My friend Scott Beckstead posted this quote a few days ago:
“We choose whether to be warriors or to be ordinary.” ~ Carlos Castaneda
Scott is anything but ordinary!
We are ALL frustrated with the treatment of wild horses all over the world. Maybe Scott’s actions over the last week are part of that frustration, although I am sure it is also just part of Scott’s character. After hearing about false comments made by Nevada Senator Ira Hansen about wild horses, Scott challenged him to a debate. Senator Hansen accepted! The debate will take place in Nevada next month. That is just one of the ways that Scott is speaking up for wild horses.
Scott is a warrior!
Last week there were a few girls in our shop with their grandmother. Their grandma was telling me that they visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park every year. When she told the girls (age 7 & 8) about the park’s plans to eliminate the wild horses last December, they burst into tears. Then, they started thinking of ways they could help save the horses!
They talked to me about different ways they think they can help.
Maybe if everyone gets together and tells the park how much they want the horses to stay….
What if there is a vote and everyone gets to vote if the horses stay….
Their innovative minds went on and on. They left our store with some stickers to pass out to their friends to help spread the word.
Those two girls are warriors!
Our North Dakota State Legislators are warriors!
They took a chance and listened to me when I BEGGED them to draft the resolution for the 2023 session. At the time, none of us knew what a HUGE impact that resolution would have on our Fight for the Spirit of the Badlands! Because of that resolution, a TON of additional support has come in for the horses throughout the state and the country! THAT single piece of legislation is now one of the most powerful tools in our advocacy toolkit!
THAT single piece of legislation came up in a conversation with Senator Hoeven’s office the other day.
Senator Hoeven is a warrior!
He came out in support of keeping the horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park and last week, as a member of the US Senate Appropriation Committee, he had language added to the Interior Department Appropriations Bill! See our blog post from yesterday for the details! https://chwha.org/2023/07/28/its-a-process/
These are only 3 very different stories of people doing what Theodore Roosevelt himself said:
“Do what you can, with what you have, from where you are.”
Wild horse advocates everywhere need help! I can speak from experience when I say that THIS WORK IS EXHAUSTING!
What if there were more people like Scott Beckstead, openly challenging the people spreading misinformation about wild horses?
What if there were more people like the two little girls in our shop, who took their moment to get upset and shed some tears and then looked at the situation and tried to find ways to help?
What if there were more politicians like our North Dakota State legislators, Governor Doug Burgum AND Senator John Hoeven?
WHAT IF there were more warriors?
If you are interested in helping us fight for the wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park OR if you live in a western state with wild horses and want to help save them, please contact us at info@chwha.org.
As we always say, a great way to help is to share our posts and donate what you can to help support our advocacy work. https://chwha.org/support-chwha/
As great as last week’s news about Senator Hoeven was, there is STILL A LOT of work that needs to be done.
Thank you for your support and have a GREAT day!
I am in Louisiana and love looking at the wild horses there. Besides donate, which I have done, is there anything I can do to help?
Hello! Yes! Please email us at info@chwha.org!
You are an inspiration! Thank you for your tireless efforts to save the horses.
Colleen Moriarty
Minnesota