HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10212003 - D1 DA
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Bate: October 21, 2003 Public Comment
On this day,the following people presented testimony:
Lisa Franzetti, Senior Coordinator, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA), requesting that Rodeo consider changing it's name from Rodeo to Unity,
Jon Toussant, resident of area known as Poet's Corner in Pleasant Hill, regarding
displeasure with the recent opening of the Crestwood Mental Health Rehabilitation
Center.
THIS IS A MATTER.FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY
NO BOARD ACTION WAS TAKEN
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Presentation by Lisa Franzetta to Contra Costa County B*,MPerA
Meeting W
PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL
TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
Before I begin, I want to thank all of you for your time today. I'm here to explain why 501 FRONT STREET
PETA is asking the city to consider changing its name from Rodeo, a term associated NORFOLK, V A 23510
with the harassment and harm done to animals in the Old West, to Unity, in TEL 7 5 7-6 2 2-PET A
commemoration of a great company that saved the town from economic ruin more than a FAX 7 5 7-6 2 2-0 4 5 7
century ago, the Union Oil Company. www.p e t a-o n I i n e.o r g
info@pets-online.org
"Rodeo"was chosen in the late 29th centuryb the
y Union Stock Yard Company because »>�••:.;:,,...;:.;{;;,..,�.f.$;;1�
it was an area.where annual round-ups of cattle were held. Today,the name"Rodeo" '' ` ""X4.1;
reminds us of an event that,because of its egregious cruelty,has been made illegal in0.
r'€ >
several cities and countries and is condemned by every animal protection organization I < % ' ; ^': ,;. v.~::.
the United States. Rodeos involve frightening and hurting animals in the name of '
entertainment, including subjecting them to spurring,tail-twisting, and using bucking 01
«:>:
straps cinched tightly around the animals abdomens and groin. Severe injuries to the } 'I, �, �'� :'�s ;
animals, such as broken bones, massive bruising, and internal bleeding, are common. :ry %: }
Nom: ;:; N
lad '�t:<.:!?��• %�ti',C �%�'• �:°.<.:::>:
If you haven't yet had a chance to read PETA's letter, I
ett , would like to point out an :>.•<:>:�;>�<.: .;.<;;:.:>:<,<::;:>::;:.�:.::;.;:::.:
observation by Dir. C.G. Haber,a veterinarian hv ;:;.>,<;r::;::;:;,.;;:;k:;:;i;Yf:Y•ir:«::>:•>:•;
, narian who Saw scores of animals discarded from ;:�:':•i..',:.:.'f%�ry: :.>:'••'<:•':%#:>:;% %i::;':::3>:'•::>
rodeos and sent to slaughter.
He described them as so extensive) bruised
y wised that the only
areas in which the skiwas
n attached [#o the flesh] was the head,neck, leg and belly. He
went on to say, l have seen animals with 6-8 ribs broken from thespine,and at times
puncturing the lungs.s I have seen as much
as 2-
3 gallons of free blood aceunulatedunder
the detached skin.
Like Providence, Rhode
Island,
and Independence,enden
ce
Ka
n a
s Unity,California,a
would be
beautiful f 1
name e a nd would ud
moreaccuratelyreflect
public sentiment and
thepositive
aspects
of
the city's past:fellowship, goodwill,ll
aand cooperation'a
#i
on towa
nd
ac
common goal.Residenis
would li
kel
Ywelcome ac
hence to bre
ek the
city'ss
connection to
cruelty
and
the op
P0rt
unf
ty to
help p decide e on
anew
name that everyone e can ber
p
oud
of.
Thank
you
so
much for
our time me
and
consideration.
i
on.
''r':JF'iii:::''hi'rY:i::i+::i::.'•::::i::::iiii::i:
::::>::i::;:;}:;:;:{;:}?}::,>•::::?.i:::i is
Ms. Gayle B. Uilkema, Second District Supervisor
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
651 Pine St., Rm. 108A PeTA
Martinez, CA 94553 PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL
TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
501 FRONT STREET
l image via fax: 925-335-1076 NORFOLK, VA 23510
TEL 757-622-FETA
FAX 757-622-0457
www.peta-onlin.e.org
DBat , info@peta-online.org
cin
writing ti11
on behalf
of
People
for hl
the Ethical cal Tr
eatment
of
Animals s
PETA
our
750,000 0
00(3 m
m
e b
e
rs and supporters,rs
,and
other r
compassionate
nat
e Amer1
c
ans
to
ask
that
£G
t you
ponder the
u
est
10 T
"What's question, in a nam
e
Names
are
important,
especially iall
when times
es
and
attitudes
itc
de
s
change.
Th
at
,
s
why
w
e
,
r
e
asking Rodeo, which has a name conjures iPYi visions a condemned every major animal-protection nor�anIzation, #oembracethe 21sc
century
by
changing
its name
nameta something
with
positive Ve
connotations,U
LS
3
such
as£
Unit
Y, wfil
ch the e
to
wn
could
adopt in commemoration of the Union
Oil
Company.
an
F .Y
As
you
surely
know,
"Rodeo"U„
was
chosen y{"yam�,
11
1the
late
19th
century
b
y
the Yand Company because the v1anareawhereannual roundups of cattle t
he
were held. The
company's anY
s hoF
es
of turn`
the
area 1
nto
the
me
a#-
c
annul
capital it
al of
th'
P
e
Pacific fic
coast ast w
ent
down
the
tubes when it
declared ed
ba
irrlFt
c
Y
and
closed.. The
Union
(J21
Company
stepped 0
111
and
saved dR
Rodeo from eC
O
norni
C "
rli
1i1. To '
this
d
aY
man
Rodeo
residents are employed in theener�Ysect rat Phillips San Francisco
Area Refinery.
fine
ry.
"Rodeo”l:
od
eo
describes`
bes
an event en#
that includes ode
S
some e of
the cruelest e
St tre
atme
nt
ofanl`
illa.is "
name of entertainment. �,}
Like slay ,
Int
e
It '
9
Is a
art of
the
a.1L that
hat
P the '
consider F
c
may
wish
to
der
putting
behind it.
Desperate
rodeo o
Fiot
rs
Proclaim
that the
animals Ina s
whom th
they
exploit 10
rt
are wild
and
rough, but without the
use of
spurs,
tail-twisting,st
'
,
and
buckingS cinched tightly
Y
around
their abdomens
ri m
e
ns
d
an
groins, these
frightened hten
ed
and
often
docile le
animals wouldn't
id
nt
even n buck.
Dr. C.
G.
Haber,
av
etern` l
lar'
air
, who worked ked for 30
years
s a meat
inspector
sect r' °�
slaughterhouses save scores of F
0
, animals who 0
had
been discarded car
ded
from rodeos s
an
slaughter. Toughened as he
was t
d
sent t
g o animal suffering,'
rin
the
condition 0
, n of "
g
animals
from rod
sickened hint. He described
them as"so extensively
bruised rues
ed t
hat the
only
areas
in which
the
skin
was attached hed tot ],
he
flesh]
was the
� head,
neck,� le
and d
bell
,
. He went p
V
� nt 4n
to
Y sa >>
I have seen animals with 6-8 ribs broken
Brom t
he
spin
e, an
d a#b
ne
s
u
n
c
to
ri
ng
thelun s. Ihaveseen as much 2_3galionsof free detached d
skin."
The town of Rodeo has progressed, and it is perhaps time for the town to put itself on the
map again. A name like"Unity"would reflect the town's progress by evoking a sense of
fellowship, goodwill, and cooperation toward a common goal. Further,as a gesture of our
appreciation and in behalf of abused rodeo animals, PETA is ready to ship$20,000 worth
of healthy vegetarian burgers to your local school district if you change the city's name.
Veggie burgers are friendly to humans and animals—they're high in protein, and while
high in fiber, they are low in fat, contain zero cholesterol, and require zero animal
suffering. They'll be a great way to feed Unity's school kids!
Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Our request may be unique, but let
me assure you that it is sincere. if you would like more information,please visit our Web
site BuckTheRodeo.com or contact me. I hope that you will think this over and feel free
to call me with any comments, questions,or concerns. I look forward to hearing from
you.
Sincerely,
Bob Chorush
cc: Diane Leite
Chair Rodeo Municipal Advisory Council
P.O. Box 548
Rodeo, CA 94572