AR tactics follow-up

[Guest guest]

Hi again! I just sent this letter to a lady and am now sending it out to all

of you.

 

Many of us have been to enough protests, I assume, to realize that often

people will film the protest or take pictures. I have seen one to many films

to think that yelling at people, humiliating, or threatening them is the way

to go. If we get people to stop eating meat or wearing animal skins because

they are afraid of being hurt or humiliated, that’s horrible! Think about

it... Often we justify by saying that the opposition is rude to us. So to

accomplish our goal we’re rude back to them? I find that very cowardly. It’s

very much the easy way out.

I support talking to people about the fur they are wearing and telling them

what went into make their fur coat. But I don’t support yelling at people or

swearing at them because they are wearing fur. It accomplishes nothing, as

we all know. Most people out there wear fur because they are uneducated

about the issue. It may seem very clear to us why not to wear fur but most

people have never been exposed to the idea. Many have, of course, and once

most people find out they decide not to wear it. If the fur wearer swears at

you, I believe it’s best to take it and don’t stoop to their level by

yelling back at them.

Nobody’s evil inside all the way through. After the black and the women’s

rights movements most people now believe that black people and women are

equal. I can see that some of us would think that some people are pure evil

because of the fact that we’re in the middle of a movement and it often

seems hopeless. However people who worked for women’s or black rights would

most likely not say that they think some people are pure evil. Most likely

they would say that people have learned to accept equality. When we’re a

movement bent on compassion to all animals (non-human AND human) that means,

more or less, being nice to all animals!

Here are a few questions to ponder.

Is the animal rights movement a non-violent movement based on compassion

for all animals (be they non-human or human)?

Isn’t it going against our most fundamental beliefs when we break that

belief and are rude to the opposition?

Isn’t it a little strange trying to further a cause of compassion through

being rude or disrespectful?

I define rude as yelling at, threatening, mocking, or humiliating the

opposition. Being rude is just what turns people away. The NY mayor stunt

that PETA did, got many people to their website, but it also turned away

thousands of people. It’s like coaxing a dog to come out from under the

porch, you have to be really nice and patient. You can’t swear or yell at

them if they don’t understand. Thousands of people are turned off by the AR

movement because of several stunts PETA has done.

Most people we are just trying to educate on the issues. Anybody who reads

this letter knows very well that when somebody is rude to you it makes you

not want to hear their side. If they’re polite it’s much easier to digest

and take in.

Do we scorn politeness. In our hearts do we really think that by being rude

to somebody it will make them change their mind? Are they going to be very

receptive?

Thanks for considering this and opening our minds to some new ideas.

 

Sincerely,

John Candle

AnimalProgress

AnimalProgress-

To reach me send an email to afuture4all

 

 

 

 

_______________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com