The Nature Of Wellness

Cont. from page 1

So the question is how do we debunk the centuries-old myths “all breakthroughs in medicine are due to animal experimentation” and the classic “animal research saves human lives?” Clearly, there is only one way. Somebody has to deprogram 260 million Americans. And this can only be achieved by presenting cogent and articulate arguments through a massive and relentless media campaign aimed at both the legitimization of the issue of scientific anti-vivisectionism and the education of the public. The truth is that we must preach not only to the unconverted, but also to most animal lovers who consider themselves as part of the 'converted' because they, too, believe that at least some animal experimentation has benefited humankind.

In other words, what has to be killed here are the pseudo-scientific concepts on which vivisection rests; namely, that it is possible to recreate human disease in the laboratory upon non-human animals (the “animal model” of human disease); that it is possible to extrapolate data between different species; and that it is possible to predict human reactions to drugs and other chemical substances by testing them first in animals. These are the lies upon which vivisection rests. These are the lies which, once destroyed, will stop all vivisection forever. And these are the lies that if allowed to go unchallenged, will keep vivisection going until the very end of time - no matter how gruesome and horrifying the suffering of the lab animals may be.

I also know that some of our supporters feel that if we tried to eliminate animal research gradually - instead of calling for its total and unconditional end - we could make progress much faster. For example, they point out the successes made over the last few years in the area of cosmetics testing. The sad truth is that today, barely a year away from the turn of the century and from the beginning of a brand new millennium, there are still many companies that continue the medieval ritual of testing their cosmetics, personal care items, and household chemicals on animals. Why?

Because the CONCEPT that supports animal testing, the myth that animals can predict human reactions to chemicals, has NOT been destroyed. For if it had, not only would ALL cosmetics testing on animals have already been stopped, but so would have the animal testing of industrial and commercial chemicals, agricultural pesticides, and even pharmaceutical drugs. A chemical is a chemical. Besides, the testing of chemicals constitutes only about 20 percent of all animals used in vivisection - and even then, cosmetics testing is only a small part of all chemical testing.

So what about the remaining 80 percent of vivisection? Roughly five percent is in the area of training and demonstrations (practice surgery, classroom dissection of live animals). The remaining 75 percent of all animals used (an estimated 75 million animals used in the U.S. alone each year) are in the area of sacrosanct biomedical research. Here, we are no longer talking about cosmetics and vanity. We are talking about life and death! We are talking about the 'animal model' of human cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, AIDS, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer’s, etc. And of course, the latest 'miracles' of organ transplantation, genetic manipulation, and cloning.

As far as biomedical research is concerned - which, again, consumes the overwhelming number of animals used in vivisection - some supporters feel that if we were a bit more flexible in connection with our unshakable position that ALL vivisection is inherently and conceptually fraudulent, and that if we “admitted” that perhaps some animal research has benefited humankind, we would have a better chance at stopping the “totally unnecessary” and the “cruelest” of experiments.

But this approach implies that the CONCEPT on which vivisection is based is theoretically sound and that it CAN work - if the experiment is 'properly conducted.' Clearly, this means that if one experiment can work, two can also work. And if two can work, then, if properly conducted, 20 million experiments can work, too! It is precisely this meek, bankrupt approach that has allowed biomedical research on animals to go on for centuries. This regulationist posture has allowed every vivisector in the world to claim that his/her experiments are the sound ones, the ones that will cure all the dreaded diseases!

Finally, I want you to know that in the 80’s, I organized the biggest demonstrations against vivisection ever held in Southern California. The problem with demonstrations is that the industry-beholden media can make them or break them. In other words, if the media decide not to show up - which is what is generally happening in the 90’s - then the public does not receive the message. And if they do show up - like they used to during our demonstrations held in the 80’s - chances are that they will distort the message by depicting demonstrators as anti-human, anti-science, anti-progress misguided fools who prefer rats over babies.

This is why The Nature of Wellness has launched a long-overdue and unprecedented national public education campaign. A campaign over which we have full control, a campaign delivering a message that cannot be distorted in any way, shape, or form. A campaign that can reach tens of millions of uninformed Americans. I am talking about the airings of our new and most powerful documentary Lethal Medicine on various broadcast TV stations in major cities across the country.
This is what must be done. We must be able to reach every American city, every American home with well-produced programs that present the message of scientific anti-vivisectionism - documentaries on television, radio programs, ads in newspapers and magazines, billboards in the streets and on the sides of buses... Everywhere! When the issue of vivisection is no longer out of sight, it will no longer be out of mind. I envision an 'in your face' type campaign where millions of Americans will no longer be able to hide in denial.

All I am saying is this: If we fail to educate the public as to the reasons that make animal experimentation not only useless but also counterproductive, then no other remedy will ever be able to stamp out the most horrifying crime ever committed against both human and non-human animals.

I only hope you will help The Nature of Wellness enter the 21st century with a national media campaign in place that will allow us, for the first time ever, to be realistically optimistic about the chances of bringing about the total abolition of vivisection.

Javier Burgos
Founder/President
Co-producer of Lethal Medicine

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