Dog Owners' Oprah Alert

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JCC

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I know I have not posted on here a lot as a new member, but I received this email and have been asked to cross-post it to get the word out. This is from a group that supports our rights as animal owners and farmers.

Crossposted with permission:
> >
> > Dog Owners' Oprah Alert
> >
> > by JOHN  YATES
> > The American Sporting Dog  Alliance
> > http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
> >
> > Dog owners might  be in for another bashing on Friday, when ultra-
> > liberal talk show host Oprah  Winfrey does a special program
> > on "puppy mills." Winfrey's star reporter,  Lisa Ling, went
> > undercover in commercial breeding kennels to do an expose on  the pet
> > store trade.
> >
> > Although the commercial trade in pet store  puppies has nothing to do
> > with the vast majority of dog owners and breeders,  sensationalistic
> > news coverage tars us with the same brush. To the liberal  animal
> > rights mindset, all breeders are either "puppy mills" or "backyard
> > breeders," and this always translates into more laws that harm only
> > the  innocent. Moreover, the hidden agenda of the animal rights
> > movement is the  ultimate elimination of animal ownership, and their
> > strategy is to pick us  off one group at a time.
> >
> > The American Sporting Dog Alliance (ASDA) does  not know how Winfrey
> > and Ling will approach the topic, but we are not  optimistic that it
> > will be a fair, balanced and reasonably objective report.  Based on
> > the normal biased reporting we see about dog breeding, and  Winfrey's
> > close personal ties with animal rights groups, we would expect  them
> > to take their cameras into a couple of "worst case" kennels, and
> > then by inference say or imply that all kennels and breeders are  bad.
> >
> > Expect to take a thumping from one of the wealthiest and most
> > powerful animal rights activists on Earth. According to a report in
> > Women's Day magazine, billionaire Winfrey feels that leaving a cool
> > $30  million to her own five dogs in her will is not even slightly
> > extravagant.  Inflation, you know.
> >
> > Winfrey was partners with the radical Humane Society  of the United
> > States in a movement aimed at destroying cattle ranching  because of
> > alleged food safety issues from eating beef, and they were
> > codefendants in a lawsuit brought by the industry.
> >
> > This month,  Winfrey has been giving serious consideration to an
> > invitation to appear in  nude photographs sponsored by one of the
> > most extreme animal rights groups  in America, People for the Ethical
> > Treatment of Animals, pop tabloids  report. The nude photos would be
> > for PETA's "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear  Fur" campaign. Winfrey's
> > concern reportedly is not about endorsing PETA. The  tabloids report
> > that she is worried that nude photos might offend voters and  harm
> > the presidential campaign of Barrack Obama, whom she has strongly
> > endorsed.
> >
> > On Friday, we can expect a thumping with no opportunity to  defend
> > ourselves. The Winfrey/Ling style of journalism is to exploit highly
> > emotional topics and sensationalize them to twang the heartstrings
> > of a  predominantly middle class audience of liberals who are looking
> > for the next  "do-gooder" cause to embrace. It looks like saving the
> > whales or feeding  starving people in Somalia aren't fashionable this
> > year. Pity the poor  whales. Pity the poor Somali refugees.
> >
> > And pity the poor dog owners! A  campaign against dog owners and
> > breeders has become the latest fashionable  cause for the glitz and
> > glitter crowd of celebrities.
> >
> > The question  is, what are we going to do about it?
> >
> > For myself, I'm just plain sick and  tired of being unfairly bashed.
> > I guess I just wasn't raised to be a  punching bag.
> >
> > But, you might be asking, how can we fight back against the
> > wealthiest and most powerful media mogul in America? How can we
> > fight  that kind of power? How can we fight someone who wills $30
> > million to her  dogs when we're trying to figure out how to pay last
> > month's electric  bill?
> >
> > I think we can do it, if we get off of our butts and actually do
> > it. There are hundreds of thousands of people who breed dogs because
> > they love them - show dogs, performing dogs, hunting dogs, obedience
> > dogs, field trial dogs, companion dogs and just plain dogs. In
> > addition,  there are millions of dog owners who love their animals
> > and thank breeders  for doing the fine job that they know we do in
> > improving temperament,  genetic soundness, utility, beauty and health.
> >
> > If we join together in  this, we can be a formidable force.
> >
> > My thoughts are that a boycott of  Winfrey's advertisers would be the
> > most effective strategy. If several  hundred thousand dog owners and
> > breeders were to contact advertisers on the  Oprah show and refuse to
> > buy any of their products, they would be forced to  take notice.
> >
> > Please understand that I am not talking about censoring  Winfrey's
> > opinions. I would fight for her right to express any opinion she
> > chooses, and also for her right to present and endorse the views of
> > animal rights groups on her program.
> >
> > However, journalistic ethics  demands fairness, balance and
> > objectivity if programming purports to be  reporting the news. If
> > Oprah wants to do a report on dog breeding, that's  fine. But the
> > report should be fair to us and give us the opportunity to  balance
> > the views of the animal rights groups with our side of the  story.
> >
> > I don't expect that Oprah will hold to the same standard of ethics
> > that I did as a newspaper reporter. I expect that her report will be
> > a  hatchet job on dog owners and breeders. The promotional blog for
> > Friday's  Oprah Show gives us an idea of what we can expect:
> > http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/44908. Read it for yourself.
> >
> > A  boycott of advertisers just might convince Oprah to undergo an
> > ethical  reformation. Most of her advertisers won't like the idea of
> > losing several  hundred thousand customers so that Oprah can preach
> > sermons against dog  owners and breeders.
> >
> > When I worked on newspapers, there was a cynical  wisecrack that my
> > bosses sometimes told me when they didn't like something I
> > wrote. "There is freedom of the press in America - for anyone who
> > owns a  press." That meant I didn't own the press.
> >
> > It takes a lot of money to own  a TV show. Oprah has that kind of
> > money, and she earned it, but it has gone  to her head. Now she
> > sneers at the rights and lives of ordinary people who  made her a pop
> > star, and that includes dog owners and breeders.
> >
> > The  Internet is the great equalizer. One of the beauties of the
> > Internet is that  it allows everyone to truly have the rights of free
> > speech and free press.  The Internet has become the printing press of
> > ordinary people, and now it  reaches a reported 80-percent of
> > American households.
> >
> > Television  represents the past, when Oprah's kind of money and power
> > controlled the  right of a free press. The Internet has given us our
> > voice.
> >
> > The  American Sporting Dog Alliance is asking all dog owners and
> > breeders to  watch the Oprah Show on Friday and form your own
> > opinions. Then, if she does  the kind of hatchet job we expect,
> > please bombard her with emails expressing  your displeasure.
> >
> > Then, we need to get organized for a campaign to reach  her
> > advertisers. In order to get ready, ASDA is asking readers of this
> > report to email us a list of every advertiser that supports the
> > Oprah  Show. ASDA is willing to organize this campaign. Also, please
> > let us know if  you are able to help with it. Our email address is
> > [email protected].
> >
> > The American Sporting Dog Alliance works at the  grassroots to defend
> > the rights of dog owners and professionals against the  very real
> > threats of animal rights activism. Please visit us on the web at
> > http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org. We maintain strict
> > independence and are supported only by the voluntary donations of
> > our  members.
> >
> > While the Oprah segment may be about "puppy mills," the laws  that
> > her friends in PETA and HSUS are proposing really are targeting dog
> > owners and hobby breeders, with the goal of reducing and ultimately
> > eliminating animal ownership. These same radical groups also want to
> > eliminate hunting, ban the ownership of firearms, forcibly convert
> > us to  vegan vegetarianism and destroy American farming traditions.
> >
> > "Puppy  mills" are not the issue. Existing federal, state and animal
> > cruelty laws  already intensively regulate commercial kennels. You
> > are the issue. These  groups want to destroy the things that you love
> > and believe in.
> >
> > Does  Oprah have a conscience? She is leaving $30 million to support
> > five dogs  that she loves and apparently believes she is doing
> > something right by  supporting animal rights groups.
> >
> > But she is being suckered. She is  supporting groups that believe
> > that the only unexploited dog is a dead dog.  The truth is that PETA
> > slaughters 97-percent of the dogs that enter the
> > organization's "shelter" in Virginia. They would rather kill those
> > dogs  than help them find a loving home.
> >
> > Please forward this posting to as  many people as you can, and also
> > cross-post it on message boards. We need to  reach as many people as
> > possible quickly
> >
> >
> >
> > "The HSUS  is NOT a government entity, and DOES NOT shelter
> > poor little homeless puppies  and kittens but is the most powerful
> > political lobby in the world for taking  away pet owners rights through
> > a radical Animal Rights  Agenda."
> >
(dog)
 

red

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LaRue, Ohio
(welcome) JCC!  (dog)

The Amish near us have huge puppy mills. about 250 dogs.

Red
 

justme

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Remember what she did to the beef industry single handedly when mad cow came out?  This lady is over stepping her boundaries.  Why don't she worry about a "real" cause like hungry kids here in the USA, or adoption of children here in the USA?  I don't advocate abusing a dog.  My dogs are some of my best friends.  There are good and bad breeders out there...but aren't there that in every industry?  I breed corgis, my corgis are some of the happiest little guys out there.  I'd love for them to come here and interview me and see my dogs.

Whew enough Monday morning venting lol
 

kanshow

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All of the dog lists are buzzing with this info.  I didn't watch it and forgot to DVR it so I'm blissfully unaware of whatever tree Oprah is barking up now.    Word is out that it wasn't as bad as it what they (dog show people) thought it would be. 
 

red

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I think neglect in any thing w/ animals is sad. Once again bunching a category into one group.

Red
 

knabe

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oprah has stolen the soul of upwardly mobile women in america.

sometimes when i watch that show, it's like watching jim jones.
 

shorthorns r us

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the kennels she visited were mostly amish owned.  i've been to a few that were worse than she had on.  the dogs they were picking up were due to be destroyed for the various reasons, primarily overbreeding and just being worn out.  the thing that i believe the general public found the most shocking is that the dogs were going to be shot rather than put down by a vet.  they were complaining about continuous breeding (focussing on udder quality), poor animal health (dental and hair loss), unbathed dogs (we may need to start bathing our cowherd).  they were just speaking of things about which they have no REAL knowlege.

they really stressed spay and nueter and going to shelters.  shelters are a perfectly fine place to get a pet if you haave the wherewithall to pay large vet bills for a dog with an uknown health background.  of the dozen or so shelter adopted dogs i've known much about, atleast 6 required expensive care shortly after adoption.  all the causes would have been known about by the former owner (probably why they were dumped).
just like justme, i would welcome them to visit our little corner of the dachshund world.

 

OH Breeder

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knabe said:
oprah has stolen the soul of upwardly mobile women in america.

sometimes when i watch that show, it's like watching jim jones.

Not to hijack this thread, but Jim Jones son works for my company in L.A. Lots of stories on him lately. He is named Jim Jones after his father as well. He was suppose to have been at the camp when the poisoning took place but had sports league. INteretesting story.
 

knabe

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controversy sells better.  feel good stories, if too long, are viewed as manipulative, while controversy is viewed as universal truth.

i want to see a story on all the bacteria we are killing with hand soaps.

it could even star raquel welch (fantastic voyage)

or a movie along the line of everything you wanted to know about sex woody allen movie

i love the contrast in characters in that scene, burt reynolds and tony randall

affirmative negative duality.  love it.  more enigma hypocasy.  it's everywhere!!!

this scene reminded me of an adult willie wonka movie.

red river valley (i think)  willie mays, joe namath, mickey mantle.

db cooper
 

shortyjock89

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Good ol DB, always there to make things interesting.

My dad's ex wife (not my mom) LOVED Oprah and Dr. Phil..she even bought some of those crazy books by them.  I can kinda see why she isn't around anymore....

Anyhow, Oprah is at it again!! This is what happens when rich people get too much time on their hands.  Believe me, I respect her for working for what she has earned, and I don't doubt that she's not ALL bad....but, if she says that dog breeders are bad, then scores of brainwashed Oprah-ites will boycott them. It's just too easy for her and her associates to pick on people who raise animals...we ourselves crucify the bad ones, and the good ones are quietly doing their thing.  Someone needs to start tooting the average, hardworking, honest animal breeder's horn.  Maybe we, as a group, are too humble...wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth if that was part of our downfall?  
 

knabe

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in defense of my wife, she said the other day, which i complimented her by saying that was the most insightful thing she ever said.

"they always go after people who can't defend themselves", meaning, targeting an industry's bad minority to pigeonhole the rest to a political agenda.

she says if i buy cable she will promise to stop watching them (but probably replace them with the cable equivalent)

sanity, free if you turn the tv off, the cost if you buy cable, priceless.
 

frostback

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Unlike some of you that thought you needed to comment on something you never even saw, I did watch the show and never did she say that DOG BREEDERS were bad. She just stated that you should be well aware of where you are getting a dog or pup. She asked people not to buy from Pet Stores because more than not they can from a puppy mill. She is a dog owner and has been for years. I have not been too keen on some of the shows latly but this one was not bad. It just made you think about where to get the next pet. Just look into the place and people you are buying from. Frostback.
 

knabe

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as someone who has not YET seen the show (but will as my wife tapes the shows), but needed to comment, and as a male who has probably seen more oprah shows than some women, it is the framing of the show that is in question for me.  she, the media in general, spend the vast majortity of the time talking about how bad things are rather than say visiting a bunch of honest breeders.  if these stories represented an actual breakdown of the dog breeders in general, i wouldn't have a problem with yet another emergency that society needs to correct immediately.  i purchase dogs from breeders, and take on stray cats and bring them inside.  3 cats is kinda pushing the limits, the vast majority of feral cats need to be eliminated, not released to kill native species.  natural predators need to be encouraged.  the part that is disgusting for me is the panning of the audience shots for emphasis.  but since controversy sells, ie the man that got pregnant, rather than the women who added sex parts of a man, yet retained his women parts so he could feel like a man still and that it was about changing other's attitudes rather than just herself, is to me, disingenuous and harkens back to how oprah got started and made enough money so she could do what she does now.  kind of like returning campaign money the bad press forces you to after you have enough campaign money.  credibility comes to mind.  if you want to say get your dog from a reputable breeder, show some and spend 55/60 minutes of the show doing so.
 

dori36

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knabe said:
oprah has stolen the soul of upwardly mobile women in america.

sometimes when i watch that show, it's like watching jim jones.

Take heart, Knabe, there are still a few thinking, intelligent women who think she's just a very wealthy pile of fluff.  She's far from my favorite successful woman!
 

kanshow

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Quote from: knabe on Today at 10:16:49 AM
oprah has stolen the soul of upwardly mobile women in america.

sometimes when i watch that show, it's like watching jim jones.


Take heart, Knabe, there are still a few thinking, intelligent women who think she's just a very wealthy pile of fluff.  She's far from my favorite successful woman
Thanks Dori!!    Oprah helped me out with her politcal endorsements.  Once she endorsed, I didn't need to worry about wanting to vote for those folks....   
 

wdmcfarland

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Loved your post!

I'm on the hunt for a red, female corgi, pet quality.  I'm hoping to get a dog that's a bit older, but am open; a guy dog will probably work also.  Would you happen to have any available?  If so, age?  House broken?  Good with kids, cats?  We are quite serious about this; have had dogs for 30+ years, and just lost the last of our bunch due to old age.

Let me know, and thanks!

Wayne D. McFarland 661 478 4504


justme said:
Remember what she did to the beef industry single handedly when mad cow came out?  This lady is over stepping her boundaries.  Why don't she worry about a "real" cause like hungry kids here in the USA, or adoption of children here in the USA?  I don't advocate abusing a dog.  My dogs are some of my best friends.  There are good and bad breeders out there...but aren't there that in every industry?  I breed corgis, my corgis are some of the happiest little guys out there.  I'd love for them to come here and interview me and see my dogs.

Whew enough Monday morning venting lol
 
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