Those Who Will Not Hear

2030:

Overseas there seems to be very little knowledge of Australia’s record of kangaroo massacring. But everywhere in the world, people are uninterested in finding out about any human brutality towards animals, whether in the abattoir or in the wild.

I remember a time when I was addressing a crowd, standing on the traditional ‘orange box’ at Hyde Park Corner in London, giving a talk and answering questions about the kangaroo situation in Australia. I was heckled so badly by one person. He made so much noise that I couldn’t be heard. I had to give it away in the end. If we’re advocates for animals, one might simply want the chance to knock other people’s views on the head. That’s one type of activist. Another might genuinely want to assist, to help advance the general consciousness. For genuinely non-violent advocates for animals, who wish to communicate on this subject, our focus should be on helping, but, and this was made very clear to me that day, only with their permission. If not granted we must retreat. This subject can cause such hostility that we can easily put people off for ever if we get aggressive with it.