«
»

Full-page New York Times Ad Calls Humane Society “Terrorists”

Dec 11th, 2008 by Will Potter

Center for Consumer Freedom ad in the New York Times labeling the Humane Society as "terrorists."A full-page ad in today’s The New York Times accuses the Humane Society of “helping an animal rights terrorism group.”

The ad was bought by the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), a front group that represents the fast food, meat and dairy industries. You might remember CCF from when they attacked Mothers Against Drunk Driving (yep, they represent big alcohol, too).

Here’s the gist of the ad: a Humane Society vice president is speaking at a holiday event sponsored by the Humane League. CCF says the Humane League has members from a group “Hugs for Puppies,” and Hugs for Puppies had members from SHAC Philly, and SHAC Philly had members from SHAC USA, and six members of SHAC USA were convicted on “animal enterprise terrorism” charges for running a controversial website.

Whew. Got that?

If not, don’t worry… the ad has a flow chart!

You know, folks, it really is a sad day when good old scare-mongering needs a six-step process. (Hell, I could connect the Humane Society to Kevin Bacon with fewer steps. And even Sarah Palin could scare-monger with fewer connections!)

And all of those steps are used to connect the Humane Society to what, exactly? A speaking event? Is that really the best CCF can do?

They’ve tried stunts like this before. When Hugs for Puppies had a table at a Humane Society conference (a table alongside dozens of other groups), CCF said they are “consorting with terrorists.” It didn’t get much media play. So now, it looks like CCF is using their deep corporate pocketbooks to get their scare-mongering to the public.

Likewise, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen ads in the The New York Times calling activists “terrorists.” But when those ads ran, they were directed at the so-called “extremists” with Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty.

These ads, though, are going straight for the throat of mainstream groups. And I hate to say it under these circumstances, but… I told you so. When the Humane Society offered a reward for the “eco-terrorist” witch hunt in California, I wrote here that naming names and pledging loyalty oaths wouldn’t be able to protect them, just like it wasn’t able to protect people during the Red Scare.

These corporations and industry groups don’t just want to stop groups like the Animal Liberation Front. They don’t just want to stop the animal rights movement. They want to stop the animal welfare movement. They want to destroy all of them, together. This is a culture war, and it’s time the “mainstream” groups start fighting back.

On that note, I have a proposal. CCF’s ad says it connects the Humane Society to “terrorism” in six steps. I bet we could connect CCF to terrorism (the real kind, not this terrorist-activist nonsense) in fewer.

To play Six Degrees of Consumer Freedom, leave a comment on this post explaining how CCF is connected to terrorism. The best answer gets a free “domestic terrorist” apron!

No related posts.

Tags: , , , , ,

Posted in Media, Opposition, Terrorism Rhetoric

  • Flu-Bird
    the HUMANE SOCIETY has lost its way after that jerk WAYE PACELLI took over he isnt realy intested in animals just pushing his own mindless philosephis
  • shirl
    Humane Society are eco terrorists?! what?!?!?! thats Bulltwinkies!!
    the people who came up with that are idiots and morons.
    Humane society are doing good things for animal rights. and they definately would not participate or support eco terrorism. they are non violent and fight legally for what they beleive in. not this 6 step bs that connects them with eco terrorists.
    someone(s) need to get their head from up their behinds.
  • Sarah
    Believing fully in non-violent action for what I believe is true and right, I do feel sympathy for anyone who has had threats against them and have feared their life. How is it okay to fight for other beings that are currently fearing their lives around our world and not worry about our same species, no matter guilt or wrong doings. But Joe, why are you so adamant that your threatening calls came from animal right activists and not any other group of people out there. You haven't seemed to support in any of your comments (atleast, in this post) that you have proof or know for a fact that the threats came from the animal-welfare movement.

    I just wish the general public could put two and two together when the advertisement is paid by the market they are protecting. This is just the same as the corn refiner's endorsing high fructose corn syrup and milk consumption by dairy farmers. This is crossing the line even further. I am just so disgusted.
  • Kathy
    Actually, Joe, according to the Global Warming Survival Handbook (David de Rothschild) the single most effective thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint is to cut back on eating meat. So to say that veganism doesn't help the environment just shows how very little you know.

    Also--there should be no consequences for living your life without hurting anyone, but you inflict your consequences on innocent animals every day because you think you have the right to decide which innocent beings should die and which idiotic hunters get to kill them. Animals have to deal with the terrorism that you inflict, so you need to deal with the terrorism inflicted by those acting in their behalf. Stop being such a coward.

    As for thanking hunters--please. we could have a far better environment without them. I would prefer that we kept the animals.
  • Joe
    Kathy, There should be no consequences for supporting hunting, hunters are not the problem. Hunters are the ones who for the most part pay for all wildlife and forest conservation in this country, both game and non-game species.

    A crank call I can deal with but a terrorist threat of burning my house down with my family in it is another and no one should have to put up with such calls. So you just go back to sitting in your house, eating tofu, making crank calls and thinking you are helping the environment when you are really doing nothing.


    The next time you are hiking in your favorite state forest and you see a hunter, stop and thank them for helping to provide you with a nice place to hike.
  • Kathy
    Joe: Nice--you prevent some people (poachers) from killing animals so other people can kill them instead. Well--okay, you've made your choice to continue to support hunting. Now be willing to accept the consequences like a man and stop whining about people making nasty phone calls to your house.
  • Joe
    Kathy, I have never said there is nothing to be done or nothing we can do to save the planet. I believe that the planet is in dire need of help and I am doing everything I believe will help.

    Yes I support hunting and I always will, hunting is not killing this planet, its a fact that regulated hunting has never caused the extinction of a species.

    I do many things in my job to help. I love to catch poachers, poachers are not hunters and give hunters a bad name. I will go out of my way to catch someone I believe is poaching.

    I review environmental impact statements(EIS) on new or planned developments, if the developers do not do everything possible to mitigate negative effects to the surrounding environment they are denied and the project is scraped. Many times the land is bought by the state and turned into forests preserve.
  • Kathy
    All right, Joe, you're right. There is absolutely nothing we can do to save the planet, so let's just continue on as we have been. Funny, though--I thought we were the most intelligent beings on the planet. You would think we could correct the problems we've created, but I guess not. It's just too controversial. So--keep picking on the animals. They can't stick up for themselves.
  • Joe
    Ok...lets see if I can address everyone in one post. First... Henry, I am sorry that I had some spelling errors, I didn't realize that I was the only person to ever post anything that was misspelled. In my haste to reply to some of the morons here (you, Kathy,manchicken) I sometimes submit the comment without reading it. My wife and I went to ESF in Syracuse NY, we both are biologist and neither of us has ever murdered anything

    Kathy, I agree with you about birth control but how do you impose your will onto others in this matter? Are you going to lobby to have parents apply for a permit before they can have children?

    I still don't see how you becoming a vegan helps to save the planet, I have actually save large plots of land from development. Its people like me that help save the planet.

    Manchicken, I have never lied about the threats to me and my family but even if I was lying you cannot deny that threats like the ones I have experienced have not happened to other researchers.
  • The CCF is a group of cowardly liars who seek to suppress the voices of those who speak out against the companies they represent. CCF is for corporate interest, not consumer interest.

    Also, this Joe guy who is claiming to be a victim is either a liar, or he'll name names. Also... having someone threaten your family is NOTHING compared to the wholesale brutality and slaughter perpetrated by the meat and dairy industries.

    Having worked with victims of violent crime in urban areas, I've found that the extremely defensive victims such as Joe are usually lying and really aren't victims at all. I seriously doubt that Joe is a victim of violent crimes or even violent phone calls. I think he's either part of the CCF, or employed in some fashion by the meat or dairy industry. Shame on him for lying.
  • Kathy
    Joe: First off--grow up. Human population control is 100% necessary if you want to save the planet. Funny how you are so concerned about overpopulation by species that contribute a mere fraction of beings into the mix, yet you seem to think the earth will sustain as many humans as we put on it. That is completely ridiculous.

    Secondly, we have birth control measures that can easily prevent births, but the religious right and other groups oppose that. The mormon and Catholic religions still support huge families--why not do that responsibly, by encouraging adoption?? Why do my tax dollars have to pay for a crackhead mother to crank out baby after baby, but can't be used to pay for an abortion?? Why can't we sterilize people who are unfit parents and who agree to it?? Why can't we make birth control readily available?

    There are so many ways to begin controlling the population that do not require the killing of anyone here. You need to stop living in your fantasy world where humans own the planet and can do as they please. The reality is that we are a PART of an ECOSYSTEM that we are destroying because of our arrogance and stupidity. I am not going to sit idly by while that happens. When people like me save this planet, are people like you going to kill yourself because you realize you did nothing to save it and don't deserve to be here?
  • Nicci
    Two steps: CCF exist. Terrorists also exist.
    Dear god, why has no one seen it before?
  • Henry
    Joe, when you say you and your wife received a college (colleague?) education, do you mean you received education from the people you worked with, or that you received education at an institution of higher learning?

    What college did you go to? Your posts are rife with simple grammatical and spelling errors. Are all wildlife "managers" as dumb as you? Is that why wildlife management policies are so idiotic, anthropocentric, and murderous?
  • GW
  • Joe
    Kathy: so where do you start on human control....you? or shoild we just kill everyone in prison? Kathy you are alot like Hitler he was for human control, a vegatarian and he wanted all to live their as he saw fit...just like you. Hiel Kathy!
  • Kathy
    Joe: I compared killing the innocent to killing the innocent. There is nothing stupid about that. As for not killing the insects--I am 100% with you on that as I totally oppose factory farming, which is destroying the Earth. I advocate controlling human population and having everyone eat a vegetarian diet so that no one is starving to death. Limit the amount of humans, all humans have a better life and animals have plenty of space. That is what I stand for. You stand for continued destruction of wildlife and environment, except to the extent that you choose to preserve it for destruction by a certain group of humans. Sorry, but that doesn't impress me.
  • Joe
    To All: I am not looking for sympathy and I have no problem with true activist. Its those that threaten lives through bombs and arson or threats of bombs and arson I object too as should all of you. Kathy comparing the Jews to hunting is just stupid and shows your level of intelligence( or lack there of). If you truly believe that then you should put a stop to the killing of billions of insects killed to grow produce.
  • dave™©
    I have in past post stated what acts of terrorism have been committed against my family and me, we have had many death threats in the middle of the night called on our unlisted number wher--

    Shorter Joe: Dear Penthouse...
  • wagonjak
    I suspect Joe has no way of proving these "acts of terrorism" against his family, and that he's an unrepentant liar!

    With the level of stupidity of his discourse here, there's no reason for anyone reading this thread to believe a word that he says!

    If Joe wants to provide a thread to any proof on the web of these "terrorist acts" he might have a little more credibility.

    The phrase "acts of terrorism" is a word that has so little meaning these days that it's become a joke. I suspect Joe when he steps on a piece of chewing gum, he labels the person who dropped it was a "terrorist"!

    Go away Joe, and let the adults carry on the conversation in a rational way here...we don't need your bullsh*t!
  • ron
    Joe, if you and your wife really are rangers or whatever your called where you live then the calls were probably from hunters who were pissed because of the hunting laws in your area.

    I've known many rangers here and they all tell stories of being threatened. But those who threaten them are always the hunters and "sportsmen" never animal rights groups.
  • gill
    We live in a new "guilt by association" age where Republican types have no positive message and their enemies are quite popular so they have to dig around for any connection to bad people.

    The Human Society started it's political career in Osama bin Laden's living room!
  • Kathy
    Greentangle: I agree with you 100% about discussing human population issues. Amdist all this talk of global warming, I can't believe that no one is talking about it. It's the elephant in the room that everyone is ignoring.
  • Kathy
    Joe: YOU may THINK you've done no wrong, but the animals would beg to differ. Just because you THINK it's okay to exterminate the innocent doesn't mean that it is. Hitler THOUGHT it was okay to exterminate the Jews. There was a time when no one challenged him, remember?? Unfortunately, animals can't speak up for themselves, so the humans calling you are doing it for them. If you want that to stop, I suggest you and your wife stop killing the animals! Or maybe complain on another blog because it doesn't seem you have anyone's sympathy on this one.
  • Joe
    Kathy, karma is reserverd for those who have done wrong. My wife and I have dedicated our college education and our lives to the environment. Until you do something besides eat veggies I suggest you shut up!
  • One man's terrorism is another man's prank call, I guess.

    Colleges or colleagues? Either way, your claim about doing more for the environment than AR groups is sort of meaningless since that's not what AR groups are usually focused on.

    Sound wildlife management is an oxymoron promoted by morons who think they're capable of managing ecological systems more complex than anyone can comprehend. We have state wildlife agencies and hunters to thank for the lack of predators, overpopulation of deer, and all the ecological destruction which has resulted.

    I wish all the folks who supposedly worry about the populations of other species had the guts to talk about what the overpopulation of humans has done to the planet. Where's your management plan for that?
  • Kathy
    Joe: That's not terrorism--it's karma.
  • Since many of us are discussing violent acts committed against us, I'll share:
    - I've received emailed death threats.
    - A previous car I owned was vandalized five times. Once they pulled off the door handles, making it inaccessible to me. Other times they broke windows, popped tires, stole my gate remote...
    - Every bike I've ever owned has been stolen (about 8 bikes).
    - During college, a drunk man snuck into my bed while I was asleep and urinated.
    Oh, but since I'm not part of an animal enterprise, I don't get special protection.
  • Joe
    Steve: I have in past post stated what acts of terrorism have been committed against my family and me, we have had many death threats in the middle of the night called on our unlisted number where the cowards on the other end would tell us they were going to burn our house down that night. If you don't think thats terrorism then give me your number and lets see how you sleep after receiving that call.

    All this because I support sound wildlife management and hunting, my wife and I both work for the same state wildlife agency and we and our colleges do more to save the environment in one month than all animal rights groups have ever done.
  • josh
    This isn't an entry for the contest, but helpful information:

    CCF's press contact is Sarah Kapenstein, who works for the PR group Berman and Company, run by Rick Berman. Rick Berman likes to consider himself Dr. Evil, according to 60 minutes:
    http://www.bermanandcompany.com/60min.htm

    Berman has gotten a name for himself, working for the alcohol industry against MADD, running the 'Center for Union Facts,' an industry front group to smear labor unions particularly, as well as running an anti-minimum wage under the name of the 'Employment Policy Institute'. Each campaign is based on skewed/falsely analyzed information and big-budget ads.

    Kapenstein herself has been spokeswoman for the alcohol industry, the Center for Union Smearing, and an anti-ACORN campaign.

    Oddly enough, Kapenstein on her start-up site RateMyInternships.com, claims to have interned for an "environmental organization" during her years in college. Searching through the small number of employers on her internship site, there's only one environmental organization - Conservation International. In the sole review, likely Kapenstein, there's so-so rating, saying:

    "The people who work there are nice. You can wear jeans to work. I learned more about fundraising than I did about planning events."

    What did you like least?

    "There was a lot of downtime and the tasks could be mundane, like putting folders together."

    Any special opportunities for Interns?

    "I went to one of the special events which was nice."

    How were the employees?

    "Everyone there is nice, but its not standard corporate culture which can make it awkward if that's what you're used to. On the other hand, its a relaxed atmosphere, which is nice."

    Any tips for applying/getting the internship?

    "Be friendly and personable."
  • Karen
    CCF is linked to Phillip Morris. Phillip Morris has been implicated in cigarette smuggling, which funds terrorism (the real kind):
    http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/smuggling.html
  • And to think that the HSUS (and several other kindred groups) pulled out of the Animal Rights National Conference precisely to avoid being at the same event with more militant groups, and thus, to appease the CCF. Chamberlain learned after Munich that appeasement of evil doesn't work.
  • cubestar
    Joe, so sorry that you and your family was blown to bits, or whatever these animal terrorists did...

    Organizations like C.C.F. (and J.O.E.) should know that their political power dims every time they over-use the root word terror* for incidents of someone having their garage tagged or being yelled at for a few minutes.

    Hell, I had my tires slashed and windows broken once and caught the guy (who also did this to 5 other cars). Apparently the police couldn't be bothered because we were in a low-income area.

    Here we are in the same month that the USA government refuses to sign a cluster bomb treaty, opting to instead leave hundreds of thousands of tiny land mines for the children of the world to happen upon.

    We all pay taxes - 1 Step to funding a terrorist org.
  • Eileen
    I'm surprised the NYT would publish such blatant libel. Aren't unsubstantiated accusations of this nature actionable in the United States?

    Anyway, the joke is on HSUS for going to absurd lengths to portray itself as a moderate organization and distance itself at all costs from "the radical fringe." They should have learned by now that they're going to be called terrorists no matter what they support, so why not deserve it?
  • Steve
    Joe
    You're eloquence sets a standard to which we should all aspire.
    Since you either will not of cannot provide details of your alleged victimisation by animal rights terrorists, Canaducks comment remains a valid assumption. Simply, put up or shut up.
  • Kathy
    Joe: You're still alive. How many animals have you helped to kill? I guess I don't define terrorism the way that you do....
  • Kathy
    Clearly, then, we should cut out the middleman (Humane Society) and give directly to SHAC. I think it's great that they pointed that out for us.......
  • monsanto supports ccf. monsanto created a product called agent orange used to terrorize the people of vietnam
  • Joe
    Canaduck:



    Asshole,
  • jason
    George McGovern is (or was?) on the organization's advisory panel;
    McGovern voted in favor of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

    The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is affiliated with terrorism in two ways: it was prompted by a supposed act of terrorism against the USS Maddox; and, it effectively authorized the Vietnam War, which few would dispute included thousands of acts of terroristic attacks against civilians.

    Kinda loose connection, I know -- but it's fewer than six steps, and, unlike the CCF's propaganda campaign, includes real examples of terrorism.
  • Canaduck
    Joe:

    Liar.
  • Oh and to play your game...

    CCF is more of a terrorist group than any of the environmentalist or animal rights groups they claim to save people from in that they contribute directly to the death of our planet and its inhabitants.

    They basically run on ignorance, spreading it like a disease throughout the public and the public, so desperate to stop feeling guilty, buys into the hate. If we are going to make terrorist connections, let us discuss how CCF basically condones and funds the deliberate torture of animals in labs and on farms for mere human interest, luxury, and profit as well as supports the rape of our planet, all in name of the "freedom to consume" whatever they wish. It is this carelessness that has led to the damage of our ecosystem, the torture of our fellow animals AND humans, and will ultimately continue to lead to more disease, poverty, and death.

    If we want to throw around the word "terrorist", let's toss it at the real people causing terror and destruction: the Center for Consumer Freedom.
  • Having personally met some of the people from Humane League of Philly, I find the claim that they are "terrorists" to be one of the most ridiculous and appalling things I have ever heard in my life. Shame on you, NY Times. I don't even know what to say...
  • greg
    Will -- I don't think you have it right. They're saying that SHAC Philly IS Hugs for Puppies, which IS The Humane League of Philly.

    And they're right about that. Same leaders, same office, same tax ID number.

    The SHAC crew in my hometown were plenty clever with the name changes, but maybe HSUS is just plain stupid for being seen with them. If they're that clueless, they don't deserve to make the big bucks.

    - Greg in Philly
  • Dave
    Tracy-

    As a registered non-profit, they're legally required to publicly file every year where their money comes from, and who works for them. I can't remember the site I found that on (it was awhile ago) but here's some relevant information:

    http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Cent...

    There may have been some personnel changes, but the info shouldn't be particularly hard to find.
  • Dave, do you know anyone else on the CCF board? Is there somewhere we can find that information?
  • kevin
    philip morris tobacco compnay(now named altria) helped contribute to the creation of ccf with 600,000 dollars. harold brown(former secretary of defense for carter) is currently on the board of altria. carter plays a leading role in the habitat for humanity project. habitat affiliates have in the past donated money to the united states humane society.
  • Thanks Kevin, I didn't even think of trying to connect CCF to HSUS! I love the connections to Coke and death squads, but connecting CCF to the same "animal rights terrorists" they're attacking is pretty priceless too.
  • Dave
    I have a pretty obvious one I think. Coca-Cola is pretty open about supporting the CCF. In fact, a former Coca-Cola North America public relations director, Allison Whitesides, is on the board of directors for CCF.

    At least nine workers/organizers at Coca-Cola bottling plants in Colombia have been murdered in the last thirteen years, and that doesn't include threats of intimidation, kidnappings, and torture. Coke paid a far-right paramilitary group, called the United Self Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), to murder these people after courts forced Coke to rehire said workers after their unlawful termination for attempting to organize.

    That's two steps. No claiming that property loss is terrorism (if we did that I bet we could do it in one step), just cold-blooded murder with the intent of silencing a group from organizing.

    More information at http://www.killercoke.org
  • Megan
    Well, CCF is also funded by Coke (http://www.lavidalocavore.org/showDiary.do?diar...), whom we know hires paramilitary groups to murder union leaders (http://www.killercoke.org/crimes.htm). It would seem to me that 'paramilitary' is really a euphemism used to legitimize corporate terrorism against unions and others. Hence, in really only one step, CCF is connected to terrorists (though maybe a few more steps if you buy Coke's arguments that they aren't responsible for the actions because it's the subsidiary of their subsidiary involved...)
  • Chad
    David Martosko appeared in the film "Your Mommy Kills Animals" alongside Pam Ferdin, who's voice is a brutal terror-storm in my mind. Plus, he has a shitty goatee, much like other bad guys.
  • Joe, obviously you weren't killed. Were you physically wounded?
  • Richard Berman is the president of the CCF.
    Berman was interviewed in April 2007 by Morley Safer on "60 Minutes."
    Safer works at "60 Minutes" with Scott Pelley.
    Pelley interviewed President George W. Bush in January 2007.
    Bush has waged a six-year indefensible war on the people of Iraq. (I'd say that's terrorism.)
  • Joe
    What terrorism could you connect CCF with? Also animal rights terrorism is very real, having been a victim of it I know.
  • Mari
    One of CCF's largest contributors is Monsanto, which bought G. D. Searle & Co when Donald Rumsfeld was CEO, and Rumsfeld is, you know, a defender of American freedoms.
blog comments powered by Disqus