Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct. Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit. The roots of cruelty, therefore, are not so much strong as widespread. But the time must come when inhumanity protected by custom and thoughtlessness will succumb before humanity championed by thought.

Dr. Albert Schweitzer
August 13 , 2005 Meeting Minutes - Dallas
  

1. Announcements:
• Gay Pride Parade Sept. 18: Announced that ACT will participate. Request was made for someone to volunteer a convertible for use in parade, in which a bear will be featured.
• American Heart Association Heart Walk Demonstration: Sept. 24 in the West End, 703 McKinney Avenue. Discussed event details, sign making/carpools/media. Encouraged demonstration attendance.
• Presented Heart Walk Pre-Demonstration Activist’s Activities, titled “Put the ACT in Activist!” This action plan outlines specific actions that all activists should undertake, prior to the event and will be posted on the Web site..

2. Recaps of recent events:
• Circus: Record number of demonstrators participated in Dallas and FW circus protest this year. Fort Worth Star-Telegram covered the protest.

3. Presentation on Animal Rights 2005 Conference (see details below)

4. New business (member suggestions, etc.):
• Event coordinator master list (about 2 minutes). Asked for volunteers to take on either a coordinator or work group assignment for key ACT roles, such as March of Dimes demonstration, newsletter, and outreach (tabling) coordinators. Distributed a sign-up sheet.

Animal Rights 2005 Conference
Organized by Farm Animal Reform Movement, www.farmusa.org outlines of talks can be found at www.arconference.org/outlines/

New Groups:
• Animal Acres, Los Angeles - new sanctuary founded by Lori Bauston (formerly of Farm Sanctuary)
• Responsible Policies for Animals, Inc. – www.rpaforall.org seeks to end publicly-funded “animal science” programs
• Bureau of Humane Law Enforcement – www.bhleonline.org - groups which trains itself to enforce humane laws

Movies:
• Behind the Mask – made by attorney Shannon Keith, www.uncagedfilms.com – needs donations
• All My Heroes Still Wear Masks. This was a stirring and disturbing video of some of the atrocities committed by Huntington Life Science Labs and heroic efforts of the Animal Liberation Front to free tortured animals.
• Conference talk CD – A featured speaker from the conference.
• Operation Piggie Rescue – www.gbglobal.org – selling tickets to raise funds
• McLibel – www.cinemalibrestudio.com - about the longest running trial in English history, McDonald's vs. two Greenpeace activists

Resources/Exhibitors: The following magazines and publications were distributed for inspection.
• www.alternativeoutfitters.com (vegan shoes, purses, belts, T-shirts, cosmetics etc.)
• www.ethixgear.com (modern vegan clothes)
• www.foodfightgrocery.com (vegan grocery)
• www.playfood.org - (raw sauces)
• www.veganunlimited.com (all types of vegan products)
• www.saenonline.org – Lots of resources for investigating vivisection
• www.veganmusclepower.com – spokesperson of Undercover TV, info on body building
• www.seac.org – lots of organization guides in the resources section
• VegNews magazine
• Sayta magazine
• E magazine
• Born Free magazine
• Animal Place Campus Catalog – animal rights group scheduling AR classes
• Romania Animal Rescue, Inc. – video of poisoning of strays
• 101 Reasons Why the Human Diet is Rooted Exclusively in Plants – www.rexbowlby.com
• allveganshopping.com

Fundraising:
• Lantern Books Essay Competition
• www.bowlingfortheanimals.org
• Bring a friend to lunch day with local restaurant
• Guidestar – to look for grants

Knowledge:
• Marine parks are only required to make 5% of shows educational, the rest is entertainment, yet they claim education as their main justification.
• Send articles/letters to the editor that support AR positions or criticize their practices to the companies involved
• Managing Activism, by Denise Deegan – manual for companies to try to neutralize us
• Secrets and Lies, by Nicky Hagar and Bob Burton – expose of how governments and business interests can use public relations to manipulate political debate
• Vegetarians are more educated and have a higher socioeconomic status than average
• Media tips: Provide interviewers with seemingly difficult questions to ask you. Use facts and quotes from the opposition.