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January 26, 2010 Rescate Abierto: Open Rescues and Inspiration with Igualdad Animal’s Sharon Núñez 
Photo from openrescue.net In the (Western) world of image streams and media saturation, Igualdad Animal (Animal Equality) knows how to play the game, and be effective. Having built a strong network of supporters and activists across Spain (and now expanding to the UK, Colombia and Venezuela), the group holds close to a dozen actions per week, sometimes more, garnering public attention, generating discussion, and keeping the idea of abolishing animal exploitation circulating in the Spanish public consciousness. In all they do, whether it is rescates abiertos (open rescues) or town square demonstrations advocating veganism, Igualdad Animal does their work in a way that is ethically sound, attention grabbing, and serious. You won’t see any women in lettuce bikinis here. In this, our third conversation with Igualdad Animal founder and director Sharon Núñez, we discuss the philosophy behind IA, the importance of open rescues, and the way that image obsessed Western culture can still be touched by a serious dedication to the truth. An inspiration for abolitionist activists everwhere, Sharon and IA prove that you don’t need to resort to childish antics to garner media attention, and that demanding abolition of animal slavery can be a goal that is reached for with more than just carefully worded pamphlets. To donate via Paypal to help IA continue their open rescues, send funds to: info@igualdadanimal.org News links:
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Animal Rescues | Direct action
November 17, 2009 Voice of the Voiceless: Online and Offline Activism With Peter Young Through avenues such as facebook, blogging and twitter, the internet has arguably become a powerful avenue for activists to share information, debate topics, and organize themselves. Though many (including Peter Young) would question the value and worth of online activism, it is for many veterans in the animal advocacy movements a new and necessary tool for getting the word out about emerging issues and getting people fired up. On this week’s program we get an update on his Voice of the Voiceless website, a tool which he hopes will provide “actionable” information for activists who wish to get off the internet and hit the streets. We also discuss the Morgan, Utah, a small town that holds 13 fur farms in its tiny territory and which will be the site of the upcoming Fur Free Utah convergence. 
Peter Young is a veteran animal liberation activist and former political prisoner convicted for his role in liberating thousands of animals from fur farms across the country. Emerging from a grand jury indictment, 7 years of being wanted by the FBI, a federal prison sentence, and nearly 15 years in the animal liberation movement; today Peter is a frequent lecturer at universities and events, writer on liberation movements, and unapologetic supporter of those who work outside the law to achieve human, earth, and animal liberation. News links:
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Direct action | Farmed Animals
October 20, 2009 Local Actions and Legal Precedents: Interviews with Elizabeth Schoales and Will Potter On this installment of Animal Voices we speak directly to an activist trying to effect important change on a local level in Canada, and to a journalist bringing attention to how a new legal precedent will affect activists all over the US. 
Photo © Bill Swindaman First, we speak with Elizabeth Schoales, an activist based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. In addition to work with the Cat Action Team (the only Trap, Neuter, Return program in PEI), Schoales has been busy trying to get the Charlottetown municipal government to rethink their wildlife removal program, which results in hundreds of skunks (and other animals) being trapped and shot every year within the city limits. We also discuss the recent bust of PuppiesAcrossCanada.com, a website operating as a front for a puppy mill in PEI. [To contact Schoales about helping her with her work, please contact: animalvoices AT gmail DOT com] Next, we catch up once again with journalist and blogger Will Potter to discuss the recent upholding of convictions against the SHAC 7 by a US appellate court. Though the ruling has passed quietly and virtually unnoticed in the mainstream press, Potter gives us a grim analysis of its possible implications for what is and is not protected speech in the US. A must listen for any activists who encourage or endorse direct action as a tactic of animal liberation.
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Direct action | Law
February 17, 2009 Pushing the Envelope: Animal Rights in Spain 
Spain has quickly become a hotbed of animal rights activism, and Igualdad Animal / Animal Equality continues to be at the helm of its most radical, creative, and effective actions. This highly organized anti-speciesist and abolitionist group holds numerous actions each week to raise awareness about slaughterhouses, fur farming, bull fighting, and a host of other contentious animal practices. In this conversation, Sharon Núñez reflects on the growth of the provocative group, its often unconventional tactics (such as open rescues), the impact of knowing liberated animals, and more. News links:
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Direct action
January 13, 2009 Not Asking for Permission: Former ALF Activist Peter Young Join us for a conversation with former Animal Liberation Front (ALF) activist, Peter Young. Now famous for a series of raids on mink farms across the U.S. Midwest during 1997, and the liberation of thousands of animals, Young was indicted by a federal grand jury in 1998, on "Extortion by Interfering with Interstate Commerce", and two charges of "Animal Enterprise Terrorism". In 2005, he was arrested and convicted (though the extortion charge was dropped), serving two years and hours of community service. In this interview, Young talks about a range of issues, from his activist roots to conquering a fear of prison. We also hear his statement to the court on his day of sentencing, his reflections on that unplanned and powerful piece of prose, and a few responses to his critics. Uncompromising and unapologetic, Young takes us back to those nights—ones that he has called the most rewarding of his life—including his interactions with the mink and what it felt like seeing them taste freedom for the first time. News links:
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Direct action | Farmed Animals
July 3, 2007 From Dusk ’Til Dawn: An Interview With Keith Mann 
Whether leaf-letting on London streets or breaking into a vivisection lab under the cloak of night, Keith Mann has thrived throughout his 20-plus year career as an animal activist. As an underground Animal Liberation Front (ALF) operative, active from the early '90s, he's sabotaged fox hunts, liberated nearly 700 mice from an animal testing lab, and served serious time. As an aboveground activist, Mann advocates on mainstream media such as the BBC, appears in films such as Behind The Mask, and shares his message through a variety of other media, including in his new book, From Dusk 'Til Dawn: An Insider's View of the Growth of the Animal Liberation Movement. This Tuesday, tune in to hear Mann's perspectives on activism, incarceration, and how he's stayed afloat despite society's undertow. "Prison is nothing to fear. If we fear the consequences of our actions then we do a disservice to the animals. Like with most things in life the fear is worse than the reality and if we were all able to overcome that fear of prison, of sacrificing our liberty for the greater cause they would be unable to stop us achieving animal liberation. Sadly we have to put ourselves through some discomfort in order to make a difference."
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Direct action
June 26, 2007 Balaclavas and Beagles: Behind the Mask with Shannon Keith (Part II) 
Outside of perhaps snowmobiling or winter camping, balaclavas generally don't spur feelings of goodwill or safety. But for those who support the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), images of masked activists holding rescued animals serve as powerful emblems of freedom. Denounced as extremists and terrorists by some, and celebrated as heroes and freedom fighters by others, ALF activists remain highly controversial players within today's animal movements. Underground by nature, their personal stories often remain untold, or mediated by others. Yet, the documentary Behind the Mask attempts to change that, and thus challenge the negative perceptions surrounding these people and their actions. In this interview with attorney and first-time director Shannon Keith, we explore her award-winning film that details the perspectives of ALF activists and others who engage in direct action for animals. As a follow-up conversation to our (pre-film release) 2005 interview, Keith describes responses to the film, the editorial process, and her experiences meeting convicted ALF activists. Further, as a legal defender of activists and a prosecutor of animal cruelty cases, she not only takes us behind the scenes of the documentary, but also behind her own FBI file and the industries that profit from animal abuse. News links:
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Direct action
October 31, 2006 Igualdad Animal / Animal Equality Join us for a conversation with Sharon Núñez from Igualdad Animal / Animal Equality, a Spanish and Latin American animal rights organization. Learn how activists in Spain are raising awareness about animal treatment, and how, through a series of creative campaigns, the anti-speciesist movement is growing. From the “meat tray” actions, to chaining themselves to slaughterhouses, Igualdad Animal is dedicated to an abolitionist agenda. Outside of the North American context, Spanish activists face less legal and governmental restrictions regarding their activism.
Download mp3s of the interview: Tags: Direct action | Staff Picks
October 10, 2006 Radicals and Revolutionaries: An Interview with Maxwell Schnurer 
Why do some people become radical activists? Could poking around in their brains elicit any clues? Dr. Maxwell Schnurer, author of "They Took Ulrike Meinhof's Brain: A Comparative Study of the Causes of and Justifications for Militant Direct Action", argues against biological explanations for radical and revolutionary behaviour. Instead, Schnurer examines what activists say about their involvement in militant actions. Comparing the left-wing radicalism of the 1960s and 70s to current groups such as the ELF (Earth Liberation Front), he offers crucial insight into why people engage in extralegal activities. Schnurer, a long time animal activist, is a contributing author to the new anthology Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth (AK Press, 2006). He is currently an Assistant Professor of Communication at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (3.23 MB) and part 2 (2.61 MB) Tags: Direct action
September 26, 2006 Igniting a Debate: Environmentalism, Religion, and a Call to Action 
On this week's show we connect with Steve Best, who co-edited the provocative anthology Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth, and Lisa Kemmerer who contributed a chapter entitled, "In the Beginning: God Created the Earth and 'Ecoterrorism'". First, Best introduces Igniting a Revolution and discusses "revolutionary environmentalism", a central theme of the book. He then responds to critiques against militant activism, and concludes by reflecting on privilege and importance of multi-dimensional politics. Second, Kemmerer offers an overview of "In the Beginning" and suggests an alternative reading of Genesis, and other scripture, to support her claim that Christianity offers a moral imperative to act on behalf of animals and the earth. We also discuss her new book In Search of Consistency: Ethics and Animals, which mingles philosophy and religion. Download mp3s of the interview: part 1 (2.36 MB) and part 2 (3.5 MB) Tags: Direct action | Philosophy
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