Frist wants cockfighting to be federal felony

[shockra]

Friday, 06/24/05

Frist wants cockfighting to be federal felony

Associated Press

KNOXVILLE — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, responding to a cockfighting raid in Cocke County, said he opposes the betting blood sport and would like to see it become a federal crime.

The practice of gambling on razor-equipped roosters fighting to the death "is wrong and irresponsible," the Tennessee Republican told The Knoxville News Sentinel's Washington bureau Wednesday.

As Senate leader, Frist scheduled a successful vote on the floor in April to pass a bill that would make it a felony rather than the current misdemeanor to be involved in interstate commerce of animals for fighting. The measure also would make a felony of interstate commerce in the sharp instruments used on fighting roosters' legs.

Under the bill, the penalty would increase from the current maximum one-year sentence to as much as two years in prison. A felony conviction also ends one's rights to own a gun and vote.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050624/NEWS08/506240383/1025/NEWSText:

[Melodybe]

1. Wilford Brimley is gonna be pissed!

and do you really want to piss off the Quaker Oats guy?

[Spider Jerusalem]

2. How about killing and dissecting cats from animal shelters?

And can we make it retroactive?

[Fiona]

3. cockfighting is abhorrent

but I don't see how it's a federal issue.

[TX-RAT]

30. some states it's legal.

[friesianrider]

4. Wow...I'm actually sincerely impressed. Cockfighting is deplorable.

Frist will be getting an email of thanks for his support on this.

Cockfighting is disgusting and should be made a felony, especially because there is almost always illegal gambling involved, too.

As if I didn't loathe it already as clear and vicious animal abuse, ever since I heard Blob Novak admit on Crossfire one time that he actually attended a cockfight once and "enjoyed it immensely", I've had more reason to hate it.

[LightningFlash]

5. What a whimp..

I thought Senator Frist was supposed to be iron hand of the law and senate? :eyes: :eyes:

Stupid sellout, I never was buying in to that toughman crap. I wish this guy would get off Bush's ass...Or the hoping of Senator Harry Reid taking over or something else. He could finally make hate crimes illegal.

[atre]

6. Wow. He has no concept of the constitutional limitations...

... on the power of the federal government.

Try fitting cock-fighting under an enumerated power, especially after the narrowing of the Commerce Clause in noneconomic cases by the Supreme Court in the late 1990s!

[Catholic Sensation]

7. All sorts of this shit should be illegal

I'm wondering why the hell it's not...

[shockra]

8. Frist learned firsthand...

What it's like to be creamed in a Byrd fight.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3649278

[jeepster61611]

9. He's afriad of the word "cock"

He's not for the chickens, he's thinking its a homosexual thing...


Probably also wants to outlaw the word "titmouse" on moral grounds, too

[LightningFlash]

10. Talk about queer eye for the straight guy....

This is the big bad who was supposed to eliminate the filibuster!???? Get his ass out of there. :thumbsdown: :mad:

[St. Jarvitude]

11. In Cocke County?

Bahahaha.

[GiovanniC]

19. That's a Whole Lotta Cock

[lumpy]

12. Jesus Christ,

don't those asses in Congress have other priorities. This country is on the verge of a depression, at war with the world and this nitwit is concerned over cockfights.

[LightningFlash]

15. No, they're mostly fucking delusional.

Why do you think they have 15% approval rating? Nobody in Congress does their job, nobody. If they shut up, get Tom DeLay to jail or wheverer he needs to be, and work with democrats on the hearings maybe we won't have to get rough. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[kwolf68]

25. Come on

Just because of the issues you talk about doesn't mean that other business doesn't get done.

This cock-fighting federal felony is awesome, becuase it will lead to putting other animal cruelty measures in play. As an animal lover, I want to see to it that brutality to animals is a penalty, because there is plenty of scientific evidence that says a corelation exists between people who torture animals and become harmful toward people.

I'm glad this idiot Frist is in favor of this, because it may get passed.

[antigone382]

31. Exactly. Let's not turn against this just because a puke supports it.

It's an unbelievably savage activity, and there's no purpose for it. Showing a decent amount of respect for the animals that inhabit our lives is not too much to ask, and it's an important step towards creating a society that respects the people in it as well. Cockfighting should absolutely be a federal crime, along with dog fighting and other forms of egregious abuse towards animals.

A big cockfighting ring was recently busted up in Rhea County, TN (that's right, the place where they tried to ban homosexuals; that should tell you something) and the leader of it was on TV talking about how it was just a great sport, like Nascar or football. The only difference is that it's taking place between two birds who have no choice, aren't enjoying it at all and will probably die during the course of it, but hey, it's all in fun, right?

[flordehinojos]

13. I WONDER WHAT THE TRIAD OF CUBAN-AMERICANS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

(ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, MARIO DIAZ-BALART AND LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART) THINK OF FRIST'S BILL TO MAKE COCKFIGHTING A FELONY.

Cockfighting was a national Sunday Afternoon Sports event for many Cubans in the Batista controlled Cuba of the l950s.

[applegrove]

14. But spreading hate and chicken fights amongst mankind is fine.

[livinginphotographs]

16. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

Maybe Frist is trying to make up some karma from his cat-killing days.

Still, this is a good thing.

[wicket]

17. Can we make murdering cats a felony too

Just for Frist.

[Hugin]

18. But, killing cats is AOK.

As long as it's for scientifical researches.

[tallahasseedem]

20. How about making it a felony when you lie to the American people...

about going to war. Wait it already is! Why doesnt he start fighting for something that really matters right now.

[KG]

21. wow, talking bout taking on those important issues!

you da man, bill frist!

[shockra]

22. Cockfighting associated with other crimes.

HSUS has found that cockfighting is often associated with illegal gambling, drug trafficking and illegal guns. In the months-long investigation of Del Rio and a separate pit, the 440 Cockfight Pit, also located in Cocke County, law enforcement found evidence of massive gambling with millions of dollars changing hands. Children, some as young as 6 years old, were seen placing bets on the outcome of a cockfighting match.

http://hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/hsus_president_asks_governor_bredesen_to_support_increased_penalty_for_cockfighting.html

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

23. The "cock" part offends the fundies....

Therefore, action must be taken.:sarcasm:

[ucmike]

24. frist thinks "cockfighting" is part of gay marriage.

i thought repubs were for less federal govt and more states' rights?

wtf? whatever your feelings on cockfighting, this has nothing to do with the fed govt/.

[Ganja Ninja]

26. Finally we're getting some action on an issue that's ...

near and dear to me. What could be more important to this country at this time than the cock fighting issue.

[maveric]

27. He wants both Cock fighting and Cock biting to be felonies.

[maxrandb]

28. I'm Confused

Is he talking about two roosters fighting, or the "flesh sword" fights between Jimmy Jeff and Scotty McClellan?

[antigone382]

29. Well, for once I think Mr. Frist is right.

Of course, considering his past performance dealing with animal abuse, it doesn't really win him any points, though.

In my humble opinion, strapping razors onto two roosters trained to kill and putting them in a small cage where they fight to the death is worthy of being made a federal offense, as are other forms of outrageous animal abuse. I raise free-range chickens for meat and eggs myself, and I can tell you that it's one thing to treat an animal with respect and slaughter it humanely, and another to force it to endure a long, painful, brutal death in the name of "sport." If it's such a fun and innocent sport, as the yokels who engage in it claim it is, why don't they strap razors to their own arms and legs and go at it?