Thank you for your time and good luck with your endeavors. They
all know your frustrations with humane care of equine, they all suffer your
passion to do everything that's right. There will be another fight tomorrow
and they will be there too.
Tracy


OUR REPLY

Our "blurb" was not about rescue. Its about stopping the slaughter. TWO seperate and distinct things, wont you agree? Also, I thought I made it clear that we are well aware that not everyone can "drop everything" and go out and demonstrate (re-read the post) though we also made it clear that there most certainly ARE those out there who could, "if only" they had a mind to. I find, for the most part, "horsie type" people are a travelin' lot. It should be no big deal for some. Also, I thought I made it perfectly clear that our "angst" was directed mostly at the Mother Orgs whom we have been asking for help to organize for years. Like I said in the orignal post, if the shoe fits, wear it, if it dont apply then let it fly. If you are unable to organize or partake in any "Industry Accountability" demos for some reason other than "dont want to," or "plain wont,"... then none of our adominations apply to you. If you "would if you could," you are with us, so dont take it so personal. The blurb was intended for those who could, but just wont, so "let it fly."

As for defending our use of petitions, any activist worth their salt
knows they have at least some value, "legal" or not. For one,
petitions draw attention (and hopefully, support) to an issue. Of
course, it all depends on how much work you put in to broadcasting
them. I wont re-hash the value of on-line petitions here. It would be
re-stating the obvious, if you would only have eyes (or a reasonable
mind) to see it.

As for our "alianiating ourselves" from "good rescues" and other
people and orgs that "might have been of assistance" to us one day,
that is a laugh. We have begged for help from our "constituants" in
the rescue world for years,.. not only with our own rescue matters &
needs, but for networking with "like-minded" people and for help with
& support for our ideas, campaigns, and organizing "us all" as
well. THREE PEOPLE in all those years answered our pleas and "befriended"
us,and we are on good terms with them all today. "Friends" stay friends with
friends. The rest can all go to hell. We dont need anyone for
anything and that is the beauty of us....

We are not asking for help for ourselves, we are asking on behalf of
the horses.

"If you join in to help me then you are wasting your time, but if you
have come to us because your cause is caught up with ours, then you
are in the right place, with the right people."

The horses need everyone (everyone who IS ABLE, that is) to go all the way and take the fight one step further, ADVANCE it, that is, by protesting and DEMANDING Industry accountabilty NOW and an end to equine slaughter. We dont need no friggin bill to get'er done!

Rescue is what happens in between our fight to end horse-slaughter,
not the other way around. We want to save them all. Not just some.
Who can fault us for that? Who would, ...and why? Dosent everyone
want to see it end right here and RIGHT NOW? We DO have the power you know, if only the "movement" would "wake up" and realize this FACTOID and get moving.

As to your statement that "there will be another fight tomorrow" and the rescues " will be there then too," well that is all fine and well, but we Friends of Equines aint about waiting. Hundreds of horses are dying everyday you know, and they are getting ready to kill off all our wild mustangs and build back up the equine slaughter industry right here in the good ole USA. You OK with waiting for that to happen? By then it will be too late, and you will always have horse slaughter because you waited too long. Think it aint so? Just keep waiting. You WILL see. That dark day is not that far away. We better get busy soon.

CJ/MK

"Friends of Equines" Say Goodbye to Anti-Slaughter "Non-Movement"

Hangin their heads in shame for YOU all who profess to "love the horses" and would do "anything" to see their slaughter end, FOES say Goodbye, Good Riddance & Thanks for Nothin from the horses (Oh, they are "horse wisperers," too, dont you know?) Calls anti-slaughter "movement" a bunch of sorry,
dispassionate, lazy, cowardly sops:

"Movement" a Misnomer for Anti-Horse Slaughter Camp: No REAL Warriors
to be found; Horse-Loving Camp "wont budge" from comfort zones to
engage in demos; fear of "Peta" stigmatation overides,....dont you know that fear can be corrected with a simple sign that says:

WE ARE NOT PETA!

"The fate of animals is of greater importance to me
than the fear of appearing ridiculous;
- Emile Zola (1840-1902)

Readers Take Note: If this blurb makes you mad, please dont come
flying back flaming at me. Consider that this "nasy goodby" is not
meant for everyone. I realize that there ARE people out there unable
to physically go out and demonstrate and protest all over the place,
and I realize that some of us have family obligations that over-
ride "the cause,"...I also realize that there are those of us amongst
us who ARE able to travel and/or go about, or to organize something
locally, also our anger is directed mainly at the Mother Orgs., whom
we have been asking for help with UNITING US for years,..so I humbly
ask that when reading this, you consider the above, and determine
for yourself and conclude,...."If the shoe fits, wear it, if it dont
apply then let it fly...."

Thank you.

No "Friends of Equines" for OK Demos?
http://www.freewebs.com/friendsofequines/nofriends4okdemos.htm

No Support for Petition that Would REALLY Help Horses
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/a-petition-2-amend-the-farm-bill

No Help from "The Mother Orgs."
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/a-personal-challange-a-call-to-action

"To stand and do nothing when we should be protesting makes cowards
of us" - A. Lincoln

CJ/MK, Founder
"Friends of Equines FOES of Equine Slaughter"
http://www.freewebs.com/friendsofequines
"Because WE Care Enough to Give Our ALL"

PLEASE NOTE: This is the last we will be posting to any groups except
for our own. We have had it with hypocrite types, and we dont care to
hear about "all you are doing" for the cause, it is what you are NOT
doing that matters....a sorrier bunch of "half-steppers" we never
knew! Good ridance to you all. See U "in the news" cause we are most
certainly going to write about this "movement" whos members
professes to "care so much" about the horses but who refuse to go
that extra mile and "move" for some nationwide demonstrations and
protests. Horses are dying everyday. How long are you gonna wait?
Some dedication! With "Friends" like you, the horses dont
need enemies! By NOT protesting we are in effect condoning their slaughter! For shame on you all for not caring enough to go all
the way for them. You will never end it the "polite" way.....just keep
waiting and maybe in a few more years from now you will come to realize the truth,....but by that time they will have new horse-slaughter plants built all across the USA. You will
never get your bills passed therefore never end the slaughter. There will always be the pro-slaughter
opposition to kill your bills at the very last minute. They will just keep killing your bills year after year just like they are killing our
horses,...and you all are "ok" with that? Sorry but "we" are not!
We do not put all of our faith & trust in politicians. The horses
depend upon US, not the politicians. Again we ask, what are you
waiting for? We have the power to stop horse slaughter in its tracks
right now....if only you would believe,..its all up to US, NOT the
politicians. So what R U gonna do? Same old same old or try something
new? Anyways, we are through with you. "Friends of Equines" wont be
bothering with you all again. We are not about wasting energy on lost
causes such as your selfish selves apparently are. Too bad for the
horses. They need some REAL fighters on their side, and we dont mean
to fight the paper wars; their are plenty of so-called "warriors"
doing that. They have been doing it for years and look how far they
have come (not.) Your "successes" are an illusion, a creation of
"DC legerdemain." The politicans will say anything to keep you happy and to keep your vote, knowing the bill will be defeated, and we are putting all our faith in this, the promices of politicians? We dont think so. NOW is the time for some REAL action. How long we ask, before you all come to your senses and see the TRUTH of the matter here? How many more horses will go to slaughter while we stand around "thinking about it, not doing anything but asking our politicians "pretty please" to pass our bills. The absurdity of it all!

Do-Gooders Doing Bad: NetPossie a "Breeding Incentives" Org.?

We all know about the good work NetPossie / Stolen Horse International does in locating stolen horses, but we see by their latest blurb they are now in the Breeding Incentive Business, just like the AQHA! They are auctioning off stud services donated to them on ebay and at "greatly reduced" prices. So here we have incentive on top of incentive to breed, not only does the money go to a good cause (NetPossie) but you get a great(?) breeding at a greatly reduced rate! Geeze, it makes ME even want to breed! How 'bout you?

Do we really need anymore breeding incentives? Couldnt they find something better to auction off, like horse tack, horse cookies, horse jewelry, greetings cards, candles, anything except for breeding. Fer crists sake, dont they know theres a horse over-population going on?

Click on title to read full story.

Attributing Words

"If you have come here to help me, then you are wasting your time...But if you have come because your liberation(cause) is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
--Lila Watson

I first came across this quote in the earlt-mid 1990s. “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” The poster I made with these words first appears in a Northland catalog in 1994 (click on title above to see the poster.) Since then it has become a widely-known quote, cited in thousands of web-site, books, articles, speaches, school board meetings, conference themes and who knows what else. It is usually attributed to “Lila Watson, Aboriginal activist.”

In fact this attribution is not correct (but not completely wrong). Here is our experience with the quote and its source. When I forst saw it, it was quoted in a student newsletter of some sort. It was attributed to “Australian aboriginal woman.” When I got ahold of them, the editors of the newsletter did not know any more than that. Not able to find the source (or even know how to look for it–remeber, the internet was fairly rudimentary still) I went ahead and designed the poster. We were not happy with the attribution, though. It was easly to see that the insight revealed by those words was not something that comes cheap. This was someone with some organizing experience under her belt. It was tempting to credit it to a “leader” but we didn’t have enough information to take that leap. We ended up attributing it to an “Aboriginal activist sister.” At least we were giving her credit for at least being an “activist.” We felt that, at least, would be safe to say.

We create a lot of art basedon quotes and are always trying to get the most accurate information we can on them. After some years we found some citations of it that mentioned Lila Watson. Excited to finally find a source for the quote we decided to research it. We finally tracked Lila down. She is still a community leader and activist (in Brisbane, I think). Anyway, we explained that we wanted permission to use the quote in a poster. Her husband (who acted as go-between in these conversations) knew exactly what quote we were calling about. It had already made the rounds widely. Lila expalined that she had been part of an Aboriginal rights group in Queensland (the hot-bed of Black Power organizing at the time) in the eaqrly 1970s. They had come up with the phrase in the course of their work–probably for someof the printed literature they produced as part of their organizing. She could not remember the exact process of how it had come about. She was quite clear, though, that she was not comfortable being credited for something that had been born of a collective process.

After some back and forth we came to an agreement on how it could accurately be credited. Now our poster simply attributes the words to “Aboriginal activists group, Queensland, 1970s.” Of course, we still get the occasional indignant e-mail “you know you should attribute that quote Lila Watson, an Aboriginal activist and educator…”

Lila Watson is not sure how the quote became attached to her name alone. It is a tribute to the power of the Internat that once it was, it has taken on a life of its own and has been replicated across the world and in several languages. It’s easy to see why, though. The words reflect a political clarity that is both sharply critical and generous. Who can resist them?


http://northlandposter.com/blog/2006/12/18/lila-watson-if-you-have-come-to-help-me-you-are-wasting-your-time-but-if-you-have-come-because-your-liberation-is-bound-up-with-mine-then-let-us-work-together/