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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: the year in review * Donate to our advertising campaign ** Your information requested ** Let's expose the lies ** the truth will out **
NOTE: the best way to receive this newsletter is to subscribe directly. Although I post it on other lists, sometimes (for reasons unknown) they do not approve it - so you are subject to their whims. PLEASE CLICK HERE to subscribe directly. If you want to see past newsletters - CLICK HERE for our archive.
2014 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Our very best wishes to you for a happy and healthy New Year
While a long time in coming, this was a great year - the Year of the Horse - when the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages was finally introduced -- Intro 573. While the historic first bill was introduced by former Council Member Tony Avella in 2007, this is the first time a ban bill was backed by the Mayor and Speaker of the City Council. We know this will be a hard fight but we expect VICTORY!
This is the language of the bill, known as Intro 573. Text underlined is new; in brackets is removed. Bill highlights:
- The industry will be shut down by May 31, 2016 when the current licenses expire. They will not be renewed.
- Owners are prohibited from sending their horses to slaughter and are required to submit documentation to this effect.
- The maximum fine for violating any of the provisions of this law has been increased to $25,000.
- The drivers will be offered extensive job training for other industries
- The drivers will also be offered free a medallion for green or "hail" taxis, worth about $6,000.
PLEASE CALL YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS and ask them to support Intro 573 - the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. You can find out who your council member is by going to the Council web site and plugging in your address. CLICK HERE. DO NOT E-MAIL. It is not effective. The best way is to call their DISTRICT OFFICE.
These council members have taken a position on the bill.
- SUPPORT: These council members have signed on to support the bill: Daniel Dromm , Ydanis A. Rodriguez, Maria Del Carmen Arroyo, Margaret S. Chin, Mark Levine, Helen K. Rosenthal, You can call their offices and thank them for their support.
- OPPOSED: These Council Members have come out in opposition to the bill. Vincent Ignizo, Steven Matteo,Vincent Gentile; Elizabeth Crowley ; Mark Treyger, Mark Weprin, Andy King, Robert Cornegy, Costa Constantinides; Corey Johnson; Daneek Miller, Jumaane Williams
- WHAT TO SAY: Introduce yourself and say you are a constituent. Tell them that you would like the Council Member to sign on to Intro 573, the bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. You will probably speak with the person who answers the phone so they will not ask you more. IF THEY SAY that the Council Member is undecided - ASK THEM WHY and E-MAIL us at coalition@banhdc.org. THIS IS CRUCIAL.
OUTSIDE NYC? If you live outside NYC, you may call Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito at 212-828-9800
IDEAL: if you have time to make more calls, contact me at coalition@banhdc.org and I will provide you with a list of telephone numbers to call.
YOUR INFORMATION REQUESTED
Please help us move this campaign to the next level
I recently put out a request asking for your contact information so we can move to the next level -- thanks to those who already provided it. Starting in January, we need to target the NY City Council much more than we have been doing. This is crucial to support this legislation. We hope you will be involved. To that end, we need to collect the following information from you if you are a NYC resident.
- Name (first and last)
- Street address
- City, State and zip code
- Telephone Number
- E-mail address
Please e-mail coalition@banhdc.org -- or simply hit "reply" on this e-mail.
NOTE: if you live outside of NYC and want to be more involved, please provide the same information requested.
Please know that we will not share your personal information with anyone. Thank you for helping the horses. Together, we can do this.
OUR NEW SUBWAY AD
We need your help
This is our new subway ad. (It will be much larger, therefore legible.) At this time, we will be able to pay for 14 posters and have targeted several subway stations. Thanks so much to those who have contributed. We would love to do more with your help. Each poster - printing and placement - is about $600. We just received our approval for the subway ad and will run this campaign from mid January to February, covering Valentine's Day. We also expect to resume our newspaper ads in Metro sometime in January or February.
If you would like to support our new subway campaign or newspaper ads, please send your donation per the instructions on our web site. Thanks so much to those of you who have supported our ad campaign.
LET'S EXPOSE THE LIES IN 2015
stable land, horse slaughter and good union jobs
The media (led by the Daily News) has been able to get away with promoting this lie: that NYClass, led by Steve Nislick, wants the carriage horse stable property. That is his real motive and he does not care about the horses. It is not only a lie, but it does not make sense. Still, it is a concept that has developed legs. The genesis of this lie can be found in psychological projection -- those who deny the existence of greed and selfishness in themselves but attribute it to others - in this case Nislick. They cannot understand how someone with financial means could want to shut down this industry out of compassion for the horses. These are the same people who accuse activists of being paid by him - not understanding that we gladly do it for free.
This is a new blog I wrote about this issue. I hope you will read it and share. STEP-BY STEP TRUTH ABOUT NYCLASS AND THE CARRIAGE HORSE STABLES (not what you think) This is an excerpt from the article:
The two stables in question fall in the path of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project, which has been going on for more than ten years - many more years than NY Class has been in existence. The Byrne Brothers stable is on W. 37th St. and West Side Livery on W. 38th St. Whether or not the carriage trade comes to an end, these stables' days are numbered. There is nothing about either of these two properties that is special or desirable. The area is being built up and gentrified to service everyone. Google it and find out for yourself. We need to stop catering to the special needs of a few entitled people - the carriage owners.
THE TRUTH WILL OUT!
please be armed with the facts
The only way the carriage trade will win this battle for the horses is by getting people to believe their lies, which they have been doing all along, supported by the Daily News and other media. Let's not allow them to continue. They cannot win if the truth about them gets out. Please be armed with facts - such as the information here about the stables.
Lying is the only way they can make an argument. Please arm yourself with the truth. These are two of my favorite quotes about truth:
- The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. Winston Churchill
- Always tell the Truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said. Mark Twain
HELP OUR ORGANIZATION BY SHOPPING ONLINE - iGIVE
If you buy online, you can help the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
Through a free registration with iGive, when you buy merchandise on line, your purchase will help us. Many organizations give a percentage of the sale to not for profit organizations at no cost to you. There are more than 1500 stores that include such popular ones as Amazon.com, Staples, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble. Click here to get started.
On iGive - the name of our organization is "The Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc." Click here to begin.
PLEASE JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google Blog & Flickr
"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.
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Thank you for caring about the horses,
Elizabeth Forel - Coalition to Ban
Horse-Drawn Carriages - a standing committee
of The Coalition for New York City Animals,
Inc.
Please DONATE
to our campaign to ban
the inhumane and unsafe carriage horse industry.
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