Anyone Interested In Joining Animal Liberation Front?(ALF)....Proudly FrontZgIrL~*~

Here is alot of information about ALF that you may not know. I have read all about the illegal activity and all the Anti-Peta junk out there, I know all the facts and blah blah blah. These are Just Alf stories I thought I'd Share with people. There not as bad as you think. Good people trying to make the world a better place, Never harming Humans or animals. Every single day millions of animals across the world suffer and die at the hands of humans who stand to gain profit, status or enjoyment from the deaths of creatures who can not fight back.

The ALF fights back on behalf of these animals ensuring that those who abuse do not get away with it - countless lives have been saved and countless businesses have been destroyed by the direct action of the ALF. Here we take a look at ordinary people who disregard the law and put their own freedom at risk to help save lives.



Here is the order of this post:

1. Alf Guidelines 2. The Simplest ALF Action 3. Planning an ALF Mission 4. Interview with ALF

ALF GUIDELINES

1. To liberate animals from places of abuse, i.e. fur farms, laboratories, factory farms, etc. and place them in good homes where they may live out their natural lives free from suffering. 2. To inflict economic damage to those who profit from the misery and exploitation of animals. 3. To reveal the horror and atrocities committed against animals behind locked doors by performing nonviolent direct actions and liberations. 4. To take all necessary precautions against hurting any animal, human and non-human. In the third section it is important to note the ALF does not, in any way, condone violence against any animal, human or non-human. Any action involving violence is by its definition not an ALF action, any person involved not an ALF member. The fourth section must be strictly adhered to. In over 20 years, and thousands of actions, nobody has ever been injured or killed in an ALF action.

THE SIMPLEST ALF ACTION

One day an "animal lover," out of curiosity, stops at a frozen pond to investigate bright flags sticking out of muskrat mounds and finds leghold traps stuck deep in the nest of reeds and mud. Fortunately, the traps are empty, but she can't help but think of the potential victims. She pulls up the stakes, holding the traps secure and takes home as many as she can carry. She feels a mixture of fear and excitement, but overall she's happy knowing that at least the traps in her garbage will never kill an animal. This, in the simplest terms, is an ALF action: destroying the physical property of an individual or business to benefit an animal, either directly or indirectly. The "animal lover" may become an activist, and as an activist, she'll protest and work to educate others, but in her mind remains the memory of destroying the traps, the small victory. There is a theory that the reason the use of "violence" by political groups has not caught on in the U.S. to the extent it has in other countries is because most Americans believe that there are agencies and institutions that exist to peacefully resolve conflicts, and that this belief is a barrier against participating in political violence. Perhaps in relation to animals this theory collapses, and it is here that the existence of the ALF can be explained. Crimes of enormous proportion against animals are commonly ignored by the legal system. Battery cages and veal crates are accepted as "normal agricultural practice." Billions of chickens and turkeys are denied even the illusion of humane slaughter. Birds, mice and fish in laboratories are denied the most basic of legal protections. In some states, animals in farms are specifically written out of laws against cruelty. Of course, opposition-the desire to make a fundamental change in society by throwing oneself against the atrocity of animal abuse-is the right thing to do. The debate over the ALF has never been a question of what is morally justified. How to best bring about change, though, is open to debate. Everyone involved in the animal liberation movement has doubts about the effectiveness of their actions and is searching for the best way to fight animal abuse and exploitation. Most people find the answer is that different tactics and strategies fit different contexts and that one way to defend animals does not have to replace other types of activism. Perhaps the biggest debate is over so-called violence versus nonviolence. There are no arguments for or against either approach that would prove it is universally superior or inferior to the other, or that one will inevitably have really good or really bad effects. To the defense of the ALF, it is certain that the ALF has rescued animals. Well-thought-out releases from fur farms and liberations from research labs have saved animal lives that you can count. Destroying a slaughterhouse or a fur-farm feed wholesaler does not save animals in an easily quantifiable manner, but may save animals nonetheless through monetary loss, inconvenience, fear, etc., that may dissuade one last breeding season or spur an exploiter's early retirement. "Violence" or "terrorism" has long expressed the most important social, religious and historical forces in this country and in others around the world. To be fair, much of the criticism of the ALF is justified. The ALF is not revolutionary. It will not bring about fundamental change in society to benefit animals by itself. But ALF actions can be a part of a revolutionary process and can have very important and necessary effects for animals who are suffering. The ALF has not been proven ineffective. What has been pointed out is that acts borne out of frustration, impatience and impulse do not bring results. In "Making Our Actions Count," in the #9 issue of No Compromise, Dari Fullmer wrote that "direct action without strategy is useless." Although random actions may not be entirely useless, the point of choosing targets strategically is important. Direct action activists have to set priorities and be careful to make each effort count. Realistically, we are all limited in the time and energy we can commit to activism (of any kind). We only have a few chances; actions should be more than just symbolic-don't sit in jail for breaking a window at your local McDonald's. Research and planning are essential to be effective. This should mean fewer actions, but bigger, more focused actions intended to weaken or remove a vital link in an animal abuse industry. Activists must get to know their local animal industry and the role it plays at the national and local levels. An industry is made up of many different levels, from the farmers, the animal transporters and the slaughterhouses, to the processors and down to the retail end. Also included are industry research centers, promotional groups, industry publications, advertising agencies, etc. Every larger community in this country has at least one company that plays an important role in the larger industry, making the abuse and exploitation of animals profitable. The Western Wildlife Unit of the ALF in the early 1990s, as well as some recent actions targeting the fur industry, showed us the way. By targeting the research that kept the fur industry prosperous and the fur feed co-ops that provide assistance to farmers, they attacked a weak link in the industry, making an enormous impact. If they had chosen to target the retail end and instead destroyed fur stores, they would have made the evening TV news, but insurance would likely rebuild the store and the industry would be little the worse. Within an industry, for the most part, the results are not worth the risk to attack retail outlets. What industry should the ALF target? Is it better to target a greater evil (such as the meat industry) or plan for a greater impact (by hitting the weakened fur industry)? Setting priorities is another important step in successful strategy. The meat industry: Internationally, the U.S. is the world's largest exporter of bird carcasses and other animal "products." Companies like Tyson and Hormel aggressively target overseas markets. Nationally, the meat industry is equally overwhelming. Huge companies like IBP, ConAgra, National Beef Packing and Perdue Farms kill billions of animals every year. There are approximately 5,000 commercial poultry and livestock farms in the U.S., approximately 300 large meat-packing plants nationwide and another 6,000 small- and medium-sized meat-packing facilities. Fighting the meat industry statewide or regionally is the only realistic option. The livestock haulers, the auction yards, the slaughterhouses and farm supply companies are examples of vulnerable links at this level. What are the weak industries? We're familiar with fur, but there's also horse-slaughter, the veal industry, foie gras, dog-racing and circuses with animals, among others. For example, circuses remain extremely vulnerable to sabotage. The few dozen circuses that remain in this country are dependent on their means of transportation. A few (empty!) destroyed trucks can stop a circus in its tracks, literally. Many of these circuses survive performance by performance (season by season), and the loss of revenue due to canceled performances could seal their end. ALF actions are dynamic and inspirational. The ALF can interrupt the dreariness of everyday campaigning with drama that reveals the animal rights struggle at its most essential level, if only for a short time. ALF actions can be a symbol of the revolutionary potential of our movement. The anonymous activist who destroyed muskrat traps acted out of moral duty without thinking of educating the public or hoping for media attention, and, if only temporarily, refused to accept the confines of the law. This ALF has great potential.

PLANNING AN ALF MISSION

To begin, let me say that while associating with animal rights activists (something I try to avoid), I often hear people speaking thrillingly about articles they've read in the press or seen on the news about animals being liberated, laboratories being trashed, lorries being torched, fast food restaurants being burned to the ground, etc. Along with these conversations it is practically guaranteed that one or more persons will exclaim the greatness and empowerment of the action followed by a "Gee, how do I hook up with these people?" Also heard is, "Why don't these lads contact me?" or "How do I get involved with that group?" There are many others, but all basically asking the same thing: "How do I get involved?" This is how I found the answer to that question. After reading stories about lab break-ins and fur stores being torched, I, too, desperately wanted to join this group. But how? There was really no place to start. All of my friends in the animal rights movement had less interest in illegal direct action than I did, and even those who showed some interest were completely clueless as to how to meet these people. At one point, I wrote an animal rights group letting them know that I would be willing to help them raid a lab. Needless to say, that letter went unanswered. Finally I realized what I was doing. I was waiting for someone with a plan to drop in out of the blue and ask me to join in a lab raid. Now stop and think about this. Would anyone who put hundreds of hours in planning a covert, illegal direct action that could land them in prison for years risk asking a basic stranger for help simply because he or she is a vegetarian or belonged to the local animal rights chapter?! NO! (At least not if they want to stay active and out of jail.) So how did I, or a better question is, how do you, end up "joining" the Animal Liberation Front? That's easy. Come up with your own plan! Really. It's not as hard as you think. Let me repeat this important point which everyone must realize. Come up with your own plan. This is very important. One of the reasons there is not a lot more illegal direct action happening is because there are only a few people willing to invest the time and energy necessary to choose a viable target, research the facts, re-con the place, and conduct any other work necessary to execute a successful direct action. There are always plenty of people who want to help in the actual execution of the plan, though not many people are willing to dedicate and invest the time, money, energy, and stress that go along with the planning. People are always willing to share in the "excitement," but not in the actual work. Simply put, no one wants to help bake the bread, but everyone wants to eat it. Many people will easily shrug off planning a direct action for many reasons. (Nearly all are mere excuses which could easily be overcome.) One of the most overused reasons is people tell themselves they don't know anyone who could help in the final execution of the plan. For example, they don't know who could find homes for X number of animals; they don't know who they could trust as a lookout; they don't know who could loan or rent them a vehicle to use, etc. I want to emphasize here that if you are faced with a problem like this, continue on! There are many bridges that one can foresee that look uncrossable during the planning of an action. These problems seem unresolvable and often discourage people from continuing on with their plan. Again I must emphasize, continue. These problems either solve themselves or are more easily solved when you actually reach that point of the plan. (The other option usually being the plan is aborted for some other reason long before the problem ever had to be confronted.) Something else that should be thrown in here is that you should expect about four out of five plans into which you've invested time and money to fall through. Again, this shouldn't deter you. If you approach direct action with the knowledge that most of your plans may not work, then you should not be discouraged from battling on if some of your plans do fall through. Though it is not necessary, before taking any direct action, one should read as much literature as possible on the topic. This is much easier to do now thanks to a "revival" in the grassroots animal rights/liberation movement. If possible, any literature pertaining to illegal activities should be mailed to a fake name at a post office box or private mailbox center. If this is not possible, perhaps a well-trusted friend (who could handle police/federal harassment and is not involved in illegal activities themselves) would be willing to have it sent to his or her place. Another possibility would be to get this information off of a web site (from a library, campus, or cyber-coffee shop computer). Though some of these security precautions may seem ridiculous, paranoid, and unnecessary, you will be thankful you followed them if you continue to increase the frequency, severity, and effectiveness of your actions, thus producing more intense local and federal investigations. But, wait a minute! You still don't know if there is anyone you can trust. This does not mean that you shouldn't consider doing an action. When I realized that no one was going to drop in and ask me to help them with their plan -- when I finally realized that I was the A.L.F. -- I decided to target a fast food restaurant that I had noticed as appearing vulnerable. My first step was realizing that I was the A.L.F. and that it was up to me to find a viable target, in this case the fast food restaurant. Though I still didn't know who could help me with this plan, I proceeded to scope it out the next few nights, still thinking I would find someone to help me. Though I had no experience at "casing a joint", it came very easily and naturally. Between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. (the time I decided would be safest to strike the place) I carefully scoped it out. Some nights dressed head to toe in my jogging gear (now is not the time to be caught there in your balaclava), I jogged up and down the street past the restaurant. I was careful to look for possible activity inside the building, check on any employees' cars in the parking lot, judge the amount of traffic, the amount of police presence, determine how well the parking lot and building were lit, scan for any drive thru or security cameras (to look out for and to sabotage!), etc. Other nights I walked my boyfriend's dog up and down the street looking for the same things. In no time at all I was very familiar with the activity of the area (and had walked two emergency escape routes I would take should I be interrupted). I was soon confident with this target. Unfortunately, I still didn't know anyone I would trust enough to divulge my plans to. I knew what I wanted to do. The day before I was going to execute my plan, I drove to a neighboring town, bought super-glue, spray-paint, and some garden gloves from three different stores, making sure to pay in cash at each store. That evening I went for a walk wearing my gloves and ended up picking up two large rocks and half of a brick that I determined was small enough to carry around and handle, yet big enough to smash through the thick plate glass windows of a fast food restaurant. Though I would have felt a bit more comfortable with a partner to lookout for me, I was tired of waiting around for apathetic and unmotivated people. That night, dressed in black from head to toe, I went jogging. As I got near the restaurant I slowed to a walk. Seeing that there was no traffic around and facing a dark and empty-looking building, I approached the restaurant. Walking briskly across the lot, I pulled my mask down over my face. At the rear of the building I quickly took off my black backpack and got out my supplies. I quickly filled the two back door locks with super-glue and small pieces of paper clips that I had snipped especially for this occasion. I then proceeded to spray-paint slogans over the entire back of the building and on the side with the drive-thru. This done, I peeked around the building. Headlights were approaching from up the street so I just remained calm and motionless. My stomach dropped when I saw it was a police car. The cop then drove by without slowing down or looking my way. Delighted, I walked around to the front of the building and quickly tossed all three projectiles through three separate windows! I saved this part of the action for last because of the loud sound it would make. And with the three explosions of glass, I quickly sprinted through one of my pre-arranged exits and into a residential area where I quickly vanished. I then removed my black turtleneck and balaclava, ditched them in an apartment complex dumpster, and went home. My point here is that with enough planning, determination, and self-confidence, one person can pull off a successful action! Of course, the "bigger" or "more severe" the action, the better it may be to have a lookout with clear communications to you. Nevertheless, one person shouldn't feel helpless and inactive because he or she doesn't know others who are willing to take illegal direct action. Besides, taking action is your first step in feeling out potential comrades who share the same philosophy as you and are ready and willing to take action. It is really very difficult to explain to someone how they can find close, trust-worthy partners who are willing to take the same risks and are knowledgeable and strong enough to withstand heavy bouts of police interrogation, intimidation, and harassment. Though you never plan to be faced with this situation, it is a realistic risk and you and anyone you work with should understand with a firm knowledge that if this situation arises, you and anyone you work with will not cooperate at all with any law enforcement agencies! There is no cut and dry pattern or formula for choosing or finding partners. THIS IS GOOD. If there was a pattern or formula, it would open the door for infiltration of law enforcement and corporate agents. However, by executing the fast food action by myself, it lead me to a second person whom I later hooked up with. Another member of our current cell really was not "chosen." We had merely known and trusted each other since high school when we used to forge passes out of study hall so we could skip school and go swimming in the river. We had both been vegetarians (and outcasts) in high school and I taught him about animal rights as he shared with me his views of deep ecology. It wasn't long before we started working together. My point here is that there was no formula with which to evaluate my friend. Merely, I had spent years with him as a best friend and we pretty much knew each other inside and out. These are the best kind of partners to have since you already have an established relationship and friendship that no law enforcement agent would be able to make up. So I'd like to emphasize that this is the best way of "finding" a partner: working with someone you have a history with. And, always trust your intuition. If some-one doesn't feel right or you get "weird vibes" from him or her, DON'T work with that person! The opposite is true here also, but I don't need to explain that since, when you find that true connection, the feeling is pretty much unmistakable. The other partner I connected with after the fast food restaurant action had a long history in the environmental movement. I only shared my interest in illegal direct action with her after she had complained to me consistently about a billboard advertising animal products and how someone should correct the billboard so consumers would know exactly what suffering that product really hid. After hearing repeated complaints from my friend (was she checking me out, too?), we went for a walk. Here I told her that the billboard she hated so much appeared to be easily accessible (I had already reconned it) and that if she wanted to help redecorate it, that would be jolly. Needless to say, she thought this was a grand idea and, within a matter of days, the billboard had been corrected. Red paint bombs made from Christmas ornaments also gave the appearance of blood running down the advertisement. The day after the billboard action, my friend and I went on another walk (we NEVER talked in a house or car!) to discuss and critique our action. This may seem silly to some, but it is the best way to learn from your mistakes and make improvements for further actions. Meetings like this were always restricted to only those involved with the action, and are great to learn from. Other than that they should never be discussed again. In this case, we realized that the warning system we had set up to warn of cops
INTERVIEW WITH ALF

Thomas, Please let me introduce myself and three other ALF members. I'm Virginia, white female, age 40. Ann is a white female, age 25. Rick is a black male, age 30. James is white male, age 22. We have never met. We have communicated over the internet for 5 years when we were interviewed by Craig Burton for his novel about ALF, entitled "A Hatful of Pain." Our names are fictitious because ALF is considered a terrorist group in the USA. In a private chatroom the four of us answered your questions. From the chatroom log I corrected grammatical errors (mostly incomplete sentences), took out some curse words (if I didn't know what they meant), and removed a lot of rambling repetition (mostly mine). I added a few details (such as dates) that were not part of my online dialog. Please feel free to use any of this. Paraphrase or modify it as you wish.

Thomas: Could you tell how you came [to be] involved in the Animal Liberation Front? Ann: "When I was fifteen my dog got out of the back yard. I searched for him for weeks. After a month, a volunteer at an animal shelter told me that they had gotten my dog but had kept him only three days. She wouldn't tell me who took him until I started crying. My dog had been turned over to a laboratory for animal experimentation. I cried for days, certain it had been a mistake. Years later I found out that pound-seizure laws in the USA force animal shelters to turn over lost cats and dogs to experimentation -- more than 200,000 a year. I joined ALF." Rick: "As a boy, I'd always wondered what rationale people like Klansmen applied to draw a line around one group of beings and claim they had more innate worth than others. While listening to a sermon in church, I suddenly realized that I, too, drew a line around a group of beings -- human beings. ALF made sense to me." James: "I'm afraid there was no epiphany for me. My girlfriend was involved, so I got involved. We split up two years ago, and I'm more active than ever." Virginia: "My husband was a slaughterhouse worker for two years until he hurt his back. Incidentally, 'slaughterhouse worker' is the occupation with the highest employee rate of injury in the USA. But the greatest injury was to his mental health. He couldn't believe the cruelty of a Kosher slaughter, where an animal is hoisted and bled to death without prior stunning. Often joints were ruptured during the hoisting, and the death was a slow, conscious one. The idea of a painless kill is a fantasy invented by those with a vested interest in the continuance of the practices."

Thomas: Is there a strong bond between the different "animal rights" groups in the USA and also between the different branches of the ALF worldwide? Collaboration should be very important I would think. Rick: "Some of what ALF does is illegal, so there is no official ALF membership. Many people post ALF activity on the Internet. There are a half dozen ALF Supporter Groups around the world. The most active is probably in Canada." Ann: "We know ALF members only after they are caught. I'd suggest to anyone that illegal activities should never be discussed with anyone unless you have 100% faith in them. For me, this means acting on my own, or in groups of two or three." James: "I work alone." Virginia: "Many groups like PETA have membership around the world and spokespeople (like the McCartneys) who are world-renowned."

Thomas: Part of the Animal Liberation job is also confronting the 'normal' people with the extreme conditions that animals in the 'bio-industry' have to deal with. Would you prefer a rather confronting and shocking way of doing this or would you find it more efficient to take it to a more 'political campaign' kind of level? James: "I have tried writing to politicians and handing out fliers. Nothing worked to my satisfaction. When I picketed in front of a fur store and annoyed a lot of folks, it made the local newspaper. Subsequent 'Letters to the editor' called me names. One lady called me an animal. I got a laugh out of that. But it brought the issue to the front burner. And that's hard to do, these days." Ann: "I think the greatest gain comes from educating people. This is where I concentrate my daily efforts. I believe that most people, knowing the truth, would change their habits. Most people aren't evil, just uninformed or confused by multiple messages. Confronting people doesn't work for me." Virginia: "While the ALF may seem to be an "extreme" group, advocating the end to vivisection and all animal testing, the critical masses still eat meat without knowing that a few more pennies per pound could allow the animal to live and die more happily instead of being processed in the cheapest way possible, they wear fur without knowing how the animals are killed (again, the reason is money), or that we taxpayers are subsidizing billions of dollars (according to the National Institute of Health) of animal testing on cosmetics." Rick: "Groups like PETA are the political arm of the animal rights movement. I applaud their efforts, but ALF's actions are saving lives before the politics can take effect. Now. Our actions are no different from those of abolitionists before the Civil War, when slavery laws and even the Supreme Court said owning humans was legal. In the end, who turned out to be morally right?"

Thomas: In the hard-core punk scene there are many bands which deal with topics like animal rights, veganism, vegetarianism, etc. Where I live there have been several ALF-benefit shows. Are there any particular bands that the ALF supports? If not, don't you think it would be an interesting cooperation? James: "I like the B-52s; Psychedelic Furs; Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders; and of course, Wings." Rick: "I like are Earth Crisis, Conflict, and Exitstance." Ann: "My favorite songs are 'Don't Kill the Animals", by Nina Hagen and Lena Lovich, 'Rage' by Erasure, Shriekback's 'Hanging Fire', 'Monkey in the Bin,' by Attrition, and 'Silent Cry' by Chris and Cosy." Virginia: "I am excited about a band tour starting soon. Here is an e-mail I received from Linda Genteel (the Piano Princess) last week:" 'I am fortunate to have found two other vegan musicians and strong animal welfare supporters who will be performing this benefit concert with me as part of our new trio called Trio Angelica. 'Our trio is composed of Liona Boyd, also known as The First Lady of Guitar is one of the world's most famous and brilliant classical guitarists. She has performed in over 30 countries, and has recorded over 20 albums, many of which have gone gold. Bettine Clemen, Bavarian born and classically trained in Munich, Germany tours with a minimum of seven flutes all over the world. Her concerts are noted for the variety of music that she performs ranging from popular, and jazz, to her own outstanding compositions and the classics. And of course the third member will be me playing the piano. 'The first animal welfare fundraiser event will be a benefit for NEW JERSEY ANIMAL RIGHTS ASSOC., (NJARA) on Saturday December 16, at 7:30 PM at Stockton College. April: Toronto, Canada; July: Atlanta: GA; August: Chicago, ILL; September: Los Angeles, & San Francisco, CA; October: Boston, MA & New York, NY; November: Dallas, TX; December: Las Vegas, NV, & Palm Beach , Florida

Thomas: Many vegetarian people would like to live vegan, but find it to expensive to make such a offer. Over here it is ridiculously expensive to live completely vegan and healthy at the same time. As a matter of fact in the present world it's practically impossible to be vegan. So many products contain animal-ingredients, many products you wouldn't even think of that they are "unvegan". What do you think of this and how would you motivate people to become vegan anyway? Ann: "Veganism is a wonderful ideal, like having no poor people. But the 'law of diminishing returns' applies to both the efforts of living that life style, and to the efforts of getting people to change. I want to apply my efforts to where I have the greatest impact. I don't try to get vegetarians to become vegan. The reality is that most people eat a ton of meat. If someone is vegetarian, doesn't wear fur, and minimizes their purchases of animal products, that person is minimizing the unnecessary pain in the world by a lot, maybe 98%. Unless you are going for sainthood, that is enough. And it doesn't take a huge effort." Rick: "Ann is correct. I am vegan, but telling that to people sounds pompous. It makes them think that I look down on folks who are not vegan. It sets the goal too far away, and if it is far away, people don't take the first step." James: "I'm vegan and I try to show folks by example. If more folks were vegan, more products would be available for us. I don't sweat about being 100% vegan, and I might step on an bug now and then. The point is that I make an effort not to buy animal products and not to step on bugs." Virginia: "I don't agree that using animal products is wrong. I want to prevent all needless suffering. It would be okay with me if the animal does not suffer in any way before its death. If an animal is born so that someone can eat it or wear it, then the animal enjoyed some life it would not have otherwise enjoyed. But unless that person raises their own animals, that is very far from the reality."

Thomas: Who/what do you see as your biggest enemies in the fight for animal rights? Why? Ann: "Our focus is on countering the propaganda of the meat industry." Rick: "Ignorance. People don't know what goes on in laboratory testing, or how ridiculous the tests are. Scientific methods are rarely followed. If people knew, they would rebel." Virginia: "Yes. Ignorance. If someone could spend time with a pig, and then look it in the eyes and kill it, I would be surprised. Yet, they let someone else do it." James: "The food industry."

Thomas: Did you take part in any liberation actions (like freeing animals from farms or laboratories)? How do you setup these actions, they would need good preparation I think? James: "Stakeout is the best form of preparation. Most corporation-made, television-watching zombies fall into predictable patterns. Actions based on the repeatability of these people is pretty safe." Ann: "The risks of every action are different. The greatest variable is the source of the information. Most actions begin with information from the inside of an establishment where animals are treated cruelly without good reason. Many times it is just simple neglect of animals that have been used in tests and are no longer valuable to the establishment. In these instances the risk is low. Usually, after the animals removed they are not reported stolen because nobody cared to begin with. Sometimes it is the person on the inside who does the illegal part. Some actions are scrubbed because we don't trust the source. Usually it is a gut feeling." Rick: "Ann summarized most of the activity. Nothing illegal was done except taking animals that did not belong to us. We knew exactly what the animals had been used for. I've never had to break in or out of anything, nor have I done any property damage. None of it was medical research. However, we applaud the extreme, flagrant ALF actions that make the news, even if they make the news because someone goes over the line. It brings awareness. Nowadays, unfortunately, it's not news unless there is video. It makes dissemination of information difficult." Virginia: "I'd like to add that on several occasions the labs reported damage and loss of research data that simply was false. And our most 'exciting' missions have been missions where we screwed something up. Usually something too dumb to want to tell you about."

Thomas: Is there anything that we've missed and you would've like to talk about? Any last words for the kids out there? James: "Anything you can do to help those who can't help themselves, animals or humans, will make you feel good about yourself. Just one caution -- feeling good can be addictive." Ann: "The most common rationale used for not participating in the animal rights movement is that folks feel hypocritical if they eat a hamburger or wear a leather belt. Those same people may pass a homeless person and feel no guilt. In both cases, a person needs to be conscious of others, and do what they can. After that, take any stance you like." Rick: "ALF members are folks who simply believe that animals have more value than that which is accorded to them by the current laws." Virginia: "After that, your views may vary." James: "Never lecture. Remember that if you want someone to join your side, you absolutely must show them you are happier than they are."

So Thats it. I hope you learned something positive about ALF. Yes, some of the things they are involved in is illegal activity, But whats more important. Lives or Equipment? I don't see anything wrong in breaking into buildings to save hundreds and thousands of lives. Peace, Love, and God Bless!!

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