Chapter Sections
1. Undercover Investigator
2. Video Activist
3. Animal Friendly Traveller
4. Preacher
5. Animal Rescuer
6. Investigative Reporter
7. Media Watcher
8. Philosopher
9. Flyer
10. Personal Activist
11. Animal Lawyer
12. Politician
13. Prisoner Supporter
14. Public & School Speaker
15. Aerial Snooper
16. Scientific Investigator
17. Solo Information Worker
18. Street Theatre Actor
19. Teacher
20. Voluntary Worker Abroad
How to Do Animal Rights - and Win the War on Animals
The animal rights movement attracts all sorts of people and a few have broken the law in 'acts of conscience' and landed in jail. Among the first animal rights activists to feel the weight of the law were Robin Howard, convicted of damaging two boats used for hunting seals, and Ronnie Lee and Cliff Goodman, jailed for three years for damaging animal research equipment, in 1970's Britain, according to the Animal Liberation Front.
Sentences for some convicted animal rights activists, up to twelve years, is startlingly disproportionately lengthy measured against convictions for crimes such as homicide and rape. (For more about offences see Chapter 5: Law & Order, under The Law - United States and Britain.) The worst view on animal rights prisoners is that they are dangerous extremists and terrorists who must be locked away to protect the public. Another view is that they are caring individuals who risked their liberty to help animals. Either way, you may want to support animal rights prisoners and there are a number of good reasons for doing so:
- Befriending prisoners is not necessarily endorsing their crime (like befriending a fine dodger does not necessarily mean you endorse fine dodging).
- Anyone who risks jail for a cause, no matter whether you think their actions were right or wrong, clear or confused, is worthy of support.
- Anyone in jail deserves help and sustenance on humanitarian grounds; prisoners desire compassion and respect like anyone else.
- Befriending animal rights prisoners is a form of activism, provided you openly declare that it is. In this case you are providing camaraderie to animal rights prisoners, assuring them that they are not abandoned.
A few animal rights web sites, like the Animal Liberation Front, list prisoners for support or have links to web sites that list prisoners. Animal rights prisoners are serving time in a number of states. Pick out a prisoner and make sure they are still doing time (information on web pages gets stale and they might be out and about). Three ways of supporting prisoners are letter writing, fundraising and visiting. If you intend to visit make sure your prisoner is not too far from where you live.
Letter Writing
Writing a letter will be the easiest first step for you to take to support a prisoner. Even as a complete stranger and never getting beyond sending one letter, receiving it can be a pleasant distraction from a tedious existence for your prisoner. However, do not expect your prisoner to reply quickly, if at all, and do not feel obligated to correspond for the whole of their jail sentence. Should they reply, write only as many letters that you feel like sending. It is also better to cultivate a letter writing relationship with just one prisoner than to write cursorily to several prisoners and then give up because of the inconvenience of it.
Your first letter could amount to just a few lines. Writing it might be difficult so here are some suggestions:
- Write where you found your prisoner's details.
- Say why you are writing, eg because you wish to be active in animal rights by engaging in prisoner support or that you are merely seeking a pen pal.
- Describe some generalities about your life; you need not be reluctant to talk about yourself.
- Ask them what life is like in prison and if they have plans for the future.
- Ask if you can offer some assistance, eg by sending them articles they lack.
- Close by writing that you hope your prisoner will reply but that you will not be offended if they do not respond.
- Write your name and address on your envelopes in case they will be returned to you unopened.
- Date all of your letters to keep track of them.
- Give a friend's address if you do not want to reveal your own. (PO box numbers do not necessarily protect you. In some states anyone can find out the address behind a PO box by walking into a main post office and asking at the counter for it.)
- Send photos or drawings, but keep them impersonal and without sexual implications.
- List everything you enclose in your letters, like stamps and photos. Do the same if you reach the stage of sending parcels, such as toiletries. This is a check that your prisoner receives everything you send them.
- Be frank with your prisoner about what you are and are not ready to do.
- Know your prison's rules about letter writing. Ask the prison for a copy of the prison's guidelines.
- Do not be critical (your prisoner has already been condemned by the law) but give your support helpfully and unconditionally, even if your prisoner is cynical or hostile.
- Do not let your prisoner impose on you or be manipulative. Tell them you will break off relations if they are.
- Do not build false hopes with your prisoner, such as by making promises you might not keep.
- Do not write anything compromising. Escape plans and details of the prison's security are definitely out, as is writing racially offensive or obscene messages; the jailers may read your letters routinely and can stop them. Much the same applies to phone calls you may make to your prisoner; prison staff can listen in.
There might come a time when you may want to visit your prisoner. Never just turn up; always ask your prisoner in advance if they would like a visit. Notify the prison that you wish to visit and be sure to get a copy of their regulations for visitors. Know the prison rules, such as if they permit handing prisoners anything, and stick to them. Take identification with you to show the jailers you are who you claim to be. Make sure you arrive well before time to avoid disappointing your prisoner with a non-visit because of some unexpected mishap. Expect you could be searched.
Fundraising
A prison does not necessarily cater for all the needs of its prisoners. Your prisoner may lack commodities like food, stationery, magazines and books, even compact disks or the travel costs for their family and friends to visit them. So you could ask them if they would like you to fundraise for them. Of course you are under no obligation to do so but go ahead if you are into fundraising. Or, instead, you might chip in now and then by buying them the odd item from your own pocket.
Life in prison for months or years can be grim, but a befriender from the outside world can bring a prisoner a measure of relief and encouragement for better days ahead. However, if you have any worries about the writing/visiting system, do not keep it to yourself but tell your prisoner and try to sort things out with the prison authorities.
| How to Do Animal Rights - and Win the War on Animals. © Roger (Ben) Panaman, April 2008. All rights reserved. |