HSUS's Rabid Reaction Backfires
Did you read Humane Society of the United States CEO Wayne Pacelle’s blog on Monday? Don’t worry if you didn’t—not many people do. (HumaneWatch gets more traffic than Pacelle.) But if your cat clicked on something by mistake and you ended up there, you read Pacelle’s inhumane rant about the executive director of the Center for Consumer Freedom (which operates this project). Pacelle seemed to be cheesed-off to see the Los Angeles Times Sunday editorial page confirming the shocking truth of our recent full-page ads. And his unhinged reaction is leaving lots of Facebook users scratching their heads.
As usual, he’s short on facts and long on the sort of mouth-foaming smear campaign that he accuses us of running. Our entire budget is smaller than HSUS’s annual pension contributions, and yet we seem to be having a huge impact. That must absolutely drive Pacelle nuts, and his latest reckless rant is evidence of our effectiveness.
Strangely, we don't see his rant on HSUS’s Facebook page for the public to see. But we did notice it on the “Food Inc.” Facebook page. “Food Inc.,” if you haven’t seen it, was a one-sided 2009 schlock-u-mentary attacking large-scale animal agriculture.
We found it strange that the producers of this film would promote Wayne Pacelle’s nasty diatribe. After all, the small farms the film favored have just as much to lose from HSUS’s propagandizing as bigger farms. HSUS’s long-term aim is to “get rid of” all animal agriculture. A farm’s size, what its animals eat, and how they’re housed don’t really matter in the world of animal “rights.” The news media is heralding Wayne Pacelle as “the nation's top advocate for animal rights” (not animal welfare), so he ought to know.
The Food Inc. Facebook fan base seems to agree with us. As of this morning, a majority appears unhappy with the film’s producers championing HSUS as a friend of farm animals and their keepers. Here are some choice comments from the Facebook discussion:
Lisa: I support the work of Food Inc. I do NOT support the work of HSUS. For awhile, I gave donations, but then I kept getting gifts in the mail to try and get me to give more money, all the while spending the money I'd already donated to pay for the gift and postage. I have no respect for Wayne P.
Michael: You're falling for propaganda, research where the HSUS has been dumping money and you will be surprised.
Doni: While I love Food Inc. I cannot support HSUS.
Amy: I will not give ANY money or support to the HSUS or PETA, both are a joke when it comes to helping LOCAL shelters in need. Depressing that Food Inc supports them….
Marie: Support your LOCAL shelters and KNOW where your donations are going. Just because the HSUS supports Food Inc doesn't make them reputable in my eyes.
Janeen: My problem with HSUS is that they solicit funding through what I see as blatantly false advertising. HSUS implies through their name and their ads that they operate shelters.
Diane: To all of the HSUS supporters, your dollars would be better spent supporting local famers working hard to raise animals properly, rather than to a political lobby group trying to force their agenda on the entire country.
Mary Lou: I cannot express how disappointed I am that Food, Inc is supporting HSUS. Less than 1% of all the donations collected by HSUS goes to support animal shelters. The rest of the money goes to lobbyists, high salaries/pensions and fancy office buildings.
Kara: not a fan of HSUS at all!!!!!! if you want to donate, donate to a local shelter! you know where your $$ goes….
Molly: I think it's always better to donate to local organizations, they have a better idea what is needed at a local level.
Cristina: isn't HSUS like besties with PeTA?
