The 'warped' philosophy of animal rights extremists

Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Tim Bonner writes:

One of the great paradoxes of the modern world is the way in which many who claim to love animals behave towards other people. It seems, kindness towards animals does not predicate kindness to the human race. In fact the relationship seems to be an inverse one for many in the the animal rights movement. There is a deep strand of misanthropy at the root of its philosophy and that has a profound effect on the way its adherents deal with individuals who do not agree with them. In the warped world of animal rights, believing that the human race is the root of all evil seems to justify unpleasant behaviour towards individual humans.

There are not many of us who would object to people who made a lifestyle choice not to eat meat, or who do not choose to share our way of life. I personally believe that livestock farming is a beneficial activity, but I am not going to stand outside a vegan restaurant demanding that its customers eat ribeye steak or rack of lamb. Whilst we may respect the choice of those who choose not to eat meat or animal products, they seem to have little respect for our choice to do otherwise.

In fact there are an increasing number of extremists who actively target businesses that cater for the vast majority of us who do consume meat and other products of livestock farming. Last week a family butcher in Kent was vandalised by vegan activists and attacked online. This year has already seen an appalling campaign waged against dairy farmers, demonstrations at livestock markets, and a tirade of online abuse against livestock farmers. Social media has allowed extremists from across the country, and around the world, to act in concert. Their attacks are unfailingly cowardly, picking on small businesses and family farms rather than powerful adversaries, hiding behind online anonymity and relying on the reluctance of social media platforms to censure its users.

As Alice Thomson pointed out in her Times column on Wednesday, the ultimate logic of vegan campaigners is also deeply flawed. If, God help us, they did persuade every last person to adopt a vegan lifestyle there would no longer be any purpose for all those animals they profess to love. The cow, the sheep, the pig and all other domestic livestock would be redundant and become extinct. Thankfully for the vegans, and the animals, that success is highly unlikely, but the extremists remain and must be challenged. The impact on a family targeted because of their involvement in livestock farming or meat production can be just as great as those targeted for political or religious reasons and the authorities need to treat such attacks equally.

Tim Bonner
Chief Executive
Follow me at @CA_TimB