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Today I'm a UCLA fan

By neurotopia on February 21, 2008.

Abel broke the news on Scienceblogs, where he's been following the events at UCLA for a while now, and Orac has the details on why it matters. UCLA has taken the initiative to protect its researchers and hopefully kicked off a nationwide-- or maybe even global-- campaign to protect scientists and the public from the idiocy of animal rights extremists. Consider this a legal "counter offensive" on behalf of academia, if you will.

Personally, I'm happy as a pig in it's own feces. It's time somebody stood up to these so-called animal rights activists who can't seem to comprehend that people are animals, and doing stupid shit like setting fire to houses and labs not only makes these activists a bunch of hypocrites, but also endangers everyday nonscience folks. So does threatening people with pipe bombs, dousing their labs in acid, sending them arsenic-tainted razor blades in the mail, or envelopes of suspicious powder. These are all things that have happened to my colleagues, over and above the nuisances like picketing at their homes and labs, overt threats, or flooding their basements.

It ain't rocket surgery. It's called collateral damage. If you're dumb enough to think that you'll change people's minds by accidentally poisoning their mailman, just remember where the term "going postal" came from. Then start watching your own back around bell towers, because sometimes irony just isn't subtle.

Tags
Academia
Activism
Politics/Policy

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You know, if we scientists were really such dangerous, depraved people, why do they feel safe harassing us? Personally I would be rather nervous about drawing the attention of someone I believed to be a homicidal maniac without morals or inhibitions.

Maybe we're just not playing this angle right. If the legal attempt by UCLA doesn't work, maybe we should try inspiring FEAR in the blighters! (:

As a USC Trojan, loathe though I must, I congratulate UCLA for standing up to the nutjobs. Well done Bruins, fight on for science.

"Maybe we're just not playing this angle right. If the legal attempt by UCLA doesn't work, maybe we should try inspiring FEAR in the blighters! (:"

There may be a more reasonable alternative to that, as discussed by Nick Anthis in several posts over the past few years.

http://scientificactivist.blogspot.com/2006/02/oxford-scientists-bite-b…
http://scienceblogs.com/scientificactivist/2008/02/oxonians_march_in_su…

Such public support for science played a key role alongside legal and police action in allowing Oxford to face down the AR extremists.

There are already signs that some UCLA students have had enough of Vlasak & Co. http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2008/feb/14/iuclas-smoking-gun-isnt….

Go Bruins!

As to UCLA, two words: about time.

As to the animal rights extremists, two other words:
Fuck 'em.

Look: like most other people, I'm concerned about animal abuse and find things like dogfighting and other bloodsports involving animals disgusting. That being said, legitimate scientific research is necessary (particularly regarding medical research that could potentially save lives), and I'm really, really quite unconcerned about the POV of anyone who'd gladly blow up other members of their own species without realizing the brutal irony of such an act.

By Chris Krolczyk (not verified) on 23 Feb 2008 #permalink

Then start watching your own back around bell towers, because sometimes irony just isn't subtle.

LOL! A very interesting way of putting it! I think your wise warning is the same as, you reap what you sow, what goes around comes around and a few others! But I like the way you put it!
Dave Briggs :~)

Those anti-animal testing goons should volunteer as lab rats.

That would ensure that they practice what they preach, and it would help remove some anti-science goons from the gene pool.

That would ensure that they practice what they preach, and it would help remove some anti-science goons from the gene pool.That would ensure that they practice what they preach, and it would help remove some anti-science goons from the gene pool.

That would ensure that they practice what they preach, and it would help remove some anti-science goons from the gene pool.
me too.