Outlawing PETA and the ASPCA? For who, and why?

Conservatives are pushing legislation in many states that would pretty much label any animal rights activist a "terrorist." At least, given the nature of American politics, that's the effect of it.

Cons have tried to push "anti-ecoterrorism" laws is many states with some success. There's no question that some animal rights extremists have resorted to destroying property to get their message across. But we already have laws against destroying other people's property, so this isn't just about property.

This is meant to open the door for labeling anybody who protests on behalf of animals as "terrorists" and label any such organization as a "terrorist organization." They might not get arrested for their peaceful protests, but their names will be on lists and they'll be vulnerable to Bush's unconstitutional Patriot Act abuses. (Gitmo's not just for Arabs, y'know.) And the political damage of being put on U.S. State Department's list of terrorist organizations is no little thing.

The real pushers of this legislation are probably a bunch of meat packing corporations. They're tired of bad publicity over their cruel treatment of animals. CNN's posted AP story on this is fairly long, but I notice the pushers of the legislation are only vaguely described as "a national group of conservative state lawmakers." Why hide their identity? Why does the author only want us to think about the "ecoterrorists" and not the Big Money behind the "push"?