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Non-Fiction
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Animal Rights Protests at Oxford Uni
By neh205
27 February 2006
Hi would really love some feedback ASAP on this one as need to submit it to my university paper pretty soon! thanks

‘WE WANT ANIMAL TESTING’
 

At first glance you may think this is a mistake or a misprint. Along with the words ‘Animal Testing’ we expect just the opposite point of view to be expressed. However, it seems as though the groups SPEAK and ALF have ruined their image, and their cause, by being too extreme. In Oxford demonstrators against Animal Rights were clearly in greater numbers than those protesting for Animal Rights. Amongst them were many students, fighting back against animal pressure groups, because they are fed up with the fear and intimidation they cause.  Together with a marked decline in sales at the Body Shop, and a survey last year indicating 75% of people supported animal testing, this event signifies a changing attitude towards animal rights and the campaigners
 

Controversy has surrounded the construction of the £18m Oxford University biomedical facility since 2004. Building work did stop on the project due to the force of opposition, but despite the efforts of the animal rights activists it is still going ahead. The groups SPEAK and ALF have made it clear that all those linked to Oxford University are potential targets, including students who are not even remotely connected to the new lab. Amazingly building contractors working on the project have been forced to wear masks to disguise their identities from angry protestors. The advocators against the biomedical facility have caused outrage by threatening the lives of Professors at the University and their children. Several activist members have already been arrested. Due to the escalating violence it is not difficult to understand why the ordinary people of Oxford have collectively turned against Animal Rights.
 

There is of course more than one side to this story. At the moment we are witnessing the reactions of people who have been caught in the middle of the argument between scientists and animal lovers. The behaviour of a minority of protestors opposing the lab is unacceptable and human lives should not be put at risk during this debate. However, crusaders for animal rights have justified reasons for disagreeing with the new biomedical facility. Although scientists like Dr Festing profess that testing on animals has been absolutely necessary for the development of medicine and science this opinion is questionable. Animal campaigners are supported by scientists like Dr Bailey, who reports that 92% of drugs testing passed on animals do not work on humans. This questions the logic of doing such harmful tests on innocent, defenceless animals. In this age of technology it is suggested that using human cells in test tubes, computer models or human subjects and DNA chips are a more accurate solution.
 

 

 Animal Rights protestors should be commended for their passion and dedication to saving the lives of animals. Due to their efforts there are less tests being done on animals now than there were a decade ago, and better conditions have been provided for animals that endure testing. The use of intimidation and violence is causing the publics sympathy to waver.  The incident at Oxford should serve as a warning to Animal Rights activists to change their tactics and campaign in a way that reflects their high moral standards as there is still a long way to go in the battle for the protection of animals, the new biomedical lab at Oxford has proved this.

Reviews
hiya
Written by neh205 (23 comments posted) 4th March 2006
would like some feedback on this please?
Hear, hear!
Written by givitsum (651 comments posted) 16th March 2006
Well written, you can tell this is something you care about not just a report. Can almost envisage you thumping the desk as you typed it. 
 
Without meaning to be argumentative though, I'm sure there's lots of parents out there who, had it not been for animal testing, may now be childless.  
 
2 gold stars!
finally a reply on the non-fiction secti
Written by neh205 (23 comments posted) 16th March 2006
thanks, this is definately something I care about and as an avid veggie feel that the lives of animals are rather degraded. Along with such issues as abortion...which i wont go into now... i just simply can not believe or understand how someone came up with the idea of testing on animals lets alone eating them! bugger those cavemen!!! 
 
However, i do recognise the other side of the coin and i hope i didnt come across too one sided in this article! but my point was more that we dont actually need animal testing now that we have all this brilliant technology, and from the results that the poor volunteers are now suffering (momentarily forgotten the name of the company and whereabouts it was but it was on the news last night!) coz the tests on animals were deemed reliable.  
 
HELLO WAKE UP CALL THIS PROVES THERE NOT! 
 
I mean realistically beacause shampoo doesnt produce an allergic reaction on a rat does that really mean it is safe for humans to use.....?? any way going off on another thread now back to what I was originally saying of course animal testing has helped advances in technolgy & i do appreciate that but there are simply more reliable ways of testing now-a-days. 
 
might do another article exploring this a bit further......... 
 
thanks again for the comments!
Welcome
Written by givitsum (651 comments posted) 16th March 2006
Just to point out I only got a GCSE in English, and as your a real-life student at Uni please don't take my opinion of 2 gold stars as a sign of quality!!  
 
Your enthusiasm and feeling shone through, I'll say that much. 
 
Good Luck with it. 
 
PS I read summat on the net about that testing thing, exploding students etc. Absoloutly UNBELIEVABLE!
2 gold stars....
Written by neh205 (23 comments posted) 17th March 2006
2 gold stars is very much appreciated! Just wish the editor had thought that as she eventually chose a piece that was more conventional than this one and included a lot more facts... oh well try again next time! might swap to features section instead of news, may have more luck there!!! :sigh  
 
I wouldn't worry what is down on paper. your posts show that you have the gift of creativity so keep up with it! 
 
NON FICTION
Written by givitsum (651 comments posted) 17th March 2006
Have you ever thought about writing a non-fiction piece on Serial Killers? I know a thing or two about 'our Pete' if you need any pointers?
I agree 100%
Written by gwynn1970 (109 comments posted) 19th March 2006
I'm sorry, but I didn't find at all funny. I prefer your poems to be honest, even if they don't rhyme. 
 
Exposure
Written by givitsum (651 comments posted) 20th March 2006
There you go neh205 you have gone from begging for a review to being the most reviewed ever in the Non-Fiction, and as a result will soon have by far the most hits! 
 
Seems you are dominating this boring section as juicy young brook_rivers dominates the Comedy. 
 
Well done again.
A bit late but
Written by Bottleblondesurfer (3298 comments posted) 20th March 2006
Just found this section of the site,been a bit of a comedy groupie. 
This isnt the sort of post where you comment on the grammar. You made me feel uncomfortable. I applaud anyone who speaks up for those who can't And despite the actions of a few funadamentalists you hold the moral high ground.Animal rights protestors are changing the culture slowly and pushing us all towards an enlightened view. I realise for you it isn't soon enough but in a few generations the idea of animal testing will be as unthinkable as drowning witches or bleeding patients in hospital. Hopefully science wil make the testing irrelevant. You might hate the scientist but they could the answer in the future. Thanks for a thought provoking post
cheers
Written by neh205 (23 comments posted) 20th March 2006
thank you for all of your encouraging comments. 
Just to clear up one issue i dont 'hate' scientists!!!  
And gwynn think you have wandered into the wrong section, this wasn't meant to be funny!!!
Sorry
Written by gwynn1970 (109 comments posted) 20th March 2006
Yes I just realised now that I must have thought I was in the comedy section thats why I thought it wasn't funny. Now I realise its meant to be in the serious section I can see the humour. Very good.

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