5 Books I Will Read This Fall

So, summer is officially over (in the sense that school starts or has started. I understand it still feels like summer out there in some places.) As for my summer reading list, I read 4.5 out of the five books (I've read much more than 4.5, but not all of them were on the list). I'm in the middle of Harrington on Hold 'Em, and it's a great book that has augmented my poker game plenty so far. I've come to a point in the book that I need to read over a couple of times, as there are lots of good information there that I need to soak in so I can incorporate into my game. Since I will eventually finish that book (I've seriously committed to improving my poker skill and making some quality dough from it), I'm not going to put it on my fall reading list. The reading list is for myself, as it's supposed to be for fun and for personal development. Here are the five books I will read this fall, with fall ending on December 1st right after the Thanksgiving holiday (Thanksgiving is totally fall).

Ghosts of Jim Crow: Ending Racism in Post-Racial America

I've started this book, and it was something that piqued my interest since I read The New Jim Crow. Institutionalized racism, and the idea of race in general, is very intriguing to me since it's treated so differently in Hawaii and the state doesn't have the same racial history and experience as the rest of the United States. I like it so far, and I particularly like how the author covers racism since the early years of the United States. I'm curious to see if, and how, he tackles the drug war and how much he covers of the current climate.

Dollarocracy: How the Money and Media Election Complex Is Destroying America

I'm really excited to read this once, since I work in media and am incredibly curious about money, politics, and how these things affect the media. I feel like I'm going to be blown away by what's in this book because I'm somewhat aware of the problem and what's going on, but I think that what I know is just the tip of the iceberg. I want to know what this book has to say.

Collision 2012: Obama Vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America

This book tells the story of the 2012 presidential election. I understand that I was there, and am very aware of what happened, but the 2012 election was an eventful 18, 24 months. There were lots of, noteworthy people saying lots of, well, noteworthy things. I don't mind reliving it again, especially since this book offers insight and perspective that I wouldn't have experienced when everything was taking place.

Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield

This one is our current book club reading for our Amnesty International chapter. I've started it, but it's a beast of a book (over 500 pages), and I would like to finish it before our October meeting. It's essentially about America's covert wars, drone strikes, and the U.S foreign policy of "the world is a battlefield." Once I'm able to borrow it again from the library, I'll make it a point to read it.

Act of Congress: How America's Essential Institution Works, and How It Doesn't

I started this one on a random day at the library. I need to kill some time before and event, and it was hot out, so sitting in the library and picking a book to read seemed like a good idea. This was the book I found. I read the introduction and I want to read the rest. It's about Congress' response to the financial crisis, particularly the whole story behind getting the Dodd-Frank Act passed. From what I understand, this bill was stripped of much of its teeth that even though it passed, it really doesn't do anything to regulate any industries or to change any of the things that led to the crash in 2008 in the first place.

Small Change in Plans

I know I've changed my plans, like, 550 times (545 of those times were plans that were never started), but this is the 550th time that I am changing my plans regarding this blog. I can't guarantee this is the last time I'm changing my plans, but that's what's happening. My former business coach wouldn't be too happy with this, and would probably tell me to commit to something during our next coaching session. Not only is that not a bad idea, but I do think I ought to schedule a lunch with her in the near future.

Questions Will Be Posted on the International Political Forum

I just secured a new writing gig with International Political Forum, a news and commentary website for politically engaged young people, and I will be posting the answers to those questions there instead of here. I'll be starting this coming week. I think it's a better platform for that type of content, and I think my pieces will be able to attract more traffic on a site like this one. I also like that there isn't much time constraint here, so I don't have to pitch the old questions each one. If one is still relevant, then I can still write about it. One of the nice things about It also frees up my personal blog to be a bit more, well, personal. Sorry if this disappoints a few people.

I Prefer Keeping This Blog Personal

At first, I didn't like the idea of turning this blog into an online diary, since online diaries are so 2001. I wasn't sure if such content was what I wanted for my online reputation and identity capital. However, I do miss having something that's just mine and is there for me to write what I want. Since I write for a living, I am writing for someone else, even if I get to choose the topic or if there isn't much criteria in what needs to be written. There's always a standard to meet, an audience to consider, and other goals to shoot for, depending on the writing project. None of that has to apply to this blog, which is nice to have every once in a while (but don't get me wrong, as I'm probably not going to start using profanity or to cover inappropriate topics). It's nice to be able to write for myself regularly, as it does make me more motivated to write for others. Also, it is easier to write everyday if that's the case with this blog. I really don't need something else that requires a ton of work and forethought.

When it comes down to it, this blog should be fun. Writing should be fun. In the case of this blog and the questions articles, I think this change in plans makes both a little more fun. I'm excited already.

What to Expect

Since summer is almost over, I will be putting together my fall reading list and tallying what I've completed with my summer reading list. I have an idea of what's going to be on that fall reading list, so I am thrilled to put it together and to read more good books. That's what I know I will be covering in the next few days. I'll also write about many of the topics that I covered in previous posts i.e. poker, my cat, my business, eating healthier, video games, political issues etc. Should be fun.

Content for Readers, Local Search, and Other Online Media News Stories

If it was just about writing the darn articles, then the online media business wouldn't be as tough as it is. However, because some think it's that simply, it makes the industry that much more competitive. This is why the stories in this online media news roundup are so important: they illustrate the nuances blogs and online publications need to think about to set the bar high and to be successful in digital content. Below are the latest and most important stories in digital content and online media:

It's Not Just Getting Positive Press, It's Amplifying It Too

In content marketing, the new trends that's working really well for brands is a combination of earned and paid media. This is when brands are paying specifically to amplify and to syndicate earned media, particularly earned media that's positive. Publishers are experimenting with this combination as well, purchasing paid promotions on social media to highlight content that they want to highlight. The New York Times is experimenting with allowing brands to place specific ads with specific articles, and then allowing those brands to share those articles.

Readers Don't Like Gimmicky Content

It's unfortunate that something like this finds its way into the news roundup, but it bears repeating that an attractive headline on a crappy article will generate traffic while leaving your readers cheated and unsatisfied. Link baiting will hurt your brand in the long run, even though there is the short-term benefit of the traffic and the boost in advertising revenue. Readers don't like it, and without your readers, your blog/online publication is nothing. Also keep in mind that when blogs and online publications participate in this kind of content practices, it hurts the entire industry as well as the particular website. If one is willing to link bait and to cheat readers, then they will be suspicious of other websites. Also, put out one horrible piece of content and risk being labelled a link-baiter and publication just out to pull in advertising revenue.

Tailoring Blog Content for Local Search

Many blogs and online publications with a local twist, especially those starting out, often fail to include enough "local" into their content. This makes it tough for them to have their content rank for local search queries, to leverage local events, or to tie their niche to the local scene. This article from the Content Marketing Institute offers eight great tips on how a blog, online publication, or a local business can tailor their content toward local search. Two of these tips: using social media to promote posts (so many forget to do this, or don't do this enough/well) and nurturing your audience. You don't want to write just for the search engines!

Content Curators Aren't Without Impunity Either

Content curators and syndicates such as Medium.com (which also employs a few writers and editors) typically don't create a lot of their own content. They find great work, and then share the great work. What's in that great work, and whether or not it's true or false, isn't the responsibility of the curator. However, a few hiccups with Medium.com platform might be changing that perception. Several posts have gotten onto the site that have been misinformation or mindless rants, and something should be done to ensure that this doesn't happen again. It also means that companies like Medium.com need to decide whether they are software companies or publishing companies, and ought to act accordingly.

This Week's Questions Absolutely Suck

It's probably a little fortuitous that I didn't answer any questions from last week because this week's questions are absolutely abysmal. Some of the US questions are out of left field, the international questions are somewhat interesting, but incredibly difficult to tackle if you don't know anything about what's going on. Which I don't, so I should start using the free printer at work to print out articles. My parents won't like that idea, but I assure, the office is cool with it.

This Week's Possible Questions

I actually left all 20 here to show the weirdness I'm refusing to work with here. I'm probably not going to pick any for this blog, but I might do one or two for the Amnesty International St. Louis blog. Therefore, I don't think it's worth it to spend any time narrowing the list down. Since I'm working on getting that file cabinet, I think I'll spend more time doing research and preparing myself to do this weekly (or more often). I have yet to make good on my word. I'll probably stick with the questions I wanted to answer last week. The nice thing about these questions is that, for the most part, they are relevant past their initial week.

1. If not Hillary, then who? (I'm presuming for presidential nominee in 2016, but the question is phrased rather vaguely.)
2. Will attempts to unionize America’s fast food industry succeed?
3. Has Obamacare’s implementation been a disaster?
4. Will leaks about NSA surveillance activities lead to significant revisions of government anti-terrorism powers?
5. How should the U.S. respond to allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria?
6. Is America’s housing market on the road to recovery?
7. Will the Playstation 4 have a more successful release than the XBox One? (I mean, really? What does this have to do with domestic policy? Does anyone care besides gamers and industry analysts?)
8. How can Steve Lonegan defeat Cory Booker? (Too localized for my tastes.)
9. Will Texas’s redistricting plan pass constitutional muster?
10. Does Chelsea Manning have a constitutional right to hormone therapy while in military custody? (No, because the Constitution doesn't say anything about this. Not sure what to say or argue here. I don't think there's much on the issue from this angle).
11. What should the Russian government do in light of new reports of chemical weapons usage in Syria?
12. Will the release of Hosni Mubarak make Egypt’s interim government extremely unpopular?
13. What can missile defense planners learn from Israel’s Iron Dome?
14. How can the UN’s MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo improve its effectiveness?
15. Will recent revelations about radiation at the Fukushima nuclear plant doom attempts at reviving nuclear power in Japan?
16. Do European governments need to take stronger actions against neo-Nazi movements?
17. Why is economic growth in India slowing down? (My initial gut instinct says that it's either one or two big reasons, or many little reasons. The latter would make this question hard to answer.)
18. Should Ukraine sign a customs agreement with the European Union or Russia?
19. How should the Brazilian government deal with rising illegal immigration?
20. Would consolidation improve European banking? (Consolidation of what? Would research tell me?)

Goals, Updates, and What I'm Capable Of

My parents say I shouldn't be so negative on this blog, referring to my previous post on how I'm so horrible at this new niche (and considering that I haven't written a single post this week, I'm still very horrible). However, I say that it's important to be open and to be honest about these things. Besides, if I put my mistakes and shortcomings into writing and admit them to the world, then I can acknowledge them and fix them. If I just go one pretending they don't exist, then I'm probably not going to do anything about them.

Goal for this Week: Do One Post, Just One Post

Apparently, two was much too ambitious for me. I couldn't discipline myself to do the research. I also got busy and distracted, although I was way more distracted than busy. Below are the 10 possible topics that I might do for my one post (since these are rather engaging and interesting topics, I might actually do more than one like I'm supposed to. Some of these actually sound fun.)

1. Will Cristina Fernández de Kirchner succeed in amending the Argentinian constitution so that she can run for a third term?
2. What reforms are needed to the Mexican judicial system?
3. Should India avoid an upcoming meeting with Pakistan due to the recent violence in Kashmir?
4. What changes should Hassan Rohani make to Iran’s nuclear program?
5. What role should the European Union play in the Gibraltar dispute?
6. Is America winning the fight against obesity?
7. If you were the chief executive of AOL, what would you do to make it relevant again?
8. How can the U.S. make itself less dependent on foreign oil?
9. Is the GOP’s refusal to participate in CNN and NBC 2016 presidential primary debates justified?
10. Will privacy rights be a major issue in the 2014 midterm elections?

I'm So Close to My File Cabinet!

My main goal for my inferno of productivity is to accrue 300 points so that I can get a file cabinet! I ended the previous week with 271 points, and after tallying this week's points, I have 322 points. This means I can finally get that file cabinet! I am excited since I've need a file cabinet so badly, and never got around to getting one. Now, all I have to do is redeem those points and get one. I took a quick look online and there's nothing that I really like. I'd really like a wooden file cabinet to match my a little bit, but perhaps I'll settle on a metal one because they are cheaper.

Once I achieved my goal, I said that I would evaluate my inferno of productivity to see if it really worked at boosting my productivity and to make a decision as to whether or not to continue the game. I think I will continue it because it's a record of what I accomplished each day as well as a fun way to work toward rewards and to give myself those rewards. Also, by assigning points, I can prevent myself from overindulging on these rewards One of my prizes is eating out, and eating out is much less appealing when it means I have to give up points and it means one more week until I can get that file cabinet, or that haircut, or whatever it is I want.

It's also a good way to ensure that I purchase things that I've been intending to purchase for a while, such as that file cabinet. It's really easy to forget those things and to work around the problem (the problem with the file cabinet being my papers and files are in piles on the floor, unattended and dusty). For my next goal/reward, I want a haircut. I badly need a haircut, as my hair is way too long. It gets in the way when I sleep at night.

Speaking of sleep, I should go do that.

I'm Not Doing Too Well at this New Niche

Of the four questions I planned to do last week, I only did one of the four on the obscure topic of the national horse slaughter ban. The post did rather well for this blog, but I failed to keep the momentum going and to offer insight on a more mainstream topic. I also think my analysis could use many more facts, figures, and demographics to support it. The horse slaughter post was a bit philosophical. I can do much better.

This Week's Possible Topics (of Which I Will Do at Least Two, for Improvement)

1. What reforms should be made to U.S. surveillance efforts?
2. Will the newly signed student loan rate legislation make higher education more affordable?
3. Does Bill Gates have the right ideas to reform American education?
4. How can the federal government better the plight of wounded veterans?
5. Should there be an increase in the federal minimum wage?
6. What should Russia do with Edward Snowden after his one year asylum expires?
7. Are European governments too lax in their protection of the Roma?
8. What grade should the Turkish government receive for its human rights record?
9. Is time running out for the Israelis to make a suitable peace with the Palestinians?
10. Has Venezuela’s international profile taken a serious hit since the death of Hugo Chavez?

I Need to Change the Task

Currently, doing one personal blog post is part of my task list for each day. Because of my new niche and my goal for this week, delegating the task in that manner doesn't actually help. What I think I need to do is set that as the task for every other day, and then the days that aren't assigned to writing the blog post will be assigned to the necessary research. The main reason why I didn't get anything done last week was because I didn't spend the time doing the research. I am getting a late start to this week, which is why I'm shooting for two, but including the research as part of the points I can get for each day will incentive me to do the research. This also prevents that overwhelming writer's block, that burden where I need to do research and do a blog post in the same day.

Currently Reading Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In and It's Amazing

I am almost done with Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead (which is good, because I have way too many books to read right now, and this one wasn't on my summer reading list) and I think it's an absolutely phenomenal book. I've been wanting to read this book for a long time and I'm so glad that I finally have! She makes great points throughout the book, and what I particularly love is that I could relate to them even though I'm not a senior executive with two kids. The most profound point, to me, is that it's stereotypes about women that are holding women back because women are held to those stereotypes by others (and then punished for not adhering to them) and because women hold themselves to those stereotypes at times. It's ideas that women are supposed to be nice and nurturing, that women are always going to be the ones to take the brunt of the child caring duties, that women always have to worry about a family/career balance.

I loved that Sandberg encourages to break those stereotypes and not to worry about what others think about you. She says that it's more important to be comfortable with your own choices, to do what's best for you and your family, and to not leave the workforce before you've actually left. Don't turn down responsibilities and new opportunities because you're afraid a child is going to get in the way, so you're making room before there is even the prospect of a child in your life. Go for success now, while you can, before the child is expected.

I Have Better Things to Do Than This Blog Post

I know I put a picture there of a fuzzy bear being smart and getting things done, but I could have come a lot closer to that bear today. I certainly didn't spend the entire day goofing off (and I have several hours of my day still, so I may be a bit quick to judge), I definitely got my game time and my reading time in. At the very least, I am as cute as that bear.

I Don't Know if I'll Finish My Summer Reading List!

I only have one book left on my summer reading list: Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 1: Strategic Play, and summer ends in a few weeks. However, I really don't know if I'll get to it before the beginning of September. I'm currently reading Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield as part of my Amnesty International's chapter book club reading, and this book is about 600 pages long. I certainly won't finish it by the time I have to return it to the library since there's a waiting list and I won't be able to renew. I also need to read Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, which I've already missed once since I didn't realize that I only had a week to pick up a book that's on hold from the library. Lean In should be an easy read, something that I can finish in a couple of days. Harrington on Hold 'Em should be the same way. Perhaps I just need to commit and to do some power reading! Once September hits, I can work on my fall reading list, which will probably be twice as long as the summer reading list because there are so many awesome, informative books to read in the world.

Video Games are Amazing

Been playing lots and lots of Rogue Legacy. I've beaten the game once and I have two more achievements left: finding all of the blueprints and beating the game a second time (the second go-around is much harder). My original plan was to beat Rogue Legacy a second time before moving on to any other games, but I couldn't wait. I started playing Grand Theft Auto III again, and it's just as amazing as I remembered. Although I've only done two missions, I want to get all the other side quests out of the way, like collecting the cars and doing the obstacle course. Those things only get tougher as you progress through the game because the rival gangs are after you and will shoot at you as you walk or drive by.

I probably won't be buying any video games anytime soon. Don't Starve just went through an update and has an update every three weeks, so the next time I play that there will be a whole bunch of new things to try and to explore. By the time I do play it again, I have a feeling there will be about six or seven updates and all sorts of new creatures, characters, items etc. Perhaps I need to remind myself (and show all of you) the awesomeness:

Tomorrow's Friday, although I don't really deserve any Friday. I need to be doing my work and getting more things done. I have a coffee review site that I need to make happen. I need to think about the next question I'm going to answer, and what that answer is going to be. I need to do better at eating healthier. I need to come up with a new goal and action steps so that I keep everything moving in the right direction. There's a hell of a lot I need to do.

Why Every Online Publication Needs an Editorial Calendar

An editorial calendar is essentially the plan for the next month, or even several months, of what's going to be published on your site. The length will depend on how often your publish, but even those who don't publish every day or every week can still find value in an editorial calendar. Here's why every blog or online publication needs an editorial calendar, whether your publish four times a day or four times a month.

It Forces You to Come Up with Article Ideas in Advance

Consistency is huge when running an online publication. Miss a day or two and your audience will notice that something is going on. The more often you publish, the more consistency matters and the harder it is to deal with writer's block or getting something out in a time crunch. This is where the editorial calendar comes in. If you need an idea, then simply refer to the calendar. If you release a new post every Wednesday, then all you need to do is look at the calendar on Monday or Tuesday and get writing. No longer will time be wasted scrambling for an idea because that time would have been spent beforehand coming up with all sorts of ideas to fill your calendar.

Note: This doesn't mean that you can't do something in response to breaking news, or a post on something you thought about that day. The editorial calendar and impromptu writing are not mutually exclusive. This tool is there so you don't have to waste time staring at a blank screen coming up with an idea. You have a whole list of ideas to choose from.

It Can Help Attract Advertisers

If you are making money from your blog or online publication, or want to start making money, then think of the editorial calendar as a way to attract advertisers that match the content you will product as well as your audience. For example, if you are a tech blog, and you are going to spend a week in October entirely on apps, then you can use your editorial calendar to show potential advertisers some of the topics that you are going to cover. If you are going to have an article or two about health apps, then potential advertisers might want to advertise on that day or week. They may also want to contribute sponsored content that adds an additional perspective, as a such a topic will interest very specific brands. The revenue is not only valuable to you, but the advertisers benefit from targeting that's based on who will read that article, and not just who will read your overall site.

It Can Be More than Article Ideas

The most basic editorial calendar just has topics or blog post titles listed when they are supposed to be published. That's great, but the editorial calendar can also include much more information than that. Below are some good ideas to include on your template (or use this one from HubSpot, which is really good).:

• Category/Type (ex. Recipe, How-To)
• Tags/Keywords
• Photo/Illustration
• Author
• Status
• Publication Location (if you have multiple blogs or often guest post)
• Note
• Deadline
• Reception (keep track of how many tweets, likes, or pins the post got)

If you don't want to create your own or use the one from HubSpot, then Wordpress has two really good editorial calendar plugins: Editorial Calendar and Edit Flow. Anyway, the point here is that it can be for more than post ideas. Use it to come up with your tags and keywords prior to writing the article. Use it to track the success of your articles after the fact. It's also a good tool if you have several writers on staff, so that you can manage what all of them are doing and what progress they are making with a little more ease.

Overall, the editorial calendar is an incredibly handy tool. Even the solo blogger who is writing for fun can benefit by saving time and reducing the stress of what should be a hobby and stress-relieving activity. There aren't many reasons why you shouldn't use an editorial calendar.

Related Links:

How to Write a Press Release for Your Blog

Why Every Online Publication Should Have a Style Guide

How to Treat Your Blog as a Business

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Our First Ever Digital Content and Digital Media News Roundup

Digital media, in a lot of ways, is still an emerging industry. There's a lot going on, but still a lot that needs to be figured out. The biggest issue that needs to be figured out: what works and why. Here's some of the latest and greatest in this week's first ever digital content and digital media news roundup: Digital Seen Surpassing TV in Capturing Our Time - NPR - For the first time ever, the time average Americans spend on digital media has outpaced the time spent watching traditional television. Digital media does include watching TV shows on Hulu and Netflix, if you were wondering. This means that there's huge potential in digital media, particularly in tablets and smartphones, which are predicted to have the highest growth in the years to come. But, don't ditch the old tube quite yet. There's still going to be value in watching something live, and many traditional TV networks aren't going to start live streaming things online. If you want to watch the Super Bowl next year, then you will have to be in front of a television.

The Most Valuable Commodity in Online Marketing - Digiday - Email addresses, specifically personal email addresses, are the most valuable commodity online according to this article. They do have a point, as it's something that we'd never get rid of and rarely, if ever, changes. It's not mutable like a screen name or a user name. With cookies under fire for tracking and retargeting, everything will shift to email as a way to figure out who we are and what would be best to advertise to us.

Let's Get Personal: Why We Need to Market to Individuals, Not Audiences - HubSpot - Do you like the idea of a personalized front page for your website? It's a difficult thing to achieve, as individuals are complicated and variegated beings. This article argues the value of creating a personalized experience for your customers/readers, and that the news industry is far behind on this concept. Depending on your website, personalization could be difficult or easy to achieve. Imagine how much more content you'd have to create to meet the personalization standards of everyone in your audience!

Are Brands Confusing Advertising with Marketing - Six Pixels of Separation - In our humble opinion, brands are still struggling with this distinction. We think that many brands still think that advertising is marketing, even though the two are essentially mutually exclusive in online channels. Many brands are still struggling because it's still too much about sales and generating leads, when it's more worthwhile to create something that actually benefits their customers and to help them solve their problems. That's the marketing aspect of it.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos Acquires Washington Post. Co - Media Daily News - We're really curious to see what impact this will have on the news industry, and what Bezos will do with his new properties. We think this won't hurt the news industry by constricting voices or purporting a particular point of view the way a Koch Brothers purchase would have. We also don't really think that Bezos is doing this to jump into the news industry itself. It will be interesting to see what changes take place with the Washington Post, and if the quality of content ever decreases at all.

Tiny Pulitzer-Prize Winning Newsroom May Be the Future of Journalism - eContent - We never heard of InsideClimate News, but we'll be following all that they're doing from here on out. This news site, run by seven people, won a Pulitzer Prize in national reporting for their coverage of the Dilbit oil spill in Michigan. This little news site accomplished something that seemed reserved for only the big guys, showing that these niche news sites might be the future of the news industry. After all, as the established news organizations struggle to cover everything and shutter different news desks, these niche sites doing it right will be the ones picking up the slack.

Related Links:

What a Koch Brothers Newspaper Purchase Would Mean for News

3 Big Principles for Media Creators

How News Websites and Online Publications Can Do SEO

Should the National Horse Slaughter Ban of 2006 be Repealed?

The National Horse Slaughter Ban of 2006 was essentially instituted after The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2005-2006 was signed into law. This law included a clause that removed funding for the inspection of horse slaughterhouses, closing the slaughter houses and the practices all together.

The ban was lifted in 2011 when permits were issued by the Department of Agriculture to construct horse slaughterhouses, renewing the debate and the controversy. After careful analysis, I contend that the national horse slaughter ban of 2006 should be repealed, and here are the three reasons why:

There's No Good Reason to Exempt Horses, but Not Pigs, Cattle, Chickens Etc.

If you're going to be against the horse slaughter, then you have to be against cow slaughter, chicken slaughter, pig slaughter etc. There are many practices that would be part of horse slaughter, but are also already part of the slaughter of other animals, even though those practices aren't receiving the same attention. The problems of factory farms and animal slaughter have been documented many times over by a variety of credible sources, yet the issue is still relegated as something only those radical vegans and animal-rights activists care about. Yet, somehow, horse slaughter is a much more mainstream issue and horses are much more deserving than pigs, cattle, chickens, ducks etc. of humane treatment and of avoiding the processes that are a part of turning animals into food products.

“Horse slaughter has no place in our culture,” Redford said in a statement last week to the Associated Press in announcing formation of a foundation that has joined the fight. “It is cruel, inhumane, and perpetuates abuse and neglect of these beloved animals. We must oppose it with all of our might. We need to ensure horses have safe and kind treatment during their lives and are afforded the peaceful and dignified end they deserve.”

Although Redford's stance is admirable, there's nothing distinctive about it that shows why horses don't deserve cruel, inhuman abuse and neglect but other animals do. Redford's statement could be applied to any other animal and still hold up as logical and compassionate. Pigs, cattle, chickens etc. also go to slaughterhouses for the preparation of human consumption. It would also seem that everything would be fine if horses were bred, from birth, for human consumption and not as a companion animal. I have a tough time seeing how that treatment is humane and okay for those animals, but not for horses. It's either cruel and inhumane for all animals or no animals at all.

Companion Animals Face Early Death Also

Part of those who support the repeal are Native American tribes who need help controlling their horse populations. The Navajo and Yakama nations said in USA Today that the exploding horse populations on their reservations "are trampling and overgrazing rangelands, decimating forage resources for cattle and causing widespread environmental damage." Although an out-of-control horse population poses unique threats to the land, the idea of population control is applied to companion animals such as cats and dogs. The Humane Society notes that 2.7 million healthy cats and dogs are euthanized every year at shelters simply because they haven't been adopted and they no longer have the room for them.

No, those animals aren't being sent to slaughterhouses for possible human consumption, but the idea that there should be a ban on horses because we don't want horses to die before their time or because they are companion animals isn't all the strong. This is especially since cats and dogs don't have this same fervor. It is also presumed that if the horses were euthanized instead of sent to slaughterhouses, then everything would be fine. Once again, it comes down to the reasoning behind exempting horses but not other animals. If cats and dogs are forcefully put down as part of population control, then why is that practice okay for them but not for horses? Either do it for all or do it for none.

Laws Can Be Put in Place to Assuage Other Concerns

One of the major arguments against repealing the ban is the use of over 100 medications in horses that aren't fit for human consumption. These medications are unregulated, toxic to humans, and aren't used with other feed animals. However, this concern can be assuaged in two ways: instituting laws and regulations on those medications, and/or begin breeding and raising horses specifically for human consumption. Repealing this ban and constructing these horse slaughterhouses isn't going to happen overnight, so there is time to address concerns such as these medications. There's also no law or mandate that says that the horses that are slaughtered have to be used for human consumption in the United States. If the meat is used toward zoo feed, for example, then the concern about these medications and human consumption is mute.

In conclusion, I couldn't find a good reason to justify a slaughter ban on horses that shows why horses are more special or precious than the other animals that are slaughtered every day. I don't understand why slaughtering the other animals is perfectly fine, and doesn't merit the same outcry, especially when many of the same conditions that apply to these animals would also apply to the horses.