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Published online 15 April 2009 | Nature 458, 813 (2009) | doi:10.1038/458813a
News: Q&A
Bomb spurs research rally
Neuroscientist David Jentsch talks about the firebombing that led him to set up a demonstration in support of animal research.
On 7 March David Jentsch, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), had his car firebombed outside his house by animal extremists. In response, he formed the group UCLA Pro-Test to oppose such extremism and advocate continued research on animals.
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Universities as anti-terrorist agencies? Chat with Ann Berlin on ALF to get a sense of the problem. There is no negotiating. The whole bucket adds up to terrorism, and we are called the 'puppy killers', and they use PGP available on their site. It's international in scope, another delightful gift from the UK. I have a big puppy, harmless and happy but insists on coming everywhere with me. Don't need no gun pump, I'll use my hands. Do international epidemiology, so I'm used to tracking anything down that breaths. In medicine we have a term: "take no prisoners." All you do is gasoline? Primitive. You're waking up the wolves. Tom
I think this is a great idea! It seems that the so-called animal rights people seem to have very little idea of whats actually involved in animal research. Hopefully educating the general public will promote better understanding and leave the extremists with no public support. In addition, researchers have understandably been reluctant to talk about thier research, which opposition takes as signs that "evil" is being carried out. Being open and willing to discuss research methods hopefully might help to change this opinion some of this!
No matter, what the reasons, and the ideology behind it, violence is unacceptable.