by R.T. Fitch, author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart“
Terrorized and Frozen, the Horses of the Calico Roundup - Photo by Kurt Golgart/Bureau of Land Management
Sheer terror in their eyes, steam coming from not only their breath but from their soaked coats in the freezing temperatures and what has not dissipated into the frigid air has frozen solid to their winter coats. This is a Department of Interior “approved for release photograph” documenting the cruel and inhumane roundup going on in Northern Nevada at this very moment…and just in, at least one horse is now dead, one that we know of.
Plagued by controversy and bad press BLM Director Bob Abby decided to ignore the advice of a Federal Judge and proceed with a wintertime roundup of epic, disastrous proportions. Tens of thousands of American citizens have spoken out and demanded that the Obama administration stop this dangerous operation but to date the new President has elected to remain silent on the topic.
Warned by equine professionals that the chasing of wild horses down snow covered mountains with helicopters would not only prove dangerous and deadly but also destroy the health and well being of the native wild animals; again, the BLM pressed forward but this time on private land so that neither the press or the public could view or monitor the deadly operation.
Many questions have been raised by this clandestine operation that will cost the U.S. tax payers close to $2,000,000.00.
If the horses are being removed because there is, allegedly, little grass on which they can feed, why then did the BLM increase the grazing permits for private cattle by 300% last year, for the exact same public land?
Are the ranchers who own the private land paying and reimbursing the BLM (and US tax payers) for the removal?
Who is allowing the BLM to set up shop on their private land?
Why is the operation done in secret after program manager Don Glenn assured everyone it would be public?
Why is the current Administration, a proposed Administration of “change”, turning a deaf ear to thousands of phone calls, tens of thousands of emails and multiple demonstrations across the country?
Last year the BLM wanted to destroy the 33,000+ wild horses it allegedly has in long term incarceration because it could not afford to feed them; why do they plan on ripping 12,000 more from their rightful land in fiscal 2010? Does that makes sense?
No, of course it does not make sense, nothing about the random acts of violence the BLM commits makes sense.
The questions are limitless and the answers are obvious to the public but remain unanswered by an agency than has gone full-blown amuck.
As we speak, our young men and women are fighting and losing their lives while battling terror and tyranny that rips apart families, steals their land, kills tribal members and incarcerates the innocent. Yet here, within the U.S. Government, we have an agency that is doing the exact same thing; ripping apart families; stealing the very land that the U.S. Congress gave to the horses, killing many while they run the remainder into traps where the horses will live in prison for the rest of their lives.
Author/Editor Steven Long documented a recent interview with a BLM official who’s total lack of engagement with the facts should be grounds for immediate dismissal.
Likewise, Mr. Long in yet another in-depth article got to the root of the problem when finding out who was responsible for defying a Federal Judge’s recommendation and proceeded with the roundup with full knowledge that holding said horses, long term, could be illegal. BLM Director Bob Abby admitted himself into the voting public’s “Hall of Shame” for his disrespectful and cowardice act of pulling the trigger on the wild ones. Secretary of the Interior, Cattleman Ken Salazar, wins the runner up award for blatant corruption and collusion, but he is pressing hard for first.
The picture tells it all, it speaks volumes and should be sent to the President, himself, with the plea to call a halt to this madness and let the professionals assess the situation prior to mounting anymore dangerous and unwarranted wild horse roundups.
Write, call and make your voice heard. Let the Administration know that you want a moratorium on the roundups. You can make a difference, you can save a life and in so doing leave the last final legacy of our frontier roots to live out their lives as intended so that your grandchildren can share in their beauty.
Fact Sheet and Overview from The Cloud Foundation Click here for Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions from The Mustang Coalition FAQ About Wild Horses_12_09
Myths About Wild Horses and Burros from Animal Welfare Institute wild-horse-and-burro-facts-and-myths
Words to Save Them from the Animal Welfare Institute Words to Keep Them Wild and Free
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