Question to Alaska, Arizona, Colorado Residents: is This What you Stand For?

I believe thoroughly that a vast number of United States citizens are opposed to cockfighting as a sport. While many of those people have developed their beliefs based upon false information & exaggerated claims. I have seen large amounts of information posted throughout the internet attempting to educate the public regarding cocking, but it has been to little avail.

I am sure that a large number of people will look at the first little bit of this post and dismiss it as another cockfighting advocate who is trying to plead his case to you. That is not the primary purpose of this article. While I may briefly mention my beliefs, the majority of this post will be revealing to you what your beliefs are, as that is the topic at hand.

The fact is that many of these individuals cannot see past the visions of blood, gore and abuse that has been planted in their heads by the animal rights agenda. They have been told countless stories, many of which were perversions of the truth, regarding fowl forced to fight, while their owners cry out with a bloodlust that would rival that of Vlad the Impaler of ancient times. They picture a setting where prostitutes and drug dealers are plying their trade in open view, while advocates of poor personal hygiene beat their wives and children behind the bleachers. They write their checks to the HSUS with a tear in their eye as they picture a cute, cuddly chicken with intelligence rivaling that of a primate, are taught by humans to fight, and tortured if they refuse to do so.

All of those beliefs are far from the truth in most cases, but they give the public a warm, fuzzy feeling as they send in their donations. The donation fills that human need to feel like you have made a difference in the world. It is today that I will tell you what difference some of you have made in this world.

Of course I understand fully why many don’t believe the things they hear from advocates of cockfighting, as cockers would have something to gain by getting the majority to see in their perspective. Ask yourself, what they would have to gain, and the only reasonable answer is that they would regain their right to participate in the sport that they love.

On the other hand, the animal rights agenda would have something to gain by winning you over to their side. What they have to gain is not a liberty, or preservation of their heritage, but cold, hard cash. The almighty dollar has historically brought many men and women to commit many dastardly deeds. It would be nothing more than farce to tell yourselves that no one would stoop to spreading false information in an effort to gain your hard earned dollars.

While many of you were enjoying your warm, fuzzy feeling, your state legislature was hijacked by individuals with some seriously distorted priorities. I do not intend to, in this post, discuss my beliefs any further. Instead I am going to discuss your beliefs, as a group. I am not going to make assumptions, but discuss documented facts.

When you elect a state legislator or representative, you choose that person to do their best to fill your needs, and extend your beliefs into the halls of your state capitol. These individuals are representing you in their actions, in their votes and in their statements. You are implying your approval of their performance when you re-elect them, or when you do not protest their actions.

It is my belief that you do not know what it is that your representatives are telling the world that you stand for. Most of you are not attorneys or otherwise employed in the legal profession, so you join the age old practice of just being a good, decent citizen as a means of steering clear of legal problems, and this works most of the time. Most of you have not seen the inside of a courtroom, other than possibly for answering a speeding ticket, performing jury duty, or maybe for divorce proceedings. As a result, you do not have vast knowledge regarding your state’s laws. I think that many of you will be appalled at what you find here today, and will be very surprised if you agree with what you learn. Even if you are an opponent of cockfighting, surely many of you will not like what you learn.

I will now discuss some laws from Alaska, Arizona, and Colorado. I will not spend much time commenting, but presenting facts. I believe any human being with reasonable priorities will be outraged at these facts, and hope that maybe someone in those states will demand that their representatives start making sense. Again, I am not asking you to support cockfighting here, I am asking you to reflect upon your order of priorities.

In Alaska, cockfighting is a class C felony. Of course many aren’t quite sure what that means other than the obvious, which is that it is a crime. To help you gain a better perspective, I will list for you a partial list of other crimes that are a class C felony in Alaska. This list includes:

1. 3rd degree assault

2. 1st degree stalking

3. 1st degree custodial interference (taking a child across state lines without parental permission)

4. 3rd degree sexual assault

5. 3rd degree sexual abuse of a minor

6. Incest

7. 2nd degree theft

8. 2nd degree burglary

9. 2nd degree forgery

10. 1st degree endangering the welfare of a child

11. 3rd degree escape (breaking out of jail)

12. Riot

13. Indecent viewing of photography (child pornography specifically)

14. Recruiting a gang member 1st degree

15. 3rd degree misconduct involving weapons

16. Unlawful furnishing of explosives

Now, ask yourself if you consider cockfighters to be equal to pedophiles, gang-bangers, thieves, and violent criminals. If your answer is yes, then I am very surprised. If the answer is no, then maybe you should choose someone who will represent your beliefs a little better when the next election occurs. In the meantime, I believe that if I were in your shoes, my state representative would have a lot of explaining to do. Maybe he should explain why a gamecock is as deserving of protection as your child.

Now on to Arizona. In Arizona, cockfighting is a Class 5 felony. What is a class 5 felony? Below you will find some examples of other Class 5 felonies:

1. Aggravated assault

2. Aggravated criminal damage

3. Theft of property ($2,000 - $3,000 value)

4. Promoting prison contraband (smuggling drugs into a prison)

5. Surreptitious photographing, videotaping, filming, digitally recording, or viewing (hidden cameras in public bathrooms, dressing rooms etc.)

6. Child or vulnerable adult abuse

7. Unlawful sexual conduct

8. Arson of a structure or property

9. Unlawful introduction of a disease or parasite (germ warfare/domestic terrorism)

10. Unlawfully administering intoxicating liquors, narcotic drug, or dangerous drug to a minor

11. Sexual abuse of a victim under 15 years old

12. Stalking

13. Firearm possession by an adjudicated delinquent

14. Public sexual indecency to a minor (forcing a child to watch sex acts committed by you)

15. Escape in the second degree (jailbreak)

16. Abandonment or concealment of a dead body

17. Causing spouse to become a prostitute

18. Detention of persons in a house of prostitution for debt

19. Aggravated domestic violence

20. Unlawful sale or purchase of children (this is not a misprint)

Is this what you stand for? Is a cockfighter comparable to someone selling children on the black market, someone holding a woman prisoner forcing her to be a prostitute, or someone who forces a child to have sex with him or her? If your answer is yes, then you should commend your representative, since he or she is doing their job and representing your beliefs. If your answer is no, then please ask yourself why your legislator is still in office. I hope you will make your beliefs known either way.

Now on to Colorado. In Colorado, cockfighting is a Class 5 felony with the first offense, and a class 4 felony on subsequent offenses. Without further adieu, here is a list of crimes in Colorado that are class 4 and class 5 felonies:

1. Escape

2. Unlawful dispensing, distribution, manufacturing or sale of a schedule 1 or 2 controlled substance.

3. Possession, control, manufacture, sending or mailing an explosive device

4. Possession of a dangerous weapon by previous offender

5. Child abuse resulting in serious injury to child

6. Inducing consumption of a controlled substance by fraudulent means (giving someone a drug without their knowledge, commonly followed up by date rape)

7. Dueling

8. Unlawfully providing a juvenile with a handgun

9. Internet sexual exploitation of a child

10. 2nd and 3rd degree arson

11. Internet luring of a child for purpose of sexual exploitation

12. Death by negligence

13. Enticement of a child for purpose of sexual assault or sexual misconduct

14. Unlawful sexual contact (sex with an adult who is unconscious)

15. Identity theft

16. Sexual assault on a child

17. Sexual assault on a client by a psychotherapist

18. Vehicular eluding with results in bodily injury to another person

19. Engaging in a riot

20. Contraband in 1st degree involving a dangerous instrument (smuggling weapons to a prisoner)

21. Criminal extortion

22. Incest

23. 2nd degree assault

24. Criminal abortion

25. Stalking

26. Sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust (schoolteacher, parent, etc)

27. 2nd degree kidnapping

28. Child abuse

29. Manslaughter

30. Vehicular homicide

Is this what Colorado residents stand for? Are killers of humans, pedophiles, and kidnappers no more dangerous or heinous than cockfighters? Your state’s laws say that your answer is yes to both questions. If your answer is no, here is your opportunity to make a difference.

If you live in one of these states, and you don’t protest, and if you re-elect your current representatives you are telling the world that these are the things you stand for. You believe that allowing a chicken to fight another chicken is as heinous as all of the crimes listed above. You also believe that humans deserve no more protection than a chicken. I will be very surprised if that is the case, as I have faith in the human race. I do not believe that the general population has such a twisted list of priorities.

I was personally both surprised and disgusted when I researched this information, and I hope that you share those feelings. I also hope that you do something to change it. If you don’t do something, I sincerely hope that you are never the victim of one of those crimes that are equal to cockfighting.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and we have not covered the most outrageous of my finds in my research. More states will follow, and I am Darren U. Talissen

Be as game as a gamecock, and fight for what’s right.