A n i m
a l W r i t e s © sm
The
official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Publisher ~ EnglandGal@aol.com
Issue # 07/07/02
Editor ~ JJswans@aol.com
Journalists ~ Park StRanger@aol.com
~
MichelleRivera1@aol.com
~ sbest1@elp.rr.com
THE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ ParkStRanger Goes To The Dentist
2 ~ Tonight A Kitten Died In My Hands
3 ~ Mediation Services
4 ~ Job Opportunity
5 ~ Message From EnglandGal
6 ~ Park and Beans
7 ~ Bonzai Kitties
8 ~ City Zoo
9 ~ Memorable Quote
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`
~1~
ParkStRanger Goes to the
Dentist
By Greg Lawson - ParkStRanger@aol.com
"Do
you want the gas?"
"Of course I want the gas, why do you think I keep coming back here?"
He adjusts the mask over my nose. "Ok, just breathe slow and easy,
and I'll be right back."
Slow and easy, sure. snort snort snort snort
Susan, the dental hygienist comes into the room. "Hi, Greg."
"Hi Susan."
"Hey, nice t-shirt," she says. I am wearing my Save an Animal
Eat a Vegetable shirt. "Where did you get it?"
"It was a gift from the director of the Humane Society of El Paso."
"I wish I had one like that for my seven year old, she's a
vegetarian."
"Hey, that's great. Are you?"
"I was in college for about three years, but then I slipped."
"Let me guess...you married a meat-eater."
"That's right."
"Why did your daughter go vegetarian?"
"She just decided that she didn't want to eat animals."
I make a mental note to shop online for a t-shirt for Susan's kid. I love
to have Susan clean my teeth, it's an erotic experience when she holds my face
and applies lip balm. And those rubber gloves !! snort
snort snort
"Are you getting excited about your trip?" Did she notice my
excitement?
I am pleased that she remembered that I told her during my last visit that I am
going to speak at AR2002 in Washington.
"I sure am, Susan."
"Have you picked out your outfits. Sheesh, now I am talking like a
woman."
She is looking like one too. snort "Yes, I have
actually. I have several new vegan t-shirts."
"Be sure and bring back pictures. Maybe I'll even see you on the
news."
"Only if my plane goes down."
"Oh no, don't say that," she waves and leaves the room.
Some people not on nitrous oxide don't find plane crashes proper joke material.
I listen to the Muzak and wish it were the Beatles.
Sandra, the dentist's assistant comes in and says "Hi, Greg."
"Hi, Sandra." You know that you are going to the dentist WAY
too often when you remember the names of everyone in the office. But hey,
I like the gas.
"Hey, nice t-shirt," she says.
"Thanks."
"My daughter-in-law is a vegetarian." She begins stuffing
cotton balls in my mouth.
I think about telling her that I already have cotton mouth from the keg party
last night, but I hold my breath, no actually, I snort snort that noxious
oxide.
"One day she came home from school and announced she was a vegetarian.
She had a philosophy class at UTEP with Dr. Steve Best."
"Uuu don no ho many imes I ave eard tat same storee" I mumbled.
Sheesh, that Steve Best. I wish I had a job like his, surrounded by
college girls, showing videos of slaughterhouses and talking about veganism.
But for now I have the laughing gas. snooort
The point of this article is Good AR Activists Don't Do
Drugs, unless you are at the dentist's office, and....Be sure to wear vegan
message tee shirts, they really get conversations going.
[Editor's Note: AR2002 ended on July 3, be sure to read Animal Writes next
week for "ParkStRanger Goes to Washington."]
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~2~
Tonight a Kitten Died in My
Hands
By Dr. Steve Best - sbest1@elp.rr.com
My
peaceful evening of reading was disturbed by a phone call from an acquaintance
who found some five-day-old kittens near a trash dump in a parking lot. I
implored her to take them immediately to the animal emergency hospital. When
she arrived, one was already dead, the vet said the second was in such bad
shape she should be euthanized, and the third had a chance to live. I
told the woman to bring the third kitten to my house so I could try to save
her.
For hours, throughout the long night, I kept her warm and bottle-fed her as
best I could. Her eyes were closed, and she was black and white with tiny pink
hands, feet, and ears. I thought she might make it. But at 3:30 A.M. she
started struggling for breath and uttered heart-wrenching cries that became
increasingly less frequent and muted. I never felt so helpless. I wept as I
held her quivering body in my hands, knowing her life force was leaving her.
She was stilled forever.
I stare at her now in her box, before I go out to bury her, as she lays wrapped
in the towels that kept her warm for a short time. I wonder what kind of life
we might have shared, how many smiles she would have brought me, and how she
would have played in the tall grass with the rest of my feline family.
This kitten was just one of the thousands of unwanted and stray animals of El
Paso. Last year, the city euthanized 22,000 abandoned, lost, and unwanted
animals. We cannot stand idle while our animal friends cower in fear in the
corners of their cages before they are killed and incinerated in assembly-line
style. Like in many cities, activists in El Paso have struggled hard to educate
the community about the need for spaying and neutering, for proper care and
guardianship of our beloved companion animals, to raise funds for improved
animal “shelters,” and to move toward a “no-kill” city policy as soon as
possible.
We all have a unique opportunity to educate the community and help the
suffering animals. National Homeless Animals’ Day is on Saturday, August 17th.
Here in El Paso animal welfare and animal rights groups are coming together to
mark this event with a candlelight vigil. We will create a chain of 22,000
paper circles to mark the tragic death of each individual life snuffed out. I
urge you to organize an event in your own community, to have your city council
officially mark the day, to hold a candlelight vigil, to call the media, to
publicize the event well, and to encourage your local officials to attend. This
is an important occasion to educate the community not only pragmatically about
the particulars of animal care – from spaying and neutering to adequate shade
and water – but also philosophically. The most important lesson we can convey
is that animals have inherent value, that we are partners with animals in the
great journey of life and evolution, that we are their guardians not “owners,”
and that they are subjects of a life and not human “property.”
(seehttp://www.idausa.org/property.html).
For more information on National Homeless Animals’ Day, see: http://www.isaronline.org/campaign_homelessday.htm.
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~3~
Mediation Services
From Joanne Stepaniak - joanne@vegsource.com
Dear
Friends,
I am pleased to announce the availability of mediation services and dispute
resolution training to the animal rights, vegan, vegetarian, environmental, and
nonprofit communities. Despite our best intentions and efforts to steer clear
of conflict, it frequently is unavoidable. Discord within or among
organizations diverts attention from important work and consumes valuable time,
energy, and funds.
As much as we might like to settle our own disputes, most of us have neither
the skills nor the objectivity to do so adequately and effectively. Often, a
qualified professional can assist parties with resolving issues more quickly
and agreeably, with results that are productive and long-lasting.
When conflicts do arise, mediation services are a wise option. A seasoned
mediator is a trained professional who acts as a neutral third party and guides
individuals or groups in fashioning a mutually agreeable and satisfactory
resolution. Because mediators are not directly involved in disagreements, they
do not take sides, make judgments, or dictate solutions.
Dispute resolution training is an excellent opportunity for managers and staff
to gain insight into the origins of conflict and learn how to prevent it and
deal with it constructively when it occurs. As we gain a clearer understanding
of the roots of anger and its triggers, we can learn how to manage them
appropriately and prevent them from interfering with our relationships and
work.
I have worked extensively in the fields of conflict resolution, mediation, and
restorative justice for several years and am now offering my services to the
movements most dear to me. I have witnessed the ravages of anger and disputes
within our own ranks, and I have observed the damage they cause to individuals,
organizations, and shared interests. It is unfortunate that these often
preventable clashes have hindered our productivity, eaten away our time and
resources, and tarnished public perception of our causes.
Our movement is one of compassion, so it is particularly critical that we learn
to deal with conflict and anger effectively. Don't let another day pass without
addressing this vital issue. Please contact me directly with any questions or
to arrange a preliminary consultation. Together we can advance justice and
unity.
Yours sincerely,
Joanne Stepaniak, MSEd
P.O. Box 82663
Swissvale, PA 15218
joanne@vegsource.com
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~4~
Job Opportunity
President/CEO for
national animal disaster rescue and advocacy nonprofit with 40,000 members and
volunteers. Demonstrable fund development, management experience and
strategic vision with four-year degree preferred or five years of relevant
experience considered. Salary range $55-75K depending upon
qualifications. No phone calls. Resume with salary history and
requirement to Susan Carleson, United Animal Nations, P.O. Box 188890,
Sacramento, CA., 95818, fax 916-418-5160, email escarleson@msn.com.
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~5~
Message From EnglandGal
Dear
ARO Subscribers,
A few weeks ago, I received my SoyToy soymilk machine in the mail. I can tell
you without reservation that this machine will save thousands or more animals.
That's what motivates us to do what we do, right?
As a result of Robert Cohen's SoyToy, people will learn how easy it is to make
their own fresh soymilk for pennies per portion, and convert that soymilk and
ground soybeans into veggie burgers, hummus, ice cream, and other delicious and
nutritious dishes.
Robert Cohen sells his machine for $159. He has offered Animal Rights Online
(we did not ask) to donate $50 from the sale of each machine to our efforts.
Due to the fact that we are not a declared non-profit organization and don't
accept donations, we cannot accept his generous offer. We have, however,
asked that he donate the funds to non-profit organizations that can accept
it. If you enjoy receiving this newsletter, please consider helping us by
purchasing a SoyToy. You will be doing us, the animals and yourself a favor!
You can call SoyToy's toll-free number from Monday
to Friday, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM, EST.
1-888-NOT-MILK (668-6455) or order online:
http://www.SoyToy.com
Please mention Animal Rights Online when ordering, so that we can get credit
for each machine. Please let me know too, so that we can keep track.
I can guarantee you that all of the money that the SoyToy makes for us will be
used for the animals.
Susan Roghair
EnglandGal@aol.com
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~6~
Park and Beans
By Greg Lawson - ParkStRanger@aol.com
1 can navy beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 veggie dogs, sliced into thin circles
2 or 3 tablespoons Blackstrap Molasses (good source of iron, potassium, calcium
and magnesium)
(optional) hot red pepper flakes, liquid smoke, parsley, chives or your other
favorite herbs.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Saute onion, garlic, celery and red bell pepper in olive oil until
tender. Add navy beans and molasses and bring to a gentle boil. Add
herbs and sliced veggie dogs. Serve with vegan coleslaw and potato salad
for a cool summer meal.
Recipes
http://utminers.utep.edu/vsep/recipe
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~7~
Bonzai Kitties
A week doesn't go by that we at Animal Rights
Online don't receive at least one request for information on how to stop the
cruelty at the Bonsai Kitty website. For those who haven't seen it, please
don't give the webmaster the satisfaction of your visiting the site. For
those that have seen it, the following letters from PeTA and the ASPCA may
answer some of your questions:
Dear Friend,
Thank you for contacting us about BonsaiKitten.com. We share your
disgust with this disturbing Web site and are extremely concerned about its
influence. Please file a complaint at the following Web site:
www.ifccfbi.gov. This is a reporting center Web site set up by the
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for Internet fraud and other forms of
Internet crime.
Although we have found this site to be a "joke," we
still feel it is inappropriate and certainly not funny. The Humane Society of
the United States (HSUS) investigated the origin of the site and found that the
name and address under which the site is registered, a "Dr. Michael Wong
in New York," is false information. The site was reportedly created by a
student at M.I.T. as a joke among friends. When this site initially appeared in
December, a local humane organization did get involved on a local level in
checking out this person but discovered no evidence of actual animal abuse
having occurred. We believe that the Web site's creator was simply trying to
generate attention by upsetting people who care about animals.
So far, it has been an uphill battle, as the only law that even
remotely covers issues like this is a law that covers e-mailed obscenities;
therefore, if the site is not in violation of the host's user agreement, no law
is being violated, and the site can remain up. As you may know, this site has
been closed down at least twice before but continues to reappear with different
Web addresses. If enough people file complaints with the FBI, stressing the
influence it may have on cases of actual cruelty, maybe it will be removed
permanently.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact us about this
issue and for all you do to help animals.
Sincerely,
Kelly S. Cunningham
Administrative Assistant
757-622-7382, ext. 398
KellyC@peta-online.org
<> <> <> <> <> <>
The ASPCA Speaks Out Against Bonsai Kitten
Presents Steps to Encourage Shutdown of Offensive Website
The ASPCA shares your anger and concern about the Bonsai Kitten website. Our
investigation of this website showed that it was false and bogus. It is a
"joke" website that is mired in poor taste and immature humor that is
obviously the creation of an uninformed individual with too much time on his
hands.
We appreciate your effort in contacting us, and would like to pass to you some
general information on how to fight against this and other sites which you may
encounter. Unfortunately, new ones appear every day.
While internet technology has made a positive contribution to our society, it
has also resulted in the rapid expansion of publicity for individuals who
promote animal abuse. Moreover, thanks to the active participation of web-users
such as yourselves, the above-mentioned website has been forced to shut down
and move a number of times.
In the United States, individuals have the constitutional right to Freedom of
Speech and therefore, they may discuss and advocate for animal abuse on the
Internet and in other public forums. If they go beyond words and speech and
actually practice what they preach, animal cruelty is a crime in every state.
A 1999 federal law bans the knowing creation, sale or possession of depictions
animal cruelty, with the intention of placing the depiction into interstate or
foreign commerce for commercial gain. The new law covers any visual or auditory
depiction of intentionally maiming, mutilating, torturing, wounding or killing
a live animal. If the conduct in the depiction is illegal under federal law, or
state law in the state where the creation, sale or possession takes place, then
this new law will apply.
The place where the actual animal cruelty took place is not significant under
this statute. Anyone convicted of the interstate or foreign sale of these
depictions of animal cruelty can be faced with a fine, or up to a five year
prison sentence. Exception is made for depictions serious with religious,
political, scientific, educational, journalistic, historical or artistic value.
We encourage concerned citizens to write the various internet service providers
which host these websites that advocate animal abuse. You can find the address
of the provider by connecting with Network Solutions and inputting the name of
the website. PLEASE NOTE that Network Solutions is not responsible in any way
for the content of the websites they register. Remember, Network
Solutions is also the ASPCA's registrar and a very fine company.
We also suggest that you contact local and national media organizations to make
them aware of these sites. Finally, you may want to write the online providers
with which you regularly do business to encourage them to screen their own
sites and not allow websites which promote animal cruelty.
If you have concrete information that an individual is engaged in the creation,
sale or possession (with intent to sell) of these depictions of cruelty, and
you know the city in which this person lives, the most effective response
remains with traditional measures. While the ASPCA is a national organization
in many respects, our powers to enforce animal cruelty statutes are limited by
law to the State of New York. We care, however, that acts of animal cruelty and
neglect be addressed wherever they occur. In this situation, we would urge that
you contact any or all of the following organizations and advise them of the facts
of the situation:
For more information, please visit these websites:
ZDNet:
Bonsai Kitten: An Obvious Hoax
http://netscape.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2692699,00.html
Wired.com: FBI
Goes After Bonsaikitten.com
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,41733,00.html
©
2000 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~8~
City Zoo
By Vivian Yeiser Laramore
The tick of time is out of rhyme,
Where wild things wait for death,
Watching the stars through iron bars,
And breathing each other's breath.
But little man with his civic plan,
To conquer and subdue,
Acquires a thrill from broken will,
Of beasts in the city zoo
*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`´`*:»«:*³¤³´`³¤³´`
~9~
Memorable Quote
"In the long run it is the cumulative effect
that matters. One can do much. And one and one and one and one can move
mountains."
~ Joan Ward-Harris
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal Rights Online=-
&
Advisory Board Member, Animal Rights Network Inc.,
not-for-profit publisher of The Animals' Agenda Magazine
http://www.animalsagenda.org/
The
Animals' Agenda Magazine: WebEdition
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
(Permission Granted To Quote/Forward/Reprint/Repost This Newsletter In
Whole Or In Part with credit given to EnglandGal@aol.com)
* Please forward this to a
friend who you think
might be interested in subscribing to our newsletter.
* ARO
gratefully accepts and considers articles for publication
from subscribers on veg*anism and animal issues.
Send submissions to JJswans@aol.com
** Fair Use Notice**
This document may contain copyrighted material whose use has not been
specifically authorized by the copyright owners. I believe that this
not-for-profit, educational use on the Web constitutes a fair use of the
coprighted material (as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law).
If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.