Nov 22 2010
The Nebraska Open Meeting that Wasn’t
Thursday morning on the HumaneWatch Facebook page, Nebraska grass-fed beef producer Kevin Fulton did something curious. Fulton, the host of tonight’s Humane Society of the United States “town hall” meeting in Lincoln, assured all 194,000 HumaneWatch Facebook fans that “everyone here is invited" to the Nebraska event. "[Y]ou don’t have to be from Nebraska.”
Did he lie? Was he overruled by Wayne Pacelle? We can’t be sure. But not quite everyone was welcome.
On Thursday, HumaneWatch editor David Martosko quickly took Fulton up on his offer and RSVPed for the HSUS meeting. HSUS sent a confirmation e-mail too (click to enlarge).
Martosko showed up personally in Lincoln, Nebraska yesterday with some trepidation. He had never been to an HSUS-sponsored event before, and HumaneWatch isn't exactly on Pacelle's Christmas card list. But we do have a billboard up just a few blocks from the meeting site. And this could be a great opportunity to meet Wayne Pacelle face-to-face. Or at least ask him a few thoughtful questions that have our readers buzzing.
So much for that idea.
Greeting Martosko at the ballroom door were three burly security guards—off-duty airport policemen armed with semiautomatic weapons and an arms-crossed, “None shall pass” posture. He had his RSVP confirmation e-mail from HSUS in hand. It didn’t matter.
Fulton himself appeared at the door moments later to smirk: “Ain’t no way you’re getting in here.” And the door slammed behind him.
Shut Out
Fulton was right, of course. There was no way anyone from HumaneWatch was getting in. We’ve put serious pressure on HSUS to tell the truth about its goals and its history, so keeping us out in the cold was Wayne Pacelle's way of controlling the proceedings and dodging tough questions. It also gave him free rein to lash out at HumaneWatch (and our billboard) at least a half-dozen times during his presentation.
The hotel's Assistant Manager confirmed that HSUS had said anyone with a valid RSVP would be allowed to attend. But he added: “Later, today, we heard that there was a short list—5 or 6 people—who weren’t getting in no matter what. So far, you’re the only one of those who has shown up.”
So be it. But thanks to modern technology, we got regular text-messages and e-mails from inside. (Thanks to those of you who helped.)
Notes From the Non-Banned
We know that Wayne Pacelle commented on our Lincoln billboard, claiming that we’re giving out “false information,” and that HSUS has never claimed to fund pet shelters. Memo for Wayne: When 71 percent of the public thinks that’s what you do, and less than 1 percent of your money is actually doing it, there’s something horribly wrong.
By the way, Pacelle doesn’t know (or is ignoring) his own group’s history. HSUS used to have a 60-40 fundraising split with pet shelters in many states. HSUS kept the 40% share. Today it diverts roughly 99% to other animal-rights campaigns.
Pacelle also criticized the veterinary profession, claiming that they too often represent “industry”—which is a little like saying you shouldn’t trust doctors because some of their prescription pads have drug company logos on them.
He defended Californians’ decision to pass “Proposition 2” in 2008, without addressing the tremendous cost that legislation will add to the typical family’s grocery bill. No mention of the cost of pork in Sweden, or the price of eggs in Germany and Austria, all nations that have adopted HSUS-favored approaches.
Pacelle decried the loss of the “family farm”—as though any of HSUS's vegan leaders are more likely to eat or endorse free-range pork or cage-free eggs. (We all know they haven't.)
According to three meeting-goers we spoke with, Pacelle mostly preached to the choir. One farmer on his way out described the scene as something “like the State of the Union Address, where only one side of the room claps at the applause lines.” Another chimed in: "If this guy is in charge of how we farm and who gets to do what, I may as well pack it in."
In the question-and-answer period, Pacelle largely read questions from pre-written index cards, according to the same eyewitnesses, leaving little time for impromptu questions.
At least 40 people inside the meeting had copies of the five questions we suggested yesterday. Not one was permitted to ask them. Several said later that their attempts to ask questions were ignored.
Worth The Trip
Meeting the people of Lincoln was well worth the effort. With the exception of the HSUS personnel and their newest spokes-rancher, everyone was the perfect picture of politeness and warmth. (Even the armed guards were friendly while they did their job.)
David Martosko gave newspaper and TV interviews and passed out free HumaneWatch swag—t-shirts, bumper stickers, and handouts as people arrived.
He also followed Wayne Pacelle and Paul Shapiro as they snuck out of the hotel through a side entrance: “Would you like to explain why you excluded HumaneWatch from your meeting with armed guards?” Pacelle had no answer. (None that we can print, anyway.)
Move Over Michael Vick (Wayne Has a New BFF)
Afterward, our editor shared a discussion with a group of University of Nebraska grad students in animal science and veterinary medicine. Before long, the topic turned to Kevin Fulton and Wayne Pacelle, whose friendship was plain throughout the evening.
One animal science Masters Degree candidate had this to say: “I don’t have a problem with the grass-fed beef production that Kevin Fulton is pushing. I just have a problem when he attacks everything else.
“When Fulton characterizes conventional feedlots as ‘concentration camps,’ it shows his ignorance—and his intentions.”
Reached for a response on Sunday, Fulton said "I'd really rather not. Have a nice flight back to DC!"
Second-year veterinary student Jake Geis was equally direct about Wayne Pacelle: “I take offense at Pacelle’s statements that veterinarians who work with livestock are in the pockets of ‘industry’. We’ve devoted our lives to the betterment of these animals. We’re in this business because we love them.
“I think he’s lashing out at veterinarians because we’re calling his bluff. His suggestion that he knows more about animal welfare than a vet shows his agenda.”
Nebraska farmer Travis Dunekacke saved his disappointment for the fact that barely one-third of the audience consisted of ranchers, pork producers, and others in agriculture.
“The turnout of agriculture people that you would consider opposed to HSUS’s viewpoints was very poor,” he said. “Why not show up and hear the message, even if you disagree with it?”
Dunekacke acknowledged that Wayne Pacelle and HSUS have very little credibility with most Americans in animal agriculture, and it would be hard to convince them they’d hear anything new from him.
“I understand that, but they still should come. This is all about politics, and politics starts with education.”
On the other hand, the no-shows may have gotten the better end of the deal. Near the two-hour mark, two women from the agriculture school at the University of Nebraska emerged from the meeting room, heads shaking and eyes rolling.
Asked what Pacelle was up to inside, one replied without missing a beat: “Avoidance. He’s dancing around questions, not answering them, changing the subject. We had enough.”
Her friend added: “We’re going out for prime rib.”
Related Organizations
Posted on 11/22/2010 at 09:30 AM by the HumaneWatch Team
The Best of HumaneWatch • Animal Agriculture • Dairy • Eggs • Gov't, Lobbying, Politics • Meat • Veterinarians • (25) CommentsComments
I’d like to clarify something about the question format in last night’s meeting. Blank index cards were available prior to Mr. Pacelle’s talk. Attendees wrote their questions down during the talk and turned them in to a HSUS person. People could also come up and take the microphone and ask the questions themselves and many did, particularly agriculture professionals. They had a hard time getting a straight answer from Mr. Pacelle, and I agree completely with the statement that he danced around the actual questions asked.
The questions from the index cards, as selected by the HSUS member, were decidedly less ag-related. Which is fine, there were a lot of different viewpoints in attendance, but one question was read about stockpiling of ivory in Tanzania that didn’t seem to make sense to anyone. Meanwhile, many agriculture students told me afterward they had turned in questions that weren’t read. Not that there wasn’t enough time: my RSVP stated the meeting would go until 8:00, but Mr. Pacelle stopped taking questions at 7:15.
At the beginning, Mr. Pacelle made it very clear that he didn’t want to hear any long “speeches” of questions—understandable—and he enforced that when a rancher from Hyannis, NE, tried to force Mr. Pacelle to actually answer his question. However, when a 20+ year donor to HSUS got up to “ask” the last question, she was given free reign to rant and berate agriculture professionals in attendance for several minutes.
Agriculture professionals asked point-blank questions and got wishy-washy answers. We were told that one of the most technically advanced and researched professions in the world was “not adapting”. And folks, we just don’t care for that in Nebraska.
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing how things really went down.
Oh for a video and a poster size printout of the RSVP.
Gee. A highly-secretive group which claims to welcome open dialogue but then turns away all but the “anointed” with armed guards… Does the H$U$ increasingly resemble a cult, or is it just me?
This week is about being grateful, and I’m grateful that you went to Lincoln and exposed more of HSUS’s dirty little secrets. They were foolish to not allow HW in, especially after inviting ‘everyone’ then providing you with a response to your rsvp.
Also very grateful that vet students were in attendance. They had an opportunity to see what they’re up against, but I think it’ll make them stronger as they deal with AR vs AW in the future.
I attended an hsus meeting in wa. last month. There was only one, very over worked person, the wa. state hsus rep. If he were asked a question he would say “go to the hsus web page, all of the answers are there”. There were also only 50ish people present, probably at least half of us were there just to see how it went. The funniest question was to the rep - are you a vegan? He never did answer. HSUS can be controlled - we just have to keep working at it.
“David Martosko, research director of the Center for Consumer Freedom in Washington, D.C., was blocked by security from entering the meeting. An HSUS spokesman said he was barred because he had been disruptive at similar meetings in other states.
quoted in the Omaha World Record at http://www.omaha.com
Is this true David.. disruptive?? what did you do.. ask one the five questions.that Pacelle does not want to answer.?? Wonder who the “spokesperson” was? .. Several of us “regulars” have faced the same thing when attending HSUS events.. they say ALL when they really mean “those who agree with us”.. and have blocked our attendance at public meetings..
When you were denied entrance, know you are in good company.. and thanks for the billboard.. looks great!
I have heard from a pork producer that he and his boss were both denied invites to this open “meeting”.
Also, I believe Kevin Fulton is using HSUS as a marketing tool. He exploits things he obviously knows nothing about in an attempt to differentiate his product as “better” than the norm. By associating himself with Wayne Pacelle he is getting tons of free press.
Fulton operates with interns, who are (in my experinece with interns in the ag industry) poorly compensated or not at all, in attempt to gain experince. How can he truly market his “farm” as porfitable when the labor is more than likely free or very cheap compared to what the rest of the ag industry deals with.
I wanted to add a thank you to all of those who attended or attemped to. You all did a great job of confronting Wayne!
Couple of points:
- They never claimed they support shelters? Really? All those ads on TV certainly give that impression. And didn’t Wayne on his blog just recently claim that HSUS gave 40 million or some such to local shelters? So which is it Wayne? You can’t seem to get your story straight.
- The ‘industry’ attack is a cheap way to avoid actually arguing the facts and also conveniently directs attention away from how HSUS has policies that certainly would benefit certain businesses like the organic and “sustainable living” industries. I wonder HSUS, do you get any kickbacks from the organic industry? It’s also hypocritical considering how much HSUS leeches from various corporations and that they are in the back pocket of certain business owners like Mr. Fulton.
@RoseE: Good points! Seems that quite a few ‘natural’ (or however you want to describe them) farms operate with interns, some of whom pay for the privilege of working on such farms. It’s a perfect opportunity for the farm owner to share his belief system with young and often starry-eyed people who think they want to be farmers.
The most unfortunate part of this whole thing is that those who are not involved in agriculture will see controversy in an industry that simply cannot take any more division. Hopefully, the food-consuming public will be open-minded enough to seek the truth and learn that if HSUS manages to impose its fat wallet ideas on more farms, food prices will soar out of control as farms go out of business.
@ David
Thank you for making the long trip and proving that they are liars. If they told even one person that you had “crashed” their parties in ANY place, then you have the proof.
We appreciate you and all you do, as CONSUMERS.
I suspect that the HSUS apparent embrace of sustainable, organic, grass fed livestock is just another facet of their divide and conquer strategy. The suckers who fall for the HSUS line, will find themselves out in the cold with no one left to defend them when the HSUS succeeds in destroying every other livestock producer.
I am a big supporter of local, organic, sustainable farms, particularly the small family farms. It would be nice if everyone had access to the resources I have close to my home, but most people don’t. Everyone needs to eat and we need farmers to supply the food.
Farmers are business people and they respond to market pressures just like any other business. If they can supply what the market wants and make a reasonable profit, they will do it, whether it is mass produced inexpensive eggs or pastured heritage hogs.
Just note what HSUS was able to do in Missouri. A few urban counties passed proposition B which is narmful to the pt and ag industries. Be warned about this group of people. I hope we are able to continue to show the real HSUS
I’ve had range fed beef from Whole Foods and it was quite good the way they cooked it .....I didn’t buy meat and cook it. The brisket was what I had but I’m not going back there for anything again…..now that being said, I’m picky on my steaks…some restaurants that are not expensive have very good meat…..but if I’m going to toss it on a grill, corn-fed Prime is the way to go (or at a great restaurant <G>)...Allen Brothers works for me…but if I have a great steak from them, I don’t need veggies to go with it either!
Obviously Fulton intends to be part of the beef monopoly. It’s not the first time in history that such a group has tried this. Fulton is so very childish, isn’t he?
What, exactly, is Fulton’s full bio? Does he come from a long line of ranchers/farmers or is he one of the new “ones” who made a bunch of money elsewhere and is now living his fantasy of being a rancher.
I think we may be learning where all the money went that was stolen from the savings and loans.
I love whining Wayne’s comment about “the family farm vanishing”.... Yes, with most people living in cities and suburbs, the “family farm” designed only to actually raise enough livestock and/or vegetables to actually feed JUST THE FAMILY is a thing of the past.
I was there in Lincoln taking care of my nephew and neice. My nephew is 13 and my niece is 8. I decided to take my nephew.
After about an hour listening to the BS, we left. I will not forget what my nephew said about Wayne’s: “If there is a country called BS then that guy must be the king.” I laughed.
He really did avoid a lot and only chose questions that they liked. Also with the 20+ years member it seemed that he was picking favorites. My nephew wanted to ask a question about the effects of the puppy mill bill in MO. They just said that it “helps.” When he wanted to ask another question they just ignored him.
You can’t say they’re not consistent - say one thing, do another.
How can they have ANY credibility with anyone at all? Is it a case of ‘love is blind?
I am a rescue volunteer based in PA. I’m not a supporter or detractor with regards to Humane Watch - I just learned about HW today, found your website so I could read more about the Humane Society’s tax returns (this is the first I’ve learned that they only donate 1% of donations to shelters!), and came across the criticism of Kevin Fulton. I don’t like the fact that Kevin Fulton personally snubbed you at this event by publicly inviting everyone and then shutting the door in your face - which is clearly rude and uncivil - but I am questioning your decision to target him and mix in your criticisms of his behavior with other, more general criticisms of the Humane Society. Despite your disapproval of Fulton’s decision to have a relationship with HS, I think that small-scale farms should be supported. Such criticisms might be valid, and I would pay attention to a blog post that detailed such complaints. Yet, this post seems to pick apart his character solely because of the unfortunate personal snub and Fulton’s decision to have a relationship with HS/Pacelle.
Doesn’t focusing on the people who choose to have a relationship with HS kind of detract from HW’s goal- to pressure HS into greater transparency and fiscal responsibility? How does HW as an organization have enough time/energy to focus on finding ways to make HS actually help and donate to shelters and the homeless dogs, cats and other animals they serve - when so much ink is devoted to picking apart a cattle farmer’s choice to get cozy with HS? I haven’t closed the book on whether or not to follow HW’s work- I will of course keep reading your site and I deeply appreciate the important muckraking journalistic work you are doing to bring attention to how HS spends its donations.
Anyways- you probably don’t even care whether or not I support your site! But as someone who is passionate about animal rescue and would like to see more shelters receive the funding that HS is so great at securing, I really do hope that HW can tone down the inflammatory language directed at people who surround Wayne Pacelle.
@ Alisa - “Anyways- you probably don’t even care whether or not I support your site! But as someone who is passionate about animal rescue and would like to see more shelters receive the funding that HS is so great at securing, I really do hope that HW can tone down the inflammatory language directed at people who surround Wayne Pacelle.”
I hope you’ll stick around. If you do, you’ll see why there is no point in expecting any funding support from HSUS, now or in the future, and also that Wayne Pacelle is toxic, as are those who surround him.
Animal rights is 180 degrees opposed from animal *welfare*. In fact, the leaders of the AR organization have openly stated that animal welfare slows their goals, and they don’t support it. They have hijacked the term ‘animal welfare’ in their talking points, because they know that’s what people actually support, but the reality is that well kept, well treated animals don’t support their mission. They need all the animal abuse they can find to keep people sending money to them, and when they can’t find it they have no qualms about creating it, or, when the chips are down, committing it themselves.
Any means to an end.
Animal rights is about ending all human use of animals, including pets and service animals.
“We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding. . One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.” Wayne Pacelle, CEO of Humane Society of the US, formerly of Friends of Animals and Fund for Animals, Animal People, May, 1993
To this end, AR organizations actively OPPOSE no-kill sheltering, and HSUS dumps all it’s rescues into underfunded (HSUS is getting the funding) public shelters, most will kill rates well over 50%.
When asked if he envisioned a future without pets, “If I had my personal view, perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another dog or cat born.” Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 266.
That’s pretty telling, don’t you think?
“My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.” JP Goodwin, employed at the Humane Society of the US, formerly at Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade, as quoted on AR-Views, an animal rights Internet discussion group in 1996.
Hard to turn that into support for animal *welfare*, wouldn’t you say? And regardless of their ads and cleverly edited videos, they are targeting small, traditional farmers, not CAFO. Not yet, anyway.
Stick around - animal rights is in no way good for animals, nor for animal lovers. And HSUS is an animal RIGHTS organization.
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I’m curious who the others of the 5-6 uninvited were