I am just back from a meeting with Sen. Mary Lou Rath's Chief of Staff (Sharon Rich) and was told that Senator Rath would no longer be supporting S.2996. She said she agreed with our analysis of the bill. The danger now seems to be that the bill will be amended. It is a dishonest, dangerous bill which just should be killed. It is important the your State Senators and Assemblyman/woman be contacted and encouraged to vote against any version of this bill. In the Assembly it is A.4884.

My notes for the Rath meeting are below.

Walter Simpson

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OVERVIEW

S.2996/A. 4884 is a blatant attack on legal citizen advocacy for animals and the environment. By the broad definitions provided in this bill, the Sierra Club is a terrorist organization because it actively opposes clear cut logging. The local Animal Rights Advocates - a humane organization which is non-violent, legal, and actively espouses Albert Schweitzer's philosophy of Reverence for Life - is terrorist because it is opposed to hunting and trapping.

ORIGINS

Why would a bill about terrorism refer to hunting, trapping and fishing? The reason appears to be that the bill nationally originates from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance.

See: http://www.biggamehunt.net/sections/Politics/Legislators_Association_Gives_Nod_to_Model_Terrorism_Bill_02140312.html.

The U.S. Sportsmen Alliance's strategy for promoting hunting and trapping involves exploiting the public's fear of terrorism to push legislation which undermines democratic process and violates Constitutionally protected rights. The Alliance passed the bill along to the American Legislative Exchange Council which uses the same strategy. ALEC is a right wing ideologically driven organization with corporate funding from the extractive industries (which explains why the bill identifies those opposed to logging and mining as terrorists). ALEC feeds member legislators around the country "model bills" which would undermine environmental regulations as well as advance other elements of its conservative/corporate agenda. Thus, S.2996 is not home grown legislation developed to address any real problems we have in new York State. It is a cynical manipulation at best designed to undermine the humane and environmental movements.

SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WITH S. 2996

While the bill alleges it is a response to terrorism, none of the behaviors described in the bill meet that definition. Even the illegal activities enumerated are not the type of behaviors most people would regard as terrorist.

The bill's definition of "terrorist organization" is so broad that law-abiding groups involved in legal advocacy would be defined as terrorist.

Supporters of these groups, as well as activist members, would be guilty of ecological terrorism.

Candidates running for office on a humane and/or environmental platform would be guilty of ecological terrorism.

A reporter who visits a lab and writes a news story about misbehavior at that lab could be guilty of eco-logical terrorism by this bill's definition if he/she did not first get permission to visit the lab and if his/her story was regarded as defaming the operations of the lab.

The bill would create a statewide registry of eco-terrorist violators, thus treating environmental activists like sex offenders and other deviants, an insulting absurdity.

CONCLUSIONS

This bill is not about combating terrorism in any meaningful sense.

It is instead about:

Criminalizing legal constitutionally protected activities.

Denigrating honorable causes - the humane treatment of animals and environmental stewardship.

Muzzling legitimate criticism and thwarting the democratic process.

Making a mockery of September 11 and the terrible pain our nation has felt as a result of that genuinely terror attack.

THE ATTACK ON FREEDOM