Videotaping Farm Cruelty is Becoming the Crime

[Andy9o8 0]

Do you live in a state where this kind of law has been proposed in the state Legislature? If so, it's not too late to lobby your state legislators to oppose these bills!

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/taping-farm-cruelty-becoming-crime-1B9251810

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Taping of farm cruelty is becoming the crime
Richard A. Oppel Jr., The New York Times

On one covert video, farm workers illegally burn the ankles of Tennessee walking horses with chemicals. Another captures workers in Wyoming punching and kicking pigs and flinging piglets into the air. And at one of the country’s largest egg suppliers, a video shows hens caged alongside rotting bird corpses, while workers burn and snap off the beaks of young chicks.

Each video — all shot in the last two years by undercover animal rights activists — drew a swift response: Federal prosecutors in Tennessee charged the horse trainer and other workers, who have pleaded guilty, with violating the Horse Protection Act. Local authorities in Wyoming charged nine farm employees with cruelty to animals. And the egg supplier, which operates in Iowa and other states, lost one of its biggest customers, McDonald’s, which said the video played a part in its decision.

But a dozen or so state legislatures have had a different reaction: They proposed or enacted bills that would make it illegal to covertly videotape livestock farms, or apply for a job at one without disclosing ties to animal rights groups. They have also drafted measures to require such videos to be given to the authorities almost immediately, which activists say would thwart any meaningful undercover investigation of large factory farms.

[toolbox 0]

That is some horrible cruelty,and legislating against taping it for purposes of exposing these acts to the public is yet more corruption.
I'm not surprized by proposed legislation against exposing these inhumane acts since there are already laws in some jurisdictions that make it a crime to video tape public officials in public who might be doing unethical things.

[tonyhays 86]

There is no way this will slow down animal rights activists from filming the abuses. Instead of handing it over to law authorities, they'll just leak it to A Current Affair or other such investigative TV shows. Or, just make an anonymous YouTube account and "leak" it there.

These silly laws remind me of Star Wars...when Princess Leia said to Grand Moff Tarkin..."The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems that slip through your fingers".

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

[ChrisD 0]

It's not just farm cruelty, it's any vid from the food industry!!!!!!

THEY Don't want you to see what you are eating!!!!

This also extends to our pet foods as well!!!!

Welcome to
Americka!
C

But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump."

[Kennedy 0]

I can do you one better. At least these are attempting to ban video by employee or while hidden. Those are terrible laws, but a few years ago, I think in Florida, some jackass tried to outlaw filming farms even from public areas like the side of the road. Can't find a link right now. I'll look harder and post.

ETA: here we go
Article about FL bill
Sorry for the crazy vegan site, but it's the first link I found.

Text of FL SB1246 from 2011

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[popsjumper 2]

What's more important...animals or humans?

I vote "humans".
I'd like people to first spend their energy on getting us humans out of this stoopid goobermint's hole in the ground.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Squeak 17]

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What's more important...animals or humans?

I vote "humans".
I'd like people to first spend their energy on getting us humans out of this stoopid goobermint's hole in the ground.

I would like to think that more compassion towards the former would lead to better outcomes "all around" for the latter

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[jakee 1,254]

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What's more important...animals or humans?

I vote "humans".
I'd like people to first spend their energy on getting us humans out of this stoopid goobermint's hole in the ground.

I heard those guys had a totally rad idea that would've solved the financial crisis before they got bored and filmed some chickens instead. Wasted opportunity

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Andy9o8 0]

dOOd u bin pwned

[Andy9o8 0]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/09/opinion/open-the-slaughterhouses.html?hp

Op-Ed piece: Open the Slaughterhouses
By JEDEDIAH PURDY
Published: April 8, 2013 NY Times

[lawrocket 3]

I understand that there is one of these laws being proposed for Cali. I actually see the side of ag in this one. When there's a slaughterhouse that is slaughtering inhumanely (I know, I know, oxymoron) the world finds out about it by some news video being posted some time after it happened. The ag industry sees a couple of problems: (1) it makes the ones that play by the rules look really bad (bad for business); (2) the animal rights people aren't trying to stop the cruelty but publicize it: and (3) it makes slaughterhouse inspectors (aka the government) look incompetent.

I believe the Cali bill would require a person who films it to go to law enforcement prior to going to the public. The government has an interest in not looking bad. The slaughterhouse has an interest in getting ahead of the PR war. And the animal rights people - you'd think - would be interested in getting the cruel operation shut down immediately.


On the other hand...

In most circumstances I disagree with the rule of "mandated reporter" (I'll wear it - I support mandatory reporting of child abuse). I also disagree with limiting freedom of the press. Whatever good these laws could cause would be offset by the harm.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[jakee 1,254]

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The ag industry sees a couple of problems: (1) it makes the ones that play by the rules look really bad (bad for business)

From a legal standpoint, so what?

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(2) the animal rights people aren't trying to stop the cruelty but publicize it

Sounds like they're playing a longer game. So what?

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(3) it makes slaughterhouse inspectors (aka the government) look incompetent.

See reply 1.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Andy9o8 0]

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I believe the Cali bill would require a person who films it to go to law enforcement prior to going to the public.

The potential chilling effect of that alone is antithetical to the First Amendment.

[billvon 2,400]

Why is this law even needed? Isn't it currently legal for a property owner to prohibit videotaping on his premises?

[Andy9o8 0]

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Why is this law even needed? Isn't it currently legal for a property owner to prohibit videotaping on his premises?

Sure, but without laws like these it wouldn't be directly criminal to violate that prohibition. (Maybe indirectly as a trespass, but that's more tenuous.)

ETA: We can also play the semantic game of "wanted" versus "needed". That, of course, is all about whose ox is getting gored.

[lawrocket 3]

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I believe the Cali bill would require a person who films it to go to law enforcement prior to going to the public.

The potential chilling effect of that alone is antithetical to the First Amendment.

I concur. But in this day and age an individual right is an "unnecessary legal obstacle." Perhaps we should do background checks to find out whether a person should be allowed to exercise the First Amendment privilege. Look at all the harm these PETA crowd types are causing.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Andy9o8 0]

http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-cow-abuse-video-idaho-ag-gag-bill-20140218,0,3908830.story#ixzz2to9rgGPu

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Graphic cow abuse video released as Idaho advances 'ag-gag' bill

Striking back at a proposed Idaho law that would ban undercover filming at farms, an animal rights group released video Tuesday of a dairy worker sexually abusing a cow.

The graphic scene, recorded in 2012, was not initially released when Los Angeles-based Mercy for Animals pushed authorities to investigate animal abuse at Bettencourt Dairies in Idaho. The original video showed about two minutes of lashings, beatings and stompings suffered by cows.

The dairy quickly fired five people after that video was released and installed surveillance cameras throughout its facility. The man seen fondling a cow’s vagina in the newly released video eventually spent 102 days in jail.

Idaho lawmakers have proposed legislation to punish people who cause damage or videotape farm work after entering through force, threat, misrepresentation or trespass. It would be a misdemeanor punishable by a year in jail or a $5,000 fine -- the same as convicted animal abusers.

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/01/25/ag-gag-bill-returns-to-the-iowa-legislature/article

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‘Ag gag’ bill returns to the Iowa legislature

A bill that would impose the nation’s toughest legislation restricting undercover operations by animal rights activists will return in the Senate today as part of a procedural motion.

House File 589 – the so-called ag gag bill – which would make it illegal to videotape at farms or other animal operations while undercover.

Farmers say the legislation is needed to protect the state’s agricultural economy against activists who deliberately cast their operations in a negative light and continue videotaping rather than reporting abuse immediately.

Animal welfare officials say undercover recording is vital to protect livestock and food safety and that they must document multiple instances of abuse to show a pattern.

The House passed the bill last year but it stalled in the Senate after the Iowa attorney general’s office said the bill would most likely face constitutional challenges because of provisions that would have made it illegal to possess or distribute audio or video recordings. The U.S. Supreme Court has previously ruled that films exposing animal cruelty represent the exercise of free speech.

[regulator 0]

What if instead of taping these assholes abusing animals the people arm themselves with firearms and group all of those abusers in a room and shoot off their big toes. Animal abusers are one step away from child abusers.

[rushmc 18]

the only thing that should be illegal here is the false premise of the title of this thread
Shame on you Andy

As far as the laws go
Fire them up
PETA and its ilk are pig shit and should be treated as such

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[DanG 1]

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the only thing that should be illegal here is the false premise of the title of this thread

What's the false premise? Legislatures are trying to make (and some have already made) videotaping at ag businesses illegal.

- Dan G

[rushmc 18]

DanG

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the only thing that should be illegal here is the false premise of the title of this thread

What's the false premise? Legislatures are trying to make (and some have already made) videotaping at ag businesses illegal.

Farm cruelty
It does not exist to the level those at the likes of PETA would have you believe

And whay they and others would call cruelty is debatable as well

Edited to add:

This taping should be illegal
They create propaganda from it most of the time

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Southern_Man 0]

rushmc

***

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the only thing that should be illegal here is the false premise of the title of this thread

What's the false premise? Legislatures are trying to make (and some have already made) videotaping at ag businesses illegal.

Farm cruelty
It does not exist to the level those at the likes of PETA would have you believe

And whay they and others would call cruelty is debatable as well

Yes, those are debatable issues. When you have debatable issues it is good to use actual facts and/or video recordings as evidence to advance the debate.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[DanG 1]

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Farm cruelty
It does not exist to the level those at the likes of PETA would have you believe

But you can't deny it exists. The people taping it are trying to expose the cruelty and poor food safety standards that exist. Do you really think they're risking jail time on farms that are acting ethically and within the law?

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This taping should be illegal
They create propganda from it most of the time

Creating propaganda is protected under the 1st Amendment.

- Dan G

[rushmc 18]

Southern_Man

******

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the only thing that should be illegal here is the false premise of the title of this thread

What's the false premise? Legislatures are trying to make (and some have already made) videotaping at ag businesses illegal.

Farm cruelty
It does not exist to the level those at the likes of PETA would have you believe

And whay they and others would call cruelty is debatable as well

Yes, those are debatable issues. When you have debatable issues it is good to use actual facts and/or video recordings as evidence to advance the debate.

Not the way the stealth tapers do it
Not truth at all the way they present the films

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 18]

DanG

Quote

Farm cruelty
It does not exist to the level those at the likes of PETA would have you believe

But you can't deny it exists. The people taping it are trying to expose the cruelty and poor food safety standards that exist. Do you really think they're risking jail time on farms that are acting ethically and within the law?

Quote

This taping should be illegal
They create propganda from it most of the time

Creating propaganda is protected under the 1st Amendment.

Not by tresspassing it isnt

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln