Re: [Leica] something something and now animals

["Barney Quinn" <Barney.Quinn@noaa.gov>]

John Collier wrote:

> I welcome the pressure PETA and others
> have put on the scientific and cosmetic industries to improve their
> practices. I also agree that, as with all radicals, PETA and others
> often go to far.

I have a friend. My friend has two Doctor's level degrees. This person is a
very high level medical researcher, internationally known, Ivy league, Nobel
prize material. The work this person does involves animals. PETA and similar
groups have, for years, made life for this person a living hell. There have
been times when getting in and out of the lab has been impossible. This
individuals home has been picketed, and familly members have been harrassed
with out mercy, particularly the children. I find what has been done to these
people totally inappropriate, outrageous, and counter productive. It has not
done one single thing to help animals, and it has cost these groups the
support of everyone who has had to watch what has been done to this family
while they were trying to support them. If you are opposed to cruelty then I
think that you have to be consistant about it. If you have never been on the
other side of these tactics it may be impossible for you to understand what
they actually do to people.

> It is an opening into the broader debate of what consciousness and
> intelligence are. Should other "lesser" organisms be sacrificed to
> marginally improve our life span* (and looks)?

Marginally improve my life span? I have very serious eye disease. I have had
five operations. I may well need a sixth early next year. If it weren't for
the modern, miracle medicinesand techniques which have been developed in part
with animal research I would be blind, unale to support myself, and a burden
to society. I am eternally greatful there there are doctors and scientists
who have been willing to devote their lives to trying to help people with
very real medical problems.

Barney


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