Horton Hears...A Cow!
And so little Whos of Whoville were saved by someone who believed in their right to remain. Their world on a dust speck was clearly in tatters, till Horton proclaimed: "Every voice matters!" Hollywood's "Horton Hears A Who" paints an animated universe strangely like our own... . Specifically, my mind drifted to the cows...

Today, I Give Thanks...
Prose for Thanksgiving, by Brenda Shoss

Move Over Al Quaeda! Animal Defenders Top Most Wanted
Residents probably thought a mass murderer lurked along the tree-lined streets of their neighborhood on May 26, 2004. As they rose to eat harried breakfasts and tackle the morning commute, U.S. Air Marshals circled the sky in a noisy helicopter. At 6:00 a.m. 15 gun-toting FBI agents and assorted Secret Service...

BE THEIR VOICE: Essence Of A Compelling Letter
Five years ago I was quietly single with a hunky beau and four companion animals. One day, The Boyfriend suggested that we pile his three children and my two canine kids into an RV to travel the Northeast coast. Warning: If this extraordinary notion takes hold of your senses, pack plenty of air freshener and earplugs...

Mommy's A WHAT?
In the eyes of the government and some conservative watchdog groups — Mommy is potential terrorist material. Please don't tell my family. They'll be very upset. Yet even under oath, I'm sure they would profess: "Yes, she can mouth-off. No, she is not a threat to homeland security..."

Inner Landscapes: The Emotional Voice Of Animals
9/11/01: At 8:45 a.m. American Airlines Flight 11 smashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Fifteen minutes later United Airlines Flight 175 shatters the south tower and irrevocably seizes a nation's invulnerability. Amid a frantic tangle of survivors and rescuers, Salty leads Omar Rivera from the 7lst floor...

With My Own Eyes: Activist Undercover
Matt loops a noose around the fox's neck and dangles the animal before Dan, who evaluates the coat. This one's a "kill," so the men carry him past rows of dingy fox-filled cages to the electrocution area. Dan shoves a probe into the fox's rectum and taunts him to bite down on a metal conductor in his throat. When the fox...

Help For The Helpers
At times I feel like an urban soldier armed with videos and photos. As an advocate for animals, my job is to expose cruelty and apathy. I am their witness, from the impersonal thrust of a slaughterhouse knife to the final moment they are dismantled limb by limb. I am beside the homeless when a gas chamber takes...

Marketing 101 For Animal Advocates
Coca Cola. Budweiser. PETA. Yep, PETA. Whatever your opinion of the animal rights titan — People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals has become a household brand name. Even your Republican in-laws recognize PETA as a buzz word for animal advocacy. In one form or another, all non-profits and businesses could...

The Activist's Diary: Tales From The Trenches
Ebony strands of sky coiled through downtown St. Louis as Colleen Tilford videotaped a macabre parade. The 28-year-old mom had secured a babysitter so she could accompany Ringling Bros. Circus handlers on their post-performance walk with the elephants. Crouched in the dark, she recorded the ritual march of...

Perspective: The Animal Rights Movement
As an animal rights activist I've endured my share of harsh critics, from the smart-alecky to the magnificently peeved. Mainly, I've survived really bad one-liners: "Vegetables have feelings too you know," or "So you think insects should have the right to vote?" "Get a life," the uninformed inform me as they inspect my no-animal...

Vigilante Vegan: Ending Cockfighting And Other Depravities
By Susan Gordon — I used to be against the death penalty. Then, about 20 years ago, I got involved in animal rights and saw, first hand, and with stomach churning frequency, how common human evil is. Now, while still opposed to capital punishment in the abstract, I long to be the judge, jury, and executioner for...