Letter to Senator Kerry thanking him for co-sponsoring S.1915

[_dynamicdems]

This is a letter I'm sending to Senator Kerry, thanking him for joining in the effort to prevent the slaughter of American horses. As busy as he is saving us, he found time to help save our horses too.


Dear Senator Kerry,

I am writing to you to thank you for your support of S.1915, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Because you have been working on so many hugely important issues and fighting tooth and nail for crucial legislation that affects our lives and our freedoms, I am deeply touched learn you still have time to stand up for our horses too. In light of the fact that our basic human rights are being slowly but methodically erased by this Administration, any issue of animal rights pales by comparison. This bill, however, is as much about people as it is about horses.

In NH, the Bush economy has hurt many working people. There are fewer jobs and the AB (after Bush) jobs that are available pay less than they did BB (before Bush). Horses are just too expensive for people to keep when they are struggling to keep a roof over their own heads. Many small farms have been sold and backyard horses have had to be sacrificed. These are not livestock, but beloved pets. It is heartbreaking for these people (many whom are children) to lose their horses. People are giving away their backyard horses and praying they will not end up in the hands of the killers.

The wealthy will always be able to afford the upkeep of their expensive show horses but the backyard horses owned by young 4-H’ers or Pony Clubbers have a greater chance than ever before of ending up in the slaughterhouse. It is well known in the horse community that there is profit in horsemeat and many horses given free to “good homes” actually end up being sold for meat.

To people who love horses, especially children, horse ownership is not a hobby: it is a lifestyle. Many young children learn about responsibility, hard work, sacrifice and love by owning a horse. It is not only a betrayal of the animal to allow pets to become livestock, but it is a betrayal of the values the child learned in caring for the animal.

Thank you, Senator Kerry. Thank you for co-sponsoring this bill for our horses and for our children who love them.

[karynnj]

1. What a beautiful letter

[Island Blue]

2. I echo Karyn's thoughts DD, that is beautiful.

[ProSense]

3. Beatifully written. n/t

[TayTay]

4. Wonderful letter DD

You really spoke from the heart!

[jillan]

5. wow - cards, letters

You must really like this Senator!

Just teasing - we all love this Senator because
his heart is in the right place. I too am touched that he feels so deeply about this issue.
It breaks my heart when animals are abused, slaughtered, neglected.

Great letter :)!

[_dynamicdems]

7. I worship this Senator.

He is hope and inspiration and courage embodied.

Just imagine how it would feel to travel back in time and meet some of the great heroes from history. Imagine what it must have been like to live during the Revolutionary War and fight alongside George Washington or prepare for the Redcoats with Paul Revere. John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence with big, bold strokes. John Kerry stepped up and called for a filibuster with courage and conviction. Tomorrow's history is now and we live in the time of JOHN F.KERRY!




:blush:

[Luftmensch067]

9. Good God, that's fabulous!

I love the way you put that. It's quite true. That must be part of why we're so excited by him -- he does embody those larger-than-life ideals, in a time where most are vying to shatter them the fastest.

[Luftmensch067]

6. Lovely, just lovely, DD

My instinct tells me that what you wrote will touch JK deeply; you are communicating very much on his wavelength.

[_dynamicdems]

10. Well, this actually comes from personal experience.

My daughter started riding at six and before we knew it our family was owned by horses.

My daughter's first horse was a mare straight off the race track. The horse was huge, black and fiery. My daughter was ten. Devil had stopped winning races and she was slated for slaughter so she cost us only $300. (the same fee the killers were going to pay), which was about all we could afford. We had no intention of letting our little girl ride this horse until it was fully trained. As it turned out, the only person who COULD ride this "fire mare" was my daughter. While jumping 5' fences in the backyard and doing gorgeous high-level Dressage moves at home, the mare was unpredictable and dangerous in the show ring. But she had incredible bloodlines, so we bred her. Race people came to look at Devil's foal when he was 3 months old and offered us ten thousand for him. We told them he was not for sale. My daughter raised the colt as a 4H product. She was the first one to pick up his little hoof, put a halter on him and brush the little guy. He was registered as Leviathan's Ace but my daughter called him "Poet."

Poet was shipped off to an auction house by the owner of a boarding stable when my daughter was in school one day. She was 15. Poet had just turned 4. My ex-husband was late paying the board so the owner sold Poet to an auction house. We never could find Poet or learn what happened to him, but my daughter knew in her heart that he ended up at the killers. He went to auction without his papers (we had them at home) so the only people who would have bid on him were likely the killers. My daughter is 30 and she still has nightmares about "Poet" is being slaughtered.

Everything I said about children and horses is true. Children who own horses don't do drugs, they don't get pregnant in high school, they don't get in trouble with the law or hate their parents. In fact, the learn what parenting is like from being one to their horse. Kids who have horses learn that winning means never giving up even when the odds are stacked against you. They learn love and patience and responsibility. My daughter is the strong and caring person she is today because her character was developed through the love of horses.

[Inuca]

11. Beautiful, sad story (nt)

[sandnsea]

8. That's a beautiful letter

Can I take a few of the lines about 4-H and put them in a letter to Wyden? Smith might even sign on to something like this because he's always looking for a way to build up his moderate cred. Take it where you can get it. Very nice letter and I also like your BB and AB, cute.

[_dynamicdems]

12. Yes, of course. Thank you for helping.

BB and AB are how many of us define our lives now. Sad but true.

[ProSense]

13. DD, please see this

post in LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2108209&mesg_id=2108209

[_dynamicdems]

14. Thanks, I'm going to jump into that thread! n/t