[TN-Bird] Right to Hunt & Fish (and Bird?) Initiative
- From: luvsbirdn <luvsbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: tn-bird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:31:54 -0700 (PDT)
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
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