Shedding Light On Animal-Rights Terrorists

The use of force or threats to intimidate — the definition of terrorism in Webster’s Dictionary.

The nightly news rarely misses the opportunity to report on acts of terrorism by the insurgents in Iraq, but when was the last time you heard CNN report on an act of terrorism by an animal-rights activist?

Worldwide there have been 106 reported incidents of attacks by animal-rights terrorists — since January 1. Of those, 26 acts occurred in the United States. An untold number of other incidents have occurred and were not reported.

Much of the activity is related to a group called the Animal Liberation Front (ALF). This underground, loosely organized group encourages the formation of what they call “cells” to take “direct action” against businesses and individuals who don’t think like them.

Acts of terrorism by ALF are glorified in a magazine called “Bite Back,” and also on the magazine’s website <www.directaction.info>, where you can get a first-hand glimpse into the dark underworld of animal-rights terrorism. Here, criminals arrested for these acts are treated as heroes, with profiles, prison addresses for letters of support, and even a way to donate money directly to the criminals.

ALF actions are defended by other animal-rights groups like PETA. Ingrid Newkirk, the founder and president of PETA, once held press conferences in an attempt to glorify acts of terrorism by ALF. She still defends ALF’s illegal activity as justified and beneficial.

In a recent interview, Newkirk even gave advice to anyone considering some good ‘ol animal-rights terrorism: “If you choose to carry out ALF-style actions, I ask you to please not say more than you need to, to think carefully about who you trust, to learn all you can about how to behave if arrested, and so to try to live to fight another day.”

Wait, isn’t that what Al Qaeda tells recruits? No, that was just Newkirk, voice and face of PETA, the group so loved and promoted by celebrities.

Hunting and fishing are increasingly being targeted by animal-rights terrorists. Here’s a few examples in just the past couple of months:

• On February 2, near Brookland, Arkansas, a taxidermy shop was hit by animal-rights terrorists. The walls of the business were covered with obscenities and words like “bambi killer,” and the propane tank was disassembled.

• On January 18, a California deer farm was broken into and the entire herd of domesticated deer were released into the wild. The ALF claimed responsibility for the act, and on the Bite Back website stated: “We believe this to be the first-ever deer liberation in the U.S. Freedom for these creatures — for whom death is a certainty — was a simple and unskilled operation. Hundreds of deer farms operate in this country. We encourage compassionate people everywhere to locate farms in their area and tear down their walls… For the liberation of the helpless we will strike.”

Other terrorist acts have been against people who work for companies involved in animal testing and production of meat and other animal-based foods. Increasingly, the terrorists are going after individuals.

This is an ALF report from the Bite Back website: “Last night we broke into the offices of Seaboard Securities… We emptied a file cabinet of its files, and smashed several computer monitors and a television. Here’s a message to Kevin, Dennis, Cristian, Adam, Guy and the rest of the Seaboard Securities staff: we now know where you live; we will not hesitate to take this fight to your doorstep if you continue to do business with…”

Is terrorism too strong a word to describe what the animal-rights activists are doing to try to force their beliefs on everyone else?

The use of force or threats to intimidate.

The definition of terrorism is not vague, it is not open to interpretation. It is clear.

ALF quote, November 17, 2004: “Let this message be clear to all who victimize the innocent: We’re watching. And by axe, drill, or crowbar — e’re coming through your door. Stop or be stopped.”