San Antonio conference notes
Cheese consumption is a whopping 34% higher in the Northeast/Midwest than the South/West. Ice cream consumption is a whopping 19% higher in the Northeast/ Midwest than the South/West. What else is greater in the high dairy consuming states? Diabetes deaths are 9% higher. Cancer rates are 14% higher. Heart disease rates are 22% higher.
Robert Cohen
Robert Cohen, author of Milk: The Deadly Poison:
· 50% of cattle herds have leukemia
· the average cow lives 35 months on a farm, about 20 years is the natural life span
· one liter of milk is legally allowed to contain up to 750 million pus cells
· 53 slices of bacon contain the equivalent cholesterol of the average American's dairy intake every day
· a woman makes only a teaspoon of estrogen in a lifetime. Dairy products contain estrogen - we are getting more than we need
· Symptoms of dairy intake: irritability - Robert Cohen links to inner-city violence, where free school lunch programs are heavy on the dairy
· 1/2 of the cancers mice get, rats don't and vice versa. Anything can be proved either way with animal research, depending on the animal you choose.
· There are 30,000 different HUMAN tissue samples available for testing.
· The average American eats 666 lbs. of dairy products per year
· There are 5.4 million vegetarians in the USA. Each saves about 37 animals per year.
· Casein, a milk protein, is used to make plastic. When we eat casein, our body makes histamines to cope, resulting in lots of mucus. When we give up dairy, a gallon of mucus leaves our bodies.
· Milk is now fortified with vitamin D3, which comes from raw fish liver or the skin of pigs and sheep.
· The average American eats 3 vegetables: French fries, pickles and ketchup.
· Recommends reading "Sacred Cows and Golden Geese," by the Drs. Greek.
Ernest Samudio of Action for Animals in Austin:
Austin is working on restricting exotic animals in entertainment.
Steve Best, El Paso:
· Helped get justice for beaten elephant at El Paso Zoo: Elephants are routinely "beaten in" at zoos, in what is known as a "breaking session." In the case of Sissy at the El Paso Zoo, the USDA had videotape of the beating BEFORE the media, yet did nothing.
· Recommends reading "Animal Underworld: Inside America's Black Market for Rare and Exotic Species," by Alan Green.
· The Animal Finder's Guide is a twice-monthly publication of exotic animal ads.
· Exotic auctions in north Texas take place in the spring and summer.
· Canned hunts are illegal in Texas.
· "Wild Ranch" in Kerrville allows the hunting of exotics.Erv Strong, Dolphin Embassy USA, a future dolphin "halfway house" in Corpus Christi, Texas:
· You can't take something away from people without giving them something in return.
· Dolphin Embassy USA will be a place for water parks, etc. to retire their dolphins. They will be kept in semi-free conditions until released back to the wild.
· SeaWorld kills dolphins "for the children."
· The navy uses dolphins.
· Recommends the books, "To Free a Dolphin" and "Behind the Dolphin Smile."Steve Best on the media:
· We need the media but they need us. WE must control the message. Don't give the media the opportunity to portray you negatively. If they ask, "Aren't you blocking traffic?" Stay on the message, and answer. "We're here to protest turkey slaughter." Never say "but" or "however," or qualify anything you say. You can write your own news stories for newspapers. Use facts only, don't be totally biased.
· Opponents can turn into allies. Always find common ground and bring them into the coalition using that common ground.Tony Nocella, Houston Animal Rights Team:
· The animal rights community must be built up, as there is strength in numbers.
· The money we receive does not belong to the groups, but the animals.
· We all need to be leaders so that anyone can step up when needed.Joel Hailey, Esq.
· The Animal Law Institute will be holding its first conference in Dallas, Texas, on March 29-30, 2001.
· Steven Wise, author of "Rattling the Cage" will be there.
· If you sue an agricultural business that has been in operation for at least a year, you have to pay their court costs and attorney fees.Carol Avery, Earthfirst! San Antonio:
· The Sierra Club and other environmental groups fight for a human-managed environment, NOT a natural environment. We all know what "managed" means when it comes to animals.
