Mar 1, 2005 5:30 am US/Pacific
State Constitution May Protect Bigfoot
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) ―
What do Bigfoot, Noah's Ark and Amelia Earhart's plane have in common? They're all being used to make a point by Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, who is taking aim at a measure to protect hunting.
In an attempt to mock the proposed change to Nebraska's constitution, Chambers has filed 35 amendments to protect the hunting of a myriad of other things, including the missing Earhart plane, the ark, Osama bin Laden and the Holy Grail.
"This state is not going to ban fishing, hunting and trapping," said Chambers, who believes the proposal is unnecessary.
While there is no immediate threat, there are animal rights groups that would like to see hunting, fishing and trapping outlawed, said Sen. Ed Schrock, who introduced the measure. "I think we should probably get out ahead of this."
The proposed amendment would add one paragraph to the state constitution that says fishing, trapping, and hunting are a "valued part of the heritage of the people and will be a right forever preserved."
Eleven other states have similar protections in law or the constitution. Rhode Island and California also have amendments protecting the right to fish.
Chambers successfully shot down a similar proposal last year. If he gets his way, laughing, coughing, itching, scratching, lounging, munching and "being oneself" also will be protected.
(© 2005 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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