newest entry 2003-02-16 8:53 p.m.


Leslie Kaminoff, who runs the wonderful yoga newsgroup E-Sutra, has opened a yoga studio in New York that emphasizes classical yoga with individualized attention from teachers. It's called The Breathing Project and the grand opening is on March 3. Also, the week of March 17-23, all classes are free!


A friend of mine keeps sending me these e-mail announcements and flyers from ALF (Animal Liberation Front) and I usually just delete them, but today I asked her not to send me any more of this stuff. (I had actually asked her once before but she forgot). I have done enough research into ALF to know that I really don�t trust them or their tactics.

Here�s an excerpt from an interview with ALF�s former publicist:

Q. What is the ALF's stance on non-violent direct action?

A. The ALF has a code of conduct which states that all actions must be carried out without harming or killing any life, animal or human. This is the ALF's "non-violence guideline" and in the history of the ALF actions, that code has never been breached. The ALF believe that, by definition, violence cannot be committed against inanimate objects and things which are not alive, and cannot feel pain and suffer. One cannot injure a brick or a pane of glass. Therefore the destruction of property is not viewed as a violent activity, even if it involves the use of aggressive tactics such as fire. Further, when certain buildings, tools and other property are being used to commit violence against life, the ALF believe that the destruction of property is justified.

First of all, on what planet is arson and firebombing considered "non-violent"? I think it's naive of the ALF people to think that setting fires, blowing up cars and cutting the brake lines of trucks (all common ALF strategies) aren�t going to hurt anyone, nor that people attracted to the violence of blowing up buildings aren't going to cross the line quite easily into harming people. Even worse than naivete, it is probably a calculated expectation: to radicalize people, teach them how to set fires and build incendiary devices, send them off to do violence, and then step back and say, "Well, we told them not to hurt anybody..."

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