[100% veg*n ] RE: barry horne

[Guest guest]

Jane wrote:

>

> Ian wrote:

> > > sadly, it reminds us of whose law it is.

>

> > Ours, ultimately. (And the Lords, but they are on the way out.)

>

> Sorry, I guess this is a bit off topic, but describing the Law as " ours "

warrants further discussion.

>

> English law, and I'm no expert, has evolved over the years (most particularly

the last 200 or so) and has been designed in the main to benefit the dominant

classes at any particular time (those with economic/political power or

influence). I don't know about you, but that certainly doesn't include me.

 

You are a paralegal, so you're probably the closest thing to an expert

we've got.

 

Because of the power of patronage and the control of the political

apparatus, the House of Commons isn't completely representative of the

population. (I do wish we had the Irish voting system, which lets people

vote for who they like without much chance of wasting it, or any

deference to party machines. An Irish vegan can choose between multiple

candidates from each party, and vote for the most AR-friendly

candidates, whether they were Fine Gael, Fine Fail, Green, or whatever.)

 

> If, by your reference to the House of Lords, you're saying that we have some

redress through the House of Commons, well you just have to look at the Hunting

with Dogs bill, only recently given new life to save Stephen Byers' skin. And

this on a relatively " soft " issue.

 

" Soft " in what sense? That the electorate agree with us?

 

> Unfortunately, without easy access to mainstream media, actions like Barry

Horne's are one of the few ways to bring " harder " issues to the attention of the

public. (Ok, so that doesn't mean we have to condone it)

 

There are few, yes, but they don't all involve putting people in danger.

 

> > can you really believe that progress happens from a few

> > nice folk writing polite letters or rational argument?

> >

> > all respect to them but you look at any major human rights or environmental

> > issue that has arisen in the last two hundred and it sure as hell required

> > > heads being knocked, blood being spilt and some innocent folk dying.

>

> > Who died to get the RSPCA founded? That was a big deal in its day.

>

> With all due respect to the RSPCA, if we have to look to it as some indication

of " progress " I would suggest that we haven't come all that far!

 

We don't have to. But it was withing the last two hundred years, and it

was progress, and it did not involve heads being knocked, blood being

spilt and some innocent folk dying. AFAIK.

 

The first animal welfare bill (1822) got through Parliament was framed

by Richard Martin (Galway) as a property protection bill: his first try

had been laughed out of the house the year before. Merely acting as if

animal were worth considering was an improvement.

 

" When first founded, the RSPCA and ASPCA were radical groups, far ahead

of the public opinion of their times, and opposed to all forms of

cruelty to animals, including cruelty to farm animals, who then, as now,

were the victims of many of the worst abuses,. Gradually, however, as

these organizations grew in wealth, membership, and respectability, they

lost their radical commitment and became part of the " establishment " . "

- Peter Singer, Animal Liberation

 

> Jane

>

--

Ian McDonald

 

http://www.mcdonald.me.uk/