Politicians: Should We Care if We Piss Them Off?

There is an old argument rearing its head again in the anti-horse slaughter camp. Once again we are finding ourselves facing a critical time in the battle to get HR 503 (the anti-horse slaughter bill) passed, as Congress is getting ready to end this session in a couple of weeks, we are anxious to get our bill put up for a vote before it ends. The Action Alerts have been furiously flying about all across the internet, urging the advocates to bombard our legislators & The Speaker of the House with phone calls, emails, faxes and letters, asking them to help get HR 503 up for a vote right away. As usual, the dedicated advocates from all over the world responded to the call and commenced upon a vigorous emailing, faxing and telephone calling campaign. Just as its effects were beginning to take effect, word starts going round that some one or two of the advocates are complaining that we should not be "bothering" the speaker of the house and/or certain other named politicos, and likening our actions to "harassment" and accusing us of pissing the politicians off. They say that we are causing problems in their offices, jamming up fax machines and tying up telephone lines, and I have no doubt that it is true. ! In some cases, they have actually had to set up new telephone numbers and lines, just to handle all our calls!
Further evidence of the great work that we do when we all put our heads together for one purpose and one goal. So I cant understand whats up with those who are saying "dont bother this one" or "dont bother that one" crap? Have they totally lost their minds?

Who and/or what are they trying to protect? Some are even alleging that our "bothering" certain of the politicians and/or our "pissing them off" is COSTING us their support, thinking ("they" say) that we are a bunch of crazies and wackos that they dont want nothing to do with, and, it is further alleged, that by losing their support, we are COSTING the lives of more horses! Now what do we make of that POV?

In view of the conflicting messages, the advocates are now confused, and who can blame them? They see such conflicting messages as a division in our leadership. But the truth of the matter is that there can be no division of leadership simply because the anti-horse slaughter folk HAVE no real leadership or organization as a whole. There is no one individual, or group of individuals, nor any PACs or organization on a national level that could lay any legitimate claim to a leadership role for the movement as a whole. In any event, we are much too diverse a group as a whole to have any one person or org that could ever represent us all with our varying and diverse views. Yes we all want the same things: an end to horse-slaughter and an end to the BLMs cruel round-ups & proper management of our American Herds, but we all have different ideas on the best strategies to utilize in going about accomplishing these goals. There are those that go out into the streets and protest. There are those of us who would never do such a thing. There are those of us that write petitions and there are those of us who never sign. There are those of us who travel DC at every possible opportunity to talk to the politicians and advocate on the horses behalf. Then there are those that cant travel but wish they could. They will stay home and write letters, make calls, and send out faxes to have their own point of views and ideas heard. The anti-horse slaughter movement has ALWAYS been a collective effort embarked upon by the various individuals and groups as well as organizations, drawn of people from across all walks of life. No one person or org was ever or could ever claim to be a "leader," a "spearhead" or a "spokesperson" for us all, even those who have been "in the fight" the longest, or even those with "boots on the ground" or "in the trenches." All have their own ideas of just what are the best solutions or the best ways to go about effecting them. That is not to say that such diversion is a bad thing, in fact, generally, such diversion works to the betterment of the campaign on the whole, as it helps to foster discussion and debate which helps formulate new ideas. However, when that diversion causes confusion among the advocates and they dont know what to do, it is not a good thing. Everything comes to a standstill and it only adds to their exasperation and discouragement. That is why I feel this is an important issue to discuss at this time.

First off, let me express straight out my own personal feelings on the matter, and it is as simple as this; I do not think we should worry in the least little bit about pissing the politicos off, ANY of them,....and here's why: Our ability to anger or to frustrate them is the most powerful tool we have!

There are two kinds of ways to wage a war and/or work for change, and BOTH play an equally important role. There is the "polite" way and then there is the "not so" polite way (shall we say "the angry, mad or crazy" way?) Lets do. But to put it more succinctly,...there is "ask" and then there is "demand."

Those fighting the "polite" way I call "the negotiators." They meet with the big-whigs in Washington and have to be nice and prim and proper and mind their manners when they are begging and pleading and trying to reason with them. They never cuss or show their anger as they ask for consideration, and they almost never DEMAND the change they are seeking to effect, at least not in any sort of an angry, threatening or intimidating way." In law, we call this "Snots and Bugars" pleading. Now dont get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with this kind of campaigning, and is definitely needed if we are ever to realize our goals. Yes ANY movement needs "polite negotiators," but the "uncontrollable crazies" are also needed as well. Indeed these are the sort of warriors that the politicos are afraid of the most, simply because we are un-controlable, and if the "polite" warriors were smart, instead of attempting to silence us or dis-associate themselves from us, they should be using our collective craziness and anger as a bargaining chip or a leverage tool when going about hob-nobbing in the halls of Congress looking to get support for our bill. Bottom line is, there really is no controlling us and I think this is something that the polite warriors need to let the politicians know. What they need to be reminding them is that, if our emailing and calling campaigns are bothering them,....they themselves (the politicians, that is) can either (1) give us what we want or (2) issue a statement to us that they have heard our concerns and let us know what they intend to do (or not do) about it. If indeed we are "bothering" any of them, it should be they that let us know, not our fellow advocates. If it is true that "bothering" or "angering" the politicians is costing the movement support in the halls of congress, then so be it, but I doubt that this is true. If a politician supports our cause, he will not abandon it simply due to a few "crazies." On the other hand, if a politician does not want to support us but is afraid to come right out and say it, well there is a handy excuse for them to disassociate themselves from us. It is a convenient excuse for them, but we shouldnt let such things deter us from the mission at hand,..which is to BOMBARD the Politicios, EVERY ONE OF THEM,... consistantly,...with our pleas and demands.

I have always been of the mind that we should use every weapon available to us in any war that we are serious about winning . If we stuck to fighting only in a "polite" way, asking and pleading and trying to reason with them, all the while NOT wanting to or scared to "piss anybody off," then we are not using EVERY weapon available to us, and most certainly not our most powerful and effective ones. Anger is a gift and should be utilized in the most effective way, not suppressed. The most effective way to use our anger I think, would be to direct it toward those who are in the best position to bring about the change we are asking for, ...and that is clearly the politicians....so why hold back on anything? Why not "give it all we got?" Bombs away, I say. Upon each and every one of them. Spare NO ONE..not Pelosi, or Conyers, or Moran, no one with the power to give us what we want should be left out. NOW is the time to TURN UP the heat on everyone. Bombs away, I say! Hit 'em all! They WILL hear what you have to say. Dont let anybody misguide you or intimidate you into "lightning up" on any one of them.

AMERICAN HORSES ARE BEING TORTURED IN SLAUGHTER HOUSES IN CANADA AND MEXICO. IT WILL NEVER STOP. IT WILL NOT STOP UNTIL H.R.503 IS PASSED IN CONGRESS.....16 PEOPLE HOLD THE POWER TO MAKE IT STOP..WILL YOU CALL THEM PLEASE...IF THIS BILL IS NOT PASSED BY DECEMBER 9, HORSES WILL BE TRANSPORTED ACROSS OUR BORDERS TO DIE AGONIZING DEATHS - SHOT IN THEIR EYES, STABBED IN THE SPINE, IT WILL CONTINUE - THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY IF H.R. 503 IS NOT PASSED.......CALL OR FAX THESE 16 FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES NOW.....ASK THEM TO PLEASE VOTE YES ON H.R.503 IMMEDIATELY.

BOBBY SCOTT, CHAIRMAN, VIRGINIA, PHONE (202) 225-8351 FAX (202) 225-8354

PIER LUISI, PUERTO RICO, PHONE (202) 225-2615 Fax: (202) 225-2154 TOLL FREE (866) 266-6678

JERROLD NADLER, NEW YORK, PHONE (202)-225-5635

ZOE LOFGREN, CALIFORNIA, PHONE (202) 225-3816 FAX (202) 225-3317

MAXINE WATERS, CALIFORNIA, PHONE (323) 757-8900 Fax: (323) 757-9506

STEVE COHEN, TENNESSEE, PHONE (202) 225-3265Fax: (202) 225-5663

ANTHONY WEINER, NEW YORK, PHONE (202)-225-6616

MIKE QUIGLEY, ILLINOIS, PHONE (773)-267-5926 FAX: (773)-267-6583

TED DEUTCH, FLORIDA, PHONE (202)-225-3001

LOUIE GOHMERT, RANKING MEMBER, TEXAS, PHONE (202)-225-3035 FAX (202)-226-1230

BOB GOODLATTE, VIRGINIA, PHONE (202) 225-5431 FAX (202) 225-9681

DAN LUNGREN, CALIFORNIA, PHONE (202) 225-5716 FAX (202) 226-1298

RANDY FORBES, VIRGINIA, PHONE (202) 225 - 6365 FAX (202) 226 - 1170

THOMAS J ROONEY, FLORIDA, PHONE (202) 225-5792 FAX (202) 225-3132

SHEILA JACKSON LEE, TEXAS, PHONE (202) 225-3816 FAX (202) 225-3317

TED POE, TEXAS, PHONE, (202) 225-6565 (202) FAX (225)-5547 TOLL FREE (866) 425-6565

PLEASE ALSO CALL THESE POLITICIANS BELOW, They can help get the bill out of Committee and onto the floor for a vote;

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; http://pelosi.house.gov/contact/write-or-phone-my-offices.shtml

Congressman John Conyers, author of the bill; http://conyers.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Congressman Moran, a supporter of the bill; http://moran.house.gov/contact.shtml

Thank you advocates, for giving the battle your all, each in your own ways. Its not so important how we go about fighting it,...its the keeping on and not quitting that counts!
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"Society is like a stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you get a lot of scum on top."
--Edward Abbey

‎"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