Frequently Asked Questions
- What Is Terrorism?
- Does PDX ADL Support Terrorism?
- But You Support Groups Who Have Been Designated As Domestic Terrorists
- Ok, You Don't Support Domestic Terrorism, But You Support Groups That Break The Law
- What Are Other Politically Charged Terms Used To Vilify Animal Rights Advocates?
- PETA kills animals!
What Is Terrorism?
The most feared term in the United States must surely be "heart disease". According to the CDC, heart disease is the number one killer of humans in the United States. Together with Cancer, heart disease kills more americans than the next 8 causes of death.
However - You would never guess this from monitoring our sensationalist popular media.
Terrorism is a politically controlled and charged word. Much like infidel, socialist, liberal, pagan, homo-phobic terms, and other terms that have come before them. These terms have been used throughout history to invoke fear and confusion.
Terrorism and terrorist have become terms that can be used generically against any ideal, action, or person that is deemed appropriate by the user.
Any value of these terms has been watered down by this constant misuse.
When people think of the word terrorist, they think of a person who would cruelly kill innocent people with conviction and no thought to the means of their ends.
A clear example of terrorism would be the releasing of Sarin nerve gas in a public subway in Japan in 1995. Sarin is a horrible chemical agent that causes it's victims to die in a spasm of pain (at one time a part of the US military's arsenal).
It is a much harder case to make that a college kid releasing minks from their cages at a fur farm (saving them before they are electrocuted and skinned), is a terrorist.
But that's what Peter Young did, and he was the first person to be convicted as a terrorist under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.
Sure, he broke the law and would be expected to be charged for minor crimes such as trespassing and vandalism, but no one ever expected him to be branded a "Terrorist".
Laws such as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act are passed with the urging and support of organizations that are harmed by being exposed.
We, the animal rights advocates, are representing the powerless. The power of our organizations, and the individuals who form the movement are miniscule compared to the interests that advocate the continuing torture of animals.
It is the old story of money versus morality, money controls the story that is told to the public.
Where we have our voices, they have highly paid lobbyists and PR firms. Where we have a few brave individuals who risk themselves to expose images of torture to the world, they have politicians in their pockets.
And now countless activists across the country are facing trumped up charges coupled with aggressive prosecution techniques.
Many activists that should have received a slap on the wrist or a case dismissal for their first offense are now doing time in federal or state Super Max prisons, designed to hold the most violent of criminals.
However, the intended targets of these laws are not just the imprisoned activists, but every citizen of the United States. We are meant to guard our thoughts, words, and actions.
Without losing a war or signing treaty, we have willingly given up a sizable piece of our country to fear.
Furthermore, the public money and resources utilized by local and national law enforcement are squandered on surveying, harassing, prosecuting, and imprisoning activists for what would be considered misdemeanor or non- criminal activity.
With this redirection of resources, our nation is left more vulnerable to internal attacks from actual violent factions that might intend on performing "Terrorism".
This joint corporate and law enforcement movement to intimidate activists has been dubbed "The Green Scare". For more information, please visit Greenscare.org
Does PDX ADL Support Terrorism?
No.
But You Support Groups Who Have Been Designated As Domestic Terrorists
See above, "What is terrorism?".
Ok, You Don't Support Domestic Terrorism, But You Support Groups That Break The Law
1. Although Portland Animal Defense League does participate in civil disobedience (much in the same fashion as pro-integration groups did the civil rights movement), we do not engage in what would be considered "felonious" activity.
2. Portland Animal Defense League Is opposed To ANY action that physically endangers or harms ANY human or animal.
3. We do support the actions of people who engage in acts that expose animal abuse (such as the actions of Matt Rossell to investigate OHSU's Dr. Spindel's systematic abuse of primates) . Almost always, laws must be broken in order to expose hidden abuses. Those who profit from animal abuse have a vested economical interest in masking their true actions with heavily guarded facilities that hide abuse and highly financed PR campaigns that gloss over their torture of animals.
4. We support the actions of those who disrupt animal abuse, as long as they don't commit ANY action that endangers or harms ANY human or animal.
So, yes, we do support political prisoners who commit acts of kindness towards animals and are often charged and prosecuted at levels far and beyond their actual crimes.
Our forms of support include simple moral support, writing letters to imprisoned activists (who often feel isolated, stressed, and afraid amongst felon populations in prisons with no vegan meal options), and fund raising events to help pay for legal fees and commissary funds(so that these political prisoners can afford to buy their own food when the prison system fails).
What Are Other Politically Charged Terms Used To Vilify Animal Rights Advocates?
The public relations campaign attempting to hold back the wave of realization coming from animal rights advocates spawns many marketing terms. Some are meant to confuse, others to induce fear and anger.
Extremists - Extreme is a relative word. Extreme compared to what?
Anti-Consumer - This designation is particularly ironic, as it indicates that we, as consumer advocates (those who would inform consumers of facts hidden by the sellers and manufacturers of goods),are some how anti-consumer, and the implication is that we are also anti-human. This assumption is ludicrous to say the least, considering that it is often employed by corporate interests.
PETA kills animals!
1. PDX ADL has no affiliation with PETA.
2. Whether or not there is a need for the killing of unwanted animals in shelters is a controversial subject amongst animal rights advocates. That being said, the organization PETA sometimes works to improve the condition of animals in facilities such as kill shelters. In these shelters, animals may be killed by poisonous gas, being shot in the heart or head by a handgun, or injected with household chemicals and forced to endure a long, agonizing death. PETA has worked with some of these shelters to improve the method of killing unwanted animals to resemble more what your vet would do for your animals if they had to be killed. There is a lot of controversy concerning whether or not animals need to be "euthanized" at all, but the organization PETA has worked to improve the dying conditions of these animals. PDX ADL works toward the day where no animals will die or be made to suffer by human hands under any conditions.
3. This accusation does not excuse anyone from moral obligations. The anti-animal rights movement has marketed this issue as a point of hypocrisy to rally around and debunk the entire animal rights movement. Our first reaction to this sentiment is shock that the anti-animal rights movement cares so much about the killing of animals. Beyond that, even if PETA, or any other animal rights advocate's actions were considered morally irreprehensible, that act alone would not debunk morality, logic, or the reality of the daily plight of animals at human hands. No more than learning of some minor flaw of Mother Theresa's would mean that children in Africa deserve to suffer disease and die of malnutrition or that all the images of starving children throughout the world are somehow a magnificent hoax. This is simple marketing, page 1 outrageous claims in bold, followed by a page 23 dispelling weeks later. Which image stays in people's minds? Does truth matter anymore? Does thoughtful, philosophical morality matter?
