Putting People First / May 31, 1994 =================================== PEOPLE'S BULLETIN =================================== News and notices in the struggle against animal rights and eco- extremists copyright@1994 Putting People First Permission to reproduce all or part of an item id freely granted on the condition that credit s given to Putting People First. Putting People First is a nonprofit organization of citizens who believe in western civilization; that we need to return to common sense in man's relationship with his fellow man; and that public policy should be based on science and rationality, not emotionalism. PO Box 1707 Helena, Montana 59624 (406) 442-5700 FAX (406) 449-0942 ====================================================================== GATT REMOVES TUNA BOYCOTT A panel of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) ruled that the United States boycott of tuna caught in purse seine nets is illegal. This ruling will be fought strongly by the environmentalist groups that forced the boycott in the first place. In the May 23rd Wall Street Journal, purse seine fishing is described as net fishing which "encircles both tuna and the dolphins with whom they often travel, causing many of the air-breathing dolphins to drown." In actuality, purse seine fishing as done by U.S. fishing boats is far better ecologically than what was forced on the tuna industry by the boycott. Under the purse seine fishing, the dolphin mortality rate is less than one percent, and large, male, yellow fin tuna which swim under dolphins, are taken rather that the female and young tuna which are being harvested now because of the boycott. Taking only the reproducing and the young tuna will cause a reduction in the number of tuna in the future. The GATT position is going to cause some friction with U.S. trade policy. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee said he was "extremely disappointed" in the decision. He indicated the decision "only further reinforces the need to work toward environmental reform in GATT." Critics have charged GATT would undercut U.S. environmental policies. U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor didn't comment on if the U.S. would block a GATT ruling. He did say the U.S. would refuse to alter the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which requires a boycott of tuna caught in purse seine nets. INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION MEETS IN MEXICO Next week the International Whaling Commission meets in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Two issues will be hot topics at the meeting. One is that Japan and Norway will be pushing to resume commercial whaling of minke whales on a small, sustainable yield basis. Norway took less than 300 of minkes last year -- legally -- in spite of the moratorium. Numerous animal rights and Green groups were pressuring President Clinton to place sanctions on Norway, but Clinton refused. The second big issue at the Conference will be the French proposal to set up a whale sanctuary in the Antarctic Ocean. Greens such as the Environmental Investigation Agency (that brought us the doctored film about pilot whaling by the Faroese), and Greenpeace (that brought us the doctored film about sealing), have pressured the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to purport that not only are giant sea mammals threatened by commercial whaling but, "in addition, whales and dolphins increasingly suffered skin burns because of the growing depletion of the ozone layer." According to Dr. S. Fred Singer, of the Science & Environmental Policy Project, "The NMFS paper presents a one-sided view; it ignores all published scientific evidence that disagrees with its cataclysmic thesis." The contention that whales and dolphins are suffering from a poxlike disease caused by the depletion of the ozone layer, is, according to Singer, "on a par with past hoaxes, since discredited, claiming that the temporary UV increase due to the ozone hole has produced blindness in Patagonian sheep, melanoma in Chilean babies, etc., etc." Greenpeace says that if they cannot get agreement on a sanctuary that includes minke whales, they will wait until next year's meeting and try again. -Contact: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Washington Science Center Bldg. 5, 6010 Executive Blvd. Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 713-2370 Fax (202) 482-6203 TIMBER SUMMIT FLOPS After all the hoopla last year in Portland at the Timber Summit, the Clinton Administration came up with a plan expected to placate both sides -- the timber industry and the environmentalists. The plan calls for an end to logging bans but with greatly reduced cutting levels compared to the high levels of the 80s, and requires more protection for wildlife. The timber industry has sued claiming the plan cuts too much logging and last week the environmentalists sued claiming the plan does not go far enough in protecting wildlife. EXTREMISTS TARGET BURGER KING Burger King has been targeted by animal extremists because the fast food franchise does not necessarily want to sell tofu burgers. That does not seem like a big deal. This is a free society. Businesses are allowed to choose what they want to sell. Or are they? Lorri Bauston. spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary, an organization backing the campaign to get Burger King owners to give up their rights and sell veggie-burgers nationwide, said in an AP news story that, "We need vegetarian options at fastfood restaurants. We need the convenience just like everyone else." The City Council of Berkeley, California has got involved, sending a letter urging Burger King to cave in. If there is a market for veggie-burgers, then some entrepreneurial vegetarian should open up their own fast-food restaurant, not try to overthrow American businesses by telling them what they MUST sell, or soon they will be telling them what they cannot sell -- meat. -Burger King is suffering an onslaught of negative letters generated by PeTA. To offer support write: Burger King P.O. Box 020783 Miami, FL 33102-0783 BUCKMASTERS TO SPONSOR THE LARGEST CELEBRATION OF HUNTING IN 1994 Buckmasters Country Jam Expo will be held in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia July 8 to 10. "Hunters Unite For Hunting" promises to be the Superbowl of the hunting industry. The Expo will include a gigantic consumer show, the Buckmasters Top Bow Indoor Shooting Series, and the first ever country rock concert hosted by Country Music Superstar Travis Tritt. The Charlie Daniels Band is scheduled to appear along with many other top country music entertainers. "We will be celebrating the hunting sportsman's role in conservation and wildlife management," reports Jackie Bushman, CEO and founder of Buckmasters, the nation's largest white-tailed deer hunting organization. -For information contact: Buckmasters P.O. Box 235006 Montgomery, AL 36223-5006 (205) 271-3337 Fax 205-244-6563 MONTANAN OFFERS FOURTH WILDERNESS BILL Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) has introduced the Montana Jobs Security and Lands Protection Act (S. 2125). He hopes this bill will end the sixteen year struggle to create a successful wilderness bill for Montana. Each of the other two men in the Montana Congressional Delegation have introduced their own versions of a wilderness bill. A bill written by Congressman Pat Williams (D-MT) recently passed the House. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) reintroduced what he calls a "compromise" bill, a bill that failed to pass two years ago. New York Congresswoman, Carolyn Maloney has added her own wilderness bill into the hopper. Burns' bill, the Montana Jobs Security and Lands Protection Act was written by a coalition of more than twenty grassroots groups, representing over 100,000 members. It designates almost 800,000 acres of Montana Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands as wilderness, nearly matching the amount judged suitable for wilderness by the U.S. Forest Service. It also considers resource jobs, and the people who hold them. Speaking about his bill Senator Burns said, "Some forget that we already have more wilderness than 46 other states and more than 3 times the wilderness of all the states east of the Mississippi combined! It is clearly time to look to the alternatives to locking up even more land." PLAN TO ATTEND THE WISE USE CONFERENCE The 1994 Wise Use Conference will be held in Reno, Nevada, July 15th through July 17th at the Gold Nugget Casino. Everyone who has an interest in Wise Use issues from environmentalism, animal rights, property rights, Second Amendment rights, and other Constitutional issues is welcome to attend. The conference schedule is packed with hands-on workshops and fact- filled seminars. On Friday, July 15th there will be a welcome reception from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Saturday, July 16th conference topics include: a workshop on what works and what doesn't, Opposition Research, Public Relations/Crisis Management, Grantsmanship Seminar, and a luncheon to salute the Wise Use heroes hosted by Perry Pendley. After lunch -- Legal Protection Seminar, the Information Highway Seminar, Crisis Political Action, and a Heroes Networking/ Brainstorming Session. Sunday, July 17th begins with a seminar on the Freedom of Information Act, Environmental Myths, Managing an Association, The Unholy Trinity as tools to make environmental legislation and Congress more responsive to the needs of people, and to finish the day, an open mike session. -Contact Putting People First for more information: P.O. Box 1707 Helena, MT 59624-0942 (406) 442-5700 Fax 449-0942