Fwd: [Freedom_for_Austrian_Activists] Great letter by Professor Tom Regan

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr. John,

 

Since Prof Regan has drafted this letter on behalf of " millions of animal rights

advocates throughout the world " , therefore I am requesting you to kindly allow

it to appear on AAPN.

 

Thanks,

 

Azam

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

hecal_2000 <evana_news

Wed, Jul 9, 2008 at 10:41 PM

[Freedom_for_Austrian_Activists] Re: Great letter by Professor Tom

Regan

Freedom_for_Austrian_Activists

 

 

authorization granted on 10 July 2008:

 

" By all means. I only hope it does some good. "

Tom Regan Tom_Regan

 

 

Freedom_for_Austrian_Activists " hecal_2000 "

<evana_news wrote:

Note: I have asked for authorization to publish the letter and shall let you

know ASAP about the outcome.

Herma

 

Great letter by Professor Tom Regan....Please keep the emails

flowing to the Austrian Govt to free the 10 animal rights activists...

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Tom Regan <Tom_Regan

Wed, Jul 9, 2008 at 9:46 AM

Austria's assault on human rights

ministerbuero, minister.justiz,

heinz.fischer, alfred.gusenbauer

 

Gentlemen:

On a number of occasions in the past, I have had the honor of

lecturing in your country about the serious moral issue of animal

rights. (As for my qualifications, see the web sites accompanying

signature below). Always I have been treated with respect. Never

have

I experienced the slightest attempt to silence my message. For my

wife and myself, and for the literally millions of animal rights

advocates throughout the world, your justly venerated nation has

stood like a beacon of civility in a world all too often marked by

the opposite.

More than showing civility to humans, progressive improvement for

nonhumans has marked your country's recent history. A national ban

on fur farms and rabbit cage farming. A national ban against the

performance of wild animals in circuses. A national ban against

vivisection on apes. No other nation, I make bold to assert, has

been the equal of Austria when it comes to history's march towards

informed, compassionate, respectful treatment of nonhuman animals.

And so it has come as a sad message indeed, for us to learn of your

government's recent attempt to intimidate and silence Austrian

animal rights advocates. I will spare you the details, as I am sure you know

them well. (Or, perhaps, not well enough). Rather, as a friend of your nation,

let me just say this.

Increasingly, Austria is seen as a country that has lost its moral

compass. Increasingly, Austria is seen as a country that is ruled

by unelected special interests rather than the public will.

Increasingly, Austria is seen as a country that would squash human

rights in the name of state sponsored opposition to whatever

special interests can buy.

Gentlemen, step back from where you are and look afresh at what

your government and its law enforcement agencies are doing--and where

they are taking you. They are making a mockery of generations of

Austrians who have lived and died for the heritage of democratic traditions.

It does not take the wisdom of Solomon to understand why the still

imprisoned animal rights advocates should be freed, not next month,

not next week, not tomorrow, but today. Anything less than this

will result in a permanent scar on the integrity of the history of the

Austrian people.

Yours sincerely,

 

Tom Regan

Emeritus Professor of Philosophy

Department of Philosophy & Religion

North Carolina State University

Box 8103

Raleigh, NC 27695-8103

Tel: 919-513-1333

http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/exhibits/regan/

http://www.tomregan-animalrights.com

http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/animalrights/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADhNch30Img

 

United against elephant polo

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui