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Now, I'm sure the ASPCA is doing a bit of fear mongering with their call to action over this bill. And I'm glad this will help go after the ALF terrorist types.

Now my concern has to do with legitimate cases of cruelty on the part of businesses dealing with animals. Things like puppy mills and such. To the more learned political people here, does this bill curtail free speech issues in such regards? If a business loses income because of publicized boycotts or word of mouth campaigning, should poeple go to jail over it? If cruelty to animals is reported and a business loses income, should the investigator go to jail or get fined? I have mixed feelings on this one.

Sounds ridiculous, unless I am misreading something. Government cannot "guarantee" anybody's profits. What it could do, I suppose, is declare hostile acts against these businesses to be actionable torts -- but what acts could there be that aren't already either constitutionally protected or prohibited by law?

This is a total straw argument... there are already federal laws and laws in all 50 states addressing the concerns that the ASPCA has listed here.

The sad truth is that the ASPCA is way more sympathetic to Peta and the ALF than they would like you to know about.

This is the equivalent of the Democrats bleating "Oh won't someone think of the CHILDREN!?!?!" when they are against something. "The puppies! Wont you please think of the puppies?!?!?!"

Total. Crap.

There needs to be tpotection for people exposing puppy mills. First of all, don't ever but a pet from a pet store. That's where they get them.

We went into a pet shop one day and asked the man behind the counter, probably the owner, if they had a Scottish Terrier puppy. The man went into the back and came out with one in his hand. He dropped it on the floor from a standing height, in front of us.

These kinds of people need to be gotten out of this business. To them the "pets" are only a commodity. They don't even watch out for the commodity. If he were a crystal dealer he wouldn't come out of the back room and drop the glass on the floor.

My sentiments are against this legislation.

Its time shut down PUTAH and the animal rights terrorists. We're not talking about exposing animal cruelty. We're talking about death threats against medical researchers, ransacking laboratories and the destruction of years or even decades of live-savng research work performed on animals because the AR extremists believe its wrong to privilege human lives about animal welfare. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act seeks to stop terrorism perpetrated against people in the name of saving animals.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

You have been punked by the ASPCA. In pertinent excerpt, here is the exact language that defines an offense under the legislation:

(a) OFFENSE.--Whoever travels in interstate or foreign commerce, or uses or causes to be used the mail or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce: (1) for the purpose of damaging or disrupting an animal enterprise; and (2) in connection with such purpose (A) intentionally damages, disrupts, or causes the loss of any property (including animals or records) used by the animal enterprise, or any property of a person or entity having a connection to, relationship with, or transactions with the animal enterprise; (B) intentionally places a person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to that person, a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115) of that person, or a spouse or intimate partner of that person by a course of conduct involving threats, acts of vandalism, property damage, trespass, harassment, or intimidation; or (C) conspires or attempts to do so; shall be punished as provided for in subsection (b).

* * * * * * * *

Note also that:

(4) the term `economic disruption'--

(B) does not include any lawful economic disruption that results from lawful public, governmental, or business reaction to the disclosure of information about an animal enterprise;

In sum, free speech is protected, but intentional property damage and injury to persons are made illegal. The ASPCA, which is sympathetic with the ALF and other such extremist groups and running cover for them, is trying to con you and the public at large.