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D O T Y B L O G
Fair and Balanced Discussion from Southern Oregon
Friday, February 25, 2005
Wild Horses - sneak law change to allow slaughter 
posted by John at 10:11 AM
posted by John at 10:11 AM
Over on DailyKos, a diary this AM calls attention to an amendment offered to the budget bill passed and signed in December. This amendment altered the 34-year-old ban on the slaughter of the wild horses that run free across the West. Oregon is home to a fair number of these mustangs and burros. The amendment authorizes slaughter for commercial purposes (read: dog food) and apparently clears the way from the introduction of cattle at ratios in excess of 100 for every mustang or burro culled, effectively nullifying any environmental 'conservation' argument that could be made.My initial undertaking has been to spur interest in the Oregon schools that honor the wild horse - the Mustangs of Hidden Valley, Jordan Valley, and Heppner High schools, and Talent Elementary, as well as the Parkrose Broncos. This letter went to administrators and social studies teachers earlier today:
The following article links provide background and suggested action:
link 1
link 2
As a Talent Elementary student (1974-1980) and a coach in the same league as Hidden Valley, it occured to me to contact schools with wild horse mascots. The OSAA website tipped me off to Parkrose, Jordan Valley and Heppner. I am urging these schools to take an active role in supporting the Rahall/Whitfield Bill (H.R. 297) to reverse the Burns Amendment to the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act. Action on this point can focus on aspects of civics education and policy discussion for all ages without venturing into partisan positions.
Particularly for government classes, this can provide a context for discussion of legislative process, tracking some history of the original legislation, the recent amendment, and the current repeal effort. Application might be found for history classes in the context of the various historical efforts at legislating conservation - from the T. Roosevelt administration establishing the National Park system through to creation of the EPA and the Endangered Species Act during the Nixon administration. A letter writing campaign could be considered one of several optional assignments, though if your building buys in that this is important, the volume of letters generated will be an important factor, too.
For the high school and upper grade elementary students, the sample letter provided in the second link can be a solid starting point. For the younger groups, I would encourage illustrated pleas in support of the introduced legislation.
If your school does take a role in this matter, I also encourage calling attention to it via a release to your local print and TV outlets.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
John Doty
Phoenix HS Girls' Soccer Coach
Talent Elementary Alumnus
Social Studies Teacher
Another commentor on dKos pointed out the irony of a piece of art at the George HW Bush Presidential library here, and a great overview of horses - archaic, 'native', and otherwise can be found here.