printer friendly, larger print version Get Ready for WAR's 5th AnnualOPERATION: 12 DAYS OF XMAS 2008
It has become a holiday tradition and one that activists look forward to every year. On Sunday, December 14, 2008, Win Animal Rights will launch our 5th annual Operation: 12 Days of Xmas. We want to help all of the puppy killing scumbags, fur murderers, farm animal abusers and wildlife assassins, have a most smashing and memorable holiday season. Get ready for 12 fun days of yule time cheer and twisted gift giving. Our first action alert will be released later today. As always, our holiday cheer will be focused on employees, customers and suppliers of Huntingdon Life Sciences. That doesn't mean that we will neglect other notorious animal abusing scum. We will feature Xmas Wish Lists, campaigns that we respect, individual freedom fighters that we admire and, of course, support for those animal rights warriors that are currently doing time for the cause, our "POWs". For those of you who live in the greater New York/New Jersey area, there will be street actions and protests. For anyone too far away to participate in person, there will be plenty you can do to help, letter writing and phone campaigns, etc, so please stay with us. Visit the WAR Calendar for future events: http://calendar.yahoo.com/winanimalrights Visit the WAR MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/winanimalrights Visit the WAR CrueltyFree.com page: http://www.crueltyfree.com/winanimalrights For more info contact Win Animal Rights at: centcom@war-online.org Call: 646.267.9934 or visit the WAR website at: http://war-online.org DAY 1: HELP OUR FERAL FRIENDS SURVIVE
This year's Operation: 12 Days of Xmas kicks off on a very serious note. Times are hard and getting harder. The animals always seem to be at the bottom of the list of human priorities and they seem to suffer the most. Global warming and climate change are taking their toll as well. Weather has been erratic and unstable with unusual highs and lows in close proximity. This year our squirrel friends are in peril. Check out this CNN story about the absence of acorns this year: Scientists baffled by mysterious acorn shortage (CNN) -- Up and down the East Coast, residents and naturalists alike have been scratching their heads this autumn over a simple question: Where are all the acorns? Oak trees have shed their leaves, but the usual carpet of acorns is not crunching underfoot. In far-flung pockets of northern Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other states, scientists have found no acorns whatsoever. "I can't think of any other year like this," said Alonso Abugattas, director of the Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington, Virginia. Louise Garris, who lives in the Oakcrest neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, first noticed the mysterious phenomenon early this fall when doing yardwork beneath a canopy of large oak trees. "I have lived in the area my entire life and have never not seen any acorns!" she said. Garris checked with some local plant nurseries and they confirmed her observation. The mystery has found its way to the Internet, where a "No acorns this year" discussion on Topix.com yielded more than 180 comments from people reporting acorn disappearances as far away as Connecticut and North Carolina. Read the rest of the story here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/12/12/acorn.shortage/ ACTIONS NEEDED: FEED OUR WILD AND FERAL FRIENDS NUTS AND BIRD SEED ARE INEXPENSIVE & AVAILABLE IN BULK ADOPT A FERAL CAT COLONY (see Alley Cat Allies link below) PROVIDE WARM DRY HOUSING FOR WILD ONES You can learn about how and what to feed by internet research and by visiting websites like: http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=191 http://www.wbu.com/education/squirrels.html http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/abtbirds_index.html PLEASE MAKE A COMMITMENT NOW TO HELP THE WILD ONES SURVIVE THE WINTER. DAY 2: SUPPORT OUR POLITICAL PRISONERS & FIGHT GOVERNMENT REPRESSION
Our second day of Operation: 12 Days of Xmas '08 is dedicated to supporting our political prisoners. For an extensive list of political prisoners which includes not only animal and earth liberation prisoners but also those that have been imprisoned for social justice, anti-war and defense of civil liberties, click on the graphic above or if you are reading a text only document, click on the link here: http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk/addresses.html When you write to political prisoners please keep in mind that their mail is read by others and for tips about writing political prisoners check out: http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk/resources/writing.html In conversations with Peter Young and Keith Mann, who have both done prison time for animal liberation, both have told us about how happy they were to receive letters and photos that helped them pass the time. And they both said that the thing that really made them happiest was to see reports of continuing actions for animal liberation. Our challenge to you is this....when you are writing, one of the best gifts you can give a prisoner is the knowledge that you will dedicate some action to that prisoners name. If you are part of a group that does either above or below ground actions, consider dedicating those actions to an individual political prisoner or a group like the SHAC 7. Gain strength and motivation from their incarceration......let the other side know that instead of frightening us into submission, repression is empowering us to strive to reach new heights of activism. Of recent note on the subject of government repression, a Washington DC councilwoman is moving forward with legislation to ban home demos. Washington, D.C. Ward 3 Council Member Mary Cheh is set to introduce legislation that will ban home demos in the District. The legislation will be introduced on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The legislation was crafted in response to home demos against Huntingdon Life Sciences(HLS). HLS is a contract animal testing facility that kills hundreds of animals every day of the week according to several investigations commissioned by animal rights groups. Some claim those numbers are conservative. Right now there are approx 180,000 animals imprisoned inside the HLS hellhole. Please contact Ward 3 Council Member Cheh and urge her to reconsider introducing legislation that would interfere with peaceful home demos. Home protests benefit neighbors by letting them know of child molesters, rapists or animal abusers that live in their neighborhood. Her office phone number is (202)724-8062 and her office fax number is (202)724-8118. Her e-mail is mcheh@dccouncil.us . Her office is located at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 108, NW. http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/144948/index.php Good resources for news about government repression and the "Green Scare": http://www.greenisthenewred.com/ DAY 3: FURRY BEASTS
This weekend will be one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, especially for high end designers and retailers. Please join us in support of three very important campaigns. The first two are global campaigns to make Escada and MaxMara fur free. The third is a local campaign, near and dear to our hearts, and that is the campaign to stop the fur mongering of New York City's premiere fur ghoul, Dennis Basso. Join us for anti-fur street action in New York City. This will be a roving protest very much like on Fur Free Friday. If you get to the meeting point late and we are not there, call: 1-646-267-9934 When: Friday, Dec. 19, 2008 @ 5:30 pm Where: MaxMara - 450 West Broadway When: Saturday, December 20, 2008 @ 2:00 pm* Where: Bloomingdale's - 59th & Lexington Ave. * Note: On Saturday, December 20th, Win Animal Rights activists have been invited to participate in a pet shop protest on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The protest will take place at 12:00 pm and details will be released shortly. Saturday will be one of the biggest days of the year for pet shop purchases. Please join us as we advocate for shelter animals and we urge people to adopt from shelters and rescue groups as opposed to buying from a pet shop. Whether you are joining us for demos in New York City or wish to participate from wherever you are, now is the time to make those phone calls and send those e-mails and letters. The stores are busy, lets remind them that millions of animals have suffered and died for their shopping and selling pleasure. ESCADA: ESCADA Shop Saks Fifth Avenue ESCADA Shop Note: There are ESCADA shops across the USA and around the world. Please check the ESCADA CAMPAIGN link below to search for a retail outlet in your area. Call or write to them to lodge your complaint. In the coming year, WAR is committed to empowering activists in major cities across the USA to join the international campaign against ESCADA. To join any of our fur campaigns, contact WAR and we will help you. http://www.war-online.org/Alert_EscadaGlobal.htm MAXMARA: MaxMara MaxMara SoHo For more info on the global MaxMara campaign visit: http://www.maxmaracampaign.net/en/index.html To find other MaxMara locations: http://www.maxmaracampaign.net/en/store-locator.html DENNIS BASSO: Dennis Basso Fur Salons: New York: Chicago: Aspen: Atlantic City: http://war-online.org/DennisBasso_Campaign.htm DAY 4: HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGY IN THE WINDOW?
The cost is not just what is written on the price tag. Animals sold in pet shops are largely the offspring of "puppy mills" which breed animals in inhumane conditions. In many cases, these animals are inbred and unhealthy. Breeding mothers live most of their lives in cramped cages, in filth and misery as they produce litter after litter of puppies destined to be sold in pet shops or culled (i.e. killed) because they do not live up to AKC standards. On Saturday, December 20, 2008, Win Animal Rights will join sponsoring organization CAPS/Companion Animal Protection Society and other groups and individual activists, including Rescue Ink, to protest the sale of companion animals and to advocate for adoption from shelters and rescues. To learn more about Puppy Mills visit: What: Adopt, Don't Shop Pet Shop Protest When: Saturday, December 20, 2008 @ 12:00 pm Where: American Kennels Pet Shop 798 Lexington Ave @ 62nd St. - New York City Note: After the pet shop protests, Win Animal Rights will be protesting the sale and wearing of fur. Our first stop will be Bloomingdale's. We will not be there for long. After Bloomingdale's, we will walk to other locations in the same neighborhood. If you arrive late call us at: 1-646-267-9934 In Defense of Animals is sponsoring the 1st Annual Nationwide Adopt, Don't Shop Day. For more information: http://www.idausa.org/adoptdontshop/index.html To find events in other cities, check out: http://www.idausa.org/adoptdontshop/2008events.html If you are not in an area that has a scheduled protest, or even if you are planning on attending a local event, but want to do more, here are some things you can do to help: Support a "No Kill Shelter" Donate food, treats or toys to your local shelter or rescue Volunteer to walk dogs and puppies or to socialize cats and kittens at your local shelter Set up a table to promote Spay/Neuter Educate the public about "Puppy Mills" and Advocate for Shelter and Rescue Adoptions Flyer a local pet shop Help someone who works on T-N-R/Feral Cat Programs - http://www.alleycat.org/ Fight BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) Support the work of No Kill Advocacy Center - http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/ Give Nathan Winograd's book "Redemption" as a Christmas gift - http://www.nathanwinograd.com/ Please support the work of those groups and individuals that are working to change the prevailing paradigm that supports the killing of millions of healthy animals every year. By the same token, it is important to voice your feelings to those animal rights and animal welfare organizations that promote or advocate the killing of homeless animals or specific breeds. When you make your holiday contributions, think about what the organization might do with the money. You may be paying for the Fatal Plus poison that will be used to end the life of a healthy, homeless animal. Give to organizations that don't promote needless killing. Day 5: accidentally lost DAY 6: ARM AN ACTIVIST
In years past, we have used this day to make recommendations on what to buy the animal rights or eco activists on your list. Here are some of the gifts we used to recommend for the above ground activist: suits for court appearances, books for reading in prison, writing paper to correspond from prison, donations to jail support funds, etc.....you get the idea. Well, times have changed and so has our thinking. For the above ground activist in your life, we make no recommendation other than to strongly urge them to put down their picket signs, take off their message t-shirts and buttons, forget about petitions and letter writing and join the underground animal liberation movement.
Gifts that keep on giving: Balaclava/Ski Mask Disposable Latex Gloves Spray Paint or Spray Chalk Monkey Wrench, Crow Bar, Bolt Cutters, Glass Cutter, Sledge Hammer, Ax Lock Pics (just in case you get locked out of your car or home) Heavy Duty/Waterproof Flashlight Cameras: Digital Camera, Video Camera, Buttonhole Spy Cameras Night Vision Goggles Personal Alarm Devices, Air Horns, Bullhorn (for waking up sleepy puppy killers) Clothing: Black Hoodie, Black Pants, Black Boots, Black Shirts (anything black will do) For the city activist in your life we recommend urban camouflage Gym membership (physical fitness is so important) Martial Arts Training Gift Certificates Home Depot Gift Cards Disposable Pre-Paid Cell Phone Phone Cards (domestic & international) Digital Camera or Camcorder
For the Hunt Saboteur in your life: Rifle, shotgun, pistol, pellet gun, tazer/stun gun or whatever Thermal Underwear (also useful for long protests in cold weather) Camouflage Clothing - jacket, vest, pants, hat, etc. Vegan Hiking Boots Hip waders (also good for hurricane and natural disaster rescue efforts) Quality set of Two Way Radios Binoculars (good enough to read the label on a hunter's Jack Daniels flask) Thermos Bottle and Airtight Food Containers Backpack Kevlar Bulletproof Vest (yes, you can find these if you look) Camping Gear - Tent, sleeping bag, field mess kit Trail Markers DAY 7: Remembering Lucy - Stop the Killing
LUCY Stop the Killing DAY 8: Honoring Activism & Volunteerism
On the 8th Day of the 12 Days of Xmas, we honor activists and those who give unselfishly of their time, effort, and resources to advocate for social justice, human rights, the environment and especially animal rights and animal liberation. This message was prompted by some timely postings on other lists and websites. First: As you all know, this year national Fur Free Friday commemoration went global, due in large part to the efforts of the International Anti-Fur Coalition. This was undoubtedly one of the largest coordinated events in Fur Free Friday history. Protests and rallies were held in over 100 locations in 36 different countries. For the international wrap-up report, visit: http://www.antifurcoalition.org/worldwide-fur-free-friday.html From personal experience demonstrating on the sometimes mean streets of New York City, we can tell you that although we do get quite a bit of support in the form of thumbs up and "keep up the good work" remarks, we are now beginning to experience the backlash from the spin campaigns managed and funded by animal exploitation industries. We regularly hear comments like: You are wearing leather shoes You eat meat Fur is Green and Sustainable Faux Fur is made from Petroleum products and bad for the earth Get a life Get a job Advocate for children instead of animals Fur production is not cruel and inhumane I don't care, I like fur No doubt if you are a street activist, you have heard many of these points hurled your way. In addition to the abuse of those who do not agree, activists have to deal with some pretty out of control law enforcement officials. Which brings us to.... Second: We have just heard of the latest arrests and harassment of animal rights activists in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area. The following was reported by Indymedia: http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/145020/index.php Currently Washington DC activists are facing the possibility that home demos are going to become illegal because of legislation being put forth by a DC Councilwoman. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of those activists that are on the front line and facing severe police repression and in some cases violent assaults for holding the line. Thank you: DARTT: http://www.dartt-online.org Humane League of Baltimore: http://www.baltimoreanimalrights.com/ Indymedia, DC: http://dc.indymedia.org/ Third: recently an essay was posted on a change.org animal rights blog. The title of the article is "Ready to Attack Animal Rights Activists? Consider this First" by Stephanie Ernst. Here is an excerpt from her essay: "...Here are some simple truths: There is no glamour in sanctuary work. There is no money in grassroots animal advocacy. There are no health care benefits and long paid vacations in vegan outreach. There is no corporate ladder to climb here. And animal rights advocates have (and are) sisters, brothers, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, friends, coworkers, partners, and spouses. We have responsibilities, struggles, jobs, bills, dreams, plans, hobbies, and interests. We have joys, sorrows, frustrations, and lives just like you. There are thousands of things on which we could spend our time and our money--traveling, fixing up the house, taking in every art show or museum exhibit, visiting family, catching up on movies, writing that novel we've always wanted to write or learning that instrument or taking that class or getting that degree. But many animal rights advocates don't do a lot, if any, of those things; many of them--like advocates working to eliminate injustices in other areas--eat, sleep, and breathe the work they do, sacrificing much for it. So the next time you're geared up to tell animal rights advocates to get a life, to ridicule their activism and way of living, or to dismiss what they're trying to say to you, stop. The next time you're ready to presume that you know more about animal issues just because you're in the majority, and the people who devote everything they can to learning about and speaking for the animals just must be crazy, stop. Stop and ponder whether you really know what you're talking about. Consider that many, if not most, of us were once where you are in terms of how we lived day to day and how we saw animals--that we were as certain as you about the way things should and could be--and that we must have realized something extraordinary to get to where we are now...." Please read the essay in its entirety. It is truly a gem and worth the read. Here's the link: TODAY'S ACTIONS: And on this note, we end our 8th Day of Xmas. Your action for today is to go back to Day #7 and send that fax to David Kahn, Sunnyvale's resident puppy killer. If you have already done that, you might want to take a moment and send a note or e-mail to someone you know that is working hard for animal rights and animal liberation to thank them for what they are doing. We, at Win Animal Rights, take this opportunity to thank all of you for all of your hard work for our furred, feathered and finned brothers and sisters. DAY 9: No Holidays for Carriage Horses
"Pity the Poor Enslaved Horses"
The past few days have been brutally cold here in New York City. Frigid, sub-freezing temperatures coupled with gusty winds and the recent snow and ice storms made for dangerous road and street conditions. Streets and sidewalks turned into sheets of ice. Through it all, the carriage horses of Central Park worked.....and worked.....and worked. The carriage horse trade is regulated by New York City law. Some of the requirements are that the horses are not supposed to be out during extreme weather conditions. They are supposed to be fed and watered, carriage ride prices are regulated and drivers are supposed to follow certain rules and procedures. The task of monitoring the horses was relegated to the ASPCA. Upon inspection, activists have found the carriage horse drivers to be non-compliant with almost every rule on the books. We have called the ASPCA, we have called the city, we have asked the carriage drivers themselves to comply, we have asked the NYPD to enforce the law.........all to no avail. During the recent snowstorm, the carriage horses were working just like any other day. No rest stops, dry water troughs, exposed to the freezing cold and icy snow and rain. On Christmas day while most will be celebrating the holiday season, the horses will be hauling their heavy loads just like every other day. Here is a video, filmed on December 19, 2008, posted to YouTube by Donny Moss, whose film Blinders exposes the "truth behind the tradition" of the carriage horse trade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRvVpx5U-6A&fmt=18 Our experiences protesting and monitoring the hack line at New York's Central Park have shown us that for the most part the drivers are rude, obnoxious thugs who care little for the welfare of the horses that provide them with their income. Activists have been attacked, spat upon, whipped and verbally assaulted with the most vile and abusive language. Click on the link below for a video taken by an activist who was questioning a driver about his compliance with the mandatory rates for a carriage ride: Warning, the language used by the carriage driver is extremely offensive and most of this scene played out with tourists in the carriage and children within hearing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbZR4FZZQRM&feature=channel This next video documents overcharging by several drivers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSun_1Ly6ro&feature=channel TODAY'S ACTIONS: 1. Pass this information along to anyone you know who may be visiting New York City. Ask them not to support this cruel and inhumane tradition. 2. Contact the New York City officials to demand that they support legislation to ban the carriage horse trade. Call/write/e-mail: e-mail: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html If you live in New York City, you can also write to your City Council Representative. Locate your representative here: http://www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/member_list.cfm 3. If you live in New York City volunteer to monitor the hack line to document the abuse. Or you can hand out flyers to potential customers. (We can provide you with signs and literature and tell you more about how you can do this) 4. Contact the ASPCA and ask them why they are not protecting the horses of New York City? Remind them that their founder, Henry Bergh, started the ASPCA because he witnessed the abuse of a working horse on a city street. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) 5. Host a showing of Blinders, the film produced by Donny Moss, to raise awareness of this issue. You can purchase a DVD at the Blinders website. If you would like to have a speaker at your film showing contact us at Win Animal Rights. http://www.blindersthemovie.com/ DAY 10: SANTA'S HIT LIST
For the 10th Day of Xmas (yes, we realize we are one day behind....we will be releasing the 11th Day later tonight), we would like to focus on some very special and notorious scumbags who murder and exploit animals throughout the year. WAR's Special Attention List for 2008: Andrew Baker, Chief Puppy Killer
Michael Vick We don't have a mailing address for Michael Vick, who is currently doing prison time for executing and fighting pit bulls. What you can do is click on the link below and leave a message for the Atlanta Falcon football franchise to tell them that you don't want to see Michael Vick wearing a Falcons jersey when he gets out. http://www.atlantafalcons.com/About/Contact_Us.aspx Ed Boks Ed is the former manager of animal control in New York City. He has slithered his way cross country to Los Angeles where he was hired based on a platform of promises to reduce the killing of shelter animals. He is the focal point of a campaign called "Stop the Killing". More about the campaign here: http://www.stopthekilling.net/ Government of Nepal As we mentioned in an earlier e-mail, we are not big on petitions. Most are a waste of time. The exception would be in the case where the petition was one of many tactics being used to wage a campaign. A great example of that would be the case of the Nepal monkeys who are being held by the Nepal government for transport to US animal torture laboratories. Please take a minute to sign this important petition: http://www.petitionsite.com/2/urgent-stop-nepal-sending-monkeys-to-labs To learn more about the campaign visit: Dennis Basso For more info on the Dennis Basso Campaign: Gail Shea Gail who is the new Minister of Fisheries for Canada (replacing Dennis Hearn) got off to a rocky start as she publicly condemned Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd and demanded his resignation from Sea Shepherd. Her gripe was that Captain Watson had made negative remarks about the heinous actions of the Canadian government in allowing hundreds of narwhals, trapped under the ice, to be executed by local hunters. Gail will also be the one defending the slaughter of baby harp seals in just a couple of months. You can read Shea's remarks as well as Captain Watson's response here: http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-081208-1.html TODAY'S ACTION: Please send appropriate holiday greetings to those above who have addresses listed. In other cases, take the action indicated under the name. Also, please plan to be with us at the next Andrew Baker/Huntingdon Life Sciences protests.
What: Protest Andrew Baker CEO of HLS When: Sunday, December 28, 2008 @ 2pm Where: 279 Central Park W. & 88 St. DAY 11: Stumpy & Bunny's Top 10 List & Twisted Xmas Songs and Poems *Top Ten Reasons it Sucks to be a Customer of Huntingdon Life Sciences 10. No one comes to your barbeques anymore *Top Ten Reasons You Know Its Time to Quit Your Job at Huntingdon Life Sciences 10. Your wife starts writing large checks to faith healers as she guzzles another fifth of vodka. *Top Ten Reasons You Know You Are an Effective Activist 10. You have so many levels of PGP and security on your computer that it is hard to get into your own files. * Although these lists are almost identical to the lists posted last year, there have been changes to the #1 reason on all lists. God Rest Ye Bloody Money Men (to the tune of: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) God rest ye bloody money men Let nothing block your way. You hopped on L-S-R which rose In an astounding way. You raked in all the profits While the beagle pups did pay... O tidings of profits and wealth Profits and wealth O tidings of profits and wealth From England to America This wretched company came And unto all the animals They brought enormous pain How can they get away with it? The government's to blame O tidings of torture and death Torture and death O tidings of torture and death "Fear not, then" said the men in masks The Night Before Christmas at HLS Twas the night before Christmas and all through the lab Not a creature was stirring, not even a crab. All the lab coats were hung, in their lockers with care With hopes that no one would know, what goes on in there. Then what did I see, when I next looked out back But a crew dressed in black, with sacks on their backs. One motioned to others with quick clever hand signals "Start taking the beagles from their cold lonely kennels". And faster than you can say the letters A-L-F They moved through the labs liberating the rest. First beagles, then kitties, then hamsters and rats Then guinea pigs, rabbits, veal calves, birds and bats. They opened the cages and let every single one out As they smashed it all up, they started to shout: "Baker, Cass, Bibi and Michaelson too If you don't cut it out, we will do this to you!" But before they could leave they had one more chore That this lab couldn't function they had to be sure They must put an end to this nasty pain whore So they took all their timers and gas cans galore And they set it all up, to go off with a roar With the critters now safe and free from their pain They barked, purred and played as bad memories waned. One of the masked ones was then heard to say, as they climbed over fences and melted away'. "HLS, if you torture and kill any more, we'll be back with C-4 and you'll pay then for sure" by Camille Hankins, WAR - Xmas 2005 DAY 12: Support Direct Action & the Animal Liberation Underground
On this the 12th Day of Xmas, we at Win Animal Rights wish to take this opportunity to thank you for your attention and your indulgence as we realize that not everyone shares the same sense of humor. But now, let us be serious. There is nothing more serious than the cause to which we have made a commitment ..... animal liberation. Last year, we closed our 12th Day of Xmas by telling you that doing what is comfortable is no longer enough. We asked you to extend yourself beyond your level of comfort with whatever kind of activism you believed in. It is time that we ramp that level up again. The downturn in the global economy coupled with governments around the world that protect the rich and the powerful has created a crisis for our animal brothers and sisters. They need us now more than ever. When times get tough and belts have to be tightened it is usually animals that bear the brunt of the shortfall. There will be more cases of abandoned and neglected animals. There will be more starving wild animals as global warming and climate impact our environment. Each of us will be faced with tough decisions. In these hard times direct action becomes critically essential. In this time of severe repression, the scales of justice are weighted heavily in favor of those who do not hesitate to abuse and exploit animals for profit or power. Many of us will be facing persecution and prosecution in the months ahead. The animals are depending on us to be brave and to continue the fight for animal liberation. Many of us have watched the dauntless and courageous crew of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society spotlighted in Animal Planet's Whale Wars. As the Sea Shepherd's say: "You Have Not Lived, Until You Have Found Something Worth Dying For!" The time has come to take action for the animals and the earth. Our vow to you today is to grow stronger and work harder for animal liberation. Win Animal Rights wishes to thank you again, for your participation in the 12 Days of Xmas and to wish you a happy holiday season and the peace and joy of being or becoming a warrior for animal liberation. We end the 12 Days of Xmas with this poem: White Coats, Black Masks The dog was old. He'd lived his life in nothing but a cage. The white coats came, and he stood still to not incite their rage. He tried so hard to be so good, but nothing made them smile. He wagged his tail. They laughed at him Dead bodies in a pile. And so he slept on concrete bed, curled up the best he could. He thought perhaps if he'd lie quiet they might think him good. He wondered why they so enjoyed the pain they did bestow. And next time, oh, perhaps this time, they wouldn't hurt him so. But white is good and black is bad, or so the saying goes. One snowy night three men in black left footprints in the snow. They picked him up so gently, then he saw the face and mask. But black is bad and he was scared. The cage bars faded fast. He cowered in the corner with seven beagle pups. They gently patted his old head. His clouded eyes looked up. Who were these men who hugged him? And gently called his name? They gathered him in heroes' arms. They stole him without shame. Black masks they wore to give him life. They'd found for him a home. His eyes closed as he dreamed of things that he had never known. His pain fled as they held him. Old fears were laid to rest: For black was good and although cold, he liked the snow the best. by Amy R. Klamka March 1989 First published by AnimalsVoice Magazine December, 1990
"We wish you peace & justice" Until all are free, Win Animal Rights
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