Escondido City Council Protects Special Interests Rather Than Animals

I'm a big fan of cultural diversity, but not when it crosses the line of animal abuse. And charreada does that, Big Time. Mexico's national sport, as practiced in the U.S., features nine standard scored events, three of which involve the roping of running horses by the legs, risking life and limb. In an equally brutal event, "steer tailing" ("colas"), a mounted charro (cowboy) grabs a running steer by the tail, wraps the tail around his leg and stirrup, then rides off at an angle, dragging or slamming the hapless steer to the ground. Tails may be broken, even ripped off ("degloved"), and horses may suffer broken legs when the steers run the wrong way. Some "sport"! None of these events are standard ranching practice in the U.S., nor are they sanctioned by any American-style rodeo association (which has its own share of problems; calf roping should be banned outright, too, of course). If the City DOES provide land for the charros, it should be only on the condition that (1) these four events are banned, (2) that an ON SITE veterinarian be there to care for injured animals, (3) two weeks advance notice be given to local animal control and the humane society of any upcoming rodeos or charreadas. Consider these words of wisdom from Cesar Chavez, whose birthday we celebrate on March 31. This is from a letter he wrote to me in 1990 (copies available upon request): "Kindness and compassion towards all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or against animals, is not the exclusive province of any one culture or community of people. Racism, economic deprival, dog fighting and cockfighting, bullfighting and RODEOS are cut from the same fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves." Words to live by. Sincerely, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS, Oakland email [email protected]
— March 15, 2011 11:17 p.m.

Escondido Citizen Speaks Out Against Asociación de Charros

Randy, as your fellow Texan Jim Hightower noted, "If you get any dumber, we're gonna have to water you twice a week1" (Said about KY Senator Mitch McConnell, but if the shoe fits....and it does.) FYI, there are scads of scientific studies out there documenting the emotions of nonhuman animals. Look 'em up! Surely you don't think humans are the only animal to have emotions. Do you? Also, please get your facts straight before mouthing off. ACTION FOR ANIMALS is NOT incorporated, never was. It's mostly just me, doing what I can to help animals. The bulk of my "funding" comes from my monthly Social Security check. And if you're so bent on doing a "study" to see if horse tripping and steer tailing are harmful to the animals (duh), fund the damned thing yourself, tightwad! Why in the world would you dare to presume that Steve Hindi, I, or anyone else with half a brain would be interested in underwriting such a stupid study with such an obvious outcome? Put your money where your big and ignorant mouth is, Randy. And maybe check with a REAL lawyer before you sue the State of Nebraska for "discrimination." Good luck on that one! Cheers, Eric Mills ACTION FOR ANIMALS
— February 1, 2011 3:16 p.m.

Escondido Citizen Speaks Out Against Asociación de Charros

Just "rhetoric," Mr. Janssen? Hardly. I've seen charreada, as you know. Here in Alameda County, CA in the 1990's I saw the horses in the "horse tripping" event doing sommersaults, crashing into the arena's walls, defecating and urinating in fear. One even screamed. One needn't be a livestock professional to condemn this brutality. Nor should you forget the 11 seriously-injured steers in the "coleadero" at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds (Denver) last August: broken pelvis, broken leg (both destroyed), plus 7 steers whose tails had been "degloved" (stripped to the bone). But, hey! That's O.K., you wrote to me, because the charros were "having fun." The mind boggles. And how about the 4-part series, "Renegade Rodeos," on KABL TV in Los Angeles back in 1993? Reporter Christine Lund documented numerous injuries in that series, including three horses who suffered broken legs in the steer tailing event when the steers ran the wrong way. Get thee to a therapist, Mr. Janssen. You're a sick man if you think this mistreatment of animals is acceptable. Even Cesar Chavez was opposed. Both horse tripping ("manganas" and "piales"), as well as the even more brutal steer tailing event, should be banned nationwide. And will be, methinks. Cheers, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS
— January 31, 2011 6:28 p.m.

Escondido Citizen Speaks Out Against Asociación de Charros

Readers should be aware that Randy Janssen (above) is a charreada promoter and horse tripper himself, from San Antonio, Texas. And a lawyer, if you can believe it. Mindy is right, of course. The mere fact that the animals are fearful and stressed out should be enough for them not to be abused in this fashion. Mr. Janssen hosts a website: www.legalizehorsetripping.com. (I'm not making this up!) Well worth a look. As for the two videos he promotes, it's quite easy to cherry-pick and make everything look rosy. The same could be done for any "sporting" event. I received an e-mail from Mr. Janssen last year making mock of the 11 steers injured at the Jefferson Co. Fairgrounds near Denver (broken pelvis and broken leg--both euthanized; 7 others with their tails stripped off). As Mr. Janssen wrote to me, "So what? The fun the charros had, and the time spent training their horses made it all worth while. And it keeps kids out of gangs and away from drugs." (I'm not making THIS up either.) So much for compassion. Nor does Mr. Janssen believe that animals (other than the human kind) have emotions, flying in the face of overwhelming scientific documentation to the contrary. At least the PRCA requires veterinarians on-site to care for injured animals. The professional charro associations do not. Their rules also allow a steer to be "tailed" three times a day, whereas in American rodeo (which has its own share of problems), the animals can be used only once per day. (And "anything goes" at the nonsanctioned events.) Again, neither horse tripping (3 events) nor steer tailing is a standard ranching practice anywhere in the U.S., nor are they sanctioned by any American-style rodeo association. These four events should be banned nationwide (and soon will be, methinks). Even Cesar Chavez would agree. Cheers, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS
— January 30, 2011 11 p.m.

Escondido Citizen Speaks Out Against Asociación de Charros

Melinda Santa Cruz is my hero! Excellent testimony before the Escondido City Council, and I would encourage others to do likewise. Be aware that charreadas (Mexican-style rodeos) have nine standard scored events, three of which involve lassoing the legs of running horses (either front or rear legs). In another, "steer tailing" (aka "colas," or "coleadero"), a mounted charro (cowboy) grabs the tail of a running steer from horseback, wraps the tail around his leg and stirrup, then rides his horse off at an angle, either dragging or slamming the steer to the ground. Bruises and contusions are routine. Tails may be broken, even stripped off ("degloved"), and horses may suffer broken legs when the steers run the wrong way. Some "sport"! If the Escondido charro arena does find a new home, at the VERY LEAST these four events should be banned. I'm a big fan of cultural diversity, but not when cruelty to animals is involved. This nonsense must stop, and state and local legislation is in order. Simple tradition justifies nothing. Even Cesar Chavez opposed this abuse. (I have his 1990 letter for anyone desiring a copy.) ALL STATE LEGISLATORS MAY BE WRITTEN C/O THE STATE CAPITOL, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814. Sincerely, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS Oakland email- [email protected]
— January 28, 2011 7:05 p.m.

Asociación de Charros de Escondido Evicted for Ballpark?

I'm a big fan of cultural diversity, but I draw the line at animal abuse. And charreada crosses that line Big Time. Your readers need to know that the Mexican-style rodeo called charreada features nine standard events, only three of them near-identical to American-style rodeo: bull riding, bareback bronc riding, and team roping (all with their share of problems). But charreada features THREE events in which running horses are roped by their legs, putting them at great risk of serious injury: "manganas a caballo" (roping the horse's front legs from horseback); "manganas a pie" (roping the horse's front legs while on foot); and "piales" (in which the horse's HIND legs are roped). In the even more brutal "steer tailing" event ("colas," or "coleadero"), a mounted charro grabs the tail of a running steer, wraps the tail around his leg and stirrup, then rides his horse off at an angle, dragging or slamming the hapless animal to the ground. Bruises and contusions are routine, tails may be broken, even torn off, and horses sometimes suffer broken legs when the steers run the wrong way. Some "sport"! Steer tailing was banned in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, CA in 1993, and by the State of Nebraska in 2008. The Board of Supervisors for San Diego County should follow suit. Ditto the Escondido City Council. None of these events are standard ranching practice anywhere in the U.S., nor are they sanctioned by any American-style rodeo association. CONSIDER THIS EXCERPT FROM A LETTER WHICH CESAR CHAVEZ WROTE TO ME IN 1990: "Kindness and compassion towards all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or against animals, is not the exclusive province of any one culture or community of people. Racism, economic deprival, dog fighting and cockfighting, bullfighting and rodeos are cut from the same fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves." Words to live by. TIME FOR STATE LEGISLATION TO BAN THESE CRUELTIES: ALL LEGISLATORS MAY BE WRITTEN C/O THE STATE CAPITOL, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814. Sincerely, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS Oakland email - [email protected]
— January 16, 2011 11:35 a.m.

Unfair Game

"Unfair game"? Even more unfair is the fact that California has the LOWEST ratio in the entire nation of game wardens to population, with somewhere around only 192 in the field. And our wildlife suffers accordingly. Not acceptable! (By comparison, Florida has some 700 wardens, Texas 500.) Adding insult to injury, our beleaguered and heroic wardens earn only 3/5's the salary of a State Highway Patrolman, and are much more likely to be shot at. And, unlike the cops, the wardens are forced to take unpaid furloughs. Not fair. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and your state legislators, demanding pay equity for our wardens, and for at least a doubling of the number of wardens in the field. ADDRESS FOR ALL: c/o The State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. Sincerely, Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS Oakland
— September 2, 2009 8:59 p.m.