There's a storm brewing in the AR world...
by Chris Freeactivist (A)
In the past few weeks a battle has been raging between two very similar
camps of activists both have relatively the same goals, this conflict
is causing a division in the animal liberation movement which makes us
look weak in the eyes of our enemy.
In the one camp we have the devout followers of Gary Francione a
professor of Law & Philosophy who has developed the abolitionist
approach to animal rights a truly revolutionary look at the way in
which we view animals as possessions, and a well needed self evaluation
and criticism of welfarist campaigning within our movement. He promotes
total vegan non-violent information distribution as a form of activism
and has in recent months actively shunned activists who support direct
action in the struggle to liberate animals. Franciones non-violent
approach stems from his Jainism beliefs.
In the other camp (not referring to animal welfare campaigners) there
are those who act within a radical framework, they in most instances
support direct action against the institutions that inflict the torture
of the sentient beings which both camps seek to liberate. They actually
accept and agree with Franciones theory on animal exploitation but are
willing to risk repression, imprisonment and in some cases death in the
struggle for animal liberation by using an array of tactics.
I should point out at this point I am not an advocate of non-violence
as a sole tool against the capitalist violence and oppression which I
see on a daily basis, I support the use of any and all methods of
direct action against those who seek to crush the life out of my
community and all of its inhabitants and fully support militancy when
it is required.
As is almost always the case, those who support direct action are most
willing to campaign alongside those who do not and rarely would one
shun the other, that is not usually the case with those who dislike
confrontation, in fact I have been screamed at by other activists for
filming just police officers in the past!
In recent weeks acts of sabotage from the Francionian camp towards
certain social networking groups who condone direct action, have
created a rift which in my opinion has been detrimental to the efforts
of all. These acts of elitist sabotage are reprehensible!
Who do these people think they are to tell us how we should fight? They
are nothing more a tool of the state if they spend ANY time at all
trying to sabotage and denounce activists for taking action which they
are comfortable. I am neither master nor slave and will not answer to
anyone or conversely expect anyone to answer for my actions. If someone
wishes to campaign peacefully so be it. If someone wishes to burn a
McDonalds to the ground so be it, you are not responsible (unless you
did it) and do not answer for the actions of others.
Francione seems to have no grasp on the historical failures of
pacifism, for this reason he is doomed to repeat historical mistakes as
he tries to throws flowers and leaflets into the machines which exploit
in a desperate attempt to stop exploitation.
I have serious doubts as to whether his efforts extent to any other
social issues, he talks frequently of sexism but only in order to
denounce PeTA. He talks of rape often in his essays, but would he allow
women to take control of there own lives and use violence to stop or
prevent sexual assault or would his non-violent approach end patriarchy
also?
It is vital that activists expose themselves to other struggles in
order to gain a better understanding of our society and how it affects
all things.
It is my belief that a vegan infrastructure can be developed (e.g.
vegan outreach, information networks, cafes, community gardens and free
ethical medical centres) in order to support a militant struggle to
break down the industry and state which exploits every animal, human
and resource on this planet.
One cannot exist without the other. It is pointless destroying
slaughterhouses if people don’t feel like they have a viable
alternative to animal products and products of exploitation. It is also
pointless creating a vegan infrastructure without the destruction of
the machine than exploits, as they will always have more resources to
distribute propaganda in order to convince the population that
exploitation is either non existent or not as bad as we think.