[TN-Bird] FW: Right to Hunt & Fish (and Bird?) Initiative
- From: elizabeth queener <miscueiam@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <luvsbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, crane <routledges@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:02:04 -0500
Fyi - received the following from a friend:
Billboards - lit up ones - have suddenly cropped up in Nashville telling people
to vote for the initiative.
It's really interesting because if you read the billboard, it appears that
there is no right to hunt and fish in the state.
The language doesn't twist anything, it's just the simple statement to vote for
it because it's needed.
It's hard to argue with something like that. I'm hearing that this could mean
that TWRA, which now is assumed to hold the upper hand on setting regs, would
be put on the defense if this passes.
In other words, lawsuits will likely start with hunters challenging hunting
seasons and limits and demanding to hunt sandhills because it's now their
"right."
It shifts the burden of proof from a citizen filing a suit to TWRA.
.................................................................................................................................
> Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:31:54 -0700
> From: luvsbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [TN-Bird] Right to Hunt & Fish (and Bird?) Initiative
> To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> The "Right to Hunt and Fish" ballot initiative on November 2nd will
> potentially affect all birders.
> I encourage everyone to
> educate themselves on the
> upcoming "Right to Hunt & Fish" ballot initiative and to NOT ignore it, but
> to vote on it. If you take the "neutral position" that the TOS has adopted,
> and skip this important initiative, then you have effectively entered a "no"
> vote. This is because proposed statewide constitutional amendments must be
> put on the ballot during a gubernatorial election year, and must pass by a
> majority of persons voting in
> the gubernatorial election. If 50% of the voters ignore the initiative, and
> ALL of the remaining 50% of voters vote "yes" to the initiative, it still
> fails without a single "no" vote.
>
> Consider that 10-12 other states already have such constitutional rights,
> that at least four other states will have such initiatives on their ballots
> this year,
> and other states are actively considering such provisions. Also consider
> that every elected representative in the TN House and Senate, democrat and
> republican, voted in favor of putting this on the ballot (one dissenting vote
> from a Memphis representative who was appointed by the Shelby County
> Commission to fill the seat of her late husband).
>
> Why are so many states passing such amendments? Because when their
> constitutions were drawn up, the right to hunt and fish was assumed, not
> legislated. Now, with well-funded groups like PETA disrupting everything
> from fishing to fashion shows, states are having to act to preserve legal
> pursuits such as hunting & fishing (& birding?). And make no mistake, even
> though most have referred to this as a "right to hunt" initiative, fisherman
> are in their sights as well - for example, a Sept 15, 2010 letter from PETA
> to the UT Chattanooga Chancellor urging him to eliminate the MOCS
> Bass
> Anglers Club, in
> part,
> because of the "dangerous message it (fishing) sends to students". This is
> not a joke!
>
> As for the proposed sandhill crane hunting season, I strongly recommend the
> previous advice from a fellow TN-Birder (sorry I don't remember who) that
> suggested if you don't agree with the proposal you apply for a permit but
> then don't hunt. That way you ensure that your money goes to support the
> cranes' continued success (as well as that of all TN wildlife) and fewer
> cranes will be harvested.
>
> Hunters, fishermen, and purchasers of ammunition have, almost exclusively,
> made viewing sandhill cranes a reality for most birders. The agency that
> oversees their well-being in this state, as in most (all?) other states,
> would not exist but for the revenue from hunting and fishing license sales.
> When is the last time you purchased a bird-watching permit?
>
> Hopefully we never have to pass a constitutional amendment guaranteeing us the
> right to bird, or heaven forbid, cruelly attach a band to a bird's leg. Does
> anyone honestly believe, that when our state constitution was first drawn up
> more than 200 years ago, that any of the original framers felt it necessary
> to include language guaranteeing citizens the right to hunt and fish? What
> will you do when your "right" to go birding comes under
> assault? Sounds crazy now, but that, no doubt, is what people would have
> said 200 years go about trying to catch a fish!
>
> Can all of these other states that have passed such initiatives be wrong?
> Can EVERY elected representative in Tennessee state government be wrong for
> putting this on the ballot? Do the people of the State of Tennessee NOT have
> the right to hunt and fish? What about Native Americans - do they have the
> right to hunt and fish? Please educate yourself on this issue and then vote
> "yes" or "no" on the "Right to Hunt and Fish Initiative". As a voter, there
> is no such thing as a "neutral" position on a statewide constitutional
> amendment.
>
> Kelly Roy
> Knoxville
> TN
>
>
>
>
>
> =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
>
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> _____________________________________________________________
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> ______________________________________________________________
> TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
> Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
> endorse the views or opinions expressed
> by the members of this discussion group.
>
> Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
> wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ------------------------------
> Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
> Cleveland, OH
> -------------------------------
> Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
> Rosedale, VA
> --------------------------------
> Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan
> Clarksville, TN
> __________________________________________________________
>
> Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
> web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>
> ARCHIVES
> TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/
>
> MAP RESOURCES
> Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
> Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com
>
> _____________________________________________________________
>
>
=
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
Cleveland, OH
-------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
Rosedale, VA
--------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan
Clarksville, TN
__________________________________________________________
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ARCHIVES
TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/
MAP RESOURCES
Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com
_____________________________________________________________
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- » [TN-Bird] FW: Right to Hunt & Fish (and Bird?) Initiative - elizabeth queener
