Defend Your Sport NOW!!!!

[midwestfisherman]

A SAOVA message to sportsmen, pet owners and farmers concerned about protecting their traditions, avocations and livelihoods from anti-hunting, anti-breeding, animal guardianship advocates. Forwarding and cross posting, with attribution, encouraged.
Dear Sportsmen and Animal Owning Friends,

Washington based anti-hunter and anti-dog breeder legislators need to be repulsed in the next few days or we may lose our strongest DC supporter with devastating long-term impacts. California anti's led by Rep. Henry Waxman are attempting to topple Rep. John Dingell as House Energy and Commerce chairman. Rep. Waxman, from Beverly Hills, is an ultra liberal who has voted for *EVERY* Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) measure since 1996. That's right, 100% on two anti-hobby dog breeding bills, five anti-hunting bills, ten+ ill-considered livestock measures and scores more. Nearly all these bills failed, due to moderates such as John Dingell speaking and voting against them.

John Dingell, from Michigan, is the dean of the House and is the highest profile and most influential supporter of sportsmen and animal owners in the U.S. Congress. See his legislative accomplishments at http://www.cookpolitical.com/node/2404 John is also an avid big game hunter and waterfowler, a dog owner and has served on the boards of NRA and Ducks Unlimited. He has never let us down and has repeatedly gone to bat for us on hunting, fishing, conservation, animal and gun ownership, influencing many other legislators and public opinion.

Literally, almost without exception, Mr. Waxman and his group attempting to unseat John Dingell are animal rights zealots who have been repeatedly endorsed and funded by the anti-animal owner, anti-hunting Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS). The anti-Dingell faction includes some 24 California democrats and other HSUS favorites. HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle considers this sub group his hard core strongest supporters. They introduce dozens of ill-conceived animal rightist bills every year. It's critical that a very senior, high-profile moderate democratic committee chairman such as John Dingell not be dragged down by these elements. In Washington, committee control and perception of power matter enormously. Should these radicals succeed, an experienced and meaningful voice will be muted, a key committee staff will be replaced and the next Congress will take decided shift to the left in important legislative areas.

Sportsmen and animal owners concerns are frequently intense and heartfelt to us but they don't often receive major Washington press coverage. However, this crucial struggle between moderates and uber liberals for the control of the 111th Congress anf future legislation has received significant reporting that you may not have seen. Two recent reprints from Roll Call are attached.

*ACTION REQUEST*: As soon as possible, telephone and email all House Democrats and urge that they retain John Dingell as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The caucus vote will occur on either November 17 or 18, 2008 and newly elected members will have a voice. Everyone should have his or her two DC Senators and one House member in his address book and on speed dial. Telephoning your personal representatives is more effective than emailing. This is especially true for short fused, very simple messages. To find your representative's contact info, input your zip code in http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dir ... congdir.tt That same page may be used to identify every democratic House member in your state. The message is crystal clear, "Vote John Dingell for House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman. At this critical time, the country needs him in charge."

Please forward and cross post widely. Every call counts. Reach out to your family and friends.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Susan Wolf, Director
Sportsmen and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance - http://saova.org
Issue lobbying and working to identify and elect supportive legislators



The message above was posted to West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri residents by the Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance (SAOVA) on one of ten regional read only elists.

SAOVA is a nonpartisan volunteer group working to protect Americans from the legislative and political threats of radical animal rightists. It is the only national organization fighting this struggle for both sportsmen and animal owners, natural allies, in these arenas. Visit our website at http://saova.org for this program's goals, methodology and list signup details.

[charlie young]

I am really surprised that no one has responded to this..........for whatever reason shotgun shooters are so complaisant
about their hunting opportunities, almost like it won't happen to me. Well I got news for you it's will and has in a lot of areas.......A law suit by the National Wildlife Federation and affiliates against the USDA and the American Rancher closed 1000's of acres in Montana this year to out of state hunters. Your destiny is in your hands. Also, I and a large number of landowners that have our entire ranches/farms in Block Management are considering pulling the plug. The attitude and disrespect of the hunters in general is getting to the point that it is not worth the hassle of putting up with the trash left on the roads and parking areas. In the number of years that I have been in Block Management, I have had only one group of hunters that have even stopped to say Thank You. Our opening weekend was wet with about 10" of snow. For whatever reason this seemed that it was a green light, to lock the hubs in and take your 4 wheel drive wherever you could possibly think there might be a bird. The roads were tore up, fields and pastures looked like someone had been mud racing.

Now I'm not saying this is all out of state hunters, because the locals during deer season are probably worse. Most of them don't bird hunt, because they might have to get out of their pickup and walk. Although I did catch one local driving the roads with some out of state relatives with the shotguns out the windows.......needless to say I reamed them a new one.

So if you come to NE Montana next year and find some of your hunting opportunities have been closed........remember this, your future is in your hands, whether it be from the Anti's wanting your guns or yourselves by the attitudes that are portrayed during the visits you make to your favorite hunting areas...........

Sincerely,

Charlie Young