Thieves At Work
This is how animal "rights" activists justify theft.
From Indymedia
"Our Government sides with industry and chooses to ignore the voice of the public about the plight of animals exploited in factory farms. We’ve given them petitions, we’ve protested, we’ve presented submissions on welfare laws. None of this has changed the fact that hens are still suffering in tiny cages. It's come down to ordinary people like ourselves to go into these farms and remove animals from cruel conditions and to draw as much attention as we can to their situation. We’re totally willing to break the law as the law does nothing to protect the animals, but simply protects the industries that abuse them,” says Deirdre Sims, a member of the Open Rescue collective.
The morning of Sunday 5th of November 2006 saw the dawn of New Zealand Open Rescue. Activists from the collective entered Turk’s Poultry Farm on Purcell Street in Foxton, rescued 20 hens from cages and documented the conditions found.
"Obviously we can't save all the hens but we're going to save as many as we can and use Open Rescues to put pressure on the Government and on the industry. We're going to use direct action, civil disobedience and cause as much disruption as we can. The Government's lack of action on battery farming leaves us with no choice " says Open Rescue activist Mark Eden.
Eden is no stranger to going outside the law to make a point. In 1996 the unemployed anarchist was sentenced to 100 hours community service and reparations of $1911 after smashing windows with slingshots, gluing locks and painting "kill all duckshooters" on the Complete Anglers Shop in Christchurch.
In his "career" Eden has been involved with the Maoist/Anarchist, Aotearoa Youth Network, arrested at a Waitangi Day protest in Wellington, protested against the Kaimanawa wild horse cull and attended the "Anarchist Odyssey" conference in Christchurch in 2001.
He has also been involved in Peace Action Wellington and was arrested with two others during a 2003 protest, during which the NZ flag was burned by Revolutionary Workers League member, Paul Hopkinson.
The latest theft echoes an incident in April 2001, when 10 hens were "liberated".
From Scoop
Animal rights activists from all over the country will converge on a local battery egg farm for a national demonstration against factory farming.
The protesters will be at Golden Gate Poultry farm, Corner of State Highway 58 and Mulherns Road, Pauahatanui, at 1pm today. More than 50 activists are expected and confrontations with the farmer are likely.
Mark Eden from Wellington Animal Action, says direct action is likely at the protest today. Millions of hens are confined in cages for their entire lives in battery farms and anyone who is involved in the cruelty of factory farming has got to expect severe disruption to their business. The law has failed to protect animals so we have to take action ourselves to force factory farmers out of business.
The burning question is-will the NZ Police take couple of hours off from ticketing old ladies for expired warrants to investigate this blatant breach of property rights?
Or will they simply be happy that some of their kin have been set free?
From Indymedia
"Our Government sides with industry and chooses to ignore the voice of the public about the plight of animals exploited in factory farms. We’ve given them petitions, we’ve protested, we’ve presented submissions on welfare laws. None of this has changed the fact that hens are still suffering in tiny cages. It's come down to ordinary people like ourselves to go into these farms and remove animals from cruel conditions and to draw as much attention as we can to their situation. We’re totally willing to break the law as the law does nothing to protect the animals, but simply protects the industries that abuse them,” says Deirdre Sims, a member of the Open Rescue collective.
The morning of Sunday 5th of November 2006 saw the dawn of New Zealand Open Rescue. Activists from the collective entered Turk’s Poultry Farm on Purcell Street in Foxton, rescued 20 hens from cages and documented the conditions found.
"Obviously we can't save all the hens but we're going to save as many as we can and use Open Rescues to put pressure on the Government and on the industry. We're going to use direct action, civil disobedience and cause as much disruption as we can. The Government's lack of action on battery farming leaves us with no choice " says Open Rescue activist Mark Eden.
Eden is no stranger to going outside the law to make a point. In 1996 the unemployed anarchist was sentenced to 100 hours community service and reparations of $1911 after smashing windows with slingshots, gluing locks and painting "kill all duckshooters" on the Complete Anglers Shop in Christchurch.
In his "career" Eden has been involved with the Maoist/Anarchist, Aotearoa Youth Network, arrested at a Waitangi Day protest in Wellington, protested against the Kaimanawa wild horse cull and attended the "Anarchist Odyssey" conference in Christchurch in 2001.
He has also been involved in Peace Action Wellington and was arrested with two others during a 2003 protest, during which the NZ flag was burned by Revolutionary Workers League member, Paul Hopkinson.
The latest theft echoes an incident in April 2001, when 10 hens were "liberated".
From Scoop
Animal rights activists from all over the country will converge on a local battery egg farm for a national demonstration against factory farming.
The protesters will be at Golden Gate Poultry farm, Corner of State Highway 58 and Mulherns Road, Pauahatanui, at 1pm today. More than 50 activists are expected and confrontations with the farmer are likely.
Mark Eden from Wellington Animal Action, says direct action is likely at the protest today. Millions of hens are confined in cages for their entire lives in battery farms and anyone who is involved in the cruelty of factory farming has got to expect severe disruption to their business. The law has failed to protect animals so we have to take action ourselves to force factory farmers out of business.
The burning question is-will the NZ Police take couple of hours off from ticketing old ladies for expired warrants to investigate this blatant breach of property rights?
Or will they simply be happy that some of their kin have been set free?
posted by Trevor Loudon at
11/08/2006 10:42:00 AM
25 Comments:
Hi Trevor,
Lovely photos aren't they? One would have thought that a man all up in arms about property rights would have asked permission to use them eh? Nevermind, you have our permission now, but ask next time OK :o)
If the farmer whose sheds we broke into, wants to take us to court we will be quite happy to argue in front of a jury that we did the right thing taking those hens. Animal Rights is all about the idea that animals should not be considered to be property. read this if you like
www.animal-law.org/library/anmlprop.htm
Battery cages do not even comply with the current (inadequate) animal welfare act. The only reason they continue is that Jim Anderton personally overruled a parliamentary committee and allowed the egg industry to be exempt from the law. I would have thought you, as a "one law for all" kind of guy, would be as outraged as I am.
Mark Eden
PS I am not, and have never been, a maoist! Where ever did you get that idea?
Thanks Mark, fair point on the photos. I've always thought that if you post photos on the net, they're pretty much fair game unless stated otherwise. I appreciate the permission.
My big difference with you is I definitely consider domestic animals to be property and wild animals to be potential property.
I personally have little sympathy for battery farmining, but I put human rights, particularly property rights, well above animal "rights".
In fact I believe animals have no rights other than to be treated humanely.
In fact the word "humane" gives it away. Only humans are capable of moral judgement and sentiment.
I don't doubt you feel strongly about your cause, but then so did the Hitler Youth and the Red Guards.
When you think it is OK to wreck others property, because of your self defined sainthood, you're in deep psychological trouble.
Didn't say you were a Maoist, Mark. The AYN had many currents, but it was founded and sustained by Maoists from Auckland Uni's Radical Society.
Hi again
you are right in saying only humans are capable of moral judgement, but animals are capable of suffering, and are self aware, unlike yout TV set, or a hunting shop window, or a factory farmers door.
So, as a moral human being I put the interests of an animal (in not being killed), far above the property interests of that animals "owner".
Its got nothing to do with "sainthood" or "psychological trouble", it is a very simple and practical idea that means I have no regard at all for the property rights of anyone who exploits animals. You may not agree but that doesnt make me insane.
Have you got all the old AYN mnewsletters? I gave most of mine to an anarchist library. Along with my copies of New Zeal
hey Murray, post your uncles address and we will get right on to it!
mark
Hey Mark...after sorting out the farmers are you going to be consistent in your dogma and liberate all animals from all other animals who prey on them...?
Will the mice be liberated from the oppression of the cats?
The seals from that of the sharks?
The ants from that of the anteater?
If you reply that thats just nature then you concede your argument as its mans nature to prey on other species as well to sustain their own existence.Man is a part of nature...why then is he the only one not allowed to follow it ?
If animals have rights how do you plan to get the lion to lie with the lamb....without then having it for dinner...? ;-)
I add that Im also against animal cruelty for its own sake but raising animals for meat etc will never be 100% stress free unfortunatly....
As close to the ideal is all we can try for...
Mark
James has got a very good point about the "preying" hierarchy.
I never said you were insane, but if you hold onto bad ideas for long enough, that's what tends to happen.
Basically Mark, I think you show the arrogance of the fanatic.
You decide that you are the saviour of animalkind and that means you can tramople on the property rights of any human being.
I think anarchists and socialists are a danger to mankind.
Does that give me the right to smash up your HQ, steal your posters, puncture your bike tyres or sabotage your websites?
I don't believe it does. If I want my rights protected, I have to protect yours as well.
What makes you so special Mark that you have a right to destroy or steal the property of your fellow humans, because you think your cause is morally superior?
Have a few AYN newsletters lying around. BTW, next time you see Brendan can you tell him to send those copies of SPA News he promised me? Thanks
Trevor, why are you defending animal cruelty under the guise of standing up for property rights?
Property rights are very important (in fact exceedingly important), I agree, but some things are more important. Animals should have the "right" to live their lives free of suffering, even if that means that we have to adjust our interpretation of them as "property". Once we made them our property, we theoretically gave ourselves the power to do with them as we wish, and that is the root of the problem. We should think of ourselves as their guardians, not their owners. People should not have the right to imprison animals in tiny cages, and just because the law says that they currently do have that right does not make it morally right. History has shown that the law is capable of being an ass quite frequently.
As for James's argument about us liberating some animals from other animals, it always makes me laugh when people say that we are different from the other animals because we can reason etc etc, and on the other hand we should be able to do exactly what other animals do and kill animals. Make up your mind for goodness sake, either you want to be different and superior, or you want to be the same.
And as for Murray, as someone who has been reading this blog and others for some time now, I have never encountered anyone who makes more of an effort to sound tough than this guy. Pathetic. I would be quite happy to discuss this issue with your uncles, Murray, and I find your comment quite sad.
Chris
Chris
I have absolutely no sympathy for cruelty to animals. I also do not believe in battery farming, tail docking dogs or other unnecessary practices.
However I believe that animals are on earth for our use, for eating, wool, fur etc. I have no problem with killing animals as long as it is done as humanely as possible.
I also believe they should be treated as property.
I see absolutely no contradiction in my views.
In fact, I think the more animals are trated as property the better, on average, they will be looked after.
You haven't answered the question mark (maybe you can't).
If you do not respect anyone's property rights, why should anyone respect yours?.
You are a seriously messed up human being. Seek help. Get a job.
EXOCET
Is the mouse not put here to be exploited by the cat?
Nature is not all fluffy and cute....its tooth and claw and survival of the fittest.
If I was a farmer I would be protecting my property rights with everything I had available if these vandals came onto my property.
As much as you dress it all up they are nothing more than selfish vandals with lack of respect for anybody but themselves.
Trevor, you said:
"In fact, I think the more animals are trated (sic) as property the better, on average, they will be looked after."
As they are on factory farms?
If you moved in more masculine circles than others, Murray, you probably wouldn't have to try to sound tough every time you post a comment on someone's blog? Just a thought.
How'd that election in America work out for your idols, Muzza? Pretty freaking badly? Did the electorate just reject everything you stand for? What a shame.
So in your pointy little head direct language = 'trying to sound tough'. What a weak,degenerate, easily scared little person you are. Sucks to be you.
EXOCET
Hey exoct,
The reason I havent answered your question before now is that answering nutters on Trevors blog is not exactly top of my priority list (Sorry to disappoint you). Actually I do respect the rights of others, unless their property is used to exploit others or cause suffgering to others. Apart from that I am a generally law abiding person and a nice neighbour etc
Murray, if you had been following this story reasonably closely you would be aware that I have repeatedly made public statements saying I am willing to argue this in court and am looking forward to being charged. In fact this afternoon I sent my contact details to the Foxton police just in case they were having trouble finding me. I'm certainly not trying to hide or deny anything.
Mark
Exocet, Murray wrote the following:
"Hey Mark try one of the farms of my uncles.
They'll give you a lesson in property rights you wont forget.
Also in dog control."
That's not direct language, it's trying to sound tough. Clearly he was insinuating that his uncles would do physical harm to Mark and co. That would make them (and Murray by extention) "tough". Do you get that now?
It doesn't suck to be me, quite the contrary.
And I have a question for Trevor. Trev, what is the official ACT line on factory farming? If there is no official ACT line on this issue then what would you say as the vice president of the party?
Chris
Mark
No one doubts that you're upfront about your criminality, but that doesn't make it right.
Is a rapist who boasts about his crime better than one who hides it?
The Nazi's killed Jews, to save the master race. They didn't see themselves as criminals but as noble saviours of their people.
That didn't save them at Nuremberg however.
Face up to it Mark, no matter how much you kid yourself about your moral superiority, you are still a criminal.
Chris
ACT has no policy on the issue. I know than one of our last caucus was very hot on the issue, but he is no longer with us.
My personal view is against battery farming, but that is based more on emotion than study.
As it now stands, if I were an MP I would vote against the practice.
I will say though that human rights are a greater priority for me.
Chris
Is smashing windows with slingshots, gluing locks and painting "kill all duckshooters" in a sporting goods store 'acting tough'?.
How about trespass, theft and vandalism?
And yet you condemm Murray and his Uncles for defending their own property.
And Mark, don't worry your little head about the cops. They will only ping you if you exceed the speed limit on your way to destroy someone else's property.
EXOCET
I don't do any of those things Exocet, but no, I would have to say that they are not acting tough, they are committing acts in defence of an ideology, and are probably borne out of frustration, which is understandable.
I would actually like to alter something in my first comment. I said that private property rights are very important but that some things are more important. I would like to ammend that statement, if I may, to say that yes, private property rights are incredibly important, but animals should not be thought of as property.
Chris
Trevor, do you think that protecting property rights is more important than preventing or stopping cruelty to animals?
It's a bit like saying which is more important, curing cancer or stopping AIDS.
However as only humans can have freedom with secure property rights and human welfare is more important than animal welfare, then property rights are more important.
If there is evidence of animal cruelty occurring on a property, the police or other legal authority should have the power to go on to that property and deal with the perpetrator.
That's the way to deal with animal cruelty, not the criminal methods employed by Mark and co.
Nice try epf, but the key phrase is "all sentient beings"
Where do you draw that line?
Humans without doubt, but what about dogs , pigs and frogs?
Human life needs property rights to sustain it as it should be.Free and self determining.
Animals are, or should be property. Their chief value is determined by what they add to human life.
Therefore, while it is a given that animals should be treated humanely, animal life is not as important as human property rights.
It is obviously acceptable and indeed desirable to breach property rights to save a fellow human being.
The same cannot always be said for animal life.
humanof what
I'd be a bit doubtful about you too anon.
All humans are equal before the law. Every breathing human should be assumed to be of value, until they prove otherwise.
What does sentience have to do with value? You've gone from arguing from the point of sentience to arguing from the point of the law. Nice.
By the way, you may not be bothered to read this but there are some good, clear points made on Peta's website about animal rights (in case you wanted to read it).
See here: http://www.peta.org/about/faq.asp
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