How do you feel about someone who would attempt to influence your child without your knowledge? That is exactly what the HSUS does!

Have you seen their publication targeted at 3^rd and 4^th graders? This publication, called “KIND News” is distributed to this target age group, and is available to K-6^th graders, with nine issues annually. KIND stands for Kids in Nature’s Defense. They use this publication to openly recruit minors, YOUR CHILD, to lobby legislation and various government agencies to take action against what they call “factory farms”. Folks that is you, the breeder, they are attacking. They give no regard to the fact that most pet breeders are responsible caring breeders who are the very ones who furnish that little doggy in the window for those very same children.

This is all done under the organization HSUS Youth, a part of the HSUS. To quote their website, “Although humane education methodologies vary—they include animal shelter tours, classroom visits, after-school activities, summer camps, junior volunteer programs, and the distribution of lesson plans and other materials for the classroom....” I don’t know about you, but I did not know that the HSUS was a recognized, licensed, trained and legitimate educator in our public school systems. I have to question just what it is they are teaching. So I went searching, and it did not take long. I found the “Primary Attitude Test” that is given to grades K, 1 and 2. First off, just the name of the test shocked me. Then when I got into the questions on the test, at first look they seemed harmless enough, for the most part. But as I looked at the questions, the subliminal message came through loud and clear. I went to look at the “Intermediate Attitude Test” given to grades 3, 4, 5 and 6. Same thing-while the questions seem harmless on the surface, I had to note the underlying process of suggestion and subliminal messages. They even tell the teachers how to score the tests according to their desired answers. Considering the HSUS is not a qualified licensed educator, this all made me very angry. Also thankful that I do not have a child in school, but fearful that if they are not stopped, what will my young grandchildren be subjected to. I want them to learn kindness and respect for all animals, but I want them to learn it from people who truly do care about animals and the protection of our rights to continue to have pets, not from an organization that wants to defeat your rights to own a pet. Not from an organization who wants to “not see another dog or cat born”.

Then I found the “Special Report” made available to teachers by the HSUS titled “The Socialization and Development of Empathy and Prosocial Behavior”. I did not know that the HSUS was in the business of psychology and sociology. You can imagine my surprise (anger)! Guess how much more surprised I was when I found amongst the “HSUS Youth Activities” the Mid Hudson Vegetarian Society, which promotes vegetarianism and animal rights materials for children. Why, they even offer a summer camp for kids. I can just imagine what is being taught at that one. In a June 21, 2007 letter to HSUS Youth from Roberta Schiff, President of Mid Hudson Vegetarian Society, she is questioning them why they were not offering education on vegan lifestyles and the food to be served “at these various activities”. She states she “feels children ought to be made aware of the issue even if it makes some people uncomfortable.”

The HSUS also offers internships for youth in their efforts to use anybody to achieve their ultimate goals. According to one intern who served in the summer of 2009, it is apparent they also use this time to encourage a vegan lifestyle.

We all know that the HSUS is targeting 4-H teens in their “Humane Teens” campaign. We know about the disastrous national convention of 2010. In response to this, Amanda Radke, of the Beef Daily Log, states “Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the HSUS, is clearly willing to do anything and everything these days to advance his agenda.” She goes further to state “It’s crystal clear that we still have a lot of work to do to educate others, including our colleagues, about the HSUS and their main mission to abolish animal agriculture in this country. We need to get started today. Spread the word and let our voices be heard. We cannot, will not, let HSUS influence kids in agriculture with their well-oiled campaign appeals.”

At last summer’s Taking Action for Animals (TAFA) Conference, held in Washington D.C., the HSUS hosted the first “Student Summit”. A large part of this summit is to promote a vegan lifestyle and a workshop in which the students learn how to “end factory farming”, with Paul Shapiro, Senior Director of the End Factory Farming campaign as the keynote speaker. Also in attendance was HSUS Chief Operating Officer Mark Markarian, and shared his experiences as a young lobbyist with the students. Did you catch that? Did it sound like they are training our youth to be lobbyists? But doesn’t the HSUS claim they are not a lobbying organization? Hmmm….. HSUS even went so far as to somehow have finagled their way to being the presenting sponsor for a youth convention hosted by the EQUUS Foundation and the U.S. Equestrian Federation in 2010. This raised strong concerns with the U.S. Sportsmen Alliance, since the HSUS is known to NOT be a fan of equine sports.

HSUS is not the only one targeting our youth. In 2008, Dan Mathews, Vice President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said, "When you consider any movement for social change, it's really got to be seen as a generational one. You've really got to start with kids and re-shape their ideas about things, reaching consumers as they're starting to form their life-long habits is the most important thing." Does this sound like they want to “brainwash” our children to think like they do?

Folks, you have to constantly stay vigilant in the activities of your children to ensure that they are not being unduly influenced. Do you really want someone like Wayne Pacelle teaching your children? Remember his statement “To this day, I don’t feel bonded to any nonhuman animal.” Does this sound like the person to lead an organization that “claims” to have the interests and welfare of animals “at heart”? I have to wonder why he “got into the business” of “protecting” animals. Do you think it could be simply just for the money, power and fame he feels it offers him? Given the facts, I would think that to be a fair statement.

by Debi R***