Comments on: Animal Advocate Detained, Searched, Questioned at Canadian Border about Activism

By: friendbackeast

friendbackeast — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:46:29 +0000

not too many brownies, though, i hope, or else the car will drag!

By: Custom Building Products

Custom Building Products — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:04:19 +0000

I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:33:12 +0000

Joe,

That was a pretty half-hearted response to Will’s comments. Do you not feel the need to address him?

I also agree with Liz here. You’re terrorizing animals with your gun for your self-interest. Atleast animal activists are doing what they do to help, and not taking lives in the process.

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:54:35 +0000

Will, was your death threat an email threat or did they call your unlisted phone number and name you and your wife by name like mine? I don’t sweat the email threats but the phone threats like that bother me.

By: Will Potter

Will Potter — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:33:59 +0000

Michelle: You’re absolutely right, this is all about scaring and confusing people into silence. Activists need to not only know their rights but know they have a community of people supporting them if they’re placed in a situation like this.

By: michelle

michelle — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:08:35 +0000

as an animal activist and parent it is frightening and confusing to read accounts such as Beckham’s. and that is exactly what the government wants to do: scare us and confuse us into thinking that it is wrong to work toward ending animal oppression; whether it’s experiments, factory farming, fur, or anything else. we all need to know our rights and how to act when we’re under scrutiny for having a set of morals that includes animals that don’t speak our language. as if i don’t have enough to do as a parent. shit!

By: b

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:10:45 +0000

served!

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:27:54 +0000

Joe:
How do you think the animals feel when you threaten them and their whole family with your rifle?

How do you think they feel when they are strapped into machines to have the latest house paint formula repeatedly injected into their eyes, nose and mouth?

Don’t you think they feel terrorized?

How do you think they would feel if someone took them out of these situations and allowed them to live their own lives in peace and dignity? And if they found out that some people were willing to fundamentally dismantle the system of oppression that had kept them, and their families there? The ALF doesn’t believe in harm to any being – human’s included. That’s as simple as it is.

Let me put it this way – you obviously care about the potential harm to human lives that you feel may come as a result of ALF activity. I believe that is a form of altruism. If you can stand up against activity that you think harms your fellow man, then that’s what you will do – because you believe that’s what is right. Individuals who participate in the ALF and ELF extend their circle of altruism to all creatures who are living in a system of oppression at the hands of their human counterparts.
Standing up for animals doesn’t mean tearing down people – it means destroying the tools, buildings, and paradigms that allow the system to continue.

If someone were willing to burn down a vacant ski resort to keep your family from being slaughtered, would you be thankful, or would you want them to go to prison?

When you start believing that “violence” can be exacted on property and objects, but not to living, feeling beings – you are participating in a system of terrorism.

By: Will Potter

Will Potter — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:02:44 +0000

And Joe, as far as “knowing how it feels,” I’ve unfortunately been on the receiving end of death threats, but from someone claiming to a be an animal researcher… not an activist.

By: Will Potter

Will Potter — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:52:14 +0000

Joe: I certainly don’t think the ELF or ALF are kids who are bored. However, you need to get your facts straight. The SHAC 7 did not run a website encouraging people to harm HLS employees: it posted news of both legal actions (protests, leafletting) and illegal (when underground groups rescued animals or set up smoke bombs). The “branding” incident you cut-and-pasted was from a 1999 story that had a few holes in it: namely, it was never even reported to the police, no ALF cell claimed responsibility, and it violates the groups own guidelines. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/nov/08/jamiewilson). Finally, the Brian Cass incident, the one act of violence I’m aware of, was in the UK, not the US. I’ve reported on the arsons at Vail, San Diego, and elsewhere, which, although extreme and dangerous, have never harmed anyone.

But beyond that, how do any of those incidents apply, in any way, to lawful, above-ground activists being harassed for simply using their First Amendment rights? Do you really think it’s justified to harass and intimidate activists in the US based on a violent act overseas?