Check out these letters to the editor in the Toronto Star. The first one is from the head of the U.S. Humane Society:
The Star allowed the so-called “Center for Consumer Freedom” to cross the line when the group falsely accused the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) of supporting “the eco-terror problem.” The suggestion that the HSUS supports any illegal action, or that it has ties to eco-terror groups which it has repeatedly denounced, is patently untrue and outrageous.
The HSUS has repeatedly and publicly criticized individuals and groups who resort to intimidation, vandalism, or violence in the name of supposedly protecting animals. We believe harassment, violence and other illegal tactics are wholly unacceptable and inconsistent with a core ethic of promoting compassion and respect.
This is exactly what CCF wants: For this to be the subject of conversation. It doesn’t matter if the allegations against HSUS are absurd. It doesn’t matter how convincingly HSUS demonstrates their absurdity. The point is that HSUS’s “connection to terrorism” is now a “debate.” And as any good mainstream media reporter knows, every debate has two sides, even if one side is full of shit. You can expect to see “he-said she-said” stories on this issue pop up more and more often in mainstream media outlets.
The more the public sees mainstream groups tied to terrorism, the more those groups can expect to be marginalized. It’s all going according to plan.