Animal Enterprise Terrorist Act (AETA) is as falsely labelled as the PATRIOT ACT. As Bucky says on this weeks Backyard Chicken Broadcast, this bill is not about violent individuals with an agenda. It is about suppressing legitimate criticism of companies. Despite claims that there is a clause in the bill that exempts first amendment protected activities, a wide range of legal experts including Sagebrush Variety Show favorite, National Lawyers Guild, agree that the clause is weak, at best. Undercover investigations, employee whistle-blowing, organizing boycotts, and standing outside a fast food joint handing out pro-vegetarianism leaflets are now all officially equated with terrorism. Seriously, Bucky Buckaw could be convicted and punished as a "terrorist" since his nefarious plan includes telling the truth about factory farms and phony "free-range" operations in order to get people to raise backyard chickens to give up grocery store eggs. AETA is opposed by more than 160 animal protection, social justice, and civil liberty organizations including: National Lawyers Guild, Humane Society of the U.S., ASPCA, Natural Resources Defense Council, the League of Humane Voters and more.
Butch Otter was an original cosponsor of the AETA in 2005. I guess his heroic libertarian streak reaches its limit when the opportunity arises to imprison anyone who might someday picket the Governor's mansion in defense of wolves, ferrets, puppies, kittens or baby chicks. But he was in good company. The bill sailed through both houses with the sole objection coming from Dennis Kucinich as reported here. Barak Obama, "progressive" flavor of the month for the NPR set, attempts to justify AETA in this letter to Blogger, John A. Duerk.
Check out the Equal Justice Alliance anti-AETA site for more information on AETA and how to continue the effort to restore our civil liberties.
