The 12th Blogger/Non-Blogger Challenge is currently on, and hostess Kelly Hosford Patterson did something very special this time around as she chose our photo inspiration and asked us to:
Create in honor of the American Wild Mustangs,
learn why the mustangs need our help,
and take action to create change.
"The heated debate continues over whether the wild horses are a native species or feral animals. It is a fact that horses once roamed these plains, though speculated the species became totally extinct. However, modern DNA testing shoes the horses of today are genetically equivalent to their allegedly extinct ancestors.
Why does the feral vs. wild issue matter?
Because wild animals are designated a greater degree of protection than feral animals, which need to be controlled."
In 1971, congress declared:
"the wild free roaming horses and burros are living symbols
of the historic and pioneer spirit of the west;
that they contribute to the diversity of life forms
within the nation and enrich the lives of the American people;
and that these horses and burros are fast
disappearing from the American scene."
Congress created the Bureau of Land Management
to protect them, passing the:
THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT
However, since then, 270,000 horses have been removed from the plains via mass roundups by the Bureau of Land Management, the very agency appointed to protect them.
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| The BLM uses helicopters to round up wild horses, chasing them for miles, forcing them to run at full sprint for hours. Foals can't keep up with their families & are left behind. On site, herds are separated from each other, horses are crammed together, many are injured, many become ill. |
There are currently 50,000 horses in U.S. holding pens.
WHY?
So rangers, a very wealthy and influential social group,
can graze their cattle on the land instead --
despite their cattle outnumbering the wild horses 50 to 1.
Sound odd? Sound wrong?
More reasons for round-ups:
*So horses can be purchased by rangers for as little as $10 a head.
*So horses bought at $10 a head can then be quietly, easily, and profitably sold to slaughterhouses. For example, horses are sold to supply French gourmet hamburgers (called chavel) --as well as other, international food industry slaughterhouses.
*So their wild spirit may be broken & domesticated for ranchers.
*So horses can be sold to United States science (just as many cats & dogs in animal control kill facilities quietly are).
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Ready to ACT?
Ready to create change for these majestic creatures,
right now, easily & quickly?
This is intense stuff, so let's stay hopeful. Let's know our power. Remember, the moment something feels awful, a desire for something better is born. Desire is a rocket! Knowing what we want, creates it. Never underestimate the power of your intention in our breathtaking, miraculous universe. Know your strength. Ask, and it is given. Desire, and it is so. Now, we only have to let it in. The universe has done all the arranging. Let's open the doors together, shall we?
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Let's GO!
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When my children were little, I taught them to know
and speak out loud these very important words:
"I invoke all my constitutional rights,
and I wave nothing."
Let's use our American rights to turn this around!
We say what happens in our great country.
The Bureau of Land Management is our agency to guide.
Let's use our power to help the wild horses, to remedy this.
Below are two petitions that will create needed change.
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| "We can turn this around" -- ProtectMustangs.org |
Defund and Stop the Wild Horse & Burro RoundupsThis petition has 13,400 signatures, needing only 1,600 more.An excerpt from the petition reads:
"Wild horses are a returned-native species to America. Rounding up federally protected wild horses and burros has been documented as cruel. Warehousing them for decades is fiscally irresponsible. Clearing mustangs and burros off public land--for industrialization, fracking, grazing and the water grab--goes against the 1971 Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act put in place to protect the living legends of the American West. They must never go to slaughter. We request you defund and stop the roundups immediately."
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| Ending roundups and returning the native wild horses and burros to the plains reverses desertification, reduces fuel for wildfires, creates biodiversity on public land -- while living with their families in freedom. |
Urgent: Grant a 10-year moratorium on wild horse roundups for recovery and scientific studies
This petition has 13,400 signatures, needing only 1,600 more.
An excerpt from the petition reads:
"We need scientific studies on population, migration, holistic land management and more before the government continues to roundup or tamper with America's equine herds using permanent/temporary sterilization or kill them. We support wild horse and burro recovery on public land.
Right now the feds are managing our indigenous wild horses and burros to extinction. They want to aggressively sterilize the herds. There is "no evidence" of overpopulation according to the National Academy of Sciences 2013 report.
Together we can turn this around."
"I invoke all my constitutional rights,
and I wave nothing."
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| Brass bird by THEA Elements, bail by Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, enameled focal by Get Your Bead On, brass & copper chain, ceramics, silk, jasper, smoky quartz rondelles. The necklace bail represents a saddle; the enameled focal represents an animal control dog tag, the roundups; chains are captivity, the smooth jasper is the free, unsaddled backs of the wild horses & burros, the bronze bird SETS THEM FREE and the quartz magnify their freedom and sends the energy for change out! Go to the Bead Soup Cafe to comment on my Free Spirits of The Wild West Jewelry Design.
Comment on my design that you signed the petitions, blogged, shared Kelly's blog post on your FB page or profile, shared my blog post on FB, linked blog posts, bought a t-shirt, wrote your congressperson, or donated to ProtectMustangs.org. Please, do not vote ("votes" are comments that say "my vote or my favorite"); I want to hear how you took action, even if you simply say a prayer. I believe that makes a difference, too! For each comment, I'll donate to ProtectMustangs.org. And please, read Kelly's blog for many more great ways to help! She did an amazing job with resources for change.
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And, you can do more ...
Where a T-shirt to educate people
STAY HOPEFUL Once more people know this is happening, we'll get it right! Change is happening now. Victory!
Confirmed Victory!
 Save Wild Horses From Slaughter
This successful, completed petition shows the change possible. You can read the petition for inspiration and hope, and learn about the 11 year old girl who started it. An excerpt from the petition, "Save Wild Horses From Slaughter" reads:
Victory!
Confirmed Victory!
President Obama recently signed the Safeguard American Foods Export Act, temporarily shutting down US horse slaughter houses until the end of the year. Like the Facebook "S.A.F.E" (safeguard American Foods Export) page to stay in the herd with information as it develops.
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Thank you, Kelly, for bringing this to our attention so we may create heaven on earth for all!
Awesome Rita. Thanks for joining the fight :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a subject near and dear to my heart. There used to be mustangs running free in eastern Washington but they are all gone. I definitely signed the campaign and asked that it be shared on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your beautiful post Rita. I have, of course signed all the petitions, and I'm sharing your post in my newest blog post. :)
ReplyDeleteI went right to the petition!!! They need to be free!!!!!
ReplyDelete