Is Animal Rights Now a Mainstream Discussion Topic?

The AR movement has gotten bad press over the past few years in part because of the actions of loosely-knit organizations like the Animal Liberation Front, but also because most people simply refuse to acknowledge that their quarter-pound cheeseburger used to be a living, breathing, sentient organism. The "liberation" of lab animals and factory-farmed fur animals, as well as the often wanton and indiscriminate destruction of facilities and equipment used to exploit animals, have caused our movement to be ostracized by society in general, and in particular by those diametrically opposed to the AR movement. People get uncomfortable when you try to tell them their lunch once had a brain and emotions.

The addition of animal rights law courses at major universities such as Harvard Law School have forced the American public to reexamine the use of animals in entertainment, lab experiments, fur farms, and for food and clothing. The idea that animals possess inherent rights, much as those enjoyed by humans, is becoming a mainstream topic, rather than the lunatic fantasies of animal-loving tree-huggers.

The Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and the New York Post, among others, have printed articles recently about the fledgling field of animal rights law. This week alone, National Public Radio, the Diane Rehm Show, and CNBC have broadcast shows regarding this issue. Although the media do not always cast a favorable light on the AR movement, we should feel encouraged that it is being discussed at all. As many learned thinkers have pointed out, we have moved past the "denial" stage, and are now full-swing into the "discussion" stage. Acceptance must surely follow.