DEAR FRIENDS,
William Parkinson, a columnist for The Sentinel newspaper, wrote an excellent article on Pennsylvania’s pigeon shoots.
“Try as one might, it's oh, so difficult — and frustrating — to attempt to nudge many Pennsylvanians out of their indifferent — and often barbaric — mindset when it comes to animal cruelty.
But there's a flicker of hope on the horizon, providing one is willing to look through the trees and recognize senseless slaughter when it is seen.
Providing that promise of eventual enlightenment is a new poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research commissioned by the Humane Society of the United States indicating that Pennsylvania voters by a four-to-one margin favor an end to the practice of using live pigeons for shooting contests.
The poll was conducted to gauge public support of state Senate Bill 510, introduced by state Sen. Pat Browne, an Allentown-based Republican, and co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Richard Alloway of Franklin and Adams County, along with 21 others.
To delay passage of this legislation — now lingering in the Senate Judiciary Committee — would be akin to rubbing salt into a long-festering embarrassment. Getting the pigeon-shooting ban into state law would, at long last, display some guts on the part of so many legislators so long in thrall to NRA camp followers and their money.”
And:
“Live pigeon shoots — by invitation only — are akin to outlawed dogfighting and cockfighting, conducted in out-of-the-way locations and attended by shooters from states where such senseless killing already is outlawed.
Such shoots continue at private clubs, many in municipalities where prosecuters fear political fallout if they prosecute shooters for animal cruelty, even though the state Supreme Court in 1999 allowed such enforcement."
The municipalities referred to are Bensalem Township in Bucks County (the Philadelphia Gun Club) and Perry Township in Berks County (Wing Pointe). We've traced NRA campaign donations to Berks County District Attorney John Adams and we know that David Heckler, Bucks County District Attorney, has close campaign ties to the pigeon shooters. Both these corrupt men have done everything they could to protect pigeon shooters and keep these shoots ongoing.
Such shoots continue at private clubs, many in municipalities where prosecuters fear political fallout if they prosecute shooters for animal cruelty, even though the state Supreme Court in 1999 allowed such enforcement."
The municipalities referred to are Bensalem Township in Bucks County (the Philadelphia Gun Club) and Perry Township in Berks County (Wing Pointe). We've traced NRA campaign donations to Berks County District Attorney John Adams and we know that David Heckler, Bucks County District Attorney, has close campaign ties to the pigeon shooters. Both these corrupt men have done everything they could to protect pigeon shooters and keep these shoots ongoing.
Dirty DA's John Adams (left) and David Heckler (right).
They serve the needs of the pigeon shooters.
"To its lasting shame, the General Assembly has shunted aside similar legislation banning live pigeon shoots for more than a quarter of a century. Here's a chance for the legislature to redeem itself, and take its own "shot" at those who get a kick out of senseless slaughter.”
Please leave comments and thank Mr. Parkinson for writing such a good article and ask him to continue speaking out on this issue.
Read the article and leave comments HERE.
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Walter Brasch, who has written a number of excellent columns before, has also written an article, which you can find HERE.
Walter Brasch, who has written a number of excellent columns before, has also written an article, which you can find HERE.
