RE: Who is The Martin Luther King of the Animals Rights Movement?

[Guest guest]

What a lovely question. I believe there is no such person. King spoke for

his own people as Gandhi and Chavez did for their own. Few people have been

successful spokespersons for groups they are not members of. Union leaders

are always union members. Perhaps the closest might be Mother Jones speaking

for child laborers, but women have the traditional and understood role of

speaking for children.

 

Generally, there are people who seem to be spokespersons for certain species

or orders and who seem to have a certain Kingesque quality. Karen Davis is

the obvious spokesperson for chickens and other farmed birds.

 

Maybe Pat Derby speaks for elephants. Maybe Paul Watson for cetaceans

(whales, dolphins, etc.)

 

Obviously, Jane Goodall is seen as the strong moderate voice for

chimpanzees.

 

I have tried to be a spokesperson for primates in laboratories. See my site:

http://www.enviroweb.org/cepe/

 

One thing to consider is the way King was perceived. He was seen as a

moderate due to others being seen as a radicals - Huey Newton, H. Rap Brown.

The establishment had to negotiate with King because they did not want to be

seen negotiating with the Black Panthers.

 

So, the more moderate groups are probably closest to filling that role. The

HSUS perhaps. This means that the role of radical is critical if the

moderates are to remain being seen as such. The ALF and the " black panthers "

of the movement make it more likely that a King will emerge who can speak in

a moderate voice for the masses.

 

Unfortunately, there has not been anyone emerge who currently seems likely

to fill this role.

 

Total rambling . . .

 

R

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I don't know a great deal of Karen Davis but I do know of Patty Mark, Diana

Simpson and others in Australia who have publicised the horror of battery

hen farming

for years. You can read some of their story at

 

http://www.thylazine.org/photogallery

 

I don't think you can actually narrow it down to " a spokesperson " for any

species. Perhaps one can fairly say there are some individuals who take more

of a public platform on some AR issues than others. The fact is there are

many spokespersons for animal rights and we are scattered all around the

globe.

 

Kind regards,

 

Marguerite

 

>>Generally, there are people who seem to be spokespersons for certain

species

or orders and who seem to have a certain Kingesque quality. Karen Davis is

the obvious spokesperson for chickens and other farmed birds.