U.S. May Expand Access To Endangered Species (WP)

[VolcanoJen]

Prepare to be upset, but if you care about animals even one little bit, please take the time to read through this entire, disturbing article and inform yourselves about this new policy. Is this another one of those, "Let's break the bad news on Friday" stories?

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse... Oh, if only animals could vote, or pay taxes, or peed oil...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10660-2003Oct10.html

(emphasis added, rather obviously, by me.)

The Bush administration is proposing far-reaching changes to conservation policies that would allow hunters, circuses and the pet industry to kill, capture and import animals on the brink of extinction in other countries.

Giving Americans access to endangered animals, officials said, would feed the gigantic U.S. demand for live animals, skins, parts and trophies, and generate profits that would allow poor nations to pay for conservation of the remaining animals and their habitat.

This and other proposals that pursue conservation through trade would, for example, open the door for American trophy hunters to kill the endangered straight-horned markhor in Pakistan; license the pet industry to import the blue fronted Amazon parrot from Argentina; permit the capture of endangered Asian elephants for U.S. circuses and zoos; and partially resume the trade in African ivory (!!!!!). No U.S. endangered species would be affected.

Conservationists think it's a bad idea. "It's a very dangerous precedent to decide that wildlife exploitation is in the best interest of wildlife," said Adam Roberts, a senior research associate at the nonprofit Animal Welfare Institute, an advocacy group for endangered species.

ON EDIT: Later in the article, David P. Smith, deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks said "This is absolutely consistent with the Endangered Species Act, as written... I think the nature of the beast is such that there are critics who are going to claim some kind of ulterior motive."

For the record, David P. Smith was a former pro-development attorney in Austin, Texas. He was appointed by that great protector of the environment, Gale Norton. At the time, he was hailed as a "problem-solver in the areas of conservation" by Secretary Norton.

I just don't even know where my anger begins and ends anymore..

[seamarq]

1. This is absolutely unconscionable.

Unfuckingbelievable.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

30. this is like opening up the slave trade to help preserve human rights

this is like supporting sweat shops that use child labor claiming that the taxes and profits will be used to help other children.

This is like drilling in the arctic saying that the profits generated will help preserve the arctic.


DUHHH

I have absolutely never seen anything so idiotic in my entire life !!!

[ReadTomPaine]

2. You're right. This is a serious setback...

...for anyone involved in conservation. The crux of the problem is that a lot of these species are very close to the edge already, and could be wiped out or genetically devastated (similar to the problems with cheetahs) in a single hunting cycle.

I have a recurring nightmare where my son is pointing to a video and asks me "what's that". I tell him, "That's an Elephant. They are extinct"

[VolcanoJen]

3. Let's think up some Chimp-esque names for this new "Act."

"Save the Animals (by allowing for their slaughter) Act"

"Protecting the Elephants (by killing them for their ivory) Act"

"Preserving Endangered Species (by encouraging poaching)
Act"

[ReadTomPaine]

6. How about the "HERPES act"

Hunting Exotic, Rare & Protected Endangered Species Act.

[quaker bill]

28. The Wildlife Conservation Act

Just like "Clean Skies" and "Save the Forests".

I can hear it now "We need to allow the magic of market forces into wildlife conservation."

"If we can only get Halliburton to run it, then every thing will be fine."

Anybody But Bush, please!

[DemExpat]

4. Jen, I'm having to just shut off my feelings

lately about so many things this adminisration pulls out of its sleeve.....something I always said I'd never do....turn my back and my feelings on issues near to my heart.

But I have to for my sanity and my preservation.:-(

Thanks, though, for showing this, I'll file it away in my :nuke: file....

DemEx

[VolcanoJen]

5. The animal issue is just so near and dear to my heart.

Every time I study the appointments and policies of the Department of the Interior under the Chimp Junta, I shake in anger. I realize there are many, many important grievances we have with Bush, but I feel that the corruption and arrogance of the DoI is boundless, and doesn't seem to get enough attention, from us, or anyone.

Someone has to speak up about the destruction of our environment, and the non-humans who are forced to share it with us. I can't imagine a single person, leftie or rightie or somewhere in the middle, who, if informed of the plan, would support a repeal (they won't call it that, but it's what it really is) of the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, they're not informed... although the placement of this article on the front page of today's Washington Post is somewhat encouraging.

Sigh... grrrr... sigh. Every day, something new to be angry about.

:-(

Thanks for maintaining your sanity, DemEx_pat. I'll try to follow your example, in the interest of self-preservation. I really appreciate your words!!

on edit: typos

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. ___Don't furget the BFEE's plans for the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge___

all in the name of OIL for their War Machine -

(sigh)

[Democat]

8. These are the type of issues Democrats could use to paint Bush as extreme

But I doubt they will.

As usual, we won't hear much about it and it will pass, at least in part.

Elected Democrats just don't fight as well as Republicans.

[lefty_mcduff]

10. Absolutely

The Dems should be all over this. Once again, the Whitehouse bends to special interest groups (Safari International - a hunters group who supported Repuke candiates in 2000). Shamefull. Absolutely shamefull However, if we can't get the Dems to rail against an illegal war that has killed thousands, it's highly unlikely that they'll kick up a fuss about this either.

Grrrrrr!

[dusty64]

9. I can't take

anymore of this BS! This of course is the first I've heard of this outrage.

[tlcandie]

11. What a way to greet the day ...

:cry:

[booksenkatz]

12. It's time to post my toon

I made this toon a few years ago when Poppy went on a merry lion hunt.

[Lorien]

14. This atrocity is the latest to serve the BFEE

personaly-Bush Sr and his buddies are just wild about trophy hunting in Africa (they've been petitioning African goverments for ages to kill more lion, elephant, etc.)

Call or write your reps-DON'T LET THIS ONE PASS!!!

[blindpig]

13. defeat in 2004 is NOT an option

this is a stick with which to beat those EVIL bastards. There are a good few conservationist repubs who will be outraged by this. every vote helps.for myself, I'm so enraged that I fear for my customers.

[VolcanoJen]

15. Thank you all so much for reading this, and being angry.

It's the first thing I thought of when I woke up.

:grr:

Are these proposed changes the kind of thing that would come up for a vote, or can they be passed down merely by executive order??

I definitely want to write letters to a few of the conservationist Republicans about this, and ask for their help. Any ideas who I should contact?

I don't ever care to see another photo of tuskless, dead elephants lying in a field. I want to do something.

Thanks!
Jennifer

[janx]

17. Are there any Republican conservationists left? I thought most

of them were dead!

Seriously, this administration's attempts at "conservation" are nothing but veiled greed. They knew damned well that such idiotic attempts at "conservation" would be ignored in developing countries. They don't care. What are they trying to do, revive the economy with dead tigers elephant heads?!

As for the blue-fronted Amazon parrots, those are in our country now. It's a very popular breed. Were all of them obtained illegally?

There's a lot more I'd like to know about all of this.

Thanks for posting it.

[cally]

16. Thsi is surreal

It did get press play in my local papers where it was on the front page. Most of the trade in ivory is for traditional medicine and to open this up will just encourage more slaughter of elephants. We really may see the extinction of all these majestic animals in our lifetime. I cannot believe this will pass but I never could have imagined half of what has happened.

[VolcanoJen]

20. It *is* surreal. And tell me more about the ivory trade...

... ivory is used for traditional medicine? I wasn't aware of that, cally; can you tell me more about it?

[cally]

25. Here's a WWF alert

http://www.worldwildlife.org/consumer/tcm.htm

WWF's Cao Dan Makes a Difference
in TCM


WWF Report
Ancient Traditions...
New Alternatives
"Endangered Species Do Not Belong in Traditional Chinese Medicine"
(PDF format - 2.34 MG)

As a child growing up in China, Cao Dan's mother and grandmother used traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, to treat her illnesses: cucumber slices on her sore throat, tiger balm for headaches, herbal tea for upset stomachs.

But she was unaware of how some traditional medicines were driving certain species to the brink of extinction, like tigers, whose bones are thought to soothe arthritis pain, or wild-grown ginseng, which is used to treat low energy levels.

____________________________________

I think I was mixing up the ivory with rhino horn which is used in chinese medicine and as a knife handle.

[VolcanoJen]

38. Thanks, cally!

Rhino horn is also used as an aphrodesiac (sp), I've heard.

Thanks for the info!
Jennifer

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. They do this on purpose

this is W's little way of rubbing his arrogance in everyone's faces, everyday. Here's another gift for W's rich buddies who made him pResident. Here W, here's another $100,000 for your campaign. Don't ya think that lion's head will look great over the mantle?

[ConcernedCanuk]

19. Welcome to Nazi Murikkka

. . . The reason that the USA has the "war on Drugs" thing

Specially Mary-Jane

If people were smokin' dat shit

Der's NO way the WH could get them into 90% of the wars !

Just My Hmble Canuk Opinion

[2cents]

21. The impotent pugs must want exotic stiffeners...

...'cause Rush made pill popping uncool.

[jiacinto]

22. This is outrageous

But I have no other recourse other than to say this.

Nader voters: You helped make this possible.

Seems like there actually was a "difference between the parties" after all.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

39. Outrageous, true

And maybe I even agree with you that you have no other recourse than to blame it on the Greens. I'd normally be disposed to vehemently arguing the point with you, but I don't know if you're actually capable of doing ANYTHING other than blaming the Greens for everything Bush does.

It really limits you, Carlos. Just think, you could've actually replied to the topic being discussed, if you were capable of doing anything other than bashing Greens.

Me, I think the elderly Jewish Floridian Buchanan voters are to blame.

[blindpig]

44. would you get off it!

if masses of dems hadn't voted for whistle ass the Nader vote would have been irrelevant. people in glass houses...............

[Cush]

23. #!%^#!%#!#&!*

that's all I have to say at this point

[Lars39]

24. Yet....the US is not empire-building. Right.

Rome harvested/captured animals from all over, too. E tu Bushco?

[Dudley_DUright]

26. I guess Bush learned nothing at all about respect for wildlife

on his recent African safari except perhaps how elephants mate. You would think he would know that already since the GOP elephants have been screwing the rest of us for years.

[NashVegas]

27. A New Generation of Barons Can Prove Their Manhood!

Thank god! This is just what we need.

[quaker bill]

29. Just one more way

That there was no difference between Gore and Bush. (a bit of sarcasm)

[xultar]

31. Passionate Conservatism...

Well you have it folks, a clear example for the kiddies to follow. You gotta love the Shrub and his gang for this one.

[Lorien]

32. "for the kiddies to follow"?

Follow what? What will these bastards LEAVE the kiddies? :grr:

[dflprincess]

33. It's the "we had to destroy the village to save it" theory

of conservation. The same article was in the Minneapolis paper today, part of the rationale is that it will help the economy of many of the countries where the endangered animals are. (Per the article it will also help the bank accounts of poachers). Their other rationale is that other countries aren't as strict about this as the U.S. is. So we also have the "Aw, Mom all the other kids are killing endangered animals, why can't I?" theory of conservation.

I do not understand the need this administration has to destroy.

[Lindacooks]

34. Once again, the repukes

are on the WRONG SIDE OF EVERY goddamn issue. Unbelievable. You want to know the moral stance on every issue? Just do the opposite of the chimp and his repuke cronies.

[Lorien]

35. CONTACT INFO-stop it now!

I just wrote them an email, and then shot the story and contact information to everyone on my email list-

Contact info:
snail mail:
Chief - Division of Management Authority
US Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Dr., Room 700
Arlington, VA 22203

tel:
[phone]

fax:
[phone]

email:
[e-mail]

[ReadTomPaine]

36. Thanks for this info! <eom>

[Lorien]

46. This weekend I copied the

article with the addresses above and sent it to everyone on my email list (INCLUDING the repugs!) The first person who wrote back was a winger who was HORRIFIED by this story, and said she would do all she could to stop them! I think this is an issue we can use to open the eyes of many a repug to the true nature of the monsters they voted for!

[VolcanoJen]

37. Kick!

:dem:

[FDRrocks]

40. At least its consistent...

With Healthy Forest and Clear Skies... destroy the world to save it. This is despotic.

[oldcoot]

41. I love the last line of the article

I find it ironic that Smith argues against being "paternalistic and saying 'no, no, no'" to the wildlife trade. I think that we should apply the same logic to the "War on Drugs." According to this logic, we should legalize the importation of certain drugs since it is equally paternalistic to say "no, no, no!" to nations that do not live up to our standards in fighting drugs.

[Matilda]

42. Kick!

[Kool Kitty]

43. One more kick.

For the late-nighters. I don't know what else to say except that I hate these bastards. :kick:

[dusty64]

45. Any mention of this in

the "mainstream" media? I didn't watch the news, but there is nothing in my local paper.

[blindpig]

47. nothing in our local facist rag

kick!

[Lorien]

48. kick

for the evening folks

[oldcoot]

49. Another kick

For anyone who may have missed this story earlier.