Agribusiness Bullies

Freestone cow

Jacqueline McMahon of 'Animal Blawg' gives us an overview of the thinly disguised bill named the 'Animal Facility Interference' bill on her blog post today. Here is an excerpt:

"On March 17, 2011, the Republican-dominated Iowa House of Representative voted 65-27 to approve a bill criminalizing secretly recording factory farm practices.  Under the bill, House File 589 § 9, drolly named “Animal Facility Interference,” any person who produces, possesses or distributes an audio or visual recording of an animal facility without the consent of the owner is guilty of either a class D felony or aggravated misdemeanor.  The bill still has to pass through the Democrat-controlled Senate before officially becoming Iowa law, but with similar proposals popping up in other states including Florida, the idea of prohibiting these exposé recordings is picking up steam."

I encourage you to post a comment on Animal Blawg in response to this issue.  

Don't be fooled into thinking this law only affects animal rights activists, this bill will affect us all. Many say (and I believe rightly so) that the 'Animal Facility Interference' bill violates Federal Whistle-blower protection laws and shields animal abusers from prosecution. This bill is a leap backward in animal protection and as a result, a leap backward for humankind.

PETA's video, 'Meet Your Meat' is a very graphic, extremely unsettling video documenting the unthinkable horror of slaughtering animals for food. If the Animal Facility Interference bill passes, this footage would be illegal in Iowa and soon to be illegal in other U.S. States as well if we sit back and let it happen. Speak out, write your representatives, let them know that you do not agree with  the backward thinking of Iowan House of Representatives. That you do not want your freedoms diminished, your right to know blinded. Speak up now because if you don't, this will not be the last of your rights stripped away.