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CANINES FOR KUCINICH!
Beautiful Cicily ~photo courtesy of PeaceLoveVegan

DOGS FOR DENNIS!
My own Shirley and Shug (they're not the most cooperative models). :)

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From In Defense of Animals' Newsletter at ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/notice-description.tcl?newsletter _id=5231035 :
Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Congress' Lone Voice against the AETA
Vegan Congressman releases statement opposing unconstitutional bill

Out of the 100 Senators and 435 Representatives that comprise the United States Congress, Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is the only one to have voted against the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) , a recently-approved bill that threatens Americans' basic civil liberties. As one of the more than 160 members of the Equal Justice Alliance , a national coalition of social advocacy organizations preserving free speech and equal treatment under the law, IDA strongly supports Congressman Kucinich's efforts to safeguard the right to speak and act lawfully against cruelty to animals. We are therefore proud to present Congressman Kucinich's official position on the AETA in his own words:

Statement of Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act:

I stand with every Member of the House in defense of the rights of individuals to be free of bodily harm or injury under all and any circumstances. But, the fact of the matter is, existing Federal law already includes any place which does Federal research.

So the question is, why create a new and specific classification here?

We, of course, need to protect peoples' right to conduct their work without fear of assault. But, a larger question remains yet unanswered by this Congress: How should animals be treated humanely?

There are some specific principles with respect to humane treatment of animals but, these do not go far enough. My concern about this bill is that it does nothing to address the real issue of animal protection but, instead targets those advocating animal rights. This legislation will have a real and chilling effect on people's Constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.

I am not talking about people who would threaten anyone with death because they don't agree with them, but there are individuals who love animals, who don't want to see animals hurt, who have a point and a right to speak out. I think for that reason, this bill has not yet reached its maturity.

I understand what the sponsors of this bill are trying to do, but I don't think that they will reach the end they are hoping to achieve unless this Congress makes a clear statement about ethical principles with respect to animals and how we treat animals in research and other enterprise.

These are very serious questions that millions of Americans care about. I understand the intent here, but I think that you must be very careful about painting everyone with the broad brush of terrorism who might have a legitimate objection to research with or treatment of animals that is inhumane.

Bringing up a bill like this under procedures that only allow limited debate, and no amendments, no matter how well intentioned, is problematic.

I am not and never have been in favor of anyone using a cloak of free speech to commit violence. The Supreme Court Justice said, your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose. No one has the right to yell ''fire'' in a crowded theater. We have heard those kinds of admonitions.

I am not for anyone abusing their rights by damaging another person's property or person, but I am for protecting the First Amendment and not creating a special class of violations for a specific type of protest.

Balancing Constitutional concerns against the protection of people and property is never easy. Unfortunately, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act goes too far in the wrong direction.

- Thank Congressman Kucinich for taking a stand for freedom of speech and against animal cruelty.

- Congressman Kucinich is currently leading a serious effort to push for stronger federal legislation on farm animal welfare. He is compiling a list of all American citizens who want tougher farm animal protection laws which he will present to his colleagues in Congress. Please join his efforts to support humane treatment of farm animals.

- Congressman Kucinich recently declared his candidacy for the President of the United States. Watch the video of his announcement speech.

- Contact your two Senators and Representative to explain why the AETA should be repealed .

From: http://kucinich.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=1552
Animal Rights
Congressman Kucinich is a strong advocate for animal rights, believing that nature should be treated with the greatest respect and animals deserve the utmost protection. In his commitment to animal welfare, he continually works to promote animal rights legislation in Congress and resist programs that sponsor cruelty and the abuse of animal lives.
Pain and Distress
In October 2005, Rep. Kucinich and Rep. Chris Smith sent a letter to Dr. Ron DeHaven, Administrator for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), concerning the regulation of pain and distress in animal research. The purpose of the letter was to express concern that little or no progress had been made since a November of 2001 letter in which Members of Congress wrote to the USDA to urge the agency to move forward with its proposal to clarify and simplify the regulation of pain and distress in animal research under the Animal Welfare Act.
Investigating impact of Navy’s sonar system on whale deaths
In December 2003, Congressman Kucinich sent a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service(NMFS) requesting necropsy reports of whales beached as a result of the U.S. Navy’s high-power sonar system called the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS). This sonar is so powerful that a single source can illuminate hundreds of thousands of square miles of ocean at one time. At close range, the noise it produces is millions of times more intense than the Navy considers safe for human divers and billions of times more intense than the level known to disturb large whales.
Supporting increased funding for Animal Welfare Act enforcement
Congressman Kucinich advocated for an increase in funding for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. Along with Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Kucinich spearheaded a letter signed by 117 Members of the U.S. Congress to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture Chairman Henry Bonilla (R-TX) and Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) urging an increase of $3.8 million in Fiscal Year 2002 for enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This outpouring of support was critical in the House Agriculture Appropriation Committee’s decision to grant these funding requests for Fiscal Year 2002.
The Animal Welfare Act requires basic protections for millions of animals at 10,000 sites across the country, including medical laboratories, zoos and commercial breeding facilities known as puppy mills. However, through the 1990s, Animal Care's funding to do the job declined in real dollar terms, so that inspections dropped precipitously, needed follow-up at facilities in violation of the law could not be done, and animal health and welfare suffered. For the last and current fiscal years, Congress provided modest increases in Animal Care's appropriation.
Congressman Kucinich requested an increase of $2.4 million for the Animal Welfare division in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This funding would allow the Animal Care division to hire and train additional inspectors, conduct approximately 11,600 inspections and improve follow-up inspections. An increase of $1 million was urged for the Investigative and Enforcement Services. Finally, an additional $400,000 was requested for the Animal Welfare Information Center. This Center, created by Congress, serves as a clearinghouse and education resource for all individuals involved in the care and use of animals for experimentation. It provides information on training for laboratory employees, and legal requirements and appropriate care for animals in research, including minimizing pain and distress, preventing duplication of experiments, and reducing or replacing animals in research when possible.
Link between animal cruelty and violence toward humans
Congressman Kucinich strongly supports efforts to prevent violence at all levels - including animal abuse. Research confirms a strong correlation between animal cruelty and violence against humans. Studies show that violent offenders frequently have childhood and adolescent histories of serious and repeated animal abuse. It has also been found that animal cruelty often occurs in households experiencing family violence -child abuse, spousal abuse and elder abuse.
Congressman Kucinich was successful in adding language to the Manager’s Amendment of the H.R. 1900, the Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2001, that allows programs designed to prevent animal cruelty by juveniles and to counsel juveniles who committed animal cruelty offenses to be eligible for funding through the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Block Grant Program.
In an effort to promote awareness of the connection between animal abuse and human violence, Congressman Kucinich sponsored a briefing, along with the American Humane Association, to educate Capitol Hill staffers about the topic.
Dog and Cat Protection
Congressman Kucinich supports the humane treatment of all animals and opposes legislation which results in animal suffering. On December 12, 2005, Congressman Kucinich was interviewed along with Congressman Jim Moran, on CNN’s Larry King Live show, regarding the continued international trade of dog and cat fur. As a follow up to that show, Congressmen Kucinich and Moran sent a letter to the Embassy of China expressing concern over the dog and cat fur industry, much of which takes place in China, and advocating for international standards for the humane treatment of animals.
During the 106th Congress, Kucinich was a leader in supporting legislation which bans the importation, manufacture and sale of products made with dog and cat fur, the Dog and Cat Protection Act. In March 2000, he sent a letter to Chairman Crane of the Trade Subcommittee, urging him to include the provisions of this bill in trade corrections legislation. A prohibition on importing products made with dog and cat fur was included in H.R. 4868, the Miscellaneous Trade and Tariffs Act of 2000, which successfully passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by President Clinton on November 9, 2000.
As you may know, this new law prohibits the import, export, manufacture or sale of dog and cat fur in the United States. The law also authorizes civil and criminal penalties up to $10,000 for violation of the law, requires the U.S. Customs Service to publish a list of businesses and individuals known to trade in dog and cat fur, and provides for continuing congressional investigations.
In addition, Congressman Kucinich was a cosponsor of a bill to establish a committee responsible for reviewing alternative methods to animal testing. This bill became Public Law in December 2000.
Congressman Kucinich has also consistently voted to support and strengthen the Endangered Species Act and has opposed all efforts to undermine it. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, which lists hundreds of plants and animals as endangered or threatened, is one of the major environmental laws. Once a species is listed, a recovery plan is developed to aid in the recovery of the species and the protection of its habitat.
Locally, Congressman Kucinich has written letters asking for humane methods to be considered in dealing with the deer overpopulation in Cleveland.
Related Documents:
Press Release 2007 - Kucinich Starts Probe of Pet Food Poisoning; Demands Answers From FDA 4.2.2007
Press Release 2007 - Kucinich Sends Letter to Pet Food Company Concerning Recall and Use of Poison in 60 Million Products 3.26.2007
Press Release - Kucinich Persists in Efforts to Pass Dog and Cat Fur Protection Act 10.17.2000
More Documents...
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CLICK HERE to hear the entire October 6th, 2007 Go Vegan with Bob Linden Radio show:
Guest:
Dennis Kucinich
Topics:
A truly amazing interview with Presidential candidate & U.S. Congress member DENNIS KUCINICH - on war & a "department of peace", veganism, impeachment, animal rights, the Patriot Act, the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, Dick Cheney, vivisection, election fraud, compassion, domestic spying, and what he ate for breakfast. DO NOT MISS THIS FASCINATING PROGRAM!
goveganradio.com:8484/shows/128kbps/go-vegan-with-bob-linden -2007-10-06.mp3

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http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/261770/kucinich_wat ch_why_hes_the_best_political.html
Kucinich Watch: Why He's the Best Political Animal for President
By Ardeth Baxter
My chosen candidate for President must espouse progressive values for both human and nonhuman animals. The ideal President should recognize the interconnectedness of human rights and animal rights and give them equal consideration. He/she needs to share my conviction that nonhuman animals are an integral part of our world and deserve our respect and compassion. How does the current crop of Democratic candidates fare in this area?
The Humane Society Legislative Fund publishes the Humane Scorecard, a report on how individual Congressional members have voted on animal protection bills during each session. The animal bills considered in the first half of the 109th Congress dealt with prohibiting the slaughter of horses and wild burros, the welfare of commercially sold pets, a ban on the slaughter of downed livestock, and animal fighting prohibition enforcement. Presidential candidates Christopher Dodd, Hillary Clinton, and Dennis Kucinich all scored an impressive 100% in support of these bills. Joseph Biden ranked second at 60%, and Barack Obama scored a dismal 17%.
What about the other candidates? John Edwards, a former Senator, scored only 60% on the Humane Scorecard in his last term as a Senator. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson recently helped pass a statewide cockfighting ban and has consistently backed animal shelter-related and spay/neuter legislation. Unfortunately, he's a supporter of animal-cruel rodeos and horse racing. Mike Gravel makes no reference to animal protection on his campaign website, which suggests to me that he has no interest in this issue.
In the area of both human and animal rights, Dennis Kucinich was the sole Congressional member with the foresight to vote against the latest version of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) in late 2006 (the Senate had voted unanimously to pass it). He recognized that AETA, along with the Patriot Act, is one of the biggest threats to free speech and civil rights in our history (Kucinich wants the Patriot Act repealed). AETA allows any business classified as an "animal enterprise" (such as a factory farm, fur farm, vivisection lab, rodeo, zoo, circus, or a business that just sells animal products, like a supermarket or clothing store), that claims to have suffered a profit loss through violence, threats of violence, or even peaceful protests, boycotts, media campaigns or leafleting, to press charges of terrorism against the protestors. This undemocratic law has already led to large fines and long prison sentences for a number of animal and environmental activists, and could be used to prosecute all types of political and social activists.
The Iraq war is another important human rights issue for me. Of the three presidential candidates in Congress whom I would consider because of their animal protection records, only Dennis Kucinich voted against the war. (Hillary Clinton has stated that she voted for the war based on the information she had at the time and declines to apologize. Christopher Dodd also voted for the war, although to his credit, he now says that he regrets his decision.)
A long-time ethical vegan and animal advocate, Kucinich wants to create a Department of Peace. Sadly, many people find his idea of establishing a cabinet-level department dedicated to peace to be ludicrous, although they seem to have no problem with having a Department of Defense dedicated to war. This is what Kucinich has to say about the Department of Peace and its relationship to animal rights on his campaign website:
I would include advocacy of animal rights in the Department of Peace, which I have already proposed to Congress. This cabinet-level department would work with, and offer an alternative to, the Defense Department. There have been numerous studies that have suggested a link between animal cruelty and domestic violence. The Department of Peace would not only seek to resolve international conflicts with nonviolent means, but also seek to instill a peaceful paradigm into the hearts of all the people of the world, so that one day war will be an archaic relic of a time that has passed.
Kucinich and his wife Elizabeth, a statuesque young British beauty, recently adopted two shelter dogs and a stray. As a concerned pet parent and chair of the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee, Kucinich has sent a letter to Menu Foods, the Canadian company responsible for tainted pet food being sold in North America, requesting that all pertinent materials about the situation be sent to his committee for review.
Based on the above criteria, of all the Democratic candidates, Dennis Kucinich is the only one who has demonstrated to me that he is a compassionate visionary who fulfills my requirement of concern for both human rights and animal rights.
More resources http://kucinich.us/issues/rightsanimal.php ________________________________________________________
Here is an excellent Letter to the Editor written by Karen Ball (THANKS KAREN!) and printed on November 30, 2007 in the Ledger-Enquirer, the local newspaper in Columbus, Georgia:
Character issue
A recent article in the Ledger-Enquirer summarized the political career and controversial style of presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich. He was described as smart, brash, independent and resolute. A personality trait not mentioned, but which strongly defines his character and drives his political actions, is his sense of compassion.
Since being elected to the U.S. House in l996, Rep. Kucinich has been a strong voice for humane treatment of animals. He consistently receives a score of 100 percent from the Humane Society of the United States. He voted for and co-sponsored legislation to ban the sale of cat and dog fur, to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption, to protect companion animals in the event of a disaster, and to strengthen penalties for violation of federal law against dogfighting and cockfighting. (The Humane Society of the United States gave Rep. Lynn Westmoreland a score of 0 for voting against the foregoing legislation.)
Rep. Kucinich is a vegan and he supported legislation requiring humane euthanasia of sick or injured farm animals. He also spoke out against the use of federal funds for bear baiting and bison in Yellowstone Park.
Finally, Kucinich led the opposition to legislation targeting animal protection groups as terrorists.
The Ledger-Enquirer series on the presidential candidates did not address Kucinich's position, or any candidate's thus far, on animal welfare. To take a pro-animal stance requires genuine compassion and it shows the candidate understands that a respect for animal life makes for a more just and non-violent world.
KAREN BALL, Columbus, GA
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/172/story/188774.html
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This is an article about Dennis and Elizabeth's three rescue dogs, Harry, Lucy, and George, from the Cleveland Plain Dealer Politics Blog at: http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2007/03/the_kuciniches_go_ to_the_dogs.html
The Kuciniches go to the dogs
Posted by Sabrina Eaton
March 27, 2007 13:58PM
Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich and his wife, Elizabeth, have adopted three dogs in the past year, to whom they feed raw carrots as treats, according to a cover story in the latest edition of "Cleveland Canine," a 20,000-circulation free magazine distributed through pet-related businesses in the Cleveland area.
The vegetarian couple also feed the dogs fruit and left-over salad, says the article, which recounts how the Kuciniches acquired beagles Harry and Lucy at local animal shelters, and adopted a black cocker spaniel named George who burst into their kitchen one day as Kucinich headed to the airport to catch a flight to Washington, D.C. They named George after a British king, not an American politician.
"Dennis likes to take the 'boys' out back and throws balls to them," Elizabeth Kucinich told the magazine. "George has a particularly good knack of catching balls in mid-flight."
In addition to citing the congressman's honors from animal rights groups, the magazine reveals that Elizabeth Kucinich once worked in her native England for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and became known as the "Dog Queen" during a six-month stint in India where she fed wild dogs.
Kucinich said it's possible the family dogs might travel the country with him during his campaign for president, but he's still trying to figure out the logistics. When the congressman and his wife are out of town, a dog-sitter they call "Aunt Clara" takes care of their pets.
Avon-based "Cleveland Canine" isn't available online, but Kucinich fans around the country can email owner/editor Brenda Bals at [email protected] for a copy of the article.
Kucinich kept busy on the pet front this month by sending a letter to the Canadian company that sold tainted pet food throughout North America. His letter asks questions about the episode and requests that pertinent "internal documents, correspondence, e-mail, records, data and information" about the incident be forwarded to the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee Kucinich chairs.
Kucinich's Domestic Policy subcommittee might take up the issue in the future, but has only sent the letter so far, says spokeswoman Natalie Laber.
"As a pet owner myself, I was extremely distressed to learn about the recall of the pet food," Kucinich said in a press release. "We deserve to know the truth about Menu Foods and why this happened."
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From the March/April 2007 issue of The Cleveland Canine
courtesy of editor Brenda Bals

AT HOME WITH DENNIS & ELIZABETH KUCINICH AND THEIR THREE DOGS
By Deborah Burke

Most Clevelanders know a lot about Dennis Kucinich- born and raised here, mayor during the 1970s- the youngest mayor of a major American city. His refusal as mayor to sell Muny Light leading the banks to refuse the city credit and throw it into default, and his eventual vindication in 1998. His long-time service as Congressional Representative from Ohio's 10th District, his 2004 Presidential bid, his legislation to create a cabinet-level Department of Peace and his recent announcement that he will run for the 2008 Democratic nomination for president. We know he married a red-headed Brit named Elizabeth Harper in 2005. Kucinich has made a lot of local headlines and Clevelanders may be tempted to think they know all about him.
But do you know about his dogs?
And do you know about Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich's tireless efforts nationally and internationally on behalf of animal welfare?
The Cleveland Canine visited Dennis and Elizabeth- and Harry, George and Lucy- at their home one chilly day recently to get the scoop.
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Although the Congressman grew up with a Water Spaniel and has had a Dalmatian and later, a German Shepherd, when he was a city councilman, he admits to nearly a dozen years without one dog, let alone three.
It all began about a year ago, in March 2006. Dennis and Elizabeth attended a birthday party for Dick Goddard (see The Cleveland Canine, July/August 2006) hosted by the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter. Elizabeth asked Dennis to take a stroll with her through the shelter. "Elizabeth noticed this beagle that seemed to be calling out to us," Dennis recalled. The couple asked about adopting the brown-eared dog, but was told another family had already shown interest in it. Elizabeth adds a tender footnote. "Dennis needed a little convincing," that they really needed a dog, "but he kept dreaming about the beagle who he called Harry," she said. When the other family decided against adopting the beagle, Dennis and Elizabeth quickly adopted Harry, a beagle/basset hound mix.
"Dennis was still trying to adjust to having a boisterous animal in the house with us- an animal who liked to scratch paint," Elizabeth recalled. "But I told him we just needed to get another dog to keep Harry company." The Congressman wasn't sure about that. A month later, as Dennis opened the front door to head to the airport for a flight to Washington, DC, a black dog ran into the house. "He made a beeline right into the house and into the kitchen. I don't know where he came from," Dennis said. "The dog was enormous," Elizabeth said, "a big cloud of black fur full of leaves and twigs and he was very, very smelly."
At first, Dennis and Elizabeth thought they had a poodle on their hands but once the dog was bathed and trimmed he turned out to be a Cocker Spaniel. "He was funny and he made me laugh," Elizabeth said. "For some reason I thought of King George, and so I named him George."
George and Harry became best friends and by the time Dennis returned home from DC at week's end, his family had grown to four.
"George clearly had not been cared for in months," Dennis said. The couple tried to find the owner without success. "So although Elizabeth and I adopted Harry, clearly George adopted us," Dennis said. Harry is two-years-old and George about three-and-a half.
In late summer, Dennis and Elizabeth attended another community event near the Cleveland APL, and Elizabeth suggested another stroll through the shelter.
They both were taken by a nine-month-old Beagle with ginger-colored ears. "She was absolutely desperate to get out of that cage," Elizabeth said. "She was literally crying and trying to dig her way out," Dennis said. A few days later, Elizabeth brought the dog home and surprised Dennis when he returned home from DC. Dennis named her Lucy.
"We want to encourage people to get their pets from the animal shelters," they said, almost in unison.
Life with Three Dogs
So, how is life with three dogs? We asked the congressman. "Wonderful," inserted Elizabeth. "It's a circus," Dennis said. He briefly left the room and returned with a sorry-looking pot of reed-like stalks and a few stray leaves. "Harry ate the whole pot of geraniums," he announced. "And a lot of other things," Elizabeth smiled.
Peter Yarrow of the legendary group, Peter, Paul, and Mary, had presented Dennis years ago with a gift of a dragon made in part of colored straw. One day, Dennis found George with the dragon in his mouth. Dennis points to the dragon under the living room table- clearly not looking his best- for a dragon. “We know that dragons have never gotten along with anybody named George, so now our George has vanquished a dragon too,” Dennis laughed. “And all three of them ate a calendar- a whole year’s calendar,” he continued. “Talk about time flying." ”They are a joy,” said Elizabeth.
The backyard of the Kucinich home is large and has plenty of room for the dogs to run. “Dennis likes to take the “boys” out back and throw balls to them” Elizabeth said. “George has a particularly good knack of catching balls in mid-flight.” They also walk the dogs at a nearby park.
Evidently, Lucy is quite the lady. She hates to be wet or lay on wet or cold ground. “So she has found a way of sitting on Harry or George so she doesn’t have to touch the ground,” Elizabeth said.
Lucy and Harry are inseparable and George has become the “big brother.” They are very affectionate,” Elizabeth said, and the Congressman agreed. “They get along great,” he said.
Elizabeth took it in stride when the dogs took a liking to her vegetable garden last summer. “They don’t much like tomatoes,” she said, “but they love the broccoli and squash.”
At night, each dog looks forward to their “treat”- a raw carrot. “They eat fruit and left-over salad,” Elizabeth said. Both Dennis and Elizabeth are vegetarians. Dennis has been a vegan for many years.
Animal Welfare
Elizabeth Harper Kucinich grew up in the tiny town of Upminister just outside London, with two dogs, ducks, chickens, a rabbit named Allsorts, a goose named Simon and a golden pheasant. ”Ours was a home for waifs and strays,” she said. “Everyone knew that if they had an animal they didn’t want, they could drop them over the fence into our garden and we would either take them in or find a home for them.”
When she was 17, she was offered a job assisting a Member of Parliament because she had taken it upon herself to write a letter to all 600+ members and personally deliver her letters to each member of Parliament urging the end to institutionalized violence against farm animals.
After high school, Elizabeth went to India for six months where she started an education project. Around 11 pm each night, she would stroll through town feeding the wild dogs that lived in the city. One dog, whom she named Fudge, would take her skirt in his mouth and walk with her. People there saw dogs as a menace,” Elizabeth said, “and I tried to get them to look at them as sentient beings and give them love.” She became known as the “Dog Queen.”
Back in England, she worked for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). “RSPCA is an animal police force that has rights similar to those of police officers,” she explained. “We have very strict animal welfare codes in England,” she said, noting that animal welfare laws and organic standards coding are not as strict in the United States.
Elizabeth has advanced academic training in International Conflict Analysis; Conflict Transformation; Peace and Reconciliation and Human Rights Fieldwork.
Dennis has been a long-time animal rights activist. He has worked with Dick Goddard, who started an international movement to stop the importation of dog and cat fur from China, and Dennis and Elizabeth have joined Heather Mills-McCartney in campaigning internationally on the same issue. ”Based on Dick Goddard’s leadership on this issue and the support from the greater Cleveland area, I was able to get an amendment to a trade bill that actually stopped the importation of dog and cat fur from China to the United States from occurring,” Dennis explained. He also met with Chinese government officials to raise objections to their policy of killing more than 2 million dogs and cats annually for fur; he asked them to change their policies. The United States banned the import, export and sale of dog and cat fur in 2002.
Dennis has a 100 percent voting record on animal welfare issues. In 2006, Farm Sanctuary honored him with its Congressional Friend of Farm Animals award for his support of the Downed Animal Protection Act, for consistently scoring 100 percent on the Congressional Humane Scorecard, and for being the only vegan member of Congress. ”There is clearly a need for people in government to recognize that animals have rights and that they are not just dogs and cats,” he said. “I am dedicated to seeing that these animals have someone to represent them.”
He has also won a number of peace awards, including the Gandhi Peace Award in 2003.
”They are great movie buffs,” Dennis says of the dogs. Turns out that Dennis and Elizabeth love to watch movies and the dogs join them on the sofa. “Sometimes the dogs will be sprawled all across the sofa and Dennis and I will be perched at one end,” Elizabeth said.
Dennis said it is conceivable that the dogs could travel with them in his Presidential bid, but they are still discussing how that would work. When the couple is away, they have a wonderful lady they have named “Aunt Clara” who dog-sits.
At this point in our visit with the Kucinich clan, George has taken to licking the camera lens, while Lucy is calmly cuddling beside Elizabeth and Harry is restlessly trying to catch a few winks. ”Animals are part of our lives,” Elizabeth says, “They bring so much magic in their presence.”
So that’s the scoop on what you probably didn’t know. One more thing, they looked like an incredibly happy family of five.
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From http://www.abolitionist-online.com/_06kucinich.html :

VEGAN CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH
Interviewed for the Abolitionist-Online by Claudette Vaughan

Congressman Dennis Kucinich became a vegan out of love. His then girlfriend introduced him to a vegan diet and in a recent interview he adds, "I feel healthy. I have a lot more energy, more stamina". Congressman Kucinich believes that, "as a necessary component of the living world, we must extend compassion to one another and to every living being." His Catholic faith has "had the most powerful impact on my life. I try to make every moment of my life prayer." As a member of Congress, he has co-sponsored every piece of major animal protection legislation. In addition, he holds the distinction of being the only vegan in Congress. Living his life in accordance with his non-violent convictions it was an absolute pleasure to speak with Dennis recently. Here is our interview with him.

Abolitionist: You have said our presence on the planet has a higher calling. What is that higher calling?

Dennis Kucinich: It is to evolve to become the best that we can possibly be and that is to let go of all of our fears, of all of our doubts, to expand our intellect, our spirit, our heart, to embrace each other joyously, fearlessly and to arrive at that place where mythology has called it "The Garden of Eden".

Abolitionist: What do you think a non-human animals purpose is on the planet and do you think that humans have reneged their duty to the nonhuman animal kingdom?

Dennis Kucinich: Since I have a view of the world which is holistic, I think the diversions between ourselves and other species are often false. If indeed the world is interconnected and interdependent then whatever species we are part of a circle of life. Every plant, every animal, every human is part of a circle of life and we ought not separate ourselves so easily from that which derives itself from the earth, from that which moves across the land, from that which is our brother and sister whose eyes we look into and reflect a continuation of ourselves. It is the alienation and separation from nature that has caused the human species a tremendous amount of pain and anxiety and we need to reintegrate to create what one writer called "the re-enchantment of the world" which is our reconnection with nature and our reconnection with all that makes up the planet.

Abolitionist: Your ideas and views on non-violence are profound in an era when the Bush Administration is calling for "one hundred years of war". Do you see your life and ideas on non-violence as a direct response against stopping their world from emerging?

Dennis Kucinich: The more that we practice violence, the more we lose our capacity to evolve to become the best that we can be. Violence is actually a form of separation from our higher natures. It is a concession to forces of destructiveness which exist in the world but which are always calling out for some counter-balance to be expressed. The Hindu Shiva needs to be balanced by Visnu. We need to balance the forces of destruction with the forces of creativity. War is not inevitable. Peace is inevitable if we are willing to, ourselves, become exemplars or channels of that peace. We have to have confidence that we can do it. And when we have that confidence and we understand that imperative of human unity we're not then persuaded to capitulate the imperatives of violence.

Abolitionist: Can you talk about your veganism Dennis? For example, how did the Kucinich household celebrate Thanksgiving just gone?

Dennis Kucinich: We had a "Tofutti" turkey which is a product made in Oregan which is a texturised, protein tasting turkey.

Abolitionist: I am of the belief that intensive farming practices and the terror inflicted upon the non-human animal kingdom is a microcosm of the macrocosmic world that humans inhabit. Animal rights people work for equal consideration for non-human animals yet the reality is for many humans and animals alike when it specifically comes to slaughter we're all in the same boat. When Madeleine Albright was presented with a figure of half a million children under five having died because of sanctions imposed on Iraq, without challenging that figure Albright replied: "We think the price is worth it". Now reports from the latest report on Iraq say over half a million of Iraqis have been murdered. How does one with strong guiding principles process that?

Dennis Kucinich: It's our responsibility to stand up for what's right. That we do not need to participate in the relative merit of one type of human suffering as opposed to another. All human suffering needs to be released. Each one of us can be agents for the release of human suffering. That to say that one path of action that has been devastating to a group of people is preferable to another path of action which is devastating to another group of people is in effect to decide that one person's life is more important than another. The truth is each one of us has a right to be able to live out our lives without being subjugated by any one of us. So with the imperative of human unity comes the importance of standing up for each other and not permitting politics or ambitions towards domination to over-ride the quieter rhythms or pulsations of the human heart.

Abolitionist: Do you yourself believe that non-human animals should have basic legal rights that would see an end to their property status and prohibit all use and destruction of them?

Dennis Kucinich: I think that we need to reappraise the way in which we look at animals, that animals can have rights to exist apart from ourselves. That's the natural state from which animals derive and so we need to consider the rights of animals. We need not dismiss them to some kind of thinking which says they are only here for our enjoyment. And so we need to get along with other humans so we need to find a way to peacefully co-exist with other species. In doing that we begin to learn more about ourselves.

I think that we have a society in which millions of people depend on a certain source of food and it's a monumental under-taking to get people to think about the choices they make. By the way, one cannot force those choices but when one comes to understand the suffering that occurs of species and those in the animal kingdom we can then begin to reappraise the choices that we make in either facilitating or lessening that suffering. It's all about what each one of us chooses for the world.

Abolitionist: The small farmers you have been approaching on the ideas of organic farming and going back by necessity to small organic farming practices, how have you been received there?

Dennis Kucinich: Generally farmers that are attempting to survive understand that organic farming is the way of the future. They also understand that it's important for farmers to have a way to get their product to market to be able to get a good price for their product. That's one of the reasons why we have to be aware of monopolies in agriculture. It's also one of the reasons why we have to be aware of genetically modified organisms that are in the nature of our food. Organic farmers are serving a very important function in reminding consumers that there are quality food products out there that come from the land and aren't in any way tainted, that local farmers do produce products that can be consumed at a fair price. Local farming needs to be encouraged. My wife and I shop at a market where we buy products that are sold from farmers that raise organic crops.

Abolitionist: You and your wife went over to Lebanon after the recent war there and witnessed all the suffering going on of the people. Even at a cursory glance it was impossible not to notice that Condoleezza Rice had no intention of calling an immediate ceasefire. It was never part of US strategy. What is your analysis of the situation?

Dennis Kucinich: After the fact it's even more clear that the United States was encouraging the bombing and that's why the US did nothing to stop it because they favoured it and so we have not done Israel any favours as someone who supports the existence of the State of Israel and its economic and physical security. I can say that the Administration has played upon the fears of Israelis, which are real and have used those fears to advance an agenda in the region which has not really been in the interests of Israel. What happened in Lebanon is a great catastrophe but the United States must take responsibility for it as well as Israel. And it has to be said that the US was in a position to help resolve some of the issues that lead to that immediate conflict. The US had an obligation to be involved, that Israel felt that it was threatened when the soldier was kidnapped and then responded in a way that was quite unfortunate. We have to look at what can be done to assure Israel of its security, what can be done to address the concerns of all parties in the region and to lift up the Palestinians from their plight, how we can assure the territorial integrity of all the states in the region.

Abolitionist: Noam Chomsky said that Iraq is a trial run because they are seen as an extremely easy and totally defenseless target. He said that it is assumed that Iraq's society will collapse and that the US will control and establish the regime of its own choice there and put in US military bases. Then they will move onto something harder. On your website you are convinced Bush is gearing up for Iran and I'd also like to hear your views on the larger picture. Is it that they want Israel to have more land so that Israel will be the US's strong arm in the Middle East against Muslims?

Dennis Kucinich: No I don't see it like that. I see it in a totally different way. The fact that the United States has hegemonic ambitions in the region has made it impossible for the United States to be an honest broker with respect to the conflict between the Arabs and the Israelis. The United States should have been there to help discourage the building of new settlements. We didn't do that. The United States should have been there to discourage the building of new walls being built. We didn't do that. The United States should have been there to actively encourage discussions so that Israelis weren't fearing from their lives every day. We didn't do that. What we did do is to basically ignore years of work that Bill Clinton did in peace talks with the Israelis and the Palestinians and launch headlong into a so-called global war on terror ignoring the real exigent circumstances in Palestine and the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis when we had a responsibility to get involved. While the United States has been supportive of the state of Israel the motives of the United States always have to be questioned here because I would ask how has it been supportive of Israel not to help the Israelis resolve the conflicts of the region. For we in the United States to be on the threshold of a war against Iran and not withstanding that there's been a lot of quiet about it, it makes many questions about what are we doing in the war. How can we ever hope to have peace? We have policies that help continue to fund wars and supporting further aggression.

Abolitionist: What are your thoughts on George W.Bush, from the Christian Right belonging to the pagan sect, Skull and Bones Society?

Dennis Kucinich: I don't have any problems with whatever club he wants to belong to. (laughter) One of the things in the United States in our Constitution -our first amendment- protects freedom of association. I'm more concerned about the effects of his international policies which may create skulls and bones of living, breathing human beings as a result of war. To belong to an organisation, whatever its fraternal purpose says one thing, to carry out policies that erratically reflect that emblem is another.

Abolitionist: 40% now of all small business bookstores in the United States have folded because of the multi-national conglomerate "Borders". My question to you is about the illiteracy in the US where in a rich capitalistic culture, where rich men make the rules on what people read, how they are educated, what religion is right and how people are expected to think the facts show there's never been an era so full of cancers afflicting people, child obesity is rife and drug addicted children on Ritalin eating junk food, living sedate lives is the norm now.

Dennis Kucinich: Wait a minute! Rich men might make the rules but we don't have to follow them. Reality is socially constructed and culturally affirmed. Each of us has the power to make our own choices about how we are going to live our lives out. Well we understand the dominant forces that exist in our society but we should give ourselves credit for being able to choose and choose again and not to be boxed in by choices based upon the economy of our nation. Sometimes it requires a most courageous way of living but I'm all for that.

Abolitionist: If you had to name only one verse from scripture, what one moves you the most?

Dennis Kucinich: Matthew Chapter 5 which really relates to our responsibilities to each other. "When I was hungry, did you feed me...". We have to realize that we are not simply our brothers and sisters keeper. We are our brothers and sisters. They are another version of ourselves and when we buy into the separation which is perhaps the most consequential philosophical default in our existence, that when we buy into the separation from each other, we set the stage for every kind of contest and assault. We are One. There is an imperative for human Unity.

Music:

Strength through Peace by Alex Arndt
a great song he wrote about Dennis Kucinich's House Resolution 1234

Melissa Etheridge
CLICK HERE to hear Melissa's endorsement of Dennis Kucinich.

Willie Nelson
"I am endorsing Dennis Kucinich for President because he stands up for heartland Americans who are too often overlooked and unheard. Big corporations are well-represented in Washington, but Dennis Kucinich is a rare Congressman of conscience and bravery who fights for the unrepresented. Dennis champions the environment, peace, individual freedoms privacy, safe food laws and family farmers. A Kucinich Administration will put the interests of America's organic family farmers, consumers and environment above the greed of dangerous genetic engineered and industrial agribusiness." -Willie Nelson

Movies:

James Cromwell

Sean Penn & Robin Wright Penn
CLICK HERE to read Sean Penn's December 7, 2007 speech given at San Francisco State University endorsing Dennis, entitled "Piano Wire Puppeteers: The Constitution, Media & Dennis Kucinich".

Television:

Alexandra Paul
CLICK HERE to see why Alexandra Paul supports Dennis Kucinich for President of the United States.

Dennis Kucinich for President Weekly Campaign Update -
Monday, January 21st, 2008

Books:

CLICK HERE for Gore Vidal's endorsement of Dennis Kucinich

Howard Lyman- "The Mad Cowboy"

Heroes:

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