COLUMN-L151
A time ofgoodwill to all men may be, but what about the animals? Alex Neilson asks, as thoughts turn to the Christmas Turkey — ‘Are you living without cruelty?‘
Christmas is a time of happiness, and this is as itshould be. But many at our gitts are directly responsible for the suttering of millions of animals.
Our shops are full of animal tested products such as shaving creams, cosmetics, paints, toothpastes, soaps etc. Many companies claim that they don'ttest on animals. This is, however, a ‘con trick’ as they pay other companies to do it torthem. They often relaunch products which have been on the market loryears. The new improved version is almost an identical twin ol the first one, but itwill be tested on animals again. Therelore the brand name that you buy may kill animals ad inlinitum.
An experiment used tor this purpse is the Draize Test, where rabbits have high concentrations at substances torced into their eyes. Ulceration is common. The L.D.50 (Lethal Dose
50%) ends when hall olthe animals used have died at poisoning. Dogs may be forced to consume a new hairspray or pesticide.
I can’t understand how anyone can wear a lur coat knowing the cruelty involved. Synthetic coats are warm, but then again don’t have the ‘snob value’ that appeals to the people who wearlur coats. By wearing turyou condone the imprisonment and slaughter ol tens of millions ol animals each year. Which is worse, spending your entire lite in a small cage or dying in a gin trap?
But what Christmas really singles out tor exploitation is the turkey. Isn’t it strange thatthe birth otJesus is now associated with a ritual where tamilies celebrate by teasting on a corpse? You might pay your money to the butcher, but the real price was paid by the turkey. A short lite in a dark shed, is ended at the ‘processing plant' where theirthroats are cut by an automatic knile. The unlucky ones are still alive when they plunge lnto boiling water.
When you buy something, anything, you are condoning the method by which it was produced. Your money pays tor these atrocities and condemns billions ot unborn animals to a similar late in the tuture.
It you agree with my views don’t be a hypocrite, or suttering will continue tor ever. Only buy cosmetics with ‘not tested on animals' on the label. It you can’t tind lree range eggs, don't buy eggs. Start having at least two vegetarian meals a week until you don’t need meat. There are about three
million vegetarians in the UK including vegans with vegan grandchildren.
In addition to unhealthy animal tats which are linked with heart disease, meat is lull ot chemicals, such as growth hormones, to increase the tarmers’ profits. The yolks of battery eggs are grey. The yellow colour comes from a dye ted to the chickens. Hard to believe? This is only the tip at the iceberg.
There is strong link between meat eating and Third World starvation. During 1984 the UK imported 21.4 million worth otanimal feed from Ethiopia. 80 while Ethiopians were dying, we were leeding their protein to our animals. 40 percent at the world’s grain is led to animals, so this isn’t a treak incident. On average, animals such as cows consume up to ten times more (vegetable) protein than they eventually turn into meat (this happens because animals use this energy to keep warm, breathe, move and turn it into non-foods such as bone, eyes, skin). It makes much more sense to eat vegetable proteins. It’s healthiertoo.
Most of the world’s problems are the result at people doing things without thinking. We eat foods that damage our bodies, buy products that damage the environment, and insult each other every day. Few people deliberately hurt other people, oranimals, but our lack ol awareness to their needs make it inevitable.
ll our descendents are to live worthwhile, healthy lives, we must act quickly. Educate yoursell as a consumer. It the lacts behind what you buy ottend you, don’t buy it.
Please make this Christmas your llrst at many cruelty-tree ones, and Spare The Turkey!
Formore information on the ‘Living Without ( 'ruelty' campaign, please send a we to Lothian Animal Rights, Box 2, 43 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh [5H] ZQB. Or visit the 1.. W. ( '. Exhibition in the Central Library. George IV Bridge. Edinburgh between 5 December and
‘ /L1V1No\ «WITHOUT» oRUEL'IW ‘
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GOING UNDER—GROUND
Going Under-Ground There are signs that Glasgow is not. after all. about to lose Alice Underground— the most anarchic and flippantly designed pub in the city. Last week it was announced that it, together with Edinburgh‘s Electric Circus disco were in the hands ofthe receiver. Although owned by separate holding companies, the two establishments had the same shareholders. Both Alice Underground (pictured) and the Electric Circus are still being run on a commercial basis by receiver Murdoch McKillop ofArthur Anderson and a spokesman said they had had several offers already. He described them as ‘superbly well organised establishments’ and said that although the books were currently being examined, early indications were that the reasons for liquidation were commercial rather than operational. Both establishments are being sold as they stand which is good news for'the pub. which the receivers admit shows ‘an enormous amount of imagination.‘ The liquidation comes shortly after Alice Underground was featured prominently in both Elle and the Scotsman Magazine. It was designed by Glaswegian Edmond Smith. who has also been responsible for Glasgow's Ultrateque and Cotton Club as well as several prestigious discos in America. His other work includes The Muscular Arms. Glasgow‘s first ‘theme‘ pub which currently stands abandoned and empty in West Nile Street. It would be a terrible blow if the same fate were to lie in store for Alice Underground.
STAGES OF COMPASSION
This fortnight sees a host ofcharity performances of various types throughout Scotland. The first and certainly the biggest is at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal on 30 November when artists such as Randy Crawford. Andy Cameron, Jimmy
Ruffin and Jane Asher are involved in a gala evening in aid of Help the Aged. Tickets are priced £7.50—£50, but this does not include a suggested donation. For top price ticket holders the concert will be followed by a meal and dancing at the city‘s Hospitality lnn.
Two further charity concerts take place on Sunday 7 December. The Theatre Royal is again the venue for A Concert For Paul. Bill McCue, Una McLean and Scottish Ballet are involved in a night of music. dance and poetry in aid of the Cancer Research Campaign. The evening has been organised by the opera singer Marie Slorach, whose nephew Paul Charles Jensen died of cancer last year, aged sixteen. On the same night, Edinburgh‘s St Mary‘s Cathedral. Palmerston Place hosts Scotland‘s second Classical Aid concert. Organiser Martin Eastwood says the evening has two priorities: ‘to make lots ofmoney and be a very exciting musical event.‘
December is the month for Dance
for Africa. a nationwide explosion of dance activity aimed at raising money for UNICEF‘s Children In Need fund. There will be performances from all of Scotland‘s major dance groups including ‘window dressing‘ in Edinburgh as well as dancing on the streets of Glasgow and focusing on community participation.
For further information on these events. see relevant Listings sections.
FESTIVE FAIR
As all the Christmas ‘gift‘ exhibitions get underway in Edinburgh and Glasgow. a handful ofgalleries have bigger fish to fry. From 4—7 December, the Scottish Gallery and 369 Gallery of Edinburgh and the Glasgow Print Studio will be selling and promoting their wares at the first International Art Fair. Joining over 100 galleries, mostly commercial. from 15 countries, they will be setting up stands in the Convention Centre, downtown Los Angeles.
2 The List 28 Nov — 11 Dec