OBITUARY:
HAMLET, BELOVED COMPANION OF MOLLY HAMILTON-MANN 1991-June
8, 1999 Molly said, "Hamlet, who was 8 years old, sadly died
on my birthday. He was my baby and I cry all the time thinking
about him and the fact that he won't be around for the holidays
with us or to ring in the new millenium."
MOHONK DEMOS CONTINUE MORE FREQUENT THAN EVER Jenny & Delia
hold the, by now famous, "MOHONK KILLS YOUR WILDLIFE" banner
that Jenny made this summer from a black sheet and shiny white
tape! An idea for night demos is to use reflector tape.
Folks
coming off the NYS Thruway get to learn about Mohonk, and the banner
makes it easy for us to have what we call Thruway "appearances" with
some frequency because we only need two people. By the way, notice
the Mohonk advertisement above Jenny's head. Now which sign would
you notice? Recently we've been joined by S.C.A.R - Student Coalition
for Animal Rights, a fabulous animal rights group at SUNY, New
Paltz. Wildlife Watch/C.A.S.H. volunteer, Chris Arenella, enhanced
the banner with wooden dowels, making it easier to handle and hold
taut, and she will be adding air flaps, though sailing over New
Paltz in a high wind wouldn't be a bad idea.
LETTERS
Dave Silverstein of Rego Park, sent
us an article from Prevention Magazine, July, 99.
They suggested a relaxing visit to Mohonk Mountain House, taking "old
carriage roads" to the "stunning vistas." Well,
they should take a second look. During "hunting season" they
charge hunters to hunt and use those carriage roads while the other
visitors are also using the trails. Mohonk might be a nice place
to visit after they give up trying to make a buck off the hunters.
Dave writes: "In my opinion they [Mohonk] will never be a
respectable hotel, until they put 'No hunting signs' on their property." We
couldn't agree with Dave more.
Amazing Jenny who is 18 and was visiting
us from Taiwan for the summer wrote an incredible letter about
the Town meetings in Kent/Lake Carmel that got published in two
newspapers:
Regarding the killing of Canada Geese in Kent. I recently came
to the United States to experience democracy. I wanted to learn
more about animal protection, and I was convinced the U.S. ought
to be a model for my country, Taiwan, and a lot of other countries.
But I must say, on June 28th, in the Town of Kent, what I saw,
what I heard, totally shocked me. The Canada goose problem was
discussed. The first thing that really surprised me was that people
were only allowed to speak three minutes. Also, one had to live
in Lake Carmel to speak (even though wildlife belongs to all the
people of the state), also a town board member threatened everyone
by saying people would be "under arrest" if they disobeyed
those "rules". I thought this was a FREE-nation, and
all people had the right to speak, the freedom to express themselves,
but this really wasn't what I saw! I wouldn't call it direct-democracy
but despotic dictatorship! And what followed were the interruption
and sneering from the BOARD, as if they weren't talking about a
serious matter. As a matter of fact, I do think it is. There is
no justification for deciding to end a life. The earth does not
belong to humans only, and neither does the life of any creature.
I wonder why this is happening. Because for me, and I believe
for a lot of others around the world, America is meant to be a
real role model. I must admit that now the image is starting to
crumble! As a leading country in the world, shouldn't America be
worthy by showing kindness to non-human beings? Jenny Hsieh, 18,
Taipei, Taiwan
Ms. Hsieh will be starting law school in Taiwan in September
and hopes to help animals when she returns to Taiwan. While here,
she met with Prof. Robinson and Porto of Pace Law School, worked
with Del Seligman, Esq., Lisa Weisberg, Esq. and volunteered to
walk dogs at the Ulster SPCA.
-----
A letter from F. Wein, a C.A.S.H. member, suggests that "volunteers
disengage or better yet, throw away those barbaric traps. This
is justified because trapping and hunting are murder - nothing
less."
A letter from Louisiana to C.A.S.H.
on Oct. 24, 1999
My family and I would like to thank you for having this organization.
We, too, are victims of hunting violence, for the past seven years
of living hell from a "hunting killing club" 180 yards
from our home. As soon as we moved to my grandfather's home in
1992, June in the following months our motor home was shot we've
been shot at while at our gate, in our yard, our home and while
in our pasture. We have 36-40 pages of documented reckless gunshots
fired from this hunting club. We are attempting to hopefully hear
from an attorney we contacted recently. You name it, this hunting
club has done it to us. We contacted Channel 3 news in Shreveport,
last year and no results. We contacted Channel 10 in Monroe last
week, still writing
We want to join your organization because non-hunters in this
country don't have any rights. I hate guns but have to carry a
pistol when my dog and I walk through our pasture. Our recently
appointed Governor will not listen to us, he is a hunter. L.S.
A big "THANK YOU" to Josephine Bellacomo who joined
our hunting patrol on the heaviest hunting day of the year. Getting
up at 4 a.m. to climb a mountain early in the morning to search
for trespassing hunters, Josephine spotted one early on.
With
a few words exchanged, the hunter left. Following that, she stayed
to make our Kingston Demonstration a memorable one. Part of the
article that appeared in the Times Herald Record on Sunday, November
28, 1999 said: Car horns honked virtually nonstop yesterday afternoon
as about six anti-hunting protesters, stationed at the Thruway
traffic circle in Kinston, carried signs and banners calling for
a stop to sport hunting. Some of those passing drivers smiled,
cheered and gave a "thumbs-up," in support of the protesters.
[Shows the popularity of our cause.] Others, many with deer carcasses
strapped to their vehicles, booed, gestured, shot the finger, or
shouted a protest of their own. [Shows their vulgarity.] As the
vehicles paraded by us with deer strapped to the tops of their
cars, often two to a hood, I saw Josephine's face express disbelief,
disgust, but mostly sadness. Once she asked if I thought they had
been shot together. I thought perhaps they had been. I heard her
gently say a prayer for the victims of the hunters' arrogance.
MUSIC TO MY EARS
In the Dec./Jan. 2000 issue of Bowhunter, M.R. James, the founder
and publisher writes: Anti-hunting attacks will intensify - and
become even more effective during the new century. Hunter haters
are getting smarter….They've largely succeeded in perpetuating
the myth that hunting and conservation are incompatible.
Savvy antis understand that the public initiatives and the
ballot box are perhaps the most effective means of ending certain
kinds of hunting, and each year they succeed in legislating some
now -legal form of hunting out of existence.
Make no mistake about their announced agenda; the anti-hunters'
long range goal is to end all hunting. I believe it's a distinct
possibility they eventually will succeed….you can bet the
ranch that whenever the precedent to ban hunting is eventually
established in one state, the antis quickly will gather like circling
vultures…to pick clean each and every bone…of the American
hunter. [Editor's note: Thanks, M.R., you made my day. Oh, by the
way, does M.R. stand for Mr. Right?]
