ON CARRIAGE HORSES: National Animal Rights Day - June 8, 2014
Presentation by Elizabeth Forel / President of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
Thank you for inviting me to be part
of this very important event.
Today, I would like to address where
we currently stand on the carriage horse issue in NYC; how we got there and why
it is so important for our moral and ethical progress to shut down the carriage
trade
CURRENT STATUS:
Here it is June - the sixth month
into Mayor deBlasio’s administration and the carriage horses are still on the
street and we are no closer to seeing an end to this inhumane and cruel
business. The mayor made a campaign promise to ban the industry his first week
in office, which we knew was unrealistic. But we remain in the dark about his
plans. We are the ones who put our souls into this
and helped to put the mayor in office. Yet
we are expected to have blind faith.
At the same time, when the mayor has
commented on this issue in the media, he has remained resolute about keeping
his promise. He does not appear to be
backing down. But how will it
happen? We believe the mayor will have
to meet with the carriage owners and come to some kind of agreement about their
new jobs – whatever they will be - and
what will happen to the horses. But it
remains a mystery.
HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE NOW
By not acting on this quickly, the
administration has given the drivers time to develop their argument and to
rally people to their side.
What has happened since the September
primary is that the NY Daily News began a hatchet job on the mayor – ripping
into him almost every day – publishing the most bizarre yellow journalism articles
filled with lies and exaggerations. Other editorial boards, including the NY
Times, NY Post, AM-NY and TV stations like Fox News, NY1, and Pix 11
followed. Many reporters have continued
to promote the drivers’ lies as their opinions shift into supposedly fact
driven articles. The carriage trade
hired the infamous anti-animal Cavalry Group to fight this battle for
them. This is the anti-animal lobby
There’s been no fact checking, no
investigative journalism and gratuitous dishonesty.
It seems like the inmates have taken
over the asylum. Unfortunately, people will often believe what they hear on TV
or read in the newspapers without questioning. This is why the media is so
powerful.
Please do not think it is about the
horses. Mort Zuckerman, the owner of the
Daily News and his editor, imported from a Rupert Murdock failed paper in
England, want to see just how much power they can wield. The Daily News does not care about the
horses or the drivers. Instead, they are
being used as poster children - a metaphor for deBlasio’s progressive
agenda. If the right wing media can get
deBlasio to cry uncle on this issue, this will open the door to other
things.
So when you hear about the Quinnipiac
poll showing 60% of respondents opposed to a ban – you must also realize that
these polls were taken after an extended brainwashing period. Polls like this are meaningless to critical
thinkers.
THE LIES THEY WEAVE
But what is so disappointing and even
appalling to me are the reasons provided by those who oppose a ban – and the
lies they weave – it is all from a perspective of human selfishness and greed. Only people matter. Animals – in this case horses – are
secondary. When people make money off the backs of animals,
how could it be
-
They
talk about this “iconic” industry – overusing this word until it has no meaning.
-
Lie
about it being a $15-19M industry. This number was contrived and estimated as a
comparison to what the electric cars might bring in. It has no basis in reality. At an approximate 4% NYC income tax rate,
this would mean the city gets about $760,000 yearly. Highly doubtful. We believe it is a fraction of this number –
probably less than $150,000 overall.
-
The
number of people who would lose their jobs keeps increasing depending on where
the story is published - I have seen it
as high as 500 – but it is an exaggeration.
The head of the Carriage Horse
Association admitted that it was 150-160 people. Many of those who hold carriage licenses are
either part time no longer use it or live in another state or country.
-
Many
people have lost their jobs in NYC and have been ignored by the City Council
and the Daily News. They have had to
find work on their own. Why are
-
Unions
– their jobs have been referred to as “good union jobs.” – but it is a fake
union – it is not a “union shop” meaning it is not mandatory to join the union
and the drivers and owners belong to the same local; there are no
benefits. Real union members should not
be happy about the Teamsters pressuring deBlasio - the first pro union mayor
-
Even
so called progressives like Norman Siegel and Ron Kuby have shamefully joined
forces with the drivers and the right wing Cavalry Group and are spewing
lies. To Ron Kuby – I say – you are no
William Kunstler – his former partner, who died several years ago but at the
end of his life had discovered animal rights.
Such a disappointment – I ask, are they so desperate for new clients
that they would sell their souls?
-
Some
right wing tricks of media manipulation are character assassination as when
they call us extremists or radicals; or fear mongering – a proven tactic of media brain washing. In October 2013, the Daily News ran a story
about how the carriage horses were all going to slaughter if there were a
ban. It is not true, we have provided
proof that it is not, but people still believe it.
If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth - This is often attributed to the Nazi
propagandist Joseph Goebbels but it has a lot of truth. This is what is happening with
this issue in NYC. Our side – the side
of compassion, selflessness and truth is not being given an opportunity to speak
out.
The other side will use names like The
Alliance for Truth Campaign – or Carriage Horse Facts – promoting that only
they are telling the real story. They
continue to call us liars about anything and everything or that we know nothing
about horses. This is a right wing
trick.
They say the horses live a pampered
existence; that they have a rigorous licensing process; with equestrian experts;
an industry that is overseen by 5 city agencies; stables are lavish; and that
the horses have a standard of living that “out performs most human residents of
NYC.” This is from the Cavalry Group and
the Daily News and people believe it.
When the law passed in 2010 requiring
that the horses get 5-weeks’ vacation each year,
A lie repeated often becomes the truth
WHO IS OPPPOSED TO A BAN
-
People who think it is OK for the horses to be
pulling carriages are generally those who believe that only people matter. Animals are here to be used, to be
exploited - whether it is to be worked
in the field; to run races for human ego and greed or something silly and frivolous such as the
carriage trade. They are legally
property and are treated as such. When
carriage horses are no longer up to the job, they are disposed of. Although legal, the owners know it is frowned
upon to admit they bring them to the slaughter auctions, so they will launder
them through Amish and
-
The
City of NY also enables the industry by not requiring sales records when the
horse is sold outside of the city as most are.
-
Others
who oppose a ban are afraid and believe their life style is being
threatened. We represent a slippery
slope and any area of animal exploitation is fair fame.
PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT AND RESPECT ANIMALS GET THIS ISSUE RIGHT AWAY.
-
The
horse is a prey animal meaning that he is a nervous being and can spook from
any number of threatening stimuli – rustling leaves or plastic bags, loud
noises, umbrellas opening. At 1500 to
2000 pounds, he or she should not be on the street dragging tourists
around. If spooked, the horse will bolt
into traffic to get away from the source of danger. He becomes an unwitting weapon and can kill
or injure himself or innocent passersby. NYC has been the site of many
accidents.
-
It
is foolhardy for the City Council to put the safety of New Yorkers at risk
for this business.
-
The
horse wears blinders and check reins, and works between the shafts of his
carriage for 9 hours straight – not even able to scratch an itch. If this business were so safe then the horse
should not be forced to wear blinders.
-
He
is forced to work on hard pavement, which causes concussive injuries
-
He
often has harness rubs from ill-fitting tack
-
At
the multi storied stable – he reaches his stall, which is less than half the
size experts recommend, by way of a steep ramp
-
He
has no access to pasture – nothing.
-
He
works in one of the most traffic congested cities in the world; led by drivers who often do not pay attention to the road as they use their
phone or read.
-
When
he is tired and just does not cut it anymore, he is disposed of. There is a turnover of 71 horses a year in
this business. We believe many are
laundered through the Amish farmers on their way to the kill auctions.
-
This business must stop this year – completely.
Many organizations have
committed to finding homes for the horses if the drivers agree. But the ban has to happen. Our patience is growing thin. New York City must not continue to be known
for this cruelty. We must be a leader in
doing what is right for the horses and for the many people who care about
them.
This industry is a
ticking time bomb – always an accident waiting to happen – injured or dead
people and horses. Mayor deBlasio
promised and we want him to keep his word.
Please contact the
mayor on line by Googling “contact Mayor deBlasio” and completing the online
form.
Thank you.
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