Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your hypocrisy seatbelts and make sure your ZOMG tray tables are in the upright and locked position. We are in for a bumpy ride.
The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) is holding its annual conference in San Francisco right now. This is a Powerpoint presentation reportedly given at the conference (in case of disappearance, the document can be viewed here). The doc was apparently part of the ASPCA’s disappearing anti-no kill package from last week. In an attempt to untangle the web, I refer you to Ryan Clinton’s post on Facebook. Specifically:
Ryan Clinton, No Kill Advocate Ruthann: The ASPCA released its internal anti-No-Kill political strategy last week. It was released on their own website along with the powerpoint for this presentation. So, it looks like the ASPCA paid for the presentation that he gave today at the SAWA conference in San Francisco. The presenter is a political/marketing consultant. A very successful one at that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_W._Smith.
Still with me?
OK. So the presentation is called “Surviving the Storm”. Unlike the annual No Kill Conference, where attendees learn how more shelter pets can survive, people at the SAWA conference are learning how they and their status quo methods of catch and kill can survive, despite calls for reform (“the storm”) from compassionate advocates.
In the presentation, the status quo (of needless shelter pet killing) is depicted as being in crisis. Examples of major public relations crises are provided such as BP and Charlie Sheen. (I know you think I’m lying. I’m not. Go check.) To deal with “the storm” of no kill advocates exposing the needless killing and calling for change, the presentation recommends the creation of a “war room”. As an illustration, the famous White House photo of President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and others watching the Navy SEAL team on its mission to kill Osama bin Laden accompanies the piece.
Feeling a bit woozy? Anyone need a barf bag?
OK. So in summary, they (status quo protectors) are BP and we (no kill advocates) are bin Laden. And apparently, like the millionaire CEO of BP at the time of the Gulf oil disaster, they just want their lives back.
Here’s the thing – we want our lives back too. But unlike ASPCA and their fellow status quo protectors, we’re not referring to ourselves. We want the lives of OUR COMMUNITIES’ PETS back. The ones kill shelter directors, backed by ASPCA and other enablers, take away every day in this country. And since they don’t actually have a Navy SEAL team to take us out, we’re going to keep up our demands for reform and our non-violent political action.
ASPCA says they were “mortified” that they got caught calling us “extremists”. In jest, I demanded they step it up and call us terrorists. At SAWA, during the “Surviving the Storm” presentation, Austin’s no kill advocates were reportedly referred to as a “terrorist organization” and Ryan Clinton was specifically named as a “minion”. In retrospect, perhaps I should have added a winking smiling face and an “only joking” disclaimer. Ack.
In order to be a minion, one must have a “master” whose bidding is blindly and relentlessly done. I don’t know who ASPCA and friends think that “master” is but let’s be clear: We’re not terrorists, nor are we minions. We just don’t want to see pets needlessly killed in shelters. And we’re willing to stand up and say it.
We want the lives of our communities’ pets back. And until the day comes when the ASPCA and their fellow status quo protectors actually get a Navy SEAL team to hunt us down, we are going to keep pushing for an end to the needless killing of shelter pets and speaking up for their right to live. Join us.
Just when I think this cannot be any more Orwellian than it already is, comes yet more info from the ranks of the status quo. Incredible.
What genuinely makes no sense to me is this: why put up so much effort and spend so much time trying to protect the status quo? Why not spend that same time, energy and money taking a look at what reformists say and want? There can only be one answer and it is one that has been put forth many times: the best way for a shelter to change is through new leadership. If the old guard were to make changes and suddenly save lives while saving money, that is like an admission that it could have been different all along. That the killing could have stopped many moons and many bodies ago.
It just saddens me to no end that people who put themselves forth as champions for homeless animals are more interested in protecting their employment and image than they are in saving the animals in their care. It makes me feel physically ill and I will never say “let’s jsut all get along.” More like, “leave now. Right now. Find another job which does not involve the life and death of any creature.” Go get your life back in some other place far from here.”
Here, here! I am tired of dogs being abused and neglected (the white Great Dane and the stolen puppy found alive covered in duck tape), I am tired of the status quo when a better, HUMANE, solution demonstrably works, I am tired of children being abused and the system ignoring their pain to maintain the status quo and football…We will keep up the fight; I will cont. to collaborate to save dogs with our local (kill) shelter and help them see the light…they are inching ever so slowly :).
I posted this on No Kill Sonoma County…but here was my big fear…I think our County Shelter Director went to this disgusting seminar…on our tax dollars…just great!
I’m … mordantly amused, that the presentation suggests comparisons to BP and Sheen. What’s next – comparisons to the poor, beleaguered Japanese whaling industry?
Vickie, while I do think it’s entirely possible that the director of SCACC is at SAWA, I don’t know that this is necessarily a bad thing. Thing is, I think a lot of local people are – Bad Rap has posted about their participation, for instance – and it may be a good opportunity to network … despite this asinine presentation.
Though I do really want to hear what nefarious criminal mastermind they think is in control of the no-kill movement. My vote’s for Catwoman.
Come on Eucritta, you know that shit’s classified. Shhhhh!
I just have to say – for all us No Kill Advocates/Terrorists……We must be doing something RIGHT for ASPCA and now SAWA to be having this ‘presentation’….we must be getting under their skin and what we’re doing IS WORKING!!!!
Keep up the good work everyone! And continue to promote No Kill – EVERYWHERE! Send friends and family…hell send a stranegr you met at the dog park!…to the No Kill Advocancy website. We already know we can make a difference and it sounds like ASPCA & SAWA has figured it out. Personally I love Rule #8 – ‘Know When Change is Necessary’…..But will they heed it?
Yike! Just when you think things can’t get weirder…You can’t make that stuff up! Hope they’re not thinking of using their millions to buy drones…
I think that their deluded behavior speaks to a real fear that their empire might just come tumbling down. They’re right~the paradigm is shifting & the No Kill ship has sailed!
Without meaning to be the sour grapes at this party, I recommend that we DO take seriously the efforts to paint us as terrorists and extremists a bit seriously, as this is being done across the spectrum of compassionate, outspoken and visible activists and welfare watchers here in the US thanks to DHS. Gotta pull out and look at the BROAD picture after all the laughs. Alot of people are finding out that they are being profiled because, let’s say, they feed a feral colony, or they ask the cop who’s trying to stop them from feeding that feral colony what his/her badge# is (which you should MOST CERTAINLY DO). Big Brother is not nice, never will be, and this fight will not be for the faint of heart. Sound scary? It could be if these paranoid freaks keep up their shiite.
Thank you for your story. I was mortified the first time I was called referred to as a “terrorist” a few months ago when I started doing animal rescue. Now, I feel PROUD that I am doing something about this HUGE problem. I just started my 501c3 dog rescue in San Diego “LuckyPupDogRescue.com” If that’s a terrorist organization, then so be it!