To the Editor:
The following is an official statement of protest regarding the series of demonstrations we have been staging against vivisection (animal experimentation) at Oberlin College. We urge all sympathizers to join us in our protests next week, to defend the rights of innocent living beings.
As members of Oberlin Animal Rights, we are here to protest the use of animals as scientific tools at Oberlin College. We believe there is absolutely no moral justification for the exploitation, involuntary suffering, and killing of any animal at the hands of human beings, including for goals of science. Scientific progress must not be made through the sacrifice of any sentient creature's life or freedom, whether that individual be human or non human. We understand the importance of scientific research and endeavors. Further, we understand the significance of this rat lab today in teaching technique and procedure for future neuroscientists and other medical students. However, we strongly hold that no end can ever justify the abuse and nonconsensual termination of a living being.
We understand the importance placed on human life, as something of great emotional and social complexity. However, it does not therefore become justifiable to expend non human lives for our own sake.
Such an act is inherently violent. Despite lower forms of consciousness or intelligence that members of other animal species may possess, their lives do not lose their fundamental moral value, they do not become expendable. In the 1940s and 50s, our government sponsored nonconsensual radiation experiments on mentally retarded children and other groups of humans who were seen in some way as less important. Just as we surely all morally condemn these actions, we must equally extend our moral respect to include all animals, whatever their intelligence or species.
Although some of us would like to, we do not plan to stop or disrupt this lab, due to threats of suspension from the college authorities. However, we will proceed to firmly protest outside of this lab room, against this lab and all further vivisection labs. We are more than willing to talk with anyone, and we plan to help set up forums next semester dealing with vivisection at Oberlin
Last, we would like to remind the students and faculty of this class that today you will be violating the freedom and well-being of living sentient creatures and eventually taking their precious lives away from them.
Copyright © 1996, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 11; December 6, 1996
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