And Now, For Something Completely Different: The Humane Society of the United States
Today I am shifting gears and targeting another animal rights organization that needs to be eliminated: The Humane Society of the United States. "But I got my pet cat from a humane society. Why would you want to eliminate them?" you may ask. Well, the HSUS and your local humane society are two different organizations. When you give money to the HSUS, your local humane society may not receive any of that money. It all goes to fund "animal protection", which is HSUS newspeak for animal rights. Don't believe me? Here is a list of animal rights related donations as recorded on their IRS from 990 for FY 2002:
Farm Sanctuary -- $5000
Lega Anti Vivisezione -- $8432
Animal Rights 2002 -- $3000
Northwest Animal Rights Network -- $1000
Physicians for Responsible Medicine (AKA The Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, or PCRM, a PETA puppet group) -- $100.00
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA, the granddaddy of all animal rights wacko groups) -- $100.00
Animal Voice -- $50.00
Ligue Francaise des Droits de l'Animal (The French League for Animal Rights) -- $2738
This may not seem like a lot, but remember: the people who donate to the HSUS believe that their money is going to fight for animal welfare. I highly doubt that sending $8400 to an Italian group that is against using animals in medical research would be in line with their ideals. I also doubt that sending money to a group that the American Medical Association (AMA) calls a "fringe organization that uses unethical tactics and is interested in perverting medical science would be something they would want to do, either. Did you know that the PCRM as been formally censured by the AMA, and that the censure still stands today? Do you know how often that happens? Almost never.
The HSUS is an organization with a noble heritage. However, that heritage has been left in the dust by the animal rights wackos that control it. Currently, the HSUS is living off of the perception that it is an umbrella organization for all the local humane societies in the country. But, they are using money that is donated to them to fund animal rights groups and to pursue an animal rights agenda. Did you know that the HSUS is against animal dissection for high school students? This should be something that isn't left open to debate. Dissection is a vital part of biology curriculum, so if a student takes a biology class, they should be required to do the dissections that are part of that curriculum, unless it goes against their religious beliefs.
Anyhow, that's my little rant about the HSUS...
Lega Anti Vivisezione -- $8432
Animal Rights 2002 -- $3000
Northwest Animal Rights Network -- $1000
Physicians for Responsible Medicine (AKA The Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, or PCRM, a PETA puppet group) -- $100.00
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA, the granddaddy of all animal rights wacko groups) -- $100.00
Animal Voice -- $50.00
Ligue Francaise des Droits de l'Animal (The French League for Animal Rights) -- $2738
This may not seem like a lot, but remember: the people who donate to the HSUS believe that their money is going to fight for animal welfare. I highly doubt that sending $8400 to an Italian group that is against using animals in medical research would be in line with their ideals. I also doubt that sending money to a group that the American Medical Association (AMA) calls a "fringe organization that uses unethical tactics and is interested in perverting medical science would be something they would want to do, either. Did you know that the PCRM as been formally censured by the AMA, and that the censure still stands today? Do you know how often that happens? Almost never.
The HSUS is an organization with a noble heritage. However, that heritage has been left in the dust by the animal rights wackos that control it. Currently, the HSUS is living off of the perception that it is an umbrella organization for all the local humane societies in the country. But, they are using money that is donated to them to fund animal rights groups and to pursue an animal rights agenda. Did you know that the HSUS is against animal dissection for high school students? This should be something that isn't left open to debate. Dissection is a vital part of biology curriculum, so if a student takes a biology class, they should be required to do the dissections that are part of that curriculum, unless it goes against their religious beliefs.
Anyhow, that's my little rant about the HSUS...
posted by The King of all Trolls @ 5:32 PM
12 Comments:
This is Stephanie/Krislov.
You say:
"While, at one point, the HSUS was an umbrella organization for all local humane societies, that is no longer the case. In fact, it hasn't been the case since 1973. In 1973, the HSUS stopped regular funding local humane societies because “the costs of running a local animal control operation [was] drawing off funds needed elsewhere,” according to their own website."
This isn't true. HSUS was NEVER an umbrella organization for humane societies. I believe you were given the impression by this page:
http://tinyurl.com/229zk
But it's wrong. The quote, “the costs of running a local animal control operation [was] drawing off funds needed elsewhere,” refers to a SINGLE training facility that HSUS opened, Waterford, or the National Humane Education Center. (http://tinyurl.com/4gh2a - scroll down)
HSUS took the name, "humane society" before it was a popular name for shelters. It has never been an umbrella organization for humane societies or overseen shelter operations. It DOES provide plenty of shelter outreach and education.
And why should every high school student be required to perform a dissection? That's silly.
Also, I have a suggestion. PETA's stance on feral cats (kill them) or pit bulls (ban them) or the unadoptable companion animals that they round up and euthanize (I guess only farm animals get a sanctuary).
I have made the changes. I actually saw information about the HSUS on a different website as well. I will make entries about PETA's hypocritical stances as soon as I get more information on them.
Also, I have changed the thing about all high school students being required to do dissections. In Illinois, biology is a required class. I forgot that other states may have different academic requirements. I've been kind of out of it lately. I actually reported a post of mmissinlink's to Bolt Staff that I didn't want deleted. He was calling me a moron for transposing a couple of letters in the word prerogative ("perrogative"), and he then said that I was obsessed with spellng mistakes, not taking into account the fact that I have corrected about four of his mistakes. So I went to all of his posts since he came back and ran them all through spell-check. It took me nearlt four hours to find the posts, record the errors, and correct them. I had to make two posts out of it. I really wanted that thread to stay up after that, because I wanted to rub Link's nose in it... Oh, well...
I saw that thread before it was deleted. It was funny. Link is a pretentious doily. I have been in some long arguments with him before. I wish he would stay away. It's like swimming through thesaurus jelly everytime he posts. He says he works in a medical building. Probably a janitor or keyboard monkey.
Biology is required in WI too, but I got through high school biology just fine without doing any dissections. I don't think they are really necessary at that level. And look! Not doing a dissection hasn't even dampened my interest in biology or medicine. Crazy.
I still like HSUS. They do just as much or more in terms of shelter outreach as AHA or ASPCA, I don't know why it's alleged that they do nothing. They are more ARish than they used to be, but nothing compared to PETA. I have to wonder what those donations were for, they are so small (and 2 are weird amounts) that I doubt they are open-ended donations.
Did you get a ton of snow today? Stupid snow. I stayed home from the shelter because I didn't want to get in an accident. We have a chicken in the cat recovery kennels and I really wanted to go play with it. It's a really nice chicken. It likes to be pet, and you can let it out while you're cleaning, it just walks around and clucks very softly. Best chicken ever.
^^I saw that thread before it was deleted. It was funny. Link is a pretentious doily. I have been in some long arguments with him before. I wish he would stay away. It's like swimming through thesaurus jelly everytime he posts. He says he works in a medical building. Probably a janitor or keyboard monkey.^^
*chuckles*
I agree. Not only is he pretentious, he's also condescending and pompous, and he has no excuse for any of it.
^^Biology is required in WI too, but I got through high school biology just fine without doing any dissections. I don't think they are really necessary at that level. And look! Not doing a dissection hasn't even dampened my interest in biology or medicine. Crazy.^^
There are some things that a computer simulation (or whatever) can't duplicate. Like being able to poke around inside a frog, or seeing if it was carrying eggs (mine was). I don't think I would have learneda s much if I had opted out of dissection.
^^I still like HSUS. They do just as much or more in terms of shelter outreach as AHA or ASPCA, I don't know why it's alleged that they do nothing. They are more ARish than they used to be, but nothing compared to PETA. I have to wonder what those donations were for, they are so small (and 2 are weird amounts) that I doubt they are open-ended donations^^
Well, the two weird amounts were donated to an Italian organization and a French organization, respectively. SO that probably reflects the exchange rate for the Euro. And, while the HSUS is not PETA, they are slowly becoming like PETA. Besides, why the fuck would they give Farm Sanctuary $5000? If you observe their behaviour, you will know that something criminal is going on. They have huge, multimillion dollar facilities, but they turn away people who come to them legally with animals, sending them to smaller sanctuaries. Where do their animals come from, if not from above-ground sources? I know that Farm Sanctuary was the mouthpiece of the ALF until PETA took that job in 1989...
And any donation to PETA or it's puppet group, the PCRM, is enough to impugn their image.
^^Did you get a ton of snow today? Stupid snow. I stayed home from the shelter because I didn't want to get in an accident. We have a chicken in the cat recovery kennels and I really wanted to go play with it. It's a really nice chicken. It likes to be pet, and you can let it out while you're cleaning, it just walks around and clucks very softly. Best chicken ever.^^
Helen would love that chicken...
We got a fair amount of snow...
*walks out to check*
About four inches so far. It's still snowing, it's colder than the Ninth Circle of Hell, and there's a layer of ice underneath the snow.
I agree that you can't duplicate a dissection with a computer model. Computer models are useful for learning where things theoretically should be (and what colors they sould definitely not be), but they're nothing like the real thing. I just don't think, at a high school level, it's really necessary know those things in that detail. At the very least it should be optional. It becomes necessary and important to do dissections in higher level science, but most high school students are not going to be science-majors. I also don't buy the argument that dissections will help peak students' interests in science or convince them to go to medical school or what-have-you. Biology is a lot more than gross anatomy and if someone wants to go to medical school they better be interested in the other aspects as well.
Huh, well that makes sense about the exchange rate (*not worldly-wise*). I still doubt they are open-ended donations. Before I make a judgement on HSUS, I'd want to know what the donations were for. It is possible that they could be for something totally innocent. I don't donate to HSUS myself because I like to be able to see more directly where my money is going to.. but I appreciate all the shelter outreach they do.
"Helen would love that chicken..."
It is the best chicken ever, after all. When I first saw it.. I thought it was a cat... I couldn't see it well because the cat recovery ward is dark for the comfort of the crazy crazy cats, and I was afraid, I thought, there is something very wrong with that one. Then it turned and it had a beak and big scaly feet. That was when I realized it was a chicken. Yes. And I said hello and pet it-- it made a noise and rubbed on my hand and didn't try to bite me and that was when I realized I was in love. I guess it came in on Monday covered in motor oil and had to have a dish soap bath, which it sat nicely for.
We have ... I don't know how many inches of snow, but up to the Poodle of Doom's chest. Now I have to shovel a walkway in the backyard where he can poo. Ice too. Which I have slipped and fallen on twice so far, that is to say, every time I have gone outside.
^^I agree that you can't duplicate a dissection with a computer model. Computer models are useful for learning where things theoretically should be (and what colors they sould definitely not be), but they're nothing like the real thing. I just don't think, at a high school level, it's really necessary know those things in that detail. At the very least it should be optional. It becomes necessary and important to do dissections in higher level science, but most high school students are not going to be science-majors. I also don't buy the argument that dissections will help peak students' interests in science or convince them to go to medical school or what-have-you. Biology is a lot more than gross anatomy and if someone wants to go to medical school they better be interested in the other aspects as well.^^
If you want my honest opinion, I don't think that biology should be a required course. I have never had a need for it, personally. However, dissections should be part of a biology cirriculum. It helps the students understand how the bodies of different types of animals work.
^^Huh, well that makes sense about the exchange rate (*not worldly-wise*).^^
*chuckles*
The only reason I am aware of it is because I got raped for eating at McDonalds at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport about two months ago. It was eight bucks or so (around 6 euro) for a McChicken meal, without super sizing it. I can get the same meal, Super Sized, here for $3.75.
^^Before I make a judgement on HSUS, I'd want to know what the donations were for. It is possible that they could be for something totally innocent. I don't donate to HSUS myself because I like to be able to see more directly where my money is going to.. but I appreciate all the shelter outreach they do.^^
HSUS is an umbrella organization, but not for animal shelters. They have a bunch of other activist organizations that they control, some overseas. They are very good at shifting money around, and they don't tell you what the money they paid out was for on their 990s.
^^It is the best chicken ever, after all. When I first saw it.. I thought it was a cat... I couldn't see it well because the cat recovery ward is dark for the comfort of the crazy crazy cats, and I was afraid, I thought, there is something very wrong with that one. Then it turned and it had a beak and big scaly feet. That was when I realized it was a chicken. Yes. And I said hello and pet it-- it made a noise and rubbed on my hand and didn't try to bite me and that was when I realized I was in love. I guess it came in on Monday covered in motor oil and had to have a dish soap bath, which it sat nicely for.^^
I will have to tell Helen. She will want to hop on the next flight to ORD and have me drive her up there so that she can see it.
^^We have ... I don't know how many inches of snow, but up to the Poodle of Doom's chest. Now I have to shovel a walkway in the backyard where he can poo. Ice too. Which I have slipped and fallen on twice so far, that is to say, every time I have gone outside.^^
Ouch. That sucks. I have yet to slip, but I haven't shovelled yet either. I don't need to for our dogs, because they are both big enough that the snow isn't a problem for them. I will shovel once it stops snowing, though. Then I'll probably slip and fall.
"If you want my honest opinion, I don't think that biology should be a required course. I have never had a need for it, personally. However, dissections should be part of a biology cirriculum. It helps the students understand how the bodies of different types of animals work."
Well, I think that biology SHOULD be required. I just don't think dissections are absolutely necessary for a high school general biology course. Frankly, all the dissections I've done are less about how things work and more about where things are.. the physiology is covered in lectures. And when you're looking at pathways, like how things move through the body, I have found it easier to go to the generic idealized diagrams and not dissections. Eh.
I think HSUS is awesome just for RAVS and Animal Sheltering. I don't necessarily like their shift towards more radical ideas, but their shelter outreach and education programs have just gotten better.
See, I can't avoid shovelling until it stops snowing. Because, our landlord, who lives upstairs, he likes to go out and shovel every few hours it seems. I always accidentally make eye contact with him through the window or something, and then I have to go out and help. And Poodly needs his pooway of course. But I fall over in all sorts of weather.. no, I just trip and fall all the time, anywhere, everywhere, period. Sometimes I think it's a habit now and I'm doing it on purpose.
"I will have to tell Helen. She will want to hop on the next flight to ORD and have me drive her up there so that she can see it."
Perfectly reasonable when considering it is the best chicken ever.
"Well, I think that biology SHOULD be required. I just don't think dissections are absolutely necessary for a high school general biology course. Frankly, all the dissections I've done are less about how things work and more about where things are.. the physiology is covered in lectures. And when you're looking at pathways, like how things move through the body, I have found it easier to go to the generic idealized diagrams and not dissections. Eh."
I see... You have a point, as always.
"I think HSUS is awesome just for RAVS and Animal Sheltering. I don't necessarily like their shift towards more radical ideas, but their shelter outreach and education programs have just gotten better."
I know all about their animal sheltering programs. I have their 990s from the last five years. They gave to one of the local humane societies over here. I forget how much, and I'm not really keen on trying to look it up again.
I will not support the HSUS because they are becoming an animal rights group. If I support an animal-oriented group, it will be an organization like the American Humane Association. But that's just me...
"See, I can't avoid shovelling until it stops snowing. Because, our landlord, who lives upstairs, he likes to go out and shovel every few hours it seems. I always accidentally make eye contact with him through the window or something, and then I have to go out and help."
See, you are burdened with this thing called a "conscience", and, unlike most people who still have that nagging little voice, you haven't yet learned to ignore it. Hang out with me for a day in Chicago, and you'll learn everything you need to about ignoring that conscience.
"But I fall over in all sorts of weather.. no, I just trip and fall all the time, anywhere, everywhere, period. Sometimes I think it's a habit now and I'm doing it on purpose."
I see... Sometimes I trip, but I usually have a good sense of balance.
"Perfectly reasonable when considering it is the best chicken ever."
It is perfectly reasonable, especially considering the chicken and the fact that Chicago is the greatest city on earth.
Yeah, my conscience tells me things like, "Uh-oh, better go help the landlord for he has the power to choose not to extend our lease." Although, I do feel weird just sitting around letting him shovel our part of the walk. Plus he sends out evil glares, without even using his eyes.
"I see..."
Why, I think I'm saying weird things again, aren't I?
What makes Chicago the greatest city on Earth? I think I like NYC better, but only as a tourist.
"Yeah, my conscience tells me things like, 'Uh-oh, better go help the landlord for he has the power to choose not to extend our lease.' "
That's your "Hobbesian conscience", the one that tells you to do what is right out of self-interest. Hobbes believed that people everything out of self-interest. If you donate to the tsunami victims, he would say that you're only doing it because you wouldn't want that shit happening to you, and, if it did, you would want people to help you out.
"Why, I think I'm saying weird things again, aren't I?"
Not really. Besides, when you do, it's rather endearing.
"What makes Chicago the greatest city on Earth? I think I like NYC better, but only as a tourist."
I'll have to show you my favourite places in Chicago... Then you'll understand.
And I don't think Helen would come to see the chicken... I'll explain in an e-mail, if you would like.
My Hobbesian conscience, hm? I didn't know I kept one of those.
"Not really. Besides, when you do, it's rather endearing."
Endearing? *spits* I'm going for, "frightening." As in, "AH, A MONSTER-TROLL HYBRID! AND A SMALL BUT FIERCE POODLE!"
What are your favorite places? I've been to Chicago quite a few times, but I guess all in the same area... the Shedd Aquarium, Michigan Avenue, the Shedd Aquarium, the museuems, the Shedd Aquarium, etc. Touristy stuff. Maybe I like New York better because every time I go there it is to stay with my rich aunts.
Sure, explain in an email if you would like.
I sent you a couple of e-mails...
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