A message from the team in regard to recent replies from your Congressperson
When a Congress person does not want to address a specific issue before an election for obvious reasons, they will drag on conversation with a constituent based on an issue of relevance to the election. This is most certainly to keep our “eyes off the ball” if you will excuse the expression.
The revised HR 5566, which is now being referred to as the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010 (Engrossed Amendment Senate – EAS) bans crush as obscenity and is no longer solely based in regard to sale of the depictions. Some avid STOPCRUSH.ORG supporters have received replies from their Congresspeople informing them that the Senate has passed HR 5566 and it is now awaiting the president’s signature. This is not a”lie” as the Senate did indeed approve HR 5566 with alterations & the president has yet to sign it into law. What they fail to mention to their constituency is that the Senate’s alterations require another Congressional vote before reaching Mr. Obama’s desk. These Congresspeople are also giving reference toward their prior support of HR 5092, a less comprehensive anti-crush video amendment.
HR 5566 is the only bill we need to focus on or concern ourselves with & there is no need to mention HR 5092. HR 5092 never left the floor of the House of Representatives. Perhaps, certain special interest lobbying groups who have issues with legislation banning these depictions over their version of free speech are lobbying Congresspeople and perhaps these special interests groups are attempting to stall this bill in the name of “free speech”. If it is not voted on before the November elections there is a very good chance that by January 1st, HR 5566 will then be declared null and void and ultimately get thrown away. If this occurs, we would then have to start the process of introducing legislation all over again.
What these reply letters back to our supporters appear to suggest is perhaps that specific Congresspeople are doing their best to keep their stance on bill HR 5566 quiet so as not to affect their status with “free speech” lobbyist groups or their other constituency. Lobbyist groups, for example groups like the ACLU, which have nearly a half million members, which equals half a million voters, can influence Congresspeople being re-elected or not. A Congressperson’s evasion of the subject could actually be a good sign, but this is not always necessarily so. If you want to get an honest answer from your representative as to where they stand on this matter, please show your congress person the revised bill text of HR 5566. Tell them that you are well informed about what these bills say, where they stand in your legislature and that you are not interested in where he/she stands on 5092 as it is a dead issue. Remind them that as a constituent, it is your right to know where your representative stands on the revised HR 5566, which was passed with alterations by the Senate and you already know that this bill is on the Congressional floor for them to vote on it again.
There is no need for any accusation in your letter or your phone call. Please be polite and firm. Simply ask your representative what he/she believes. Does your representative believe that crush video deserves protection under the umbrella of free speech, or do they not?