July 25, 2004

When Animal Supremacists Attack

From Rodger (now posting at SondraK's), al-Guardian gives us what sure looks like incitement:

A top adviser to Britain's two most powerful animal rights protest groups caused outrage last night by claiming that the assassination of scientists working in biomedical research would save millions of animals' lives.

To the fury of groups working with animals, Jerry Vlasak, a trauma surgeon and prominent figure in the anti-vivisection movement, told The Observer: 'I think violence is part of the struggle against oppression. If something bad happens to these people [animal researchers], it will discourage others. It is inevitable that violence will be used in the struggle and that it will be effective.'

Vlasak, who likens animal experimentation to the Nazis' treatment of the Jews, said he stood by his claim that: 'I don't think you'd have to kill too many [researchers]. I think for five lives, 10 lives, 15 human lives, we could save a million, 2 million, 10 million non-human lives.
Why is he saying this? Because we aren't listening to him!
While acknowledging that his views might alienate some people, Vlasak, who claims animal experimentation 'wastes billions of pounds a year', said more and more people in the animal rights movement were drawn to violent action. 'The grass roots are tired of writing letters. The polite approach has not worked,' he said.
Oh, fucking WAAAAAAAAH! Did it ever occur to him that a couple of hundred people writing a couple of hundred letters opposing research that SAVES LIVES is going to change a damn thing?

Incitement, you say? Surely you're blowing this a bit out of proportion, aren't you? Maybe, maybe not:

Vlasak will address an animal rights conference organised by Shac and Speak [two British animal supremacist groups] in September. Legal experts warned that, if he uses his speech to promote violence, he could be charged with incitement.

You know, Jerry, if you're really opposed to the 'senseless' killing of animals, why don't you go right to the top? Try to stop recreational hunting in the U.S.! Head on up to northern Michigan on the first day of firearms deer season and run through the woods blowing a whistle and banging cymbals to scare the deer away from hunters!

That oughta solve a real problem in about ten seconds. Unfortunately, if I go into too much detail as to exactly what real problem might be solved, it could be considered incitement...

Posted by Chris at July 25, 2004 07:14 PM

Category: Political Stupidity
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