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Willie: Stop Horsing Around!
Like many a cowboy before him, Willie Nelson has never met a horse he didn't like.
To that end, the country music maverick has launched a campaign to persuade Congress to ban the industrial slaughter of horses to sate the horsemeat cravings of consumers abroad.
The 73-year-old singer is backing a bill that is currently pending in the House of Representatives, HR 503, aiming to stop the controversial practice that's seen many wild horses, and even a few Kentucky Derby winners, killed for food.
The sale of horsemeat is prohibited in the U.S., but three factories--one in Illinois and two in Nelson's home state of Texas--ship millions of pounds to markets in Europe and Asia, where the meat is considered a delicacy.
"If you've ever been around horses a lot, especially wild horses, you know they're part of the American heritage," the hirsute entertainer told the Associated Press. "I don't think it's right that we kill them and eat them."
The eco-friendly artist, who has reared dozens of horses on his ranches, issued a news release this week asking equine lovers everywhere to attend a rally in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 5 supporting the bill sponsored by Representative John Sweeeney, New York Republican.
Nelson says he first became aware of the issue after taking over Hank's Place, a satellite radio show previously hosted by his old pal, country music producer Eddie Kilroy. The show has been redubbed Willie's Place.
"When it was Hank's Place, Eddie Kilroy was talking about the issue. He was talking about horse slaughter one day, and he called me and talked about what a horrible practice that is. One thing led to another," Nelson told AP.
The country icon has a long history of activism, from cofounding Farm Aid to marketing BioWillie, his brand of clean-burning renewable diesel fuel.
He also has given voice to the gay-rights movement, releasing a song he wrote 20 years before Brokeback Mountain called "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond of Each Other)."
Nelson has also lobbied on behalf of such politicos as ex-presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich and Texas's independent gubernatorial candidate, Kinky Friedman, who, if elected, wants to name Nelson to lead a state energy department of commission to find alternative renewable forms of energy.
Horse helping aside, Nelson is back on the road again, touring the U.S. with John Fogerty. After a Sept. 15 performance at Austin City Limits, Nelson will join Dave Matthews , Neil Young and Jerry Lee Lewis on the bill for the 21st annual Farm Aid benefit concert, Sept. 30 at the Tweeter Center in Camden, New Jersey.
His next album, Songbird, is due to drop on Oct. 31. The disc finds Nelson teaming up with alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, whose band, the Cardinals, back up Nelson on all 11 tracks.
A vote on Bill HR 503 is scheduled for Sept. 7.
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