With the addition of Daniel Andreas San Diego to the FBI “Most Wanted Terrorists” list, the Federal Bureau of Investigations finally sent a strong, clear message to Animal Rights Extremists across the United States. Wanted for the 2003 bombings of the biotechnology firms, Chiron & Shaklee, Mr. San Diego has been on the run for 6 years with the suspected assistance of other Animal Rights Extremists.
The reaction of the Animal Rights community has been disturbing, if not unexpected. Jerry Vlasak, of the Animal Liberation Press office and formerly of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), shrugged off Mr. San Diego’s alleged actions as “nothing more than a large firecracker”. What Mr. Vlask failed to acknowledge was that one of the explosives was wrapped in nails, the classic nail bomb technique of terrorists around the world. But then again, the idea of animal researchers being killed does not particularly bother Mr. Vlasak who was quoted to say, “If (animal researchers) were routinely being killed, I think it would give other (animal researchers) pause in what they were doing in their work” at an Animal Rights conference in 2003. The level of violence being levied at researchers involved in animal related research has been escalating. Homes have been firebombed while researchers sat at home with their children and loved ones. Children have awoken to the family car in flames. Bombs have been set off outside workplaces and homes. Cars have been attacked with sledgehammers with the occupants still inside.
This is not terrorism? A simple way to look at terrorism, an individual or group conducting a campaign to inflict terror of the purpose of political effect. When it comes to terrorism, killing the targets is just a fringe benefit. Thank god this hasn’t happened yet. If this behavior isn’t stopped, it will.
John Stuart Mill once stated “A man’s right to swing his arm ends where his neighbour’s nose begins”. This statement describes the very heart of the balance of rights and responsibility in free society. Those who believe in Animal Rights philosophy have every freedom to do so, but not to force that philosophy on others. Likewise for those who do not believe in Animal Rights philosophy. Understanding this is the key difference between responsible activism and extremism, and even terrorism.
Copyright 2009 by Erica Saunders http://AR-HR.com
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