Carrie Underwood, a longtime vegetarian, is the darling of country music. She is arguably the most talented female entertainer in a generation, and has brought untold numbers of new fans to the genre due to her crossover appeal and American Idol ties.

Carrie Underwood, however, is no friend of rural America.

As of today, I have reversed my position on Carrie Underwood, and now number her among the enemy. Before I continue, however, let me state that it is my suspicion that Carrie is misinformed or uneducated rather than endemically evil. More on that in a minute.

CMT reports and MTV confirms that recorded a version of Mötley Crüe’s “Home Sweet Home” for American Idol:

Starting on Wednesday (March 11), the song will be played when contestants are voted off the show and will be available as a digital single on iTunes on March 16. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). “I’ve always loved this song, and besides being very fitting for Idol, to me, the title is also very fitting with animal rescue and finding animals their own homes,” Underwood said. “So we felt it was important to tie the release into an amazing animal charity like the HSUS.”

The problem with this logic, of course, is that HSUS has absolutely nothing to do with animal rescue or finding a home for stray puppies and kitties. Like so many HSUS donors, Underwood has apparently been duped into believing that the untold millions in donor dollars to the organization are somehow being funneled into local animal rescue or Humane shelters. This, of course, couldn’t be further from the truth.

In the HSUS’ own words: “By long-standing tradition, local humane societies remain independent entities, each with its own policies, governance, and priorities.”

The American Humane Association, by the way, takes great care to point out that while it advocates on behalf of local humane shelters, AHA is NOT “a parent organization of local “humane societies” and SPCAs, which are locally based, independent agencies that operate animal shelters and provide animal care and control services to their communities. However, many of those agencies are member organizations of American Humane. As such, they benefit from our trainings, informational and funding resources, and national programs that increase the abilities, knowledge and effectiveness of their organizations and staff.”

By the way, they also take great care to point out that they are also NOT affiliated with the HSUS.

When surveying the HSUS’ own website to learn more about their priorities, here is the list they provide, in rank order:

* Animal Cruelty and Fighting

* Factory Farming

* Fur

* Wildlife Abuse

* Puppy Mills

* Chimps in Research

* Seal Hunt

* Horse Slaughter

* Pets for Life

* Wild Neighbors

* Animals & Religion

I don’t see anything in that list about animal rescue or local animal shelters. In fact, what I do see is that at least six of those priorities are direct or indirect attacks on animal agriculture and the lifestyle and values of rural Americans. Hunting, fishing, eating meat, raising livestock, enjoying wildlife and recreation: all targets on the HSUS’ radical agenda.

The Center for Consumer Freedom offers an analysis/documentary of the many egregious facts about HSUS, including their ties to radical anti-meat eating terrorist organizations. They’ll do a more thorough job than I today or highlighting and explaining those many concerns.

For what it’s worth, Lindsay and I have been quick to defend Carrie Underwood’s choice of a vegetarian lifestyle before. Her choice of a plant-based diet is her own, and none of our business. She has today, however, taken it upon herself to endanger my right to raise cattle and eat meat. For that, it is incumbent upon all of us who enjoy eating meat and want to continue enjoying the freedom and liberty afforded to us as Americans to rebuke her poor choice by not buying her music until she does the appropriate research and renounces her relationship with this radical anti-meat activist lobby.