By Mike Wagner

The dangers of activism have always been known. From the protests of Segregation during the 1960s in the U.S., to the protests of the Vietnam War in the 1970s, to even the most recent death of an activist in Brazil, (her murderers were revealed in a mass conspiracy http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050330/API/503301371) the danger to one's health doing activism is akin to a soldier in the military or a police officer.

The daughter of an independent biologist (Jennifer) has reported the most recent harm to an activist to me. The daughters name is Jennifer, and she talked with me about an incident that happened with her mother, who was doing work out in Alaska. This work was activism, trying to stop the Wolf culling that is going on.

Sometime last month, this biologist and her friends got roughed up a bit by trappers and hunters. Not too long after this, their car was vandalized. The car was crushed and it was spray painted with the words, 'Go home or else.'

A few days after this incident occurred, this biologist and her friends were ran off the road by hired hunters of the Governor of Alaska, Frank Murkowski. Apparently their injuries were bad enough to go to a local hospital. While in the hospital, they were threatened once again by hunters. As a result, this biologist and her friends have had to go underground so they would be safe.

Activists have always put themselves in danger to do the right thing, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Julia Butterfly Hill.

This is the first time that I am aware of that violence has occurred to activists in Alaska.

But it isn't surprising. The stakes are higher in the battle for wolves. Wolves will always need to be protected from those whose interests are in their destruction, the fear of harm to those who protect them is always a concern.

But hopefully this will not deter activists, but promote vigilance. For the right thing is the most difficult to do, and that is why courage, vigilance, and hope must be called to stop the continued degradation of the world. And that is what must be done.

To contact Jennifer: SheDncsWthWolves@aol.com

Copyright 2005 Heart of the Wolf http://www.heartofthewolf.org

To return home. Home