Opinion by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/President of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
Wild Equines Get No Holiday from Harassment, Death, Injury and Capture
It is July 4th, 2011 and I am allowed the brief respite of reflecting upon the past, some forty years ago, when on the 4th of July, 1971 an exuberant, healthy young man was contemplating what the future would hold for himself, his country and the world. Fresh out of High School and fully enlisted in the United States Air Force this novice to the realities of life was only two days away from shipping out to boot camp and the vast mystery of military service in the United States Armed Forces.
I remember that July 4th back in 1971 very well as I was that young man and to this day I feel a warm glow when I recall the amount of pride and hope that I felt towards my country and the people who ran it…in fact, it brought me to tears during the last fireworks display that I would view as a civilian for many years. What honor, what glory what perfection of spirit the United States exuded; I pledged my very life to protect it, the Constitution and the office of the Presidency of the United States. Today, these feelings elude me.
This 4th of July holiday our current administration decided that it would be appropriate to violate federal law by declaring it open season upon our federally protected wild horses and burros. Charged by Congress to protect our national icons the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been waging a war of extinction upon once millions of native wild horses and burros who’s numbers, now, have dwindled down to less than 20,000 left free with over 45,000+ being held in BLM concentration camps where the public is illegally banned from monitoring their public treasurers. For some reason, I do not feel like celebrating the high moral standards of our country as I just don’t see anything right or just in the current administration and it’s long corrupt Department of Interior; it’s all about special interests, favors, agendas and money under the table and the horses are paying the price.
July 1 marked the beginning of the BLM’s open hunting season on wild horses and burros, smack dab in the middle of foaling season and right at the height of the summer heat; death, injury, trauma and destruction loom as the helicopters fire up to harass and tear apart herds that have been existence for centuries. I just can’t bring myself to light a sparkler over that, not now not ever.
I think back to that starry eyed young man and wrestle with what went wrong, how did we lose control of our government and when did it become acceptable to take lies for fact and turn our heads to cruelty and mayhem…when did it become politically correct to lose our hearts and quell our spirits? When did the country die and did anyone notice?
Can’t answer those questions but I can tell you that there is a very, very disappointed and angry veteran who is not going to stand by idly and watch the morals and principles defended by so many fine men and women become trampled upon by bloated and self-serving bureaucrats. It just ain’t going to happen!
We have found that fighting back with polite and accurate facts and figures does not work; attempting to be present at bloody stampedes to witness for the horses doesn’t work when you are held off over a mile away, and eye to eye negotiations have failed. Been there, done that and it’s time to move on.
This new war to save the equines is moving into the courtroom where simple discovery and the uncovering of facts will expose the federal government’s BLM to be the hornet’s nest of corruption and deceit that it really is.
Remember when you thought that the BLM had issued no-fly zones over their deadly helicopter operations so that no one could observe from above?  WRONG, a proven lie.
How about the secret, contractor holding pens where the Calico prisoners are being held and dying off remember you were told that the area was off limits to the public as per the contactor? Wrong, public visits are part of the contractor’s contract.
Each day another layer of deceit and corruption is peeled from the onion that is Obama’s BLM, every day we get a little closer to the truth and every day we make just another little baby step closer to stopping the insane and cruel BLM from decimating what is left of our wild horses and burros.
Pick up some ammunition and join us today as it is a great day being that it is the 4th of the July. Declare your independence from the derisiveness of the federal government and join us in the courtroom where we battle to keep the wild horses running free.  Come help hold the flag and reclaim our country as this is far bigger than just the wild horses as it goes to the heart of how the current government conducts their deceitful business and it is time to put the whole mess into a tail spin.
Come join the Wild Horse Freedom Federation’s cause and aid in funding viable legal cases against these most very un-American policies. Let’s put the pride back into our step and our government back into the hands of the American public. Let’s make the stand as time is running out.
Click (HERE) and join us in speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. We can do it and we will.
Make this a 4th to remember.
May the Force of the Horse© be with us and maybe next year, we will have something substantial to celebrate!!
Related articles
- Obama’s BLM Confirms it Will Resume Wild Horse and Burro “Gathers” (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Obama’s BLM Announces Wild Horse and Burro Stampede and Abuse Schedule for Summer 2011 (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Today, these feelings elude me………………….
YEP
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Just went over and donated to the legal fund. Love the video you’ve made. I really love that shirt RT. If you see me hanging around ya better hide it 🙂
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RT was a “zoomie”….I love it!
Suppose the joy of man-made flight might be a recollection that certainly finds relationship with the beauty and freedom of the US Wild Ones….untouched and pounding hooves making their historical commentary across our souls, spirits and the face of all Nations, especially ours.
Great post…thanks.
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What a rude awaking you and a lot of us have gotten, R.T. Our wild horses and burros and all who love them have been betrayed by our own government. It started more than 40 years ago but now is so much worse. I’ll forward this .
Also I recently gave to Laura’s legal fund but will send a small donation . Sorry it can’t be more at this time.
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Laura, I am so sorry you’re having money problems. I don’t know how many advocates donate but more need to evidently or we all need to win the lottery. It’s a damn shame our government has become so corrupt that citizens have to take it to court. Happy 4th–NOT.
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My father fought in WWII in the south pacific. He offered his life to America because he believed in his country. He never talked much about the war – he apparently saw a lot of action in addition to almost dying from the malaria. Before that, as a young teenager during the depression, he worked for a time as a sheepherder in the Nevada/Utah/Wyoming area. This was a very tough job and many did not survive it – mostly due to living in the elements. Anyway, the one thing that he did like to talk about was the “pinto pony” (i.e. mustang) that he had when working on the range. Although a quiet man, my dad’s eyes always sparkled with admiration and affection when he spoke about this mustang. My dad is long gone now, but I can guarantee you that if he was here today he would be appalled at how the government operates and steals and lies to us … but even more, he would be heartsick at how his government is treating the “brothers and sisters” of his much loved mustang. In addition, he would be completely supportive of his daughter, granddaughter and now great-granddaughter who are doing their best to save our wild ones. He would be proud of his family and ashamed of his country. I know this.
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Hooray for Wild Horse Freedom Federation, so much to do, so little time. Way to go. Ill be here to join fists together, as always. Much love and respect to you guys. xxx Simone.
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RT I’m sorry I didn’t read the whole article. But I want to thank you for your service to our Country. Not just too the horses but for me–without your sacrifice I may or may not have the freedoms I enjoy today.
Of course, I also thank you for all you do each and everyday for the horses and burros. But I wanted to take a moment out of this day to say something personal to you.
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Thanks for doing what’s right for the horses… There are many of us with you.
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I have watched this video today for the second time, and it seemed a little more extensive than the one I watched a few days ago.
I love your friend that is being an integral part of the interview! What an intelligent, peaceful and patient soul…. but, today it cracked me up when I noticed the patience had dwindled and he or she had turned into a “holy roller” in the background, just hamming it up for the camera and letting the dust fly 🙂
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Jill, that was fun watching the horse. Such a serious topic and in the background drop and roll. ” You talk for me Mom and Dad, I’ll go do what horses are supposed to do, have me some fun” 🙂
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Yeah, the ‘roller’ was ‘a gas!’ It was as though listening to the reassuring voice of R.T. the equine onlooker decided it was time to “Rock n’ Roll!”
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The out-takes are even funnier…Harley definitely was excited about what we were saying.
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You’ll need to post an out takes vid sometime. For your Sunday blog post
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R.T. Thanks to you and Laura for all you have done for our beautiful wild horses and burros. I will try to get a donation to you when I complete all the details of getting my two black Arabians down here after their starving in an Oregon pasture. Every weekend I go out to a “Sanctuary” that have many horses, from damaged “charo horses”, race horses, dressage horses, and other unwanted horses that she has saved from auction and slaughter. She is hanging on but its a struggle. She has the grandson of Seattle Slew and what a gorgeous animal he is. To think he might not be here in a terrible thought and then there’s the beautiful bay Arabian that has a broken tail because of being a charo horses and he was flipped with his tail. How these individuals can look themselves in the eye in the mirror each day is amazing to me. We need to win over the BLM and all the people supporting the destruction of our horses to slaughterhouses. If you have any upcoming need for people to be in the Los ANgeles area, please let me know. If I have enough lead time, I will take the day off and meet you there to support the cause of our horses. God Bless you and Laura and may next year be one of victory.
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RT – It is an outrage when our men and women are sent to defend our country and what are supposed to be our morals of compassion and sanity. I sometimes too get so angree with our President & his Administration. He couldn’t have appointed a worse person for the job of Interior Department. I don’t know what Obama owes this creepy guy, but certainly is not worth our Mustangs & Burros. The chips are very high here. But NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT to take away our freedoms. I bet if we hired a private group of jets that could harass the helicoptor pilots, they certainly would listen. Too bad we couldn’t hire a sky writer too, to harass them in the skys. Everyone from miles around could see the comments. It seems no one in the media has done to much lately. I thought the interview with Channel 8 was very good, but the only ones that saw the news were those living in the area. Did channel 8 pass this on to Channel 2? At any rate, I think the war has just begun. If our Legislators and President Obama want a fight on this issue, they are going to get one! It appears no one wants to listen, but now you involve the legal system which now will cost them MONEY. I found my experience as a Union organizer and member, the only time the Administrations listened was when you filed a greivance, which meant it had to legally be answered. No being nice guys, you just have to hit them in the pocket. The sad commentary to this is that these actions result in the useage of our TAX DOLLARS. RT & Laura keep up the excellent job you are doing. Thanks for being our leader and keeping us abreast of the latest actions. I now try and read every posts so that I don’t miss any information..
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Will Wild Horse Freedom Federation be able to help Laura with gas expenses?
Is this Mustang flag, WHFF’s flag? Terry, did you design this and will it be the organization’s logo?
I really like it!!!
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Jill;
Wild Horse Freedom Federation is doing what HfH Advisory Council did, fund our fine attorneys Bruce Wagman and Val Stanley so that they could proceed with the wild horse cases for the plaintiffs ASPCA, The Cloud Foundation, Front Range Equine Rescue, Colorado Wild Horse and Burro Coalition, Habitat for Horses and Dr. Don and Toni Moore. The problem was that HfHAC is a 501(c)4 which is a good thing for lobbying but a little painful for gathering litigation donations. We sat long and hard and asked attorney Gordon Cowan to come on-board with the First Amendment case he is working for plaintiff, Laura Leigh. The combination of all of our suits is by far a no brainer.
But to answer you question on monies going elsewhere the answer is no. Wild Horse Freedom Federation currently has a mountain worth of legal bills to pay, hence we did not jump upon assisting Craig Downer and TC’s new suit, and once we are square there are several very serious legal projects that we would like to pursue besides just throwing TROs at the BLM. We need to get them at the core and that is exactly what our current suits are working on. Donations go to pay for legal bills, that’s the deal.
Thanks for asking.
R.T. Fitch Author – “Straight from the Horse’s Heart” President of the Wild Horse Freedom Federation The Force of the Horse®, LLC 1-800-974-FOTH http://www.rtfitch.com rtfitch.wordpress.com
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I recently read the story of Geronimo and the Apache people for the first time. I was struck by the similarity that they were surrounded by corrupt politicians and contractors, the same as our wild horses. It is a wonder that the Apache people survived as they were considered and treated less than human. Even more evil was the history of Mexican politicians and the church, and the enslavement of native people in that country. I am sorry to say that this evil, this greed, the fortune-building, the quest for “power” is the “base” of many countries and not new. One of the elders asked what would happen when the white man had reaped all the benefits he could from Earth? The answer was simple: The white men would then turn on themselves. We are there, but there are few who notice or care. Thanks to R.T. and everyone who can see things as they are, and continue to fight regardless. America is made up of good people also.
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At the risk of repeating myself and annoying people, there has to be a complete halt to wild burro round ups. There are not even enough out there anymore to warrant rounding up one more. How are they justifying including them in these round ups? Less than 2000 left over 10 Western states. This is endangered species levels, or it should be.
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Think that no. should be less than 20,000 but who knows. I bet it’s less than 15,000 now or soon will be.
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OK, RT–you made me CRY…I felt the Same way…NO Fireworks for me on the 4th of July !! and I also wanna Thank you 4 your Service to Us.
then Laura–you made me CRY more….I WISH I *could Help* more!! (but living on the Last of my supposed-retirement $$, while WAITING..& Waiting..waiting for the Disability income that I deserve…..is another story)
However, *Grandma Gregg*–You SLAYED ME !!
I sit here in tears, & remember: Proud & humble Men…my Grandaddy and my Father-in-Law, Veterans of WWI and Korea; their eyes shining as the Flag passed us in the Veterans Day parade, + at my little daughter yelling, “Yay, yay for America !” I know that they Both would have whole-heartedly joined This Fight, as well…………….[but I’m glad they never Knew….what “we” have become, in this country.]
I also Know that they are proud that I am, and You are, STANDING-UP for what is Right !
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You do not cry alone. I cry with you but the tears do not sting my eyes enough to stop me from doing any little thing I can for what you and I and many many others (of all generations) know is right for our wild ones. Our fathers/grandfathers would not accept our giving up … they certainly didn’t.
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Corruption,greed and thirst for power is nothing new in this country. It started when the first whiteman set foot on this land. Then It got even worse when the goverment was formed. My Ancestors suffered at the hands of this goverment and it still goes on to this day. Now they have turned thier attention to anyone who is handy. I celebrate non of their holidays. I do celebrate my life. On my little piece of this Earth all creatures are treated in away that makes our creator smile. That treatment does not extend to tyrants and especially not to politicians. Sorry for the seemingly bad Attitude,but it is in my blood. Ed Whalen p.s. Hi Barbara
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Hi back at you , Ed, dear friend. No need to aplogize. I think that’s the way a lot of us feel rather it’s in our blood or not. Native Americans were robbed of their lands and then slaves were used for labor so what’s to celebrate when the government is so corrupt ? As for freedom of speech for instance ,what good is it when the politicians don’t listen ?! My husband is a Vietnam veteran–we don’t celebrate either.
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Decent human beings can never stand by while evil is being splattered ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. Decent people take a stand and never give up…on anything that is unjust or immoral.
Never give up….never!
p.s. don’t forget to vote and better yet, find a candidate with a soul that hasn’t been bought by special interests and people a choice with their vote (and that probably means out side the 2 party system)….from dog catcher to US President….VOTE, get INVOLVED, EDUCATE (politely) and continue to march..
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