Missouri Senate guts Prop B

This St. Louis Today article coves the rollback of Prop B that passed the Missouri Senate on Friday, subverting the will of the voters of the state, and once again putting the economic considerations of agribusiness ahead of the well-being of animals: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_c424620b-4208-5f34-81e5-4ed018ceca8e.html

(btw, I am used to WordPress's much easier interface. if anyone knows how to insert links in Blogger, please let me know)

What is interesting about the article is the way it portrays the opposition to the bill as voicing "barely a whimper of dissent." This, when I know from emails I have gotten from various organizations that there were repeated citizen protests at the capitol throughout the process, both for the House and Senate versions of this bill. Perhaps the article is only talking about the senators themselves, but the silencing of the many, many (majority, in fact) who supported Prop
B, and are opposed to its obviation by this ill-conceived measure is noticeable. When this is coupled with the article's portrayal of a supporter of the bill with his dog on a bed in his office, giving the bill a "two paws up," it is, truth be told, infuriating!

So here is my "arguing differently" question: what happens to the passion when we are trying to be understanding of the opposition? I have found the tactics of big agribusiness to be odious throughout the Prop B campaign, and now they have succeeded in getting their supporters (who constitute a majority of our representatives in Jefferson City, even though the areas they represent do not constitute a majority of our state's population) to do what they could not accomplish last fall. In the midst of all this, mistreated animals seem to be left out of the equation. I am not sure I am prepared to be understanding of the message or tactics of big agribusiness here!

Much to ponder...