Canaries of the Activsist World

by Nada Monday, Nov. 13, 2006 at 5:38 AM

The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act defines terrorism as causing an animal enterprise to suffer a profit loss - even if the company's financial decline is caused by peaceful protests, boycotts, media campaigns or leafleting. If the AETA passes this precident will go on to define nearly all activist activies as terrorism

The House of Reps. will vote Monday 11/13/06 on the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA).

If the AETA becomes law, causing any business classified as an "animal enterprise" (e.g., factory farms, fur farms, vivisection labs, rodeos, zoos and circuses) to suffer a profit loss, it could be defined as a "terrorist" act punishable by a long prison sentence -- even if the company's financial decline is caused by peaceful protests, boycotts, media campaigns or leafleting.

Defining non-violent activist tactics that cause exploitive corporations to lose profit but don't physically hurt anyone as "terrorism" is both a deceptive misapplication of a serious term and a completely unacceptable violation of our Constitutionally-granted First Amendment rights to freedom of speech. Industry groups are pushing the AETA through Congress quickly and with little public scrutiny.

Once this law goes on the books, it will be nearly impossible to stop the precident from applying to all activists activites, no matter the battle being fought. THIS IS NOT JUST AN ANIMAL ISSUE.

The animal movement (the movement most cited as "extreme" by other activists who cannot see the interconnectedness between all battles against oppression) simply serves as a test case. If this law passes, it will set the stage for the end to 'legal' activism. If they can do it to us, they will do it to you too. Stand together in the fight against oppression.

Original: Canaries of the Activsist World