Animal Rights Group Questions Adirondack Museum
by Editorial Staff
The organization Adirondack Animal Rights (ADK-AR) has called on the Adirondack Museum to not conduct a beaver skinning and fleshing demonstration during the American Mountain Men Encampment this weekend. According to an announcement on the Museum's webpage, “This year's encampment may include blacksmithing as well as a beaver skinning and fleshing demonstration.” The event will take place today August 20th and Saturday, August 21st at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake.
"Many local residents as well as others have joined with ADK-AR and have been contacting the Museum via email, phone calls and by leaving comments on their Facebook page telling the Museum that they are not happy with the possibility of such a demonstration," an ADK-AR press release says.
“I am deeply disturbed by this lack of compassion," ADK-AR's Founder Jessica Ryle said. "Using animal fur and flesh is no longer needed for our survival. While I find nothing wrong with celebrating our nation's history, I think it's completely unnecessary to continue to exploit other animals in this way.”
According to Ryle, museum officials told her that the animal used in the demonstration will have died from natural causes, been killed in an highway accident or met an untimely end in some other manner.
ADK-AR calls into question whether it is likely that a dead beaver will be found, and in the case of highway casualty, if it will be in a condition conducive to skinning.
20 Comments:
These people should turn off the TV and get out into the woods a little more, where they'll be disabused of their Disneyfied views of the natural world. Death is as important to life as birth.
There are a lot of legitimate animal rights issues to speak out against. This is not one of them.
(My comment presumes they're killing a live beaver to do this demonstration)
Solidago: their objection is causing death simply for the sake of showing off... which is NOT natural... Hollywoodified if you will. It's why I have no problem with someone killing a deer to eat its meat but I do have a problem with someone killing a deer for a head on the wall and nothing else.
Did the Adirondack Almanack contact the Adirondack Museum for comment, or simply rely on a biased press release for information?
Hereticus,
The piece clearly says "According to Ryle, museum officials told her that the animal used in the demonstration will have died from natural causes, been killed in an highway accident or met an untimely end in some other manner."
Did you see this story anywhere else? Feel free to point us to a more balanced approach than you've received here.
Good on adk almanack for covering this
Give me a break! Why don't these people spend their time on something more meaningful. I love animals, nature, and the ADK's, but this is really not a big deal. The ADK museum works very hard to give balanced, "real" demonstrations of life and history in the ADK's. This is just a "real" activity that takes place in the ADK's.
How about spending their time working to stop the acid rain thats killing the fish and game habitat in the adk's. I am sure their are also much meaningful animal protection issues that need to be addressed in the north country.
What could possibly be wrong with a demonstration on how to prepare a beaver pelt for marketing? Hunting and trapping furbearers in NYS is an important part of havesting our natural resources. A farmer does this with domesticated animals and except for a few extreme people, there is no complaint. Fur is used in the garment industry. It is beautiful and very practical. A beaver coat is organic too and much more efficient than a synthetic lined jacket.
Props to the Almanack for covering this and to ADK-AR for sticking up for the beavers! There is no need to use and abuse animals these days. And last time I checked, Solidago, animal rights activists can also be outdoor enthusiasts. There are loads of way to enjoy nature without killing anything.
Good for ADK-AR! How a skinning demo will explain the explotation of beaver is ludicrous. The explainations by the museum are non-sensical. I admire ADK-AR for having the guts to stand up for what is right in the face of an uncaring public who thinks animals don't deserve our time. They do.
Coulda used a good beaver joke here to lighten the mood.
I don't have a problem if, as the article says, the beaver is already dead from natural causes.
It is useful to know and to help visitors understand that people killed beavers for a reason (otherwise why would they go through the trouble of skinning them?)
Attention animal rights activists. The killing of a beaver by mans hands is as natural as a beaver building a dam made of tree branches. Man is a part of nature, lest you forget. Also they didn't say they were going draw and quarter a live beaver, only show how to skin and flesh it out properly. Those that are offended by the death of the beaver should go back to their elite little circles back in Manhattan. This is the Adirondacks where come hunting season thousands of animals are going to die. Naturally, by mans hands.
Attention critics: It's easy to attack someone while hiding behind an 'anonymous' title, isn't it? I'm the founder of ADK-AR. I'm a vegan animal rights activist. I have never lived in Manhattan and I don't come from any type of 'elite little circle'. I live on the border of the Adirondack Park. I love the outdoors. I love cycling, kayaking, canoeing, backpacking and camping. I'm working on becoming a 46er. I also don't have cable, so Solidago's comment is not applicable.
Try getting all of the facts before you jump to conclusions and criticize someone for the heinous crime of loving all species equally.
Thanks for all of the supporters out there! You'll be hearing more from us soon enough.
It is alarming how many people don't realize there are vegans and animal rights advocates living in the ADK region. I rarely watch tv, love the outdoors, have never lived in Manhattan, and definitely do not belong to any 'elite little circles'.
I'm aware there are other causes that need attention (acid rain, etc...), but that does not mean ignoring opportunities to end suffering just because they are deemed of lesser importance. It's not like this was an overly drawn out, hostile, or money making campaign. It was simply people getting together to try to make a difference for a cause we believe in - Animal Rights.
I cannot condone needless killing or exploitation. Unless you will starve without hunting, then it is not truly necessary. My dad and brother both hunt, yet I still hold fast to my beliefs.
Thank you AdkVegan and everyone else who joined this campaign.
AdkVegan and Pamela H C - To start, I think it is clear that I didn't intend for my first comment to be taken literally. The problem is that you folks equate killing and death with torture, undue suffering, etc., etc. You see it as inherently unnecessary and immoral. This is a completely naive and ridiculous view of the world and causes a lot of us who are genuinely concerned with animal welfare to roll our eyes and ignore you. We resent the loud suggestions that the rest of us are morally inferior individuals.
If you "love all species equally" you should support the killing of deer in areas where they are destroying habitat for all other species, and the killing of numerous other out of control species that are degrading habitats and/or diminishing populations of other species.
Surely you might be tempted to respond to the previous paragraph by saying that humans are the out of control species. Go ahead.
If you elevate animals to the status of humans, how do you feel about the corridors of death (roads) that run through the Adirondacks and elsewhere? I know if every time I got into the car I knew that there was a chance substantially greater than zero that I would kill a human, I would move to a city and stick to public transit. Killing and death is necessary, natural, and inevitable, and not inherently immoral as you suggest.
Why not acknowledge the place of killing and death, but work to minimize suffering associated with it. I have a radical idea for you - why not promote hunting and the consumption of game to help reduce the number of animals raised in unnatural - and often inhumane - conditions for the slaughter?
Solidago - Forgive me for assuming it was obvious that vegans and other animal rights advocates are also deeply concerned with other environmental and humanitarian causes.
It is not that I feel buying meat is better than hunting for meat. I could go on and on about the problems associated with the meat industry. The point I was making is that meat consumption itself is unnecessary to a healthy human existence. However, if you were starving and had no other option then I would not condemn your decision to hunt for food in order to survive.
There are plenty of protein sources available that do not require animal death. I have refrained from meat consumption for 24 years and have been very healthy (even through 2 pregnancies). Meat consumption is a choice not a health or medical need.
I am not trying to be argumentative here. It is just that I think people become defensive when you tell them we could live in an environmentally responsible, organically grown, meat-free world. My hope, and ADK-AR's hope, is to play a part (however small) in ending the destruction of the planet and stop the suffering of humans and animals alike.
I am so happy you are against the meat industry and appear to genuinely care about the natural environment. Most people do not consider these things and see nature and animals as expendable. I do understand your points, but I believe there are solutions to species control and habitat preservation that do not involve senseless killing.
At one time killing wolves was deemed acceptable and necessary. Now they are endangered and their prey (such as deer) have out-of-control populations. Maybe someone should've tried to save the wolves from the start to avoid these negative impacts.
Thank you for your responses, it is always necessary and crucially important to present all plausible sides of an argument. I also thank you that you have been articulate and tactful in your oppositions. This type of healthy debate is sadly disappearing in modern society. Thank you for voicing your opinions and concerns.
Your argument that we all could live in a meat free world is historically inaccurate and, in reality, if we as humans had not been meat eaters, we would probably not be alive as a species today. Only some tribes were nut gathers and some tribes were hunters and fishers. people ate what was available to them at the time. To denigrate people because of their choice in nutrition is not the same as yours is just as bad as being a racists. And that goes for both side of the issue. I am really tired of people who think their way is the only way and everyone should be like them. I personally eat mostly vegetarian but sometimes I eat meat/fish. I really don't care what your personal food preference is as long as you leave me alone with my choices. They don't hurt you!
Anonymous,
You are clearly not an anthropologist. Whether "some tribes were nut gathers and some tribes were hunters and fishers" has nothing to do with the evolution of our species.
And you are in fact entirely wrong about some tribes being gatherers and some hunters. All societies do both.
I'm a meat eater, but I really despise when people spew falsehoods to back up ridiculous claims. Historically speaking, it's quite clear that people can and have lived on a meat free diet.
You choose not to - good for you. But your claim that it has no effect on others is also wrong - the meat you eat, unless you are only eating game, is raised in polluting factory farms in an agricultural system that has a tremendous impact on our health, economics, and perhaps even cultural impacts (maybe, who knows, that our willingness to treat animals so badly has something to do with our willingness to treat each other badly).
So just to recap - you are not nearly as smart as you think you are. Do some actual research before you spew your opinions.
And try not to be so damn indignant because someone criticizes one of your choices.
Anonymous 11:17, there's little more obnoxious than someone completely ignoring the point and using some nonessential piece of a comment as a springboard to launch a vitriolic attack. Anyway...
I have no problem if one believes that killing is inherently wrong, and one wants to live his or her life according to that belief. The Jains have been doing that for millennia without a problem. Living one's life in accordance with a strongly held belief is admirable.
What I have a problem with is when people try to force their faith-based world views on others. I don't care if it is animal rights activists screaming "meat is murder," Christian fundamentalists railing against gay marriage, or the Taliban trying to establish sharia law. It is the height of arrogance.
"You eat what you like and I'll eat what I like." - Quote from Yukon Cornelius in Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer
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