Not participating in Short Hills protest

RE: PETITION CALLS FOR END TO SHORT HILLS BARRICADE, NOV. 11

I am writing you concerned about the use of a photo from last year’s protest against the Short Hills hunt in an article about this year’s.

I would like to clarify that At War For Animals Niagara is not participating in the protest this year, at all, in any capacity. Our group is obviously against the killing of non-human persons for any reason, by any persons.

There is no acceptable religious or traditional reason to take the life of another. No exceptions.

However, we find the dynamics of this specific action do not fit with our group’s stated mission, which is to attack speciesism in our community.

There are too many at this protest whose values do not line up with ours, and we find this clouds and undermines our message.

We oppose this and all hunts specifically from the stance that all animals are persons, and deserve the same protections and treatment that human persons enjoy.

However, we refuse to stand with those who actively hunt, but oppose this specific hunt for questionable reasons. I also find it very troublesome to stand with people who murder and consume non-human persons, but oppose others engaged in the same behaviour.

There are many at this protest with good hearts, who are there for the animals, but the presence of these others distorts the message to one I do not feel comfortable supporting.

Adam Stirr

Co-founder, At War For Animals Niagara St. Catharines