Substandard Hawk Chalk Photos

[Hawkmom]

I worked at the National Cancer Institute from 1979-1989. I worked in the DC area (Bethesda, National Institutes of Health) when PETA and Ingrid Newkirk the founder was just getting started in the late 70's early through the late 80's. She wrote letters to my lab chief who was a mathematician. I now wish I had kept copies of them, I as many others back then did not realize how PETA would become a household name. As our lab did use many animals, only occasionally some mice and rats for monoclonal antibody research. We were primarily mathematicians and some 'wet' lab scientists as well. We did computer modeling of biological systems as the main focus of the lab.

Then the PETA kooks started breaking/sneaking into the rodent breeding rooms and letting the rats and mice out of the cages. We had in the clinical center, where I worked, wards that have kids and patients fighting for their lives with experimental medicine. They did not need loose rodents running around. These AR types are totally out of it, I detest them, their view of the world and their tactics.

Several of our scientists would visit the picket lines and discuss with them several points. The best was this: "Would YOU -- Animal Rights Activist, REFUSE medical treatments because they were tested on animals?". Reminding the ARA activist that EVERYTHING we use medically has been tested on animals.

That is the best line I've heard to counteract their arguments, for they had no answer.

I would use this brilliant point and I add this when I confront them: "I certainly hope so, Then you would not be a political issue, because you would be DEAD!!!"

[goshawkr]

Several of our scientists would visit the picket lines and discuss with them several points. The best was this: "Would YOU -- Animal Rights Activist, REFUSE medical treatments because they were tested on animals?". Reminding the ARA activist that EVERYTHING we use medically has been tested on animals.

That is the best line I've heard to counteract their arguments, for they had no answer.

I would use this brilliant point and I add this when I confront them: "I certainly hope so, Then you would not be a political issue, because you would be DEAD!!!"

Kitty,

Several of them, including Ingrid, have publicly claimed that they would (and do) refuse to use any medical treatment derived from animals.

However, when the time comes to put their money where their mouth is, they either creatively define what "derived from animals" means (by refusing to acknowledge that advanced lab work done without animal models was invariably built off of research that used animals) or they turn full blown hypocrite with some logic like "The animals need me to fight for them, so their 'sacrifice' is noble and worth while". Linda McCarty was a noted example - she desperately reached for everything on the shelf when she was fighting cancer despite decades of fighting against medical research.

While I oppose everything they stand for, I do concede that it is a good thing that the ethics of how animals have been used for research (or in the food farms) is under scrutiny. It disgusts me that animals are frequently treated as inanimate objects by those who profit from them or use them.

[jal4470]

Stacia,

I suspect your, and many other’s assessment of the risk of falconry being threatened is overblown. Even if we accept a amorphous threat to falconry, your particular bugbear is misplaced.

I live work and hunt in the pioneer valley, home to one of the most liberal counties in the country.I started my apprenticeship roughly 10 years ago and while I make no effort to have a public presence I have met a lot of people while hawking.I have ever only met two people hostile to what I was doing, and that was while trapping, not hunting.Based on my interactions with the public I just can’t believe there is any concerted move to outlaw falconry.Resist liberalizing regulations, sure but that isn’t the same thing is it?

So you believe there is a movement to outlaw falconry, when was the last time you spoke to your state and federal representative about it?Do you vote? Have you written opinion pieces in news papers defending the value of falconry as living human heritage?Do you take members of the public with you hunting to demonstrate that it is not in fact barbaric?

I find your choice of action re this cover to be especially problematic as the gist of what you’re saying seems to be “I’m afraid of losing my falconry, so you must protect me by presenting your falconry in a way that I approve of” which totally lacks any sort of personal responsibility and in fact apes the ethos of the animal rights bogyman, namely “I don’t approve of this action, therefore it must be stopped”