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
September 10 , 2005 Meeting Minutes - Dallas
  

1. Announcements and upcoming events:

Sunday, September 18: Oak Law Parade on Wycliff, 2 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. (ACT members to arrive at 1 P.M. and wear ACT or white T-Shirt)
Saturday, September 24: American Heart Association Heart Walk Protest. 7:30 A.M. to Noon, 703 McKinney Ave.
Saturday, September 24: Our Connected Planet (Sierra Club) Conference: 1P.M. to 5:30 P.M. International Place, 4804 Spring Valley Rd, Ste 115.
Monday, September 26: FW ACT general meeting, 7 P.M. Thomas Place Community Center.
Saturday, October 1: KFC Demonstration against KFC and in celebration of World Farm Animals Day (FARM USA)
Sunday, October 16: Lone Star Vegetarian’s 17 Annual Chili Cook-off. Noon to 4 P.M. Austin Zoo (animal sanctuary)
Saturday, October 22: Walk for Farm Animals Day
Saturday-Sunday: November 5-6, PETA’s Helping Animals 101. 8A.M. to 6 P.M. Hilton Houston Plaza

2. Recaps of recent events: the following events were reviewed

September 6: KFC demonstration in Dallas had about eight people. Smaller than previous due to recent Hurricane Katrina human and non-human animal rescue efforts. The location was good for auto traffic, and we were able to hand out many leaflets and speak with people about KFC, including two women at bus station who vowed never to eat chicken again.

3. New business:
AHA HW Protest was discussed in detail. AHA HW sign making session is to be held immediately after ACT meeting. We will be making signs and placards. As many as possible were requested to stay and participate.

4. Main focus of meeting: presentation by ACLU attorney, Chris Hamilton
Chris Hamilton examined the basis of our civil rights, which is the Bill of Rights. He explained that in order to be arrested, technically the police must have either probable cause or reasonable suspicion that a crime is occurring. However, if arrested, that person has the right to remain silent and to ask for and receive the counsel of an attorney.

In protests, Chris said the best strategies for avoiding arrest are:
Do not speak disrespectfully to police
Have as many people participating in protest as possible and disband all at once
Do not let anyone goad you into breaking the law (law enforcement sometimes infiltrates a group to attempts to persuade them to law breaking)

He advised that two unbiased, impartial ACLU observers will be present at AHA HW protest to objectively view the event and observe for civil rights violations, should they occur.