THE ONE-MINUTE ACTIVIST
This month, we ask our Senators to help Repeal the AETA Animal Enterprise “Terrorism” Act
April, 2008
Senator Edward Kennedy
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510Senator John Kerry
304 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510Dear Senator,
Despite the hundreds of organizations that declared their opposition to the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, AETA became law on November 27, 2006 upon receiving President Bush’s signature. Its stated purpose is “to provide the Department of Justice the necessary authority to apprehend, prosecute, and convict individuals committing animal enterprise terror.” But AETA is not limited to acts of violence or property destruction. It extends to anyone who attempts to, or conspires to, interfere with an animal enterprise, or with any person or entity associated with an animal enterprise, with the intent to cause economic damage or corporate profit loss. AETA offers no defense to activists who expose illegal activities. Animal researchers and factory farms that are operating illegally can use AETA to protect themselves from whistle blowers. The effect of AETA is to label social justice activists as terrorists when they work to expose animal cruelty, poor labor conditions, or environmental violations in agribusiness or the biomedical industries.
It's time to repeal AETA.
I would like to know where you stand on this issue. Please answer the Grassroots Netroots Alliance's 2008 Survey, making sure to answer question 1G which asks whether you support the full restoration of our Constitutional liberties, including an immediate repeal of laws that have been passed under the guise of the war on terror, but that threaten the ability of civil society to exercise our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly, to petition our government for a redress of grievances, and be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.
Thank you for your consideration,
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