HORSE SENSE
Periodic updates about issues and actions concerning New York City's Carriage Horses
Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
www.banhdc.org
Horses Without Carriages International
www.horseswithoutcarriages.org
PLEASE FORWARD TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES - In this issue: * * carriage trolls resort to new low ** Telephone Tuesday** Ourturn.net on industry personal attacks ** Upcoming demos ** Do you buy online? Help us by signing up with i-Give **
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STILL WAITING FOR MAYOR DEBLASIO ...
The Mayor's office continues to say that the bill will be introduced. When is anyone's guess. in the meantime, we will continue to share with you articles and blogs about this issue. The struggle goes on. The other side has been engaged successfully in a campaign of untruths and hyperbole with the help of people like Liam Neeson and entities like the NYDaily News and the Post.
SUPPORTERS OF CARRIAGE TRADE PULL HOAX
Please excuse the vile message created by carriage trolls
The carriage drivers are tweeting this image around today saying "The #BanHorseCarriages crowd defaced the NYSHC receipt book at the @EquusFilmFest last night." This is an outright lie. We do not resort to such coarse, absurd childishness. The tweet is by Justice4Horses
@NYC4horses, one of the many Twitter accounts of a well known carriage driver originally from Philadelphia.
The receipt book is a hoax. We do not know who did this or even if they had such a book at this film festival. We were outside the Equine film festival in Harlem on Friday night, protesting the Liam Neeson film, which is filled with hyperbole and lies and which we have disputed. It is our first amendment right and we do it with style. We educate and hand out factual literature.
We know it is only a matter of time before this inhumane and unsafe business is history. We do not have to do something so meaningless as to scribble on a receipt book, which could have come from anywhere. Fortunately we learned only a few people were at the film showing - and most of them on our side. Several people came out to tell us they support a ban wholeheartedly. We made good connections.
DON'T FORGET: TELEPHONE TUESDAY - November 25th
Please take a few minutes to call your Council Member
Telephone Tuesday is our new initiative to help you remember to make your call to your Council Member. Please take a few minutes to call your Council Member -- if you have not yet done so. Thanks to all of you who have made the calls -- particularly those who called from outside NYC. Thanks for caring so much.
Your participation is the only way to make a difference -- not standing on the side lines and expecting someone else to do it. If you do not make the small effort to call your Council Member, how do you expect they will know your views?
Eleven months into the deBlasio administration and we are no closer to shutting down the inhumane and unsafe carriage trade than we were one year ago. Please contact your council member and ask him or her to support a bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. CALL THEM. Do not e-mail or fax. These methods of communication are more likely to be ignored.
- NYC RESIDENTS: www.council.nyc.gov -- Call your Council Member.
- OUTSIDE NYC: Call Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito's office. 212-828-9800
Instructions
- http://www.council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml
- Plug in your address to find out who your Council Member is.
- Look for the telephone number for the District Office.
- SUGGESTED SCRIPT - YOU: Good morning, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent. I live on [your address] I support an unconditional ban on horse-drawn carriages and I would like to know what [your Council Member's name] position is on this issue. You might also tell them it is a public safety issue and it is inhumane. If you live outside of NYC, call Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's office and tell them were you live.
- COUNCIL OFFICE: the person who answers the phone may transfer you to someone else or suggest you call the Legislative Office or actually take the message.
- YOU: If they support a ban - thank them; If they are on the fence ask them why and if they would be open to receiving some links to articles. If they are against the ban - ask them why and if they would be open to receiving some links to articles.They might say that there a bill had not yet been introduced. Tell them that the Mayor has said a bill will be introduced soon and you want to know in general whether they would support a ban or not.
- IMPORTANT: If they say they would be willing to receive some information, ask them for the e-mail address of a specific person - maybe the Chief of Staff, maybe the Legislative Aide. Do not agree to send it to their office e-mail. You can say that you want to be sure someone receives it.
- Note: If the Council Office is not able to give you an answer, tell them that you will follow up in a week. Tell them this is a very important issue and you would like an answer. And follow up.
THESE ARE THE ARTICLE LINKS:
RESULT OF PHONE CALL: Please let us know what happened - e-mail us at coalition@banhdc.org
SAVE THE DATE - UPCOMING CARRIAGE HORSE DEMOS
Next demo is next Sunday 11/30
Please note the demos for November and December:
- Sunday November 30th
- Saturday December 6th - Horses Without Carriages International Day
- Sunday December 14th
- Saturday December 20th
- Sunday December 28th
- TIME: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
- LOCATION: Hack line - north/west side of Central Park South off Fifth Avenue
As the weather gets colder, please dress warmly so you will feel comfortable standing outside for a few hours. This means warm socks, gloves, scarves, hats - the usual. We supply all posters and flyers. This is a "silent" protest. We do not chant and we ask that you do not engage in any altercations with the drivers or their passengers. The purpose of these events is to educate tourists and others about this trade.
RESORTING TO PERSONAL ATTACKS
WARNING: Hate-filled, homophobic, vulgar language ahead (in embedded video).
Unable to Debate the Issue, Animal Abusers Resort to Personal Attacks - 11/18/14 - by Donny Moss / Theirturn.net -- People who exploit animals for profit or entertainment should know that animal rights protests come with the territory and are a cost of doing business. But instead arguing their point of view, exploiters often resort to vulgar personal attacks that validate the very argument that the activists are making - that they are abusive people.
The last paragraph reads "Perhaps some animal exploiters employ personal attacks because they can't argue on the merits of the issue. Activists, on the other hand, have the truth on our side. We should therefore stick to the issue and avoid the temptation to fight back with personal attacks in the heat of the moment." Please read the entire article by clicking here.
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"Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever
has." Margaret Mead.
