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:sday -June 10, 1997
The Battalion
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ctivists sometimes miss intended goal of freeing animals, creating peace
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I t can be assumed that no
animal lover would sup
port anyone who smashed
aquariums in a pet store in
order to free fish.
Likewise, anyone who
opened gates at a ranch to
free oppressed cattle or chick
ens to allow them access to
their natural habitat would
not be perceived as liberating
animals, but causing mischief
and loss of property.
The smashing of an ant farm in the
name of liberation probably wouldn’t
do ants any good either. Without a
mound or queen, the ants would die.
The higher concept of a right to free
dom isn’t always in the best interest of
the animal.
When unknown persons broke into a
fur ranch in Mount Angel, Oregon, and
released over 8,000 minks, they could
not have believed what they did benefit
ed the animals involved.
Soon after being thrust into freedom,
the captive bred animals fought vicious
ly, seriously wounding and killing thou
sands of each other. According to an As
sociated Press report, about 1,300
females were recovered.
Marsha Kelly, spokeswoman for Fur
Commission U.S.A., said that the attack
could be the latest incident in what is
known as “eco-terrorism.”
“The number of incidents seems to
be escalating,” Kelly said in the same
AP report.
Ecoterrorists consist of militant activists
who believe the breeding of animals only
for slaughter or human use is inhumane.
Columnist
Stephen Llano
Senior history major
The incident in Oregon can
hardly be classified as a step
above inhumane treatment.
Even if the minks were being
treated poorly inside the cage,
it doesn’t make their lives out
side the cage better.
The individuals responsible
for releasing the animals may
have had the freedom of the an
imals on their minds, but they
did not have the well-being of
the animal on the same level of thought.
The concept of a right is at best an ab
stract and difficult concept for humans
— to an animal, who relies primarily on
instinct, it is beyond comprehension.
The lack of any thorough thought or
planning for the best interest of the
minks demonstrates the fundamental
flaw of all terrorist action — coercion
doesn’t work. This action is ineffective
and turns people against the cause it
was based upon.
These individuals’ lack of thought in
their actions only allows one conclusion
to be drawn from this incident — the
perpetrators were more interested in
the way they are perceived rather than
the animals’ lives.
Whether or not it is morally bankrupt
to raise an animal from birth for the sole
purpose of human consumption is irrel
evant. The people who are financially
hurt by this action won’t think it’s very
relevant either. Anytime someone is
forced to do something, the persuasive,
or thinking element, is lost forever.
If a non-coercive method, such as
writing the mink- farm owner a letter
about the care of his animals, or peace
fully distributing information to con
sumers, progress may have occurred.
These methods for progress might
be slow, they might take some time, but
they would work better than breaking
and entering, taking someone’s proper
ty and destroying it. The next time this
fur rancher interacts with one of many
animal rights groups out there,
chances are his judgment will be
clouded by this event.
As for the perpetrators, they have
harmed any good intent held for animal
rights. They will be referred to as van
dals, and rightfully named as such.
Wanton destruction will never advance
any message or mission.
There is no problem with being con
vinced of a certain viewpoint. Problems
arise when activists believe they are
above and beyond anyone else’s view
point. When the mind is closed to ques
tioning, how can the one view of the ac
tivist be incorrect? The enemy, in this
case the fur farmer, isn’t even worth
talking about.
The more immersed in a position
one becomes, the less reasonable and
the more fanatical views become. The
most devastating loss in this situation is
not the property destroyed — it is the
harm done to a possibly good and
sound belief others could be convinced
to understand.
Extremists are always dangerous. In
the case of the vandalism in Oregon, the
problem has left thousands of dead
minks. But more tragically, the idea of
animal rights has fallen dead at the feet
of many would-be supporters due to this
senseless and self-serving act.
Ict-
]on
:iail
Jeff
fth-
McVeigh, fellow
onstituents achieve
cial recognition
Mail Call
Dan Cone
Columnist,
Sophomore
economics major
Uts
r
jay l uilty More than two years
S re 'rafter Timothy McVeigh
' J and Terry Nichols com-
vas Wtheir mission to bomb the
wt tedP.Murrah Federal Building
|d,” ! Oklahoma City, the first ver-
| no shave been reached. The jury
fstnow decide McVeigh’s fate.
|om life or death are the only op-
] [Snow facing the jury. Hope-
they will choose correctly
■allow McVeigh to live. Unlike
'tniurderers, McVeigh’s moti-
«nwas purely political,
ting him to death would only
Nationalize his stature and fur-
j t'fuelafire that could produce
1 fter Oklahoma City incident,
fhe book which the FBI con-
tidswas the blueprint for the
'tubing, The Turner Diaries,
Iwith the death of Earl Turn-
Inthe novel, Turner makes a
as % of himself by flying a nu-
'Jtwarhead in a small plane
etthe Pentagon. While the
tittbing in Oklahoma City was
hoftas disastrous as a nuclear ex-
sion, the shock of the event
Sno less extraordinary. If, as
FBI contends, McVeigh is so
es, tutored with becoming a hero
ei tfurner, then death would
|ton tee as a great triumph,
ies Militia groups and extremists
teMcVeigh have become con-
ifl Itedthat the federal govern-
ttii is trying to turn the United
Hes into a police state. They
Either believe that it is their pa-
iitic duty to resist the tyranny
fyseein government. As in
^Turner Diaries, most groups
ere presorted to arming them
es in preparation for a revo-
Hon. They look at events like
FBI standoff with white sepa-
bt Randy Weaver in Ruby
te, Idaho, in which Weaver’s
'leand son were killed by
'ipers as an example of the gov-
tehent overstepping their
ll| nds. The ATF raid and subse-
' e nt standoff at the Branch Da-
% compound at Waco fur-
'damaged the government’s
Ability with militia groups.
“McVeigh is put to death, this
"Id only place him in the same
e gory as the Branch Davidians
ril.
leal
gef ^
and Ruby Ridge. April 19th, the
day the Davidian compound was
burned and also the Oklahoma
City bombing, will become an
unofficial holiday to groups such
as the Freemen and the Republic
of Texas. Like the men who
fought at San Jacinto yelled, “Re
member the Alamo,” right wing
extremists soon will be shouting
“Remember Ruby Ridge” and
“Remember Tim McVeigh.”
This may seem as extreme as
some of the beliefs held by these
extremists, but it is very likely.
The last thing the United States
government needs is to create
more reasons for groups such as
the Freemen to resist the estab
lished forms of justice.
Vigilante and extremist
groups are on the rise in the
United States and their meth
ods of raising attention are as
varied as publishing informa
tion on the Internet to con
structing and stockpiling
weapons in anticipation for a
battle with the government.
Stopping these groups will be
harder than some think. The mis
trust and paranoia associated
with these groups prevents infil
tration and dismantling of their
organizations. Like the Freemen
and Republic of Texas, separatist
groups find remote and secluded
areas to base their operations.
These groups’ stockpiling of
weapons makes the events of
Waco possibly minor in compari
son to what other easily available
weapons are capable of doing.
Federal legislation like the
Brady Bill will not deter these or
ganizations, either. Governmen
tal restriction of arms and am
munition will only produce a
black market industry that will
make even more lethal weapons
available to those who are willing
to pay. In addition, further in
fringement upon the second
amendment will push more indi
viduals toward the extreme right.
McVeigh already has done his
damage — there is no way to
correct the emotional and politi
cal damage caused by his ac
tions. The only justice which can
be attained is to place him in a
federal prison for life.
McVeigh still will be able to
speak and voice his opinion, but
he will not achieve martyr status
as he would if executed by the
government that he and other ex
tremists are fighting against.
Rec Center policy
debate continues
Do A&M officials stay up at
night thinking of ways to make
students’ lives unnecessarily com
plicated and stressful? The recent
Rec Center flap is the latest in a se
ries of incidents where students
have come up short. Consider the
impact of rising tuition/fees and
penalties, and inadequate parking.
I would encourage students to
take a stand on the Rec Center is
sue and not allow themselves to be
slighted any longer.
The Rec Center should stand by
its original policy of allowing stu
dents to purchase a summer pass,
and local businesses should not be
rewarded for manipulative tactics
that undermine previous agree
ments. The argument that stu
dents who are not enrolled for a
summer term are not entitled to
use facilities is bogus and stinks of
legalistic, technical jargon. Stu
dents can show their strength by
not utilizing local facilities or pay
ing to use a facility that may re
nege on policies to appease local
business owners rather than the
students that it purports to serve.
We all know how powerful peace
ful protest can be.
Sonia R. King
Graduate Student
Dennis Corrington’s decision
last week to rescind the policy of
selling “continuing passes” to the
Student Recreation Center is an in
sult to Aggies everywhere. Such a
decision runs contrary to the goal
of the Rec Center “to provide quali
ty programs, services and facilities
to a diverse Texas A&M communi
ty” — the same community that fi
nanced the construction and oper
ation of the Rec Center.
Furthermore, the passes were
eliminated without any input from
the student body, the people most
effected by the decision. To make
such a decision retroactively, with
out any warning to those students
who already had purchased passes,
was both craven and callous. Be
cause it was done without consult
ing or warning the student body
shows that the University adminis
tration puts the needs of a few local
businesses before those of the stu
dents they are here to help.
Students who oppose the can
cellation of the continuing pass
policy should write to the adminis
tration and make their objections
known. Unless students voice their
opinions, the administration will
take this as another sign that it can
continue to ignore students in mak
ing decisions which affect them.
Mark Klobas
Graduate Student
Concerning the Student Rec Center
news story written by Jenara Kocks in
the June 9th Battalion:
We have met with Corrington
and are meeting with Southerland
this afternoon to discuss the situa
tion further. I am going to be in
touch with the parties involved in
the community today, and I am
confident we can get this decision
rescinded. Students are in the
right, without a doubt.
Curtis Childers
Student Body President
Class of‘98
'i
ii *
Lfpp^ %
:
The Battalion encourages letters to the ed
itor. Letters must be 300 words or less and in
clude the author’s name, class, and phone
number.
The opinion editor reserves the right to edit
letters for length, style, and accuracy. Letters
may be submitted in person at 013 Reed Mc
Donald with a valid student ID. Letters may also
be mailed to:
The Battalion - Mail Call
013 Reed McDonald
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
77843-1111
Campus Mail: 1111
Fax: (409) 845-2647
E-mail: Batt@tamvml.tamu.edu
Photograph: Tim Moog
Concerning the mentality of
extremists in society:
^ ^ They try to do
what they think is
right, but take it too
far ... groups like
that are not in touch
with todays world.
Randy Trevino
Junior political science major
k tmm. ^
the. embassy,