Oregon is on the verge of a massive culture clash, and it all comes down to a ballot measure that reads like a PETA wish list on steroids.
According to a recent article via Outdoor LIfe, animal rights activists have officially submitted over 120,000 signatures to get Initiative Petition 28 (IP28)—cleverly dubbed the “PEACE Act”—onto the November ballot. They only needed about 117,000. While the Secretary of State still needs to audit these names for fakes and typos before July 2, local hook-and-bullet groups are already sweating, because Oregon allows campaigns to pay for signatures, and this year, the activists have a massive war chest.
If you think this is just a ban on trophy hunting, it is not. IP28 wants to strip away all current legal loopholes that protect standard animal use. Under this law:
- Say Goodbye To: Hunting, trapping, fishing (yes, even catch-and-release), pest control, and livestock ranching.
- The Wild Part: Standard animal husbandry practices (like artificial insemination for breeding) would literally be reclassified as criminal sexual assault of an animal.
- The Only Passes: Self-defense or medical euthanasia by a vet.
Essentially, the bill aims to turn Oregon into a giant, harmonious animal sanctuary, complete with a “Humane Transition Fund.” Critics point out that it would also instantly turn roughly a million ordinary Oregonians into criminals.
The Irony
Opponents—ranging from the Oregon Farm Bureau to Native American tribes (whose treaty rights aren’t even exempted)—are calling the bill totally brainless. The biggest plot twist is that it could actually destroy wildlife conservation. Oregon’s state environmental programs are funded almost entirely by the taxes, licenses, and tags bought by hunters and anglers. No fishing licenses = no money to save the wetlands.
If it survives the July deadline, it only needs a simple majority to pass. But don’t expect Oregon to ban steak just yet. Even the activists running the campaign have admitted on their website that they will probably lose this November. For them, it’s a long game—they’re just trying to get the conversation started, even if it takes years to convince Oregonians to put down the fishing rods.
Thoughts?