Conference report of animal rights 2009 U.S.

George Guimarães, president VEDDAS - Ethical Vegetarianism, Defense of Animals and Society

Over 900 participants, from different countries, gathered from 16 a 20 August 2009 em Los Angeles, U.S. to participate in the Animal Rights National Conference, which is the largest and oldest animal rights conference in the world. Initiated in 1981 por Alex Hershaft, founder and president of the organization FARM, the twentieth edition of the conference lasted five days and included a total of 120 lectures, given by 105 speakers, Apart from displaying more than 60 videos, including some unpublished releases. The presence of 90 exhibitors completed the exchange environment information and experiences among those present.

Report the experience of attending a conference of this size animal rights, which relies on the presence of legendary activists and fits into the context of a movement that is a few years ahead of our, no easy task. Despite being the fifth year in a row that I have the honor to participate as a speaker, this annual meeting continues to touch me in a very positive and inspiring. Unpublished report of the campaigns and successful critical review of strategies that are inefficient, learning and growth are everywhere.

One of the topics that have been highlighted in the discussions in recent years is the current state repression suffered by animal rights activists in Europe and the U.S.. This gained particular importance from 2007 with the approval of the U.S. AETA (Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act), a federal law that fits as an act of terrorism, any direct action that causes economic losses to businesses that exploit animals, thus subjecting activists involved forms of investigation and punishment that are treated as any other acts of terrorism. Given this, many had affected their activities and some of these activists enocntram is arrested and convicted.

Darius Fulmer and Peter Young are two former political prisoners who were present at the conference this year. Although they were convicted in a period prior to the AETA, therefore based on milder laws, they are an example of the current state of repression of animal rights activists in effect in the country. Darius is one of the convicts of the case known as SHAC7, that led to jail six activists with penalties ranging from one to six years and caused the banishment of the organization SHAC (Stop Huntindon Animal Cruelty), whose campaign aimed to shut down its notorious biomedical laboratory HLS (Huntindon Life Sciences), responsible for death daily 500 animals that are subjected to scientific experiments. All that activists SHAC protest was made lawfully and disseminate information about what happens behind closed doors of this institution. By their actions, were convicted and taken to federal prison, where five of them remain today.

With the approval of the AETA, the scenario of persecution only worsened and with this many activists and lawyers began working to create the political strength necessary to mobilize the cancellation of this law. In a statement recorded displayed during a plenary session of the conference, Congressman David vegan Kucinich addressed the participants of the conference announcing that later this year will present a bill that aims precisely to annul the AETA.

All that energy expended for the sole purpose of restraining the animal rights activists to continue acting with the efficiency with which it has been possible to observe in recent times is but a sign of efficiency that the movement won that country: if there is a counter-attack, because there is recognition of an attack, and this can only be recognized when their impact is significant. And with that the win only tend to continue, since the face of the resistance increases the strength and cohesion of the movement. Still on the group SHAC, Camille Hankins, one of the most adorable and brave who ever had the pleasure of meeting, responsible for the group W.A.R. (Win Animal Rights) and spokesperson (ao plate Jerry Vlasak) the North American Animal Liberation Press Office (Press Office of Animal Liberation in North America), announced the group resumed, now act under his command and keeping the same goal: close the largest vivisection lab in the world.

Whereas the campaign against HLS led some activists to trial and sentencing in recent times, we shall admit that the announcement to continue that same campaign is a commendable attitude. Especially, is a demonstration that the activists who fight so sincere and dedicated by the animal liberation are not left on the curb organized repression carried out by the state apparatus and controlled by corporate interests who profit from the exploitation and death of billions of sentient animals every year.

While not close the doors once and for all, campaigns directed at the lab HLS has among other things made it impossible to get to open a bank account in the country and even to hire a security company, since all the companies who set out to provide a service readily become targets of activists who have become experts in it becoming a public relations nightmare for these companies. Also as a result of actions of animal rights activists, HLS had refused the process to be listed on the stock exchange in New York (While this has been achieved after some time, but currently running a serious risk of being removed from the stock exchange). The company is currently studying a proposed acquisition that would deliver them from bankruptcy imminent.

Be in campaigns large and long-term or short in stocks and immediate result, contact with the activists attending the conference possible to find examples of successful actions of animal liberation that cater to all tastes. Peter Young, that came out of prison 2007 after serving a sentence of nearly two years accused of having released imprisoned animals on fur farms in the U.S., strengthened the presentation of their calculations that show that the time he spent imprisoned represented less than 2 hours for each animal freed, what, he said, time is more than tolerable on the outcome of your actions, that was a lifetime of freedom for animals who freed. He also presented a calculation, based on a survey he made of all the shares of ALF (Animal Liberation Front) reported in the last two decades the number of prisons they took, showing that the risk of being arrested for these actions is lower than the risk of being involved in a car accident. He concluded by saying that the reasoning that risk, taken on behalf of something that he considers to be very valuable, is not large compared to everyday risks that the average person is willing to take.

Patrice Jones, activist who works in the feminist movement, social and animal rights, reminded those present that "the actions of the animals should be for the animals", making an invitation to reflect on what actions or paths actually serve the interests of animals. She wonders if sometimes the activists who say the animals are so busy defending this or that group, or debating our point of view particularly, we end up neglecting what really matters to the animals, which is what actually happens to them and not what we spend hours debating… and only debating. Besides this invitation, Pattrice also pointed to the importance of expressing coalitions with other movements, as the movement against poverty, since poverty limits the ability of the individual to make voluntary and conscious choices in relation to their consumption habits or even to refuse a job as degrading work in a slaughterhouse, eg. She also pointed to the importance of achieving other social causes (black rights, Women, children) and environmental, highlighting the relationship between these movements and the animal cause.

Captain Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, direct action group that acts in defense of the oceans, told us about the success of their campaign to stop whaling by the Japanese fleet in international waters of the Antarctic, work that is being played with great courage and success. Your assistance is always unconventional and controversial, consisting primarily of direct attack ships that stand in hunting activity and can vary from the direct collision of his ship against the Japanese ships until the release to the deck of the enemy ships of irritants or slippery. The battle takes place in hostile waters of Antarctica, conducted under extreme weather conditions, with scarce resources and equipment that are rarely at their best condition, is not an "ocean" of roses. The crew who dares to confront the Japanese fleet is composed of volunteers from around the world and is not the best qualified for the tasks required on board, but it certainly is the most willing to engage the enemy that presents very well equipped for the task of killing whales using harpoons tipped fitted with explosives and whose hostility to conservation group has increased every year. To cite an example, during the penultimate offensive that occurred less than two years, Paul Watson was shot during one of the confrontations at sea and the crew in the last campaign was targeted by grenades thrown by the Japanese coastguard, that since last year started crewing vessels with the task of protecting the Japanese fleet against the attacks of the group. Even as a form of "defense" against the Sea Shepherd vessel, the crew enemy has launched objects capable of causing serious injury to activists who puts in fighting 14 shipping days focus civilizing nearest (and, consequently, the nearest medical help).

Even with so many adversities and thanks to their innovative tactics, Sea Shepherd's campaign to defend the whales in Antarctic territory was responsible for preventing, Only in the past two years, death of nearly a thousand whales, costing the whaling industry millions of dollars and putting the entire industry on the verge of a complete failure and ultimate: that being the only whaling fleet in operation worldwide, it means the complete extinction of this activity. Mas before (or to ensure that) happen, the next expedition in defense of oceanic fauna depart in December. As you get used to the idea of ​​having to perform functions never before practiced aboard a ship subjugated by the force of water whose temperature that revolves close to zero degree, activist writes that you are already properly enrolled in the selection process of volunteering, eagerly waiting for the answer that will make you spend a period of two months in unfavorable conditions in the less explored our planet. Not just for the whales, but for all forms of injustice to which I could open my eyes, if one day my grandchildren ask me what I did at the time that humans static watched his own process of planetary suicide, I want to say to them that I went out of my comfort zone to make a difference and prevent it.

Lost in our daily affairs, we fail to see how insignificant is our supposed martyrdom in the struggle for animal rights when put into perspective the martyrdom they undergo the billions of animals who are exploited and killed annually for the mere purpose of satisfying human interests. Let also realize how insignificant our existence can be when we fail to take it the significant potential that only comes to expression when our existence is able to leave a legacy to the future of our species and the planet we inhabit. Which brings us back to the insignificance of our existence: the fact is that, however we do our existence something meaningful for the current moment, within two or three generations will not be important to know which person, group or movement was responsible for the achievements that led humanity to this future time. Suffice it to our descendants to know what were the odds once faced and what were the solutions that were effective, with the simple aim of making it the lessons necessary to meet the challenges present in that future time.

It is in this crucial moment in the history of this planet, where the struggle for animal liberation is at the heart of all struggles and causes that threaten the survival of our species and countless other, we choose to live our insignificant existence. It now remains to each make their choices for that unavoidable insignificance may result in a legacy with significance - it is here that lies the only possibility of a life that truly matters to living beings that inhabit this planet in the near future.