At least one University professor is seeking legal counsel after The Insurgent printed a how-to manual on animal liberation that included home addresses and phone numbers of professors who conduct animal research.
Psychology professor Richard Marrocco, who in the past has endured protests outside his house because of his research on rhesus monkeys, declined to comment on the specific legal action he wants to take.
The how-to manual in the student activist newspaper also includes a pull-out primer from the Animal Liberation Front. The primer details how to become involved with the group, get past laboratory security, break locks and deal with police.
The manual includes profiles of six University professors who use animals in their laboratory research, which were originally printed in a pamphlet by Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The dossiers have information on the professors’ research, office phone numbers, e-mail addresses and, in some cases, home numbers and addresses.
Although all the contact information is printed in phone books, Marrocco said it angers him when the information is printed next to detailed instructions about how to cause criminal mischief.
“On a scale of one to 10, it’s way up there,” he said. “That’s a big one.”
The A.L.F.’s goal is to “liberate animals from places of abuse … [and] inflict economic damage to those who profit from the misery and exploitation of animals,” according to its mission statement, which was printed in the pull-out primer.
But the group stops short of advocating actual violence that could endanger animals or people.
“Any action involving violence is by its definition not an A.L.F. action,” the statement said. “In over 20 years, and thousands of actions, nobody had ever been injured or killed in an A.L.F. action.”
The Insurgent contributing writer Willie Thompson said the paper’s editorial collective made a majority decision to run the A.L.F. primer, the same process used to decide how and where the paper’s own content runs.
“One of our main goals is to provide information … not in the mainstream media,” Thompson said. “I don’t feel it is inappropriate.”
He added that the paper ran the how-to manual, including the primer, to educate people on animal research at the University and provide an avenue to foster political dialogue.
“The A.L.F. primer is given in the spirit to facilitate communication, to speak with professors,” Thompson said.
But Marrocco said any disclaimer is worthless when included in a four-page breakdown of how to successfully sabotage slaughterhouses, laboratories, fast-food restaurants and other establishments.
“They completely reverse themselves. That’s real clear,” he said.
Thompson said the paper received positive feedback from both students and community members, and ASUO President Jay Breslow was the first person to raise concerns.
Breslow said shortly after the December issue hit stands near the EMU and the University Bookstore, professors and research assistants began to call him with complaints.
He met with some professors Friday and informed them of The Insurgent’s Jan. 23 Programs Finance Committee hearing. The PFC will deliberate at the meeting how much money the paper will have next year.
Professors and students can file grievances with the PFC or Student Senate against The Insurgent, according to PFC chair Mary Elizabeth Madden. She added that anyone concerned can also come to the meetings and speak about the group.
Thompson is also a member of the PFC but said he plans to resign to focus on school before The Insurgent’s hearing.
Breslow added he will meet with University general counsel Melinda Grier later this week to discuss any legal issues that could stem from printing the contact information next to the A.L.F. primer.
If legal issues arise, it could mean The Insurgent will lose its funding.
Other professors in the how-to manual said they aren’t going to seek legal action, but they are concerned about the A.L.F.’s call to criminal mischief in general.
“I’m a strong supporter in free speech, but this manual steps a little over the line,” said biology professor Bill Roberts, whose office phone number and e-mail address were printed.
Roberts added that they are being more aware of suspicious activity in science buildings on campus since the issue premiered.
Biology professor James Weston said he isn’t taking any personal precautions, even though his office phone number is currently available in The Insurgent. He defended his experiments and called the A.L.F. primer “irresponsible publishing.”
“The students who wrote it certainly didn’t use much sense,” Weston said.