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Animal Rights
The Portland area has a strong history of animal rights activism. Within recent years, institutions like Legacy and OHSU have been targeted for their barbaric experiments on primates, cats, dogs, and other animals. Partially in response to public pressure, they're in the process of consolidating most, if not all, animal experimentation at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center (ORPRC). In anticipation of this and based on the Oregon Opportunity Plan's ill-conceived aim to expand Oregon's biomedical industry and its use of animal models, the ORPRC is in the process of enlarging their compound. To this end, they've been awarded $200 million from the tobacco tax fund. That OHP and indigent services are facing cuts so drastic they may be fatal, combined with the fact that animal research was used for at least 20 years to prove tobacco did not cause lung cancer, make this award to ORPRC painfully ironic. A campaign of increasing importance is Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), a dedicated group of activists who have been successful in martialing national support for their efforts to shut down the infamous New Jersey animal testing lab. Read on and follow links provided in the left column for more background and information. Portland Indymedia offers a place where the stories of these events can be told. This page contains portland indymedia content on many of the public events of the last few months, but is by no means exhaustive. The best way to improve indymedia coverage is to participate yourself, by publishing your own original reporting to the newswire, or producing audio or video for streaming radio, video showings or cable access. "Don't hate the media -- become the media!"
From the open publishing newswire:
Oregon fur trapping begins 12/1 and runs through 3/15. During the '08-'09 season, 765 active trappers (out of 1133 licensed) killed 19,148 animals using leg-hold traps, neck snares and Conibear traps. In calendar '08, the APHIS (Dept. of Agriculture) killed 8,342 animals using the same plus leg snares (mostly on bears), cages and gas canisters (mostly M44). Nearly all these animals suffered a protracted and torturous death.
While the relentless slaughter by the US Government can only be stopped at the federal level, fur trapping in Oregon can be stopped by its citizens.
From the open publishing newswire:
Today I had my first appearance before the federal grand jury in Davenport, Iowa. I was represented by a federal public defender (although he could not be present in the grand jury with me). After reading a brief statement expressing that I would not testify, I was released with a subpoena to reappear before the grand jury again on the 17th of November at 9:00 A.M. It is likely that at this time I will be held in contempt of court for continuing to remain silent, and could face jail time up to the length of the grand jury (it convenes for 12 months total, which leaves 11 remaining after my November appearance). We are still looking into legal questions regarding how long they could hold me.
Oct 13 press release: "Twin Cities Anarchist Subpoenaed to Federal Grand Jury in Iowa"
From the open publishing newswire:
This morning, I was late for work. Later, even, than usual. As I drove down the highway, I was distracted and feeling rushed. So I'm not sure how long I had been following it, but it was just as I was about to pass it that I finally saw the huge, dirty, gray truck. I recognized it as soon as I focused on it - the tiny slats in the sides, the shit spattered beneath those slats. The shape and feel and finality of it. Even if I had not seen the "Cattle Drive" logo near the top of the box, I would have recognized the looming sense of loss about it. It was a slaughter truck. Through the meager air slots I saw, dimly at first, a tangled puzzle of lives and oppression: legs and hooves, the dangling tufts of tails. The bits and pieces of animals, already turned from subjects of their own lives into pieces of machinery, cogs in the grinding wheel, the unwaged slaves on whom our way of life is built. Commodities. Crammed from end to end, this cattle car was haunted inside with shadows. No, not mere shadows, but living beings. Beings with thoughts, dreams, desires, lives of their very own. Not mere means to our ends, but being used so just the same. I wanted there to be some way to save them.
From the open publishing newswire:
Matt Rossell, after spearheading the successful fight to close down Scamp's, the puppy mill pet store, is now free of bogus criminal charges leveled against him.
From the open publishing newswire:
PETA has sent an urgent letter to Portland Mayor Sam Adams and city commissioners calling on them to implement a ban on horse-drawn carriages. PETA's letter comes on the heels of an August 1 incident in which a horse pulling a newlywed couple collapsed and died in downtown Portland in 90°F temperatures. The 23-year-old horse, Balatour, reportedly suffered a heart attack in the sweltering heat.
PETA points out that researchers from Cornell University have found that the recorded air temperature can be as much as 50 degrees cooler than the temperature of asphalt. While working in sweltering heat, horses must walk on hard pavement, inhale exhaust fumes, and dodge cars, buses, and streetcars—all of which can be terrifying to them.
From the open publishing newswire:
Short update on the case of the AETA4 in California, and ways that folks can support them:
On July 13th, defense attorneys for Joseph Buddenberg, Maryam Khajavi, Nathan Pope and Adriana Stumpo (the AETA 4) presented oral arguments on their motion to dismiss the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The defense demanded that the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) be struck down as unconstitutional before Judge Ronald Whyte of the United States District Court, Northern District of California in San Jose. The AETA is being used for the first time since its passage by Congress in 2006 to do exactly what civil rights advocates feared it would do - criminalize activities protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The oral arguments presented on July 13th were not about the allegations as directly applied to the AETA 4, but rather that the whole case should be dismissed now because the AETA itself is unconstitutional. The courtroom was packed, and many people were there in support of the AETA 4. The following are very rough and incomplete notes of the oral arguments:  http://www.aeta4.org
From the open publishing newswire:
California Sea Lions are being killed in the spring at the Columbia River by Oregon and Washington Fish and Wildlife. They eat a small number of salmon, but a senseless policy of killing them to protect salmon is going forward. If citizens got involved and requested this to end, then the Oregon and Washington Fish and Wildlife would stop this. It is just a matter of citizen pressure and media attention.
http://sealiondefensebrigade.org
From the open publishing newswire:
Le Pigeon, at SE 8th & Burnside, and Sel Gris, at SE 18th & Hawthorne, weren't expecting 50+ activists to roll up on Saturday night to call them out on grotesque animal abuses. Charged chanting and severe shaming went non-stop for almost an hour at each foie gras restaurant Saturday night. Force-feeding geese and ducks until they die is a cruel tradition for a disgusting delicacy of despair. You can do what you want, I'm going to act to remove foie gras from menus and markets whenever possible.
Dr. Eliott Spindel was cooling out in his Lake Oswego castle on Sunday night when around 40 demonstrators, most with their identities concealed behind bandannas and hoodies, sent him vocal hell for a half hour. Next, Ungar Furs owner Horst Grim was paid a visit all the way in Happy Valley where the defenders of fur bearers raised an uproar for another 30 minutes. Just after the activists drove away in a bio-diesel bus named "Cool", a cop cited a legal observer for littering when a piece of video camera tape wrapper was accidentally dropped. Otherwise they were as kind as defenders of animal abusers and greedy corporate capitalism could be.
From the open publishing newswire:
There are a lot of activists swooping into PDX for the Let Live weekend (letlivefoundation.org/conference) and the surge against animal abuse begins Friday the 26th with a rally at Ungar furs, SW 12th & Yamhill (2 blocks west of the library). If you want help animals then come "Raise your fist and your voice, (cause) fox & mink have no choice!" Ungar has been slaughtering innocent animals for 103 years and is the last furrier in downtown Portland. Although the Let Live Conference ends on Sunday night a lot of animal advocates are sticking around for another rally on Monday at Ungar.
From the open publishing newswire:
Last Saturday, dozens of elephant supporters turned out at the Oregon Zoo to educate the public about the plight of elephants in zoos. This was part of an international day of action, in which people all over the world rejected the premise that forcing elephants to entertain humans in tiny enclosures is worth the cost to the animals.
If you want to see the real face of elephant "handling," here is a shocking undercover video of an elephant being abused so that she can entertain the public: http://ida.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=4621.0&printer_friendly=1. If you think exhibiting elephants is remotely acceptable, I urge you to watch this video.
For much more information about elephants in zoos, please see http://www.helpelephants.com/about_us.html.
From the open publishing newswire:
Animals belong to themselves, not to us. They should not suffer in our systems of food, science, entertainment and fashion. Instead, they should live free of the tyranny we put upon them. But they cannot claim this freedom alone. The Let Live NW Animal Rights Conference is a grassroots forum for people who want to help. Through an open, respectful, and friendly environment this conference will provide an opportunity for attendees to learn skills and strategies to become better advocates for the animals, no matter ones experience level in activism.
"Let Live" is taking place in Portland, Oregon, June 26th-28th, 2009. It will be held this year on the campus of Portland State University in the Smith Memorial Building. It is being organized by Vegans for Animal Advocacy, with support from Let Live Foundation as well as local area businesses such as Herbivore Clothing, and Food Fight Grocery
From the open publishing newswire:
This morning around 9:30am I was traveling on the MAX reading a book and I saw bright red from the corner of my eye. I looked up to see bright red paint splattered across a building like blood. Then I noticed it was Nicholas Ungar Furs. So I got off the train to get some photos and info for this article. The entrance, the sidewalk, the windows, and the sign on the front of the building were significantly splattered. The Police arrived very shortly after I did leading me to believe that perhaps this just happened last night.
As of this posting I have not seen a communiqué from this anonymous guerrilla artist so I will attempt to piece together an understanding of why such an action has been taken.
From the open publishing newswire:
Two prominent Obama administration officials were in Oregon today to discuss salmon recovery. NOAA chief (and former OSU professor) Jane Lubchenco and White House Council on Environmental Quality chairwoman Nancy Sutley came to talk salmon, but pointedly did not allow participation from the public -- indeed, the doors were closed to almost everyone. Despite the incredibly short notice, dozens of people showed up with signs, banners, and lots of spirit. I had actually expected to meet with some tension from the fishermen who had promised to be there. However, when I arrived and began talking to the other groups, I was pleasantly surprised and amazed at how articulate and well-informed this particular crowd was on this issue. Sea lion advocates and anglers immediately found common ground on numerous issues: All of us care about real salmon recovery; None of us believes killing sea lions is the answer; All of us want to see dams removed from the Snake river; All of us want to see habitat restoration. By the end, we were actually carrying each others' signs -- some of the fishermen carried signs supporting sea lions, and some of us carried their "science not politics" signs. [ Read More | Older articles | Sea Lion Defense Brigade ] |
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