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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 3/23/09

Presence of Malice: UK Activists v. Lee Hall

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I would be glad to have a response to this letter.

Yours sincerely,

Joan Court

**************************************************

2. Janet Tomlinson

FANTASY IN THE CHURCHYARD

I think “Fantasy in the Churchyard” would be a more appropriate title for Lee Hall's book, “Capers in the Churchyard.” Hall clearly wrote this book to vilify the militant wing of the animal rights movement, and she used distorted UK media accounts to help do the job. Hall obviously has no understanding of right and wrong. While she claims to be an “advocate for animals,” she attacks those who help abused animals and readily accepts the abuse that animals suffer at the hands of cruel, greedy humans who believe animals were created for them to satiate their unnatural urges, or to exploit for money. Does Lee Hall think the degree of abuse sustained by an animal (human or nonhuman) make it more or less acceptable? At the end of the day abuse is abuse and should not be tolerated!

Regarding Hall’s book, I have only read the parts pertaining to the alleged grave-theft of Gladys Hammond and am amazed. If the rest of the book is written in the same vein, it’s a wonder that she hasn't been sued by the UK press for plagiarism.

I was involved from the outset of the campaign to close Darley Oaks, the guinea-pig breeding farm in Newchurch, Staffordshire UK, and have invited Lee Hall to discuss with me the factual inaccuracies she has irresponsibly included in her work. However she has not had the courtesy to answer my letter and I therefore question her motives for writing such rubbish. She has merely copied press reports without checking as to whether they were factual or not. She has done no research whatsoever regarding Gladys Hammond or she would seriously question the authenticity of her alleged theft from Yoxall cemetery.

She drones on about violence being perpetrated on the Hall family and associates yet fails to mention that out of approximately 200 protesters being arrested at Darley Oaks not one was charged with causing physical harm to an animal abuser. Nor does she mention how many protesters were assaulted by the police, the Hall family, their farm hands, and security guards or how much damage has been done to protesters' property. Had she watched the ALF video of the horrific conditions in which the Hall family kept the guinea-pigs and watched Chris Hall breaking the necks of 1500 guinea-pigs after the ALF liberated the 600, she would have seen true violence.

Her selective use of press copies is striking, especially the absence of the following report in “The Times” (May 4th 2006): “Police were unable to prove who had physically disinterred Mrs. Hammond's body; they charged the four extremists with conspiracy which covered the entire campaign, after realizing that one-off prosecutions for more minor offences such as harassment or criminal damage were failing to stop attacks by activists.” This says it all, doesn't it?

Of the 200 arrested only a handful went to court. Cases were thrown out as a result of the animal abusers’ and police lies. When Harry Ireland (Staffordshire's Chief Crown Prosecutor) was asked why the liars had not been charged with perjury he replied “They hadn't lied, it was just their perception of the event.” But of course the animal abusers and police lied; the Hall’s illegal and cruel activities had been exposed and the so-called “police” were voluntary bully boys who would probably shop their mothers for a bonus.

Like governments, the police, the vivisection industry, and animal abusers in general, Lee Hall has an apparent hatred for militant animal rights campaigners. She states in her book (which reads like a “fantasy” devoid of factual substance) that protesters were imprisoned for the grave-theft of Gladys Hammond. In fact no protester was charged, convicted, or imprisoned for stealing Gladys Hammond simply because there is no categorical proof that protesters were responsible. Probably those in prison did use the grave-theft to help animals whilst Lee Hall used the grave-theft simply to make money off her book! Activists’ use of Gladys Hammond, a fold up spade, a few letters, and an informative web site seems to be the extent of the evidence against them.

It is not because they are violent that animal rights campaigners are imprisoned; it is because governments fear and fail to control the compassion campaigners feel towards animals, and stupidly believe that if they imprison some it will deter others. Henry David Thoreau wrote; “If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.”

Had it not been for other pressure groups that used questionable methods to change bad laws, we would still be slave trading and women would not be allowed a vote. Does Lee Hall condemn their direct action? Had governments followed Gandhi's suggestion that “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated, the more helpless the creature the more entitled it is to protection by man from cruelty of man,” and thereby morally progressed instead of supporting animal abuse, there would be no need for animal rights campaigners.

As a propagandist herself, Hall should surely recognize propaganda when she sees it. The demo she refers to as a "victory parade" was arranged weeks before anyone knew the farm was closing. In fact, the police were the ones who dubbed it the “victory parade,” no doubt to incite the public. And while there was a few boos, the majority of the public smiled and waved their support, much to the irritation of the police. Mind you it was a victory, for a cruel and greedy family who had amassed their wealth by intensive “farming” of mink, poultry, and guinea-pigs were finally ending their sordid businesses after the six year campaign against them.

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Jason Miller, Senior Editor and Founder of TPC, is a tenacious forty something vegan straight edge activist who lives in Kansas and who has a boundless passion for animal liberation and anti-capitalism. Addicted to reading and learning, he is mostly (more...)
 
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