Animal Rights November kicks off with "The Animal Rights Debate."

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Thursday October 28, 2010 16:33 by Slinky

Animal Rights - the theory and the practice.

A month-long series of events featuring lectures, videos, and presentations.

Every Tuesday evening, November 2010.
Theatre Q, Main Arts Building (Newman),
UCD. (events from 6 – 7pm and 7.15 - 9.45pm)
and Seomra Spraoi, Belvidere Court, Dublin 1 (for week 1 events).

Animal Rights November.

Every Tuesday evening, November 2010.
Theatre Q, Main Arts Building (Newman),
UCD. (events from 6 – 7pm and 7.15 - 9.45pm)

WEEK 1 - (2nd November): The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation.

Professor Gary L. Francione (Rutgers University, live via Skype from the US) and Professor Robert Garner (University of Leicester, via videocast) will present themes from their newly-published book, The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation, on animal advocacy, animal welfare and animal rights, and the value - or otherwise - of different campaigning strategies.
Gary Francione will also be available to take questions from the audience.

The Early Bird Hour. 6-7pm.
Each week’s agenda, with the exception of the last week in November, will feature a short film or some other event, beginning at 6pm to 7pm.

This week: The Irish Animal Education Trust presents “PARTITIONS.”
A short video about small farmers and their attitudes to the animals they rear and send to slaughter.
(The Early Bird programme is subject to late change.)

WEEK 2 - (9th November.): “HOME.” One of the most important films of all time, first released in 2009 on
World Environment Day.

Documentary about the present day state of the Earth, its climate and how we as the dominant species have long-term repercussions on its future. Includes footage of the beginning of the natural world, starting with single-celled algae developing at the edges of volcanic springs. By showing algae’s essential role in the evolution of photosynthesis, it also explores the innumerable species of plants which all have their origins in this one-celled life form.

The focus switches to the agricultural revolution and its impacts, the harnessing of oil, leading to fire, industry, cities and inequality gaps like never before. The film examines the impact of cattle ranches, deforestation, food and water shortages, the over-quarrying crisis and the shortage of energy, namely electricity. Cities such as New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Shenzhen, Mumbai, Tokyo, and Dubai are used as examples of the mismanagement and wastage of energy, water and food. The film also focuses on global warming and the carbon crisis. Home shows how melting glaciers, rising sea levels and changing weather patterns are ravaging the people who have least to do with climate change, but also how it soon will affect rich populous areas.

“HOME is the story of the earth and the evolution of sentient life, and how human beings have, in a fairly short time, brought our planet to the brink of disaster. The narration is intelligent and those who know little about ecology will come away with considerable expertise. Those who are already knowledgeable will learn even more.

“As far as the animal issue is concerned, HOME is better by miles than Al Gore’s document, An Inconvenient Truth, which was a surprise given that some of HOME’s sponsors produce animal products. There is explicit criticism of intensive agriculture and discussion about the inefficient use of resources (grains, water) used to produce meat. Although the film certainly does not advocate veganism, that is the logical implication of its message. As I have argued for longer than I care to remember, anyone who cares at all about the environment should be vegan even if she/he does not care about the moral issue involved in animal exploitation. HOME is a desperately needed wake-up call.” Law professor and animal rights philosopher, Gary L. Francione.

The Early Bird Hour. 6-7pm.

Living With the Enemy. (30 mins)
What happens when a vegan activists lives on an animal farm? This fascinating BBC documentary shows vegan John Curtin living for a few days with farmer Henry Yates.

Professor Tom Regan on the Late Late Show. (30 mins)
This is Tom Regan’s appearance on The Late Late Show (circa 2000). Regan explains his version of animal rights theory, his opposition to violence, and takes questions from mystified and sometime hostile audience members. You are invited to count the number of mistakes Pat Kenny makes in his account of animal rights.

WEEK 3 - (16th November): EARTHLINGS. A film by Shaun Monson, narrated by Joaquin Phoenix.

A documentary about humankind’s economic dependence on nonhuman animals raised as pets, food, clothing, entertainment and for scientific research.

“Of all the films I have ever made… this is the one that gets people talking the most.” Joaquin Phoenix.

“For those who watch Earthlings, the world will never be the same.” Professor Tom Regan, author of The Case for Animal Rights.

ALL EARTHLINGS WELCOME.

The Early Bird Hour. 6-7pm.

2009 Vegan News Interview with Professor Gary Francione, author of Animals, Property and the Law, Rain without Thunder, Introduction to Animal Rights and Animals as Persons.

Professor Francione speaks about his concept of “moral schizophrenia,” the case of footballer/dog fighter Michael Vick, single-issue campaigns, vegetarian first, animal welfarism, Peter Singer, PETA, self-awareness in nonhuman animals, Tom Regan, welfare reform and the property status of animals, KFC and gassing chickens, the economics of agriculture, supply and demand, animal experimentation, vegan advocacy, leaders, capitalist animal users, and violence.

WEEK 4 - (23rd November): Undercover - Images You Were Never Meant to See.

Advances in technology means that undercover footage of animal use, especially in slaughterhouses, farms and circuses, frequently comes to light. How effective are these exposés and how have the countermovements responded?

The presentation will include what is probably the most famous footage from inside an animal laboratory, shot by the researchers themselves, and never meant to be seen by the public.

The Early Bird Hour. 6-7pm.

Interview with the director of The Animals Film, Victor Schonfeld.

Victor Schonfeld looks back at the production of the film and talks about the impact it had and its continuing relevance. This interview is a great introduction to next week’s feature, The Animals Film.

WEEK 5 - (30th November): The Animals Film - A film by Victor Schonfeld and Myriam Alaux.

This famous ground-breaking film, recently re-released to celebrate its 25th anniversary, was instrumental in inspiring a huge growth in animal advocacy in the early 1980s. If you want to see what caused the biggest boost in action for animals in history, then see this film.

Narrated by actress Julie Christie, Victor Schonfeld and Myriam Alaux’s film helps us explore the attitudes and the norms and values that allow us to exploit other animals on a massive scale.

The Animals Film pioneered the style of documentary filming we now take for granted in the work of film makers such as Michael Moore. It includes cinéma vérité sequences, secretly-filmed footage, advertisements, cartoon footage, rock music, and a range of interviews with farmers, animal experimenters and animal advocates.

Music by Talking Heads and Robert Wyatt.

“I do not know when I have come out of a press show so moved by the power of the cinema as a medium to transform the entire sensibilities of an audience,” Alan Brien, Sunday Times film critic.

“Fancy a roast this Sunday? First watch The Animals Film,” Ken Russell, film director.