The Gay Vegans: Anti-gay and anti-animal: Rep. Steve King of Iowa & his amendment

By Dan Hanley

It isn't always easy finding politicians who support equality and even the basics around animal welfare. Many times I cringe when I see some type of animal group giving an honor to a politician who did something good for animals yet is hugely anti-gay.

Here we have a politician from Iowa who is anti-gay and wants to undermine the progress that California and other states have made in ensuring farm animals are treated a tiny bit more humanely. Full disclosure: I have not read the entire amendment, just articles about the amendment and King's comments regarding the amendment. What I gather, having spent more time reading about this than the average voter/consumer would, is that his amendment would take away any state laws or mandates around animal protection.

Steve King also has a big dislike for gay people. Amongst other things, he thinks we should be closeted at work.

He uses vegetarians as fodder for a joke or a laugh. I'm not sure what he has said about vegans.

King represents folks in the 4th Congressional District which is the north west part f the state. I can only imagine the people who live there if they allow a guy like King to represent them.

You may have heard of the King Amendment. It is an amendment to the huge Farm Bill.  The Farm Bill is huge. It includes lots of subsidies for "farmers" who profit off of animal cruelty. They don't grow kale or spinach or Swiss chard. The majority grow food for animals who will become food and in many cases they raise animals for food.

When King's Protect Interstate Commerce Act passed through committee he posted that he was happy so he could protect those in agriculture from having to spend "billions" to meet standards from states like California who in the next couple of years will only allow "free range" eggs to be sold. And yes, I know that "free range" is a crock, yet I am writing about legislation. King also mentions "radical" organizations like HSUS and PETA. He doesn't mention that voters in California and other states are fed up with animal cruelty and those who profit from it.

ill require only 'free range' eggs be sold and the impact of their large market would compel - See more at: http://steveking.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4440:two-king-amendments-included-in-farm-bill&catid=71:press-releases&Itemid=300164#sthash.YmTUXW64.dpuf

"I am pleased that the Committee passed my amendment, the Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA) because states are entering into trade protectionism by requiring cost prohibitive production methods in other states," said King. "PICA blocks states from requiring 'free range' eggs or 'free range' pork but covers all agriculture products listed in section 206 of the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946. By 2014 California will require only 'free range' eggs be sold and the impact of their large market would compel producers in every other state to invest billions to meet the California standard of "means of production." PICA will ensure that radical organizations like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and PETA are prohibited from establishing a patchwork of restrictive state laws aimed at slowly suffocating production agriculture out of existence." - See more at: http://steveking.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4440:two-king-amendments-included-in-farm-bill&catid=71:press-releases&Itemid=300164#sthash.YmTUXW64.dpuf

"I am pleased that the Committee passed my amendment, the Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA) because states are entering into trade protectionism by requiring cost prohibitive production methods in other states," said King. "PICA blocks states from requiring 'free range' eggs or 'free range' pork but covers all agriculture products listed in section 206 of the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946. By 2014 California will require only 'free range' eggs be sold and the impact of their large market would compel producers in every other state to invest billions to meet the California standard of "means of production." PICA will ensure that radical organizations like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and PETA are prohibited from establishing a patchwork of restrictive state laws aimed at slowly suffocating production agriculture out of existence." - See more at: http://steveking.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4440:two-king-amendments-included-in-farm-bill&catid=71:press-releases&Itemid=300164#sthash.YmTUXW64.dpuf

"I am pleased that the Committee passed my amendment, the Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA) because states are entering into trade protectionism by requiring cost prohibitive production methods in other states," said King. "PICA blocks states from requiring 'free range' eggs or 'free range' pork but covers all agriculture products listed in section 206 of the Agriculture Marketing Act of 1946. By 2014 California will require only 'free range' eggs be sold and the impact of their large market would compel producers in every other state to invest billions to meet the California standard of "means of production." PICA will ensure that radical organizations like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and PETA are prohibited from establishing a patchwork of restrictive state laws aimed at slowly suffocating production agriculture out of existence." - See more at: http://steveking.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4440:two-king-amendments-included-in-farm-bill&catid=71:press-releases&Itemid=300164#sthash.YmTUXW64.dpuf

It would take me weeks to read the whole Farm Bill. It hasn't passed yet and it looks like it has a tough road ahead. What we can do is speak out against the King Amendment.

I write a lot about getting politically active and getting to know the people who represent you on the state and federal levels. Letting these people know how you feel about issues definitely helps. I this case, simply calling your Congressperson and asking them to vote no on the King Amendment could be huge.

To me, the amendment makes no sense. A so-called conservative asking to have the federal government get more involved by taking away laws passed in states to give some small amount of welfare standards to animals being raised for food.

I wonder how many people in Iowa's 4th Congressional District hate gay people as much as King does and have no regard for even the most basic standards in animal welfare.

This post originally appeared on Dan Hanley's website The Gay Vegans. Republished with permission.