Slaughter Propaganda
fiction: fabrication; a deliberately false or improbable account
propaganda: the dissemination of information aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of people
disinformation: the dissemination of intentionally false information to deliberately confuse or mislead
harvest: the gathering of a ripened crop
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Here is an all-telling example of the tunnel vision or cult mentality of slaughter proponents, unwillingness to discuss issues and to rely only on their propaganda. They could have saved all this space and just said, we don’t want anyone posting facts that would expose our propaganda.
They have since removed this but thanks to technology, it is forever preserved. This was from United Horsemen or United Horsemen’s Front or United Organizations of the Horse– they keep changing their name so it’s hard to keep track of what they are calling themselves. Can you see the red flags?
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United Horsemen created a video to dupe the public into believing they are all about horse welfare. Not once in the video are the words horse slaughter mentioned even though their mission and plan to improve horse welfare is to the slaughter them. The below videos are in response to the false advertising of their group in their video. |
Part 1
Part 2
Quite often, we only have to sit back and let our opponents bury themselves in their own disinformation. This is a classic example from United Horsemen of disinformation backfiring.
Know the Facts
Pay close attention to the slaughter propaganda.
-There are no credentialed sources or verifiable data.
-Pay particular attention to the total disregard for food safety laws. In fact, food safety is rarely mentioned. When it is, it is usually statements that have no merit. As an example, Sue Wallis circulated a rather detailed analysis from a veterinarian on bute not remaining in the blood past a few days and totally absent within 30 days. While this may be true, it has absolutely no bearing on food safety. Bute is banned in all food producing animals, except dairy cows under the age of 18 months. Banned means banned. One dose and the animal is forever prohibited from entering the food chain. In addition, blood work is not the proper test for detecting bute residues. She knows this but continues to try to explain away food safety laws. Bute is but one of dozens of medications routinely given to horses (wormers, fly spray, ointments, Clenbuterol, etc.) that are banned in horses intended for food.
-It is a fact that US horses are not bred, raised or regulated as food animals. There are no production records and no mechanism to remove ineligible horses from the food chain. The attempt to implement a national tracking system (NAIS) failed miserably - a clear statement from horse owners on viewing horses as food animals. In spite of this, slaughter supporters push to continue slaughtering horses that do not meet FDA and EU food safety laws. And then state, with a straight face, they are the voices for the horse industry!
-In addition to the recent 2011 EU report that revealed drug residues of banned substances in US horses and the falsified paperwork that accompanied the horses stating they were drug free, there is a situation unfolding (Aug 2011) in Presidio, Texas with a feedlot that has falsified Coggins reports. Not one report matched any of the horses. You can follow the updates on Horseback Magazine. The feedlot is a prime example of everything wrong with horse slaughter - all in one place.
Over the years I have said that slaughter supporters invent a new strategy every year. 2011 has proved to be no different. This time, they are reusing the slippery slope but it is now on steroids. Every piece of animal welfare legislation is now a slippery slope (i.e., a first step to a bigger agenda).
If there is a bill to ban horse tripping, it’s a first step to banning rodeos. Never mind that one of the premier rodeo states, Texas, has a ban with zero impact to rodeos. Most recently, the NV bill was met with the same rhetoric and opponents stated horse tripping doesn’t take place. Shortly after the bill was tabled, an undercover video on April 30, 2011 revealed that indeed, horse tripping was taking place in Nevada.
If the legislation is to ban horse slaughter, it’s a first step to banning livestock slaughter.
The continuing strategy to name call advocates [tree hugging, bunny hugging, vegan, culturally ignorant, radical animal rights or animal terrorists] and attribute everything to HSUS and PETA [PETA has not been involved in efforts to end horse slaughter] is exemplified in this post by a slaughter supporter on the recent debate between John Holland and lobbyist, Charles Stenholm.
Although John set them straight, again, you will continue to see the same rhetoric about HSUS and PETA. We are still trying to figure out how that strategy is going to make horse owners suddently embrace horse slaughter… Read the post and John's response.
Here is more proof that unwanted horses are not worthless. We’ve seen this time and time again. Lukas is the story about a throwaway horse that is now recognized as the World’s Smartest Horse. Read the remarkable story of Lukas and his owner, Karen Murdock that believed this horse was something special.
| Absence of Logic |
| Who’s on first? |
| Selling the "Unwanted" Horse |
| The Reality of Sue Wallis’ proposed HORSE Act of 2009 |
| The Great Disinformation Campaign |
Here is the granddaddy of all anti-horse fiction that started the tsunami of abandoned horse articles. The author is a college basket stringer for AP. All claims in this story were proven false and are documented in John Holland’s article, Run for Your Lives.
Unwanted Horses: Kentucky, land of the thoroughbred, is swamped with them
After McMurray’s original article was exposed for what it was, we think this was his attempt to right a wrong but ended up being more of the same drivel.
While the USDA was taking photos of the horrors at the Beltex and Dallas Crown plants in Texas, anti-horse proponents were defending their stance that slaughter was humane. Three years later, we finally received the FOIA information that was requested. They continue to use the argument that slaughter in the US was humane even with the FOIAs and numerous investigations and reports from feedlots, transports, all three plants and auctions that have proven otherwise. In an attempt to do damage control on the evidence that is available, they attempt to portray each investigation as isolated incidents and that we really aren’t seeing what we are seeing.
Now they are claiming the FOIA covered a 6 year period even though the report from the USDA clearly indicates the report period is from January 1, 2005 to November 17, 2005. You can read the cover letter from the USDA HERE and you will note the dates provided in their letter represent a 10 month period. (Caution: the pages starting on page 26, contain very graphic images). Even if the dates provided by the USDA were not correct, we never received any communication stating so and more importantly, if it was a 6 year period, why was the abuse allowed to continue for so long before they did anything?
Duane Burright: The horse slaughter debate: separating facts from rhetoric
More Lies. The anti-horse advocates keep saying they have no big organizations backing them. Care to explain why the NCBA is taking credit for stalling HR 6598? NCBA VICTORIES IN 2008 Every day the National Cattlemen’s Beef ...
Montana Veterinarian speaks out on pro slaughter propaganda campaign |
| Horse slaughter opponents 'not tree-hugging vegans |
| Here’s a good one under the guise of a law paper. Anti-Horse Slaughter Legislation: Bad for Horses, Bad for Society |
| Response to Law Paper Abstract |
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Political lobby group joins disinformation campaign |
Beef: It's still what's for dinner |
HSUS Disputes Slippery Slope Rhetoric by Pro Slaughter Groups |
Here are but two of the stellar examples of fictional articles. You’ll notice the repetitive themes and if you read between the lines, they have no concern for the welfare of horses. These are two of the best examples because they manage to write an entire article on fiction. There are no facts to back their rhetoric and the few facts they do have are not accurate. If people didn’t actually believe this drivel, they could be enjoyed for what they are, pure fictional entertainment. (Read John Holland’s response to the USA Today Article here)
Unwanted horses are creating problems within industry
Notice to Pro Horse Slaughter Advocates
After extensive research, our findings indicate that confirmed cases
of abandoned horses rank somewhere between the number of sightings
of the Lock Ness monster and those of Big Foot, but without the solid
photographic evidence. ~ John Holland