Animal Cruelty versus Environmental Politics

I stumbled across an interesting article about how the violence and illegal tactics used by animal activists demonstrates a need to overhaul the way many people approach environmental politics. If you're interested in politics, environmentalism, or animals, you will probably benefit from reading it. Here's an excerpt of this intelligent article by Kay Sexton, from her blog "Red Green and Blue: Environmental Politics From Across the Spectrum:"

The four [animal rights activists found guilty of blackmailing companies that supplied Huntingdon Life Sciences] were part of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (Shac). Huntingdon Life Sciences is an animal research centre that tests products for safety (ie testing products on animals, safety being ours, not theirs) and Shac aimed to create a ‘climate of fear’ that was intended to force other firms to sever ties with what is one of the largest animal testing labs in the world. Their tactics ranged from hoax bombs, night visits to people’s houses and factories, through to criminal damage and threats of violence. Their nuisance phone calls and letters included sending used sanitary towels in the post, and claiming people were paedophiles.

What has all this to do with environmental politics? Well, it’s the nature of ‘the cause’ that drives extreme behaviour, and conversion to ‘the cause’: whether it’s global warming or anti-vivisection, can turn people from ‘unconcerned’ to ‘zealot’ in a single day.

Click here for the full article.

Does this remind anyone of the old saying, "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar?"  Organizations who want to inspire positive change would be advised to use positive tactics, instead of turning to violence and hate.

More news about animal rights activists and Huntingdon Life Sciences:

• Four animal rights activists guilty of blackmailing Huntingdon Life Sciences suppliers
• Animal rights extremists still targeting Huntingdon Life Sciences laboratory
• Activists guilty of hate campaign