Have you seen this billboard on 10th and L Streets?
This billboard recently went up in Lincoln, NE in order to coincide with a visit by Humane Society of the United States' (HSUS) President, Wayne Pacelle. The group behind the billboard is Humanewatch, ostensibly a watchdog group monitoring the HSUS, a group they claim to be an “extremist animal rights group”. In reality Humanewatch is an offshoot of the disingenuously named Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) – a propaganda group for hire. CCF has created many offshoot “front” groups in order to run smear campaigns against public interest groups like: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) when they were hired by the liquor industry to oppose MADD’s work toward blood alcohol limits; the Center for Science in the Public Interest when hired by the fast food industry to downplay the negative health effects of trans-fats and obesity; the Center for Disease Control (CDC) when hired by the seafood industry in an attempt to discredit the CDC’s claims about the dangers of mercury in seafood; organized labor as a whole through its front groups Center for Union Facts and Employee Freedom Action Committee – in order to defend low wages; and now they have been hired by big agribusiness corporations in order to slander groups that propose animal welfare and environmental standards – standards which corporations feel would hurt their multi-billion dollar profit margins. CCF and its offshoots have also attacked the Environmental Protection Agency in defense of cancer-causing pesticides, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and restrictions on indoor smoking (by attempting to downplay the harm of secondhand smoke).
CCF’s Humanewatch has stooped to outright lying in order to smear animal welfare groups such as HSUS – they were even forced to issue a formal retraction after falsely accusing HSUS of funding international terrorism. The statement on the billboard above is an irrelevant “straw man”, as HSUS is an animal welfare organization which runs its own shelters and does not purport to fund local shelters. CCF offers a valuable service to ruthless corporations by allowing them to anonymously attack organized labor, charity and public interest groups that get in the way of their profits, all the while receiving tax breaks for their “donations”. But don’t take my word for it - all of this information is easily uncovered by doing a simple internet search. 1,2
Humanewatch and CCF were created by Richard Berman, a Washington D.C. lobbyist, with the help of a $600,000 grant from the Phillip Morris Tobacco Corporation to fight anti-smoking groups. Humanewatch is listed by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, but this “non-profit” funnels 92% of its multi-million dollar corporate “donations” into Berman’s PR firm Berman & Company. 3 By exploiting this legal loophole Berman is able to forego transparency standards for non-profits and acquire all of these millions of dollars as tax-free profits.
Sources:
1 Mayer, Caroline E. and Joyce, Amy. "The Escalating Obesity Wars Nonprofit's Tactics, Funding Sources Spark Controversy", The Washington Post, April 27, 2005.
2 http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rick_Berman
3 2005 IRS Form 990 for the Center for Consumer Freedom. Retrieved on October 20, 2009.
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Thank you for this well written and researched piece.
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate that many in animal agriculture have chosen to align themselves with The Center for Consumer Freedom. It shows a lack character and a certain level of moral bankruptcy.
The Humane Society of the United States is merely voicing the concerns of the consumer. People have become more aware of the cruelty involved in modern industrialized farming and the health benefits of organic, sustainable farming. Many farmers have chosen to ignore their customer's concerns and cling to methods deemed undesirable. It will be their demise.
Oh please
ReplyDeleteHSUS runs approx 5 shelters.
Undesirable methods? Cruelty? Visit a farm instead of blindly believing comments from people like Pam.
Larson Farm in Wisconsin is huge and invites the public. They were pleasantly surprised
http://host.madison.com/ct/business/cross_country/article_4657e0a6-e84d-11df-838a-001cc4c03286.html
Lastly, I love how this poster goes after the messenger...CCF et al. It would serve his purpose more to take each fact that Humanewatch has show how it is untrue. I doubt if it can be done.
This is my favorite statement from HSUS (from their website): "We are the nation's most important advocate for local humane societies".
ReplyDeleteIf that's the case, why do local humane societies, which are NOT funded by HSUS, make such an effort to be sure the public knows that they are not affiliated with HSUS?
I'm not sure how much cruelty HSUS can really confront when most of the funds they raise go to big-hat salaries rather than to actually help animals.
talk about propaganda.
ReplyDeleteHSUS does NOT run it's own shelters, as the author claims.
not a single one.
it's right there, in black and white, on their own website. Wayne will tell you this himself.
when they stage a 'raid' for companion animals, they are taken to local humane societies (no relation, not even fourth cousin twice removed) and left there without food, supplies, medicines or financial support. while HSUS goes off to merrily make millions off the photos they take on site, the local programs bear the unfunded burden of caring for the animals. course they may need the money- they have several pending lawsuits for illegal search and seizures- oh, and a RICO suit.
what's Humane about that?
HSUS does not endorse a single meat or animal product producer in the entire country. not one. no food (other than Tofurky) is humane enough for them and never will be. don't be fooled.
you've been warned, Nebraska. don't let this snake in your state.
I am not an advocate for the HSUS. I prefer to work with groups that take a harder animal rights stance. That being said some of those who have commented are ill-informed. From the HSUS website:
ReplyDeleteHow is The HSUS affiliated with my local humane society?
Local humane societies and SPCAs are independent entities and are not run by The HSUS or any other national entity. The HSUS works with local humane societies and supports their work through training, evaluations, publications, and other professional services. Additionally, The HSUS operates its own network of animal sanctuaries and rescue operations, providing emergency care and homes to more animals than any other organization in the United States. Find out how The HSUS serves local animal shelters and provides direct animal care coast to coast.
Brian, you mention that you "prefer to work with groups that take a harder animal rights stance."
ReplyDeletePlease clarify for me - are you advocating animal welfare, or do you really mean animal rights?
I love it when farmers pretend to care about shelters to shift the focus from their practices. I have visited a Humanewatcher's farm. I saw room for improvement.
ReplyDeleteNo other industry tells their consumer to just "shut up and take what you get- you don't know anything". Farmers are turning more people vegan than Wayne Pacelle ever could. Good luck with your arrogance.
Sally, I mean animal rights, i.e. the view that non-human animals should have a right to freedom from human-induced suffering.
ReplyDelete@ Peonygirl - the HSUS has responded to these accusations here: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/opposition/misc/hsus_responds_to_ccf.html
ReplyDeleteMy response to vet student and corporate shill, Jake Geis, regarding HSUS:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailynebraskan.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor-nov-23-1.2414685