[4animals] embassy protest?

Sun Feb 12 19:16:13 UTC 2006

February 25th 12:30pm is Veg*n Meetup.... so that day is preferably out unless you have the protest later in the afternoon... like 3:30pm.
The benefit of a Saturday would be that more people could possibly come out because they aren't working.... but the benefit of having it on a weekday is that if we prefer to do it on the hill (like the seal protest.... or the Falun Gong - also protesting against China) then we are in the sight of the people in the government as well.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Edelweiss D'Andrea 
  To: For animal welfare/rights information and events. 
  Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 10:30 AM
  Subject: RE: [4animals] embassy protest?

  Hello,

  I am willing to act as a spokesperson at a protest at the Chinese embassy. People have a right, and an obligation, to complain about animal rights abuses in China or anywhere else. Canadians and people from other western countries are guilty by association, because we are purchasing the fur products. 

  I heard about a recent film with Alec Baldwin, which showed an undercover film by Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) filming dogs and cats being skinned alive for their pelts and then left to die a slow agonizing horrific death after their multilation. The film is at http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=china_dog_cat_fur_boards2&Player=wm&speed=_med. It is estimated over 5,400 dogs and cats each day in China are skinned alive for their pelts. The film showed cats crammed 20 or 30 animals one on top of another in cages and hurled 20 or 30 feet from a truck. The cats are pulled out of the box with a noose around their neck and skinned alive. It takes 20 minutes for them to die. The animals are so stunned and scared that they have their paws around each others faces, hugging one another, and licking one another's wounds. The film is described in Larry King write-up, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/11/lkl.01.html.

  The Chinese embassy in the US recently made a statement tacitly admitting farmers actually skin cats and dogs alive for their fur, but said they don't advocate abuses in the fur industry and that they value kindness to animals. Animal rights activists should ask the Chinese embassy to come up with a plan to prevent this practice from happening, and submit to inspections by the Humane Society, PETA and others to verify the progress that they seem to like to make. Until inspections are done and animal cruelty is shown to be a thing of the past, activists need to inform consumers that what they're buying is driving a cruel industry. We need to refrain from buying any Chinese products that have fur in or on them, or any products whose country of origin we can’t ascertain. These include gloves, clothing, toys and decorative items. If we come across such products, we need to complain to the store manager or owner and tell that person why we shun Chinese products with fur, and why he or she should not sell them. 

  If people knew what was going on, I know that they wouldn't buy fur. People can purchase synthetic products that will guard them against cold weather better than any animal skin so there's no excuse to wear fur today other than aesthetics.

  The presence of twenty protesters or more would definitely help the cause, and I agree it's important to take the time to get the word out properly. Perhaps another Saturday event, next week or the following week?

  Edelweiss

    -----Original Message-----
    From: 4animals-bounces at ottawaveg.com [mailto:4animals-bounces at ottawaveg.com]On Behalf Of v_good at rogers.com
    Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 7:35 PM
    To: 4animals at ottawaveg.com
    Subject: [4animals] embassy protest?

    Well although the media ingnored us once again (RE Tristan protest), UNLESS "Le Droit" runs something positive or at least balanced tommorrow (and I'm not so sure because of the bit of a kufuffle that happened between one activist and another individual..) I think Tristan is well aware that they'll be met ' head on' next fall if they do decide to carry any fur..
    I was also really impressed with GAN's Professional signs and leaflets.

    I'd love to still have a protest in front of the Chinese Embassy. HOWEVER, I do not think this Monday is realistic with only a handful of people possibly coming out. I am also wondering 'Does it have to be this Monday for some reason"? If we had a little more time to plan and notify people and plan to try and get media attention I would be willing to participate. However I personally think that anyone getting involved (including myself) should be aware that media could slander us into attacking the Chinese 'culture' of torturing cats and dogs. However, this is the EXACT controversial material that media likes and I'm sure many people would still be on our side regarding the issue...So in that sense it would actually be I think a good strategy to draw attention and our case would be that  'we are not attacking the culture but that subjecting animals to torture is unacceptable.' One the other hand I think it would be VERY difficult to find a spokesperson for an embassy protest unless they were to disguide themselves or something. Maybe I'm being paranoid but I wouldn't want to do it.
    Anyone out there willing to talk to media....?Also, it's the Canadian stores that are importing the stuff so it's not like we can expect the Chinese fur 'manufacturers' to stop what they are doing. I think the only real benefit of doing something at the embassy would be that there would be a chance to EXPOSE the issue via media but I am sure that there would be lots of counter attacks against us about the culture issue, letters and rebuttals to editors etc. if something was published but then again- ATTENTION to the issue IS what we want...and the media seems to be becomming less and less interested in covering the issue...
    What do people think-does it have to be this Monday?  I personally think that something like this needs to be planned and thought about in a bit more detail.

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