News - MUCC Off the Mark


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	MUCC Off the Mark Here are just a few letters to the Editors published in various Michigan newspapers: MUCC Off Mark on Dove Issue Published January 12, 2005. Battle Creek Enquirer. Letter to the Editor. In the recent article (Dec. 31), Sam Washington (executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs) was quoted as saying it was "ridiculous" for registered Michigan voters to organize and collect signatures from other registered Michigan voters - to allow the people of Michigan the final say on the highly controversial policy change of allowing the target shooting of mourning doves. Washington also claimed that the petition drive "has nothing to do with doves." Michigan's official Bird of Peace (House Resolution 244, 1998) had been protected as a traditional songbird for 100 years within our borders and anyone who makes such foolish statements clearly has no understanding of the issue and fears a fair vote of the majority. Absurd assertions that transparently attempt to make the citizen referendum something it is not shows just how off of center, extreme and defiantly radical those with unpopular agendas have become. They just want to "mucc" up and mask the real truths with rhetorical nonsense. To allow the voters a voice, you can help by collecting a few signatures from family and friends, call the Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban at 517-321-DOVE or visit www.StopShootingDoves.org. This is about doves! This is about our right to vote! Julie Baker Campaign director The Committee to Restore the Dove Shooting Ban Lansing It Is About Doves Published January 19, 2005. Lansing State Journal. Letter to the Editor. We were disappointed that Sam Washington of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs said a petition drive against dove hunting was organized by national groups that are against all hunting. This is just the first of what will be many attempts to distract people from the truth: That 64 percent of Michigan hunters expressed opposition to dove hunting the last time a scientific poll was conducted; and that many Michigan organizations not opposed to all hunting (such as the Michigan Humane Society and Michigan Audubon Society) are also leading this effort. Washington stated that this "has nothing to do with doves," when in fact this has everything to do with doves. A majority of Michiganians do not regard shooting at doves as ethical hunting. Nor do we want voluminous amounts of lead polluting fields and poisoning nontarget wildlife. Shame on the MUCC for going against their own members on this issue. Eileen Liska Michigan Humane Society Back Dove Vote Published January 8, 2005. Lansing State Journal. Letter to the Editor. In "Group on track to force dove hunt vote in '06" (Dec. 31), Sam Washington (executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs) was quoted as saying the petition drive to stop shooting doves "has nothing to do with doves." Michigan's official Bird of Peace (House Resolution 244, 1998) had been protected as a traditional songbird for 100 years within our borders, and anyone who makes such a foolish statement clearly has no understanding of the issue and fears a fair vote. Registered Michigan voters are collecting signatures to qualify this measure for the ballot. Absurd assertions that transparently attempt to make the citizen referendum something it is not shows just how extreme and defiantly radical those with unpopular agendas have become. They simply want to "muck" up and mask the real truths with rhetorical nonsense. This is about doves. This is about our right to vote. Julie Baker Lansing Rebuttal to Dove Vote Foe Published January 5, 2005. Battle Creek Enquirer. Letter to the Editor. Shame on Sam Washington, executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, for resorting to untrue scare tactics to try and derail the Save the Dove Organization from collecting signatures on its petitions for the 2006 ballot. When he said that the petition drive was organized by national groups that are against all hunting and it has nothing to do with doves, he was dead wrong. We are strictly a volunteer effort of citizens determined to save the mourning dove. We have given hours of our time and braved all the weather that Michigan has to offer to collect the necessary signatures. His organization has all of the money to sway the politicians, but we have the heart and soul of the citizens. With every signature I gather - 1,000, so far - the person invariably says, "Why in the world would anybody want to shoot those beautiful song birds?" Why are Washington and his cronies so afraid to let it get to the ballot? When the next Legislature comes to session, there will be many new members. If you care about the doves, get to them early and exact a promise that they will let us have our vote. We were once promised that and let's get it settled in a fair manner. Why in the world does the group feel they "need a trial hunting season to gauge the consequences on the dove population"? For 100 years nature has regulated them quite nicely. Watch their next move of "smoke and mirrors" to thwart our efforts. I find my new Save the Dove friends to be very ethical people. Liz Fraser Albion Petition Drive is About Doves Published January 4, 2005. Battle Creek Enquirer.Letter to the Editor. In response to "Mourning dove petition drive targets March deadline" by Tim Martin on Dec. 31. Sam Washington, executive director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, tried to point out that "the petition drive has been organized by national groups that are against all hunting," and that "we're hoping citizens will have the good sense to realize that . . . it has nothing to do with the doves." The following is my response to Mr. Washington: I cannot speak for countless people who have already signed these anti-dove-hunting petitions. I can say, however, that to me, it has everything to do with the doves. Doves are not a nuisance, nor are they harming anyone's crops. How can you justify suddenly lifting the ban and hunting mourning doves? I am not "against all hunting," nor am I part of a national group effort to reinstate the ban. I am only one voice, standing up for what I believe in. I may be one voice, and my opinion may not matter to you in the slightest. But don't you dare try to discredit my voice, nor the hundreds of thousands more just like me who are fighting for the mourning doves by implying that we are only mindless pawns in the hands of the anti-hunting groups. Catherine Hancharik Battle Creek

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