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OPPOSE Constitutional Amendment 13

September 26, 2018 - 11:15am

Amendment 13 to the Florida Constitution is being characterized as an amendment to end wagering (betting) on greyhound races in Florida, but it goes much further than that.  Amendment 13 is a “Trojan horse” amendment hiding its real purpose. 

In short, Amendment 13 is not really about greyhound racing, it’s a front for much more.

If Amendment 13 is passed, extreme animal rights organizations will have a new constitutional standard to challenge any and all activities they find objectionable.  

In fact, many believe the first action of these extreme animal rights groups will be to immediately begin work to ban all hunting and fishing, including recreational fishing.  That alone would have a huge negative impact on tourism in Florida, as well as remove the ability of FWC to effectively manage wildlife populations. 

Amendment 13 includes the phrase: 

“The humane treatment of animals is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida.”  That language will not appear on the ballot BUT IT IS IN THE AMENDMENT. 

Since no one wants animals treated inhumanely, I and the vast majority of Floridians would agree with that statement in general terms.  However, there is a vast difference between what the public believes is “inhumane” and what animal rights extremist groups and their supporters would call “inhumane.”

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), is the lead organization pushing for Amendment 13’s passage.  HSUS opposes hundreds of common and traditional activities involving animals because they claim they are “inhumane. 

In fact, the list of activities HSUS and other animal extremist organizations find objectionable is huge and includes hunting, fishing, farming, animal husbandry, marine parks and more.  That’s what this is really about.

Those groups firmly believe that animals shouldn’t be owned as pets because it’s inhumane. 

Clearly, the intent is to establish a legal foothold in the Florida Constitution that they can use to go after legitimate ownership and activities involving pets, other domestic animals and wildlife, that these organizations don’t like.

If you own a dog or cat that is like a member of your family, watch out for Amendment 13.  It could shatter your way of life if some animal rights organization decides to challenge the right to own a pet or have a pet in your home or on your property by calling it “inhumane.” 

Make no mistake, training, owning and using working dogs like military dogs, cattle dogs, seeing-eye dogs, companion dogs, police dogs, or any animal that gives aid, protection, safety, and comfort to humans could be challenged as “inhumane” if Amendment 13 passes.

Whether you are voting absentee, early voting or at the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, vote against Amendment 13. The hidden language in  Amendment 13 -- that will not be on the ballot -- is dangerous.   Amendment 13 should be soundly defeated if you value your rights and preservation of true animal protections at home and in the field. 

Marion P. Hammer is past president of the National Rifle Association and is executive director of Unified Sportsmen of Florida.

Comments

Humane Society vs. the NRA. Doesn't that say it all?

+NO+... it doesn't !

Ms Hammer, you convinced me. I vote YES!

Ocean Joe your moron

Who is Ocean Joe's moron? Your comment implies Ocean Joe has a moron. Or, were you asking if Ocean Joe has a moron? Without punctuation, it is not clear whether you're asking about Ocean Joe's moron or simply asking a question.

Thanks for the defense. I think this site has a glitch that occasionally distorts grammar, so somebody may have called me a moron afterall. It's OK. I enjoy the privilege of making comments here without having a Facebook account or other nonsense. And no matter what I write, it will never change the mind of a single person who mistakenly thinks the party of the 1%, the corporations, the polluters, is actually out to help regular people.

Your soothsaying conjecture would still have to go through the legislative process. We all know the speedy efficiency of our hired hands.

Actually, that's incorrect, "jdee"... the "CRC" subverts the "legislative" process; That's the "point" of "Constitution Revision"... BEWARE OF WHAT YOU WISH FOR...

Excellent point, C Breeze. Amendments immediately become laws.

It's true that they become law immediately, but often there needs to be an implementation bill or at a minimum rules developed to support the amendment. This often happens in the first year after, but I've seen it take up to four. Any slippery slope argument would only come to fruition in that process, but simply put, it won't. Ms. Hammer is full of it, but has made a lot of money on slippery slope arguments

"Often"is the "key word" here (in "KRoss's" comment here); BUT, MORE OFTEN, that is NOT "the case" !... So, I reiterate: BEWARE OF WHAT YOU WISH FOR !

Just when you thought it was to go out, I really hate sneaky people.

-safe- is the missing word

You mean to tell me that this "HSUS" organization might want to prohibit me from enjoying my weekly meal of fresh barbecued squirrel ??? No way! No way! And they want to keep me away from the dog track, too! Holy bejeezus, that's UN-AMERICAN!!!

If the vegan group HSUS had their way squirrels would be "protected" and would never be allowed to own a pet anything

al, the idea that the HSUS opposes pet ownership is easily the most ridiculous thing ever written. If you have room in your home and heart go adopt a dog or cat tomorrow. We had a local HSUS which wouldn't take large dogs or cats, so I agree they have issues sometimes. But your local animal shelter has some incredible animals and from your comment it sounds like you need a good dog in your life. You will never regret it.

No one is making you eat squirrel or go to the dog track so why do you think you should have the right to stop people from eating squirrel or going to dog track?

because dog racing is being propped up by laws that say they have to have racing to in order to have the parimutual betting and card rooms at the tracks. If it wasn't for these coupling laws, dog racing would have died out years ago, since most tracks make more money from cards than they do from dogs. As it is now, the Florida taxpayer is subsidizing racing because it costs the state more to regulate it than they bring in through taxes on the racing. I can think of better uses for my tax dollars than propping up dog racing.

Wrong. Not only is this factually incorrect, but greyhound racing actually SUPPORTS education in Florida and feeds hundreds of thousands of dollars into that system every year. This has not and will never be a financial fight- it is an emotional one lead by people who would prefer to fight rather than learn the trtuth demonstratable facts.

I did my homework too. The language is hidden in the Amendment. It's devious & sneaky subterfuge. Ms Hammer has forgotten to point the negative impact on agricultural animals. Some would even call milking a cow "inhumane."

Isn't that akin to "sexual harassment" of an agricultural animal??? (You could end up in the same cell as Bill Cosby...)

Isn't that akin to "sexual harassment" of an agricultural animal??? (You could end up in the same cell as Bill Cosby...)

Do your homework - HSUS is not trying to prevent citizens from owning a cat or dog. Stop your scare tactics. Check out HSUS at http://www.humanesociety.org and think for yourself. Maybe as the past president and member of NRA you simply don't like the fact HSUS opposes poaching, captive hunts and contest kills, fox and coyote penning, bear baiting and more.

Vote no on amendment 13 Maybe you should read the amendment again!!

Check out humane watch.org to see the truth about HSUS, they don't help animals, only themselves

Check out "PETA", (while you're at it...); [as well as the Pacific Northwest's "Tree Huggers"...ANOTHER misguided group...]

The HSUS is EVIL! Less than one half of one percent of their donations actually help the animals. The were just recently fined $15 million for racketeering and have been putting millions more in offshore bank accounts. On top of that they have been lying about how the dogs are truly treated and grossly understating the handle(bets) on greyhound racing. So please tell me what is good about them and I'll counter it with the truth.

Truth? The truth requires the whole story, not picking and choosing the parts to tell. The Humane Society was NOT the original plaintiff in the case and were not charged with anything. They had merged with the Fund for Animals who was the plaintiff in the case. They agreed to the settlement to end the case. Now, isn't it better to tell the entire truth instead of cherry picking?

FREE "Will-ie"!!!!!

HSUS supports poaching of animals in Africa as they oppose the humane farming of endangered species to preserve them listen to an HSUS stooge talk to Stossel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bOtbe_sdV8

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