Tim Blair

BTW, here's another story about "animal rights" terrorists that is not getting nearly enough attention: two bombs at Chiron Corp. in Emeryville, CA. Claim of responsibility by an "animal rights" group, and threats of violence against employees. Some quotes:

If you choose to continue your relations with HLS you will no longer be subject only to the actions of the above ground animal rights movement, you will face us.

This is the endgame for the animal killers

You might be able to protect your buildings, but can you protect the homes of every employee?

Bomb story here.
Claim of responsibility here.
Full statement here.

Surely, if burning hummers can get worldwide media attention, bombs and death threats should, too.

You know, I used to live in that area, and now I'm wishing I still did. Non-native pests? That means open season on minks, no license, no bag limit. Make your own coats!

Break out the Bushmasters, folks, we're goin' varmint huntin'.

How nice of the Animal Liberation Front to admit that they caused the pulping of this farmer's livelihood. If I were Weaver, I'd send the ALF a bill for damages; when they don't pay, I'd either take them to court or hire a collection agency (which could be worse for the ALF members involved, depending on the collection agency).

(Yes, I said "when they don't pay". Even if these 'revolutionaries' had a clue about property rights or an ounce of guilt about their actions, I doubt they'd have the money to pay--after all, all the more-money-than-brains Hollywood types send their dosh to PETA.)

You know, this is anti art as well. Mink hairs are used in some of the finest watercolor paint brushes. It is virtually impossible to achieve delicate and subtle, as well as bold strokes without them. ALF equals art censorship, pure and simple.

Oh, and as an advisory for any one living in the Shonomish area, minks will "lock" their jaws when they bit you. To get them to release you will have to squeal in the loudest high pitch you can. So I was told by a mink rancher (sorry, I don't use the term farmer for those in the mink industry. I associate the term farmer with plants not animals.) near where I lived as a teenager.

Jesus, it's a furry little four-legged bezerker! I have to give them credit.

But surely this is completely in-line with the Animal Liberation Front's general aim. They liberate the chickens from their lives and the farmers from their livelihood. Makes sense to me.

Male minks also have an actual penile bone - lock up your badgers and ferrets!

(Hence the phrase, I guess...)

At least Animal Liberation is dedicated- so dedicated, in fact that they believe even brain flukes have a right to be free, that's why they have released them into the wilds of the brains of ALF members- everything makes sense when your tiny mind is being controlled by parasitic trematodes.

I would hire a professional private investigator find out as much about the ALF organization and personel as possible then sue the ALF and its "associates" into bankruptcy.

Quote of the day from Jeff Weaver, the farmer whose Indian Runner ducks (one of the most beautiful animals on earth) were torn apart by 10,000 fur coats with teeth:

"I'm not into anyone running around with fur coats on," he said. "But you cannot let 10,000 semicarnivorous animals out without having serious consequences."

ALF members should be locked up with the minks, which could feast on their scrawny vegetarian bodies before being turned into fur coats bearing the following label:

NO OTHER ANIMAL WAS HARMED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THIS MINK COAT. THE MINK WAS FED ON VEGETARIAN HUMANS ONLY. IN BATTERY CAGES. ENJOY YOUR MINK COAT. SIZE 10. CHECKED BY #5.

Simple premise folks: Animals are NOT chattel property, yours or anyone else's. Ya know folks, there ARE a great many enlightened people in this world who are firmly convinced that, contrary to biblical lore embraced by the unwashed masses, man was NOT put on earth to have some bizarre kind of exclusive dominion over animals, and that the very act of harnessing animals for any purpose, be it food (beef, fishing, hunting, wool, eggs, dairy, etc.) or entertainment (circuses, horesracing et al) is inherently evil. Given all of the other (bad/superstitious/ignorant/innaccurate) advice that assorted tomes (talmud/bible/koran/pick-your-fave-book-of- mystical-incantations) have given out on a number of topics, I'd have to say I can't strongly condemn people for ruining the livelihood of others (who gain that livelihood by exploiting animals) by opening cages, paddocks and so on. I don't recall any horses ever giving informed consent to run (and quite possibly be mortally injured in) races.

What is this "evil" you mention, PetaPumper?

Sounds like a human concept, and therefore necessarily suspect.

---"Sounds like a human concept, and therefore necessarily suspect."---

That's Mojo with Moxie. I salute you.

Peta Piper

Farming is not inherently evil. There is cruelty in the world, but let us concentrate our minds and make very clear distinctions.

My chickens are happy scrabbling about their yard, well-fed, well-watered, well proteced from foxes.

But one day I am going to eat them. An old boiler makes great soup. I might even sell a few eggs at the gate.

You cannot possibly have issues with the quality of life of my chickens. Not even remotely.

Inherently evil.

Get a grip.

I'm sure my two hounds didn't make informed consent when we took them home, but fifteem years later give them the option of eating garbage and dying several years early from either parasites or injury, or living in an airconditioned house, have meals cooked and served to them and sleep on a king size chiropratic bed (in custom made pyjamas)I think I know what the choice would be.
Peta Piper- if you think too much, you'll give yourself a conniption fit; just go back to worrying about how double amputee aboriginal lesbians with learning difficulties are being discriminated against by all us warmongering right wing death beasts.

Lovely how all kinds of side issues were brought up by my comments. First of all, to Habib, being the GUARDIAN (i.e. not "owner") of a pet is not the same as exploiting livestock for food, fur and scientific experiments, ok? So now that we have THAT straight, let's move on to ilibcc who confidently predicts I ought to have no problem with the quality of his/her chickens' lives despite the fact that in the same breathless moment, s/he has announced s/he is going to boil them. Hello. Earth calling ilibcc! Are you planning to wait unitl they expire of natural causes before you do that? Or are you going to KILL them? 'Cuz I'm sorry but you can't really argue for "quality of life" when one of the qualities is that you play god and decide when to arbitrarily end it. Great quality that is not. And BTW, if ya are gonna kill them, were you planning to euthanise them gently? Or, more likely cut their scrawny little heads off? All of which brings up back to the original: It is a simple premise folks: I repeat - animals are NOT YOUR chattel property, nor anyone else's. They are not here for you to herd, cudgel, shoot, stab, skin, eat, milk, de-egg-ify, although arguably they may possibly be on Earth so that we, supposedly the most intelligent of species, can care for them with a minimum of interference. But that's about it. Not your property. Period.