The following letter was sent to Ralph Nader regarding a Ralph Nader Radio Hour show that can be heard at: https://ralphnaderradiohour.com/nurses-unitedanimal-welfare/
Hi Ralph,
For 16 years I have hosted “Go Vegan Radio with Bob Linden”, a program that has been heard on the Air America radio network, the Genesis Communications Network, and CBS and Clear Channel radio stations across the country. My commentary has been featured on Pacifica’s KPFA in the Bay Area. I have been a fan of yours since the Corvair days.
It was with great dismay that I listened to you being duped by interviewing Wayne Pacelle, the corporate voice of approved animal exploitation and killing, and the deceptive voice of animal betrayal. You interviewed the millionaire CEO of a corporation that dupes the public out of $130 million annually in contributions, and has $200 million in the bank. People give money to the Humane Society of the United States thinking that they are supporting animal shelters, which it does not operate. The misled public should instead be donating to local shelters. In fact, HSUS has recently sponsored legislation to kill cats immediately with no waiting time upon arrival at shelters, and to sell dogs and cats from shelters to animal experimenters. HSUS has come under fire for misappropriating funds in its disaster relief scam operations like Katrina, using only a small percentage for actual relief. HSUS paid Ringling Brothers $25 million in donor money in a racketeering settlement. HSUS is a member of a global “livestock” federation dedicated to meeting a predicted 70% increase in demand for so-called livestock products by 2050. HSUS’ agriculture councils are comprised of meat”, dairy, and egg producers. HSUS has been led by a vice-president who personally profited from the murder of 50,000 pigs annually, getting higher prices because he is able to call the flesh of his victims “humane”.
But perhaps what is most distressing Ralph is reading your description of the interview… “…Wayne Pacelle argues that if industry treated animals better, they’d actually increase profits”. I can’t believe that I am hearing this on a Ralph Nader program, followed by praise for McDonald’s and Walmart, and others who profit from the harsh imprisonment, mutilation, and murder of millions upon millions of animals – just because a representative of the “meat”, dairy, and egg industry masquerades as an animal protector and endorses them? Ralph, HSUS is a partner with animal killers and abusers – it has officially partnered with United Egg Producers. And Ralph, you let this animal betrayal specialist spout his propaganda about “cage-free” eggs, in a sense lending your endorsement to the processes whereby every single baby male chick is ground alive (macerated) or suffocated, every hen is mutilated, intensely imprisoned with tens of thousands of other birds, and then brutally murdered. Every single individual is tortured and murdered, no one gets out alive, and this is characterized as good, as progress – by none other than Ralph Nader? Ralph, you represented (or misrepresented) some guy to the public as an animal advocate, while his bogus charity is distributing discount coupons for “bacon”.
You are not the only one so duped, unfortunately. Anyway, I would like to suggest a couple of things. I am now first becoming aware of your book “Animal Envy”. I would like to read it and then interview you on my program. I would also request that you invite me on your program to set the record straight about HSUS, misleading animal welfare campaigns, and the urgency of going Vegan for the animals, human health, and the environment (for which Mr. Pacelle almost sounded apologetic, when you introduced the subject). After having Wayne Pacelle on your show, you really owe it to the animals to interview someone who is actually on their side.
Thank You,
Excellent! Thank you!