Welcome to SWIVL

SWIVL 2015 GOALS

1. Rescue and rehabilitate dogs abandoned in the desert.
2. Expand land and build facilities for abused goats, hogs, and other farmed animals.
3. Increase cat and dog spade and neuter work and education programs.
4. Work with animal rescue organizations on the Arizona – Mexican border.
5. Organize school – community educational programs to reduce animal cruelty.
6. Advocate for an animal abuse registry to inform and educate the public about animal abuse.
7. Promote legislation with severe penalties for animal abusers.
8. Educate youth and community groups and organizations about the cycle of violence.
9. Register as a safe haven shelter for animals that come from abused homes.
10. Work with community and elected officials to protect animal victims of family violence.

Please click here if you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to help SWIVL achieve its 2011 Goals.

SWIVL in the Community

SWIVL has been actively out in the community describing the relationships among animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence.  While there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of organizations that inform and educate the public regarding violence, SWIVL promotes the view that violence is indivisible; violence towards any feeling, being should be not be tolerated under any circumstance.  According to Dr. Kathleen Wishnick, Co-Founder of SWIVL, we must stop violence at all levels: animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence.  Child abuse and domestic violence is on the increase because we have ignored the powerful relationship between animal cruelty and all other forms of violence.  When it comes to violence, it doesn’t matter if nonhuman animals speak or walk on two legs, all that matters is that they feel pain.  Your tax-deductible support will help SWIVL end violence through community action and legislative support.

United Nations Urges Worldwide Shift Away From Animal Products
A new United Nations report entitled Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production is the first of its stature to actually stress the necessity of moving away from meat and dairy. Specifically, the paper says that “impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth [and] increasing consumption of animal products [...] A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.”

View the Executive Summary and the Findings and Conclusions (PDFs).

The report goes into detail about the consequences we can expect if business continues as usual. Increases in population and wealth have historically resulted in increased consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs, which they blame for the bulk of agriculture’s environmental impact. Agriculture is said to be responsible 70% of global freshwater consumption, 38% of the total land use and 19% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

It is now undeniable that we need to substantially reduce our use of animal products in order to prevent global catastrophe. The simplest way to do this is to adopt a vegan diet, which, in addition to avoiding all of animal agriculture’s ecological impacts, also spares the lives of dozens of animals each year- amounting to thousands over one’s lifetime. The American Dietetic Association calls a well planned vegan diet “healthful and nutritionally adequate […] for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes” and adds that it “may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

Supremes Turn Their Back on Man’s Best Friend

Supreme Court rules animal torture videos as free speech.  Simply put our dogs and cats have little value according to the US Supreme Court and while it may be illegal to torture and murder them, individuals and businesses that electrocute, crush, drown, strangle, rape, and otherwise torture companion animals are protected by the US Constitution to produce, market, publicize, and distribute the video and material representation of these monstrous acts.   

Key media outlets joined forces to promote their right to publicize the torture of animals, claiming free speech as their defense, with the New York Times leading this unholy alliance.  Arguing their position, the New York Time, twisted the ugly truth about animal torture into the protection of animals.   Here is the 1984ish position of the NY Times:

The goal of preventing crush videos and other animal cruelty is certainly a worthy one.  It is this very interest in protecting animals from abuse that makes speech about their treatment so valuable. Press coverage serves the community by exposing animal cruelty such as crush videos, animal fighting and the mistreatment of animals at some puppy mills and slaughterhouses.

In other words, we should not prohibit the publicizing and marketing of these horrific videos – otherwise the New York Time and other media outlets could not publicize them.  

Only one Justice had the courage to tell the truth:  Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented, saying the majority’s analysis was built on “fanciful hypotheticals” and would serve to protect “depraved entertainment.”

 

Chief Justice Roberts and other Supreme Court Justices should get out of their ivory tower to understand the connection between animal cruelty, child abuse and domestic violence.  Animal abusers are never satisfied with the torture of just animals.  More and more evidence shows that animal abuse leads to child abuse and domestic violence.

Does the majority of the Supreme Court really believe individuals who distribute videos that depict animal torture are not disposed to violent behaviors?  Do they believe that the Founding Fathers of our country would have given these horrific videos and merchandise the status of protected speech?  The Supreme Court’s decision to ignore the link between human and nonhuman animal abuse gives the animal torture industry a pass while endangering our children and families.  Like so many of our elected official, they are out of touch with everyday thinking Americans.

SWIVL Brisenia Flores Memorial Award

On March 11th, the Southwest Institute for ViolenceFree Learning (SWIVL) presented the Brisenia Flores Memorial Award to four sixth graders from Sopori Elementary School.  Each student described their relationship with a companion animal and how they became more responsible and a better person.  Students received a certificate of success and a $25.00 gift card.

Sopori Elementary Principal Desi Raulston & 6th Grade Teacher Mrs. Gettinger with the four SWIVL Brisenia Flores Memorial Award Winners

The SWIVL Award acknowledges the beauty and creative spirit of children – a spirit that was exemplified by Brisenia Flores.  Brisenia’s young life was tragically taken through a brutal and senseless killing.  According to SWIVL co-founder, Dr. Kathleen Wishnick, the Award pays tribute to Brisenia and promotes the view that our schools should encourage compassion, creativity, and responsible behavior. From this Award, SWIVL hopes the dreams of a little girl will be realized through the lives of other children.  According to Wishnick, we celebrate the young life of Brisenia and we hope that good people everywhere will keep her memory alive.

 

SWIVL endorses the view that ViolenceFree can be created through personal self-reliance and accountability in a culture that encourages a strong work ethic, independence, and innovation. Through a learning environment, based on the Golden Rule, our schools can create relationships that are ViolenceFree.

Promote an Arizona Online Registry of Convicted Animal Abusers

Join with SWIVL to promote an Arizona online registry of convicted animal abusers.  The registry will list people convicted of animal torture, mutilation, intentional killings, sexual abuse and animal fighting.   If passed, this law will require any person convicted of a felony involving animal cruelty to register with the police and provide an array of personal information along with a current photograph, much like sexual predators.  The information, along with the registrants' specific offense, would then be posted on the Internet.

While some might view a Registry for Animal Abusers extreme, the violent link between animal and human abuse represents a strong connection that requires immediate action to protect society – especially children.  Animal abusers are cruel and dangerous and the public has a right to know who they are and where they live. 

If you believe there are certain behaviors that a civilized society should not tolerate, show your support and commitment to ending this horrific form of violence.  It’s time for honest, law abiding citizens to require those that commit horrible, torturous acts to be responsible and accountable for their actions.  Animal abusers are not victims to be understood and analyzed – they are individuals that need to be identified and monitored so the cycle of violence is once and for all stopped.

Click here to become part of a system-wide movement for ending the cycle of violence.  Unlike other programs and strategies that either focus on only animal abuse, child abuse, or domestic violence, SWIVL takes the approach that violence is indivisible and that animal, child, and domestic violence are cut from the same cloth.  The glue that binds animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence is the abuser’s intention to control and dominate the victim.  These criminals are calculating individuals that enjoy the cruelty and terror they inflict on others.  Beginning with animal cruelty, violent acts become obsessive, where the individual is prone to become more and more abusive. Strong evidence shows that many serial killers began with the torture of small animals – behaviors which are often dismissed by judges and public officials as insignificant. 

Join with SWIVL in support of an Arizona Registry for Animal Abusers.  The link between animal abuse, child abuse, and domestic violence is clear and our government has the responsibility to protect all citizens from these predators.   SWIVL is reaching out to animal rights and welfare organizations, child advocacy and domestic violence groups, and individuals who believe we need to do much more to protect society and end the cycle of violence. 

Judaism and the Link between Human and Nonhuman Animal Abuse

Judaism views the proper treatment of nonhuman animals as a priority. Unnecessary cruelty to nonhuman animals is strictly forbidden, and in many cases, nonhuman animals are accorded the same sensitivity as human beings. This concern is unusual throughout the world. Most civilized nations did not accept this principle until quite recently (and certainly not in the Moslem world); cruelty to animals was not outlawed until the 1800s, and even now it is not taken very seriously.

The primary principle behind the treatment of animals in Jewish law is preventing tza'ar ba'alei chayim, the suffering of living creatures. Judaism expresses no definitive opinion as to whether animals actually experience physical or psychological pain in the same way that humans do; however, Judaism has always recognized the critical link between the way a person treats animals and the way a person treats human beings.

A person who is cruel to a defenseless animal will undoubtedly be cruel to defenseless people. Modern psychology confirms this understanding, with many studies finding a relationship between childhood animal cruelty and adult criminal violence.

Sadly, the converse is not always true, and those who love animals do not always value human life: Hitler loved animals; the animal rights group PETA wrote a letter to Arafat telling him, when he blows up a bus full of Israelis, could he please not hurt a donkey to do it. Click here for more.

End Goat Rodeos

Rodeos, like all forms of animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic violence, should be viewed as evil – pure and simple.  Like all forms of violence, rodeos are based on control and domination.  For those who call rodeos a sport – nothing could be more ridiculous, unless you consider a grown man or women inflicting pain and suffering on an innocent, terrified animal.  Think about it.  Ask any cop about child abuse and domestic violence.  The abuser gets a thrill out of torturing his victim. 

Case in point:  At the National High School Finals Rodeo, terrified baby goats are chased down by contestants on horseback as an appalling excuse for "sport" and "family entertainment".
A goat that is already tethered to a rope is approached by a high school student on a galloping horse. Terror-stricken, the goat frantically tries to escape the oncoming horse and abuser. The roper jumps off the horse, slams the tethered goat down and ties its legs. It's a little like tackling someone who is already in handcuffs.

The video below describes the constant violence that our children are being exposed to in our high schools.  Making matters worse, this violence is being portrayed as a sport. No wonder, our schools are becoming more violent.  No wonder, child abuse and domestic violence are on the increase.   It’s time for our elected officials to end rodeos and recognize that animal cruelty should never be described as sport.

Government, Children, & Our Families

Below are a few key factors to be considered as we begin to develop an overall framework for protecting our children.  Please be sure to add your comments and ideas below.

1. Government protects society through the protection of its children.
2. The first-line of defense for our children is their family.
3. Government should play a minimal role in the parenting and socialization process of children.
4. The family is a self-generating, self-reinforcing unit.
5. Families need to be recognized for the contributions they make to society and the impact they have on the political, economic, and social welfare of our country.
6. Parents are the individuals that help create the personal capacity and resilience children need for success.
7. By allowing politicians and government bureaucrats to assume greater and greater parental responsibility, the role of the family is diminished.