Press Officer Turns Down FBI Offer to Speak at HQ

7 July 2006
Press Officer Turns Down FBI Offer to Speak at HQ in Quantico

Canoga Park, CA: Two weeks ago one of the North American Animal Liberation Press Officers received an unsolicited offer by email from FBI Headquarters in Quantico, Virginia to speak to a classroom full of "police executives".

As long as non-human animals continue to be oppressed, imprisoned, tortured and murdered by humans for their personal pleasure and profit, the Press Office will continue to support those brave warriors who risk their lives and freedom to fight for animal liberation. And we certainly have no plans to educate state police agencies on how to catch them.

The following reply was returned this week; the original request is reprinted below that.




July 4, 2006
Dear Mr. Bringuel:

While I appreciate your offer to speak to "police executives" from around the world at the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA, I must decline to do so. My role as Press Officer with the North American Animal Liberation Press Office is to explain and support the liberation of animals who are imprisoned, tortured, exploited, and murdered by the billions; the role of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other state police agencies is to target, harass, imprison, or otherwise "neutralize" those who break unjust laws that perpetuate the oppression and slaughter of innocent, defenseless animals.

Because our goals are ideologically and diametrically opposed, there is no reason to believe that any information I impart to your classes will be employed in any manner other than to further your own illicit goals of suppression of liberation activities. I have no intention of aiding and abetting your agency by providing information and insights that might be used against activists.

I am aware that others from the animal rights/liberation movement have cooperated with your agency, but I am not interested in doing so. As you are no doubt aware, I have chosen in the past to speak to members of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the subject, but they constitute an elected body that presumably can be educated to effect change that might benefit animals. Your agency has goals pertaining only to the maintenance of the status quo (or - as you state it so characteristically - the "social order") by quashing those who challenge immoral and unjust laws.

Perhaps one day the state will recognize its obligation to stop the oppression of non-human animals - not unlike governments that have been forced to recognize the rights of various human groups in places like Algeria, South Africa, Viet Nam, and here in the United States where black humans suffered (and continue to suffer) from inhumane treatment by whites.

Some nations have stopped the most cruel practices of veal crates, chicken battery cages, and cosmetic testing on animals - while others, like Barcelona, are legislating rights for some non-human primates. Until that day when non-human beings are afforded the right to be free of human domination, I will support those who risk their freedom for the animals and will continue to educate the media about why some activists decide to go underground to liberate animals and stop the horrific crimes perpetrated daily - and with your express blessings - against non-humans.

Sincerely:

Jerry W. Vlasak, MD
Press Officer
North American Animal Liberation Press Office
www.animalliberationpressoffice.org


"When a person places the proper value on freedom, there is nothing under the sun that she will not do to acquire that freedom. Whenever you hear a person saying he wants freedom, but in the next breath she is going to tell you what she won't do to get it, or what he doesn't believe in doing in order to get it, he doesn't believe in freedom. A person who believes in freedom will do anything under the sun to acquire...or preserve his freedom."-- Malcolm X


Bringuel, Andrew wrote:

> Dr. Vlasak;
>
> My name is Andrew Bringuel and I am an instructor/researcher at the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia. I teach a course that deals with understanding the motives and tactics of activist groups/individuals and the governments response options. The class is taught to police executives from the United States and around the world through the FBIs National Academy program.
>
> The class studies both historical and contemporarily significant groups in order to understand their motives and tactics. They also look at ways government can respond to maintain social order while resolving conflict. The class is taught as a graduate level course through a partnership between the FBI and University of Virginia. I bring in different speakers representing many different world views. I am looking to establish a speakers bureau so I have a ready group of available speakers for future classes.
>
> I believe your insights as a leader in the animal rights community would be beneficial for the students. I have hosted Anthony Nocella and Charlotte Laws. Both provided valuable insight and felt the experience to be a positive one. I dont have much of a budget for guest instructors but I can pay $600 for your expenses and time. The block of instruction would be 2 hours and I am looking for a speaker for the 2nd quarter of 2007 (February/March).
>
> Let me know if you are interested or if you have any questions.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Andy Bringuel
> 703 632-1927