I'll admit it: I wasn't sorry to hear of Wayne Pacelle's and Paul Shapiro's respective comeuppances. Keeping in mind, though, that what has been aired so far are just allegations of sexual harassment, not proof, and that any truth in the accusations would come at a high price to the women involved, and that cost is not to be take lightly.

But I'd like to think that I have a good sense of when I'm being hustled, and much of HSUS's leadership rang that bell for me years ago.

But, there are other executives at HSUS who I feel are straight shooters. I don't agree with their politics and I object to the organization's mission and tactics, but I don't feel they individually are trying to put one over on me. And therein may lie the biggest potential pitfall for the meat industry in Pacelle's and Shapiro's ousters.

The Humane Society of the United States is far more than one or two especially glib leaders. It's a veritable army of true believers, operating coast-to-coast, with particularly deep grass roots. Some of them are crazy activists, given to posting nasty, insulting comments on the Meatingplace website, but a lot of them are straight shooters, doing the best they know how to share their values and do what they think is right. And in that they are no different from the rest of us, following our own compasses to our own True North.

Whoever steps into the top leadership posts at HSUS could well be less polished, less TV camera-ready than Pacelle — and much, much more believable. And then the misleading puppies-and-kittens marketing campaigns and the legislative initiatives and state-level agricultural advisory committees are poised to become even more effective in furthering HSUS's goals.

Is the meat industry prepared to counter the efforts of an HSUS head who comes off like just another neighbor in the cul-de-sac?

The HSUS Hydra

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