Some animal rights extremists are not that different to "religious" terrorists. They latch onto something and jump onto a bandwagon, often failing to see reason because they are so focused on their narrow perspective. Some awful atrocities have been committed by animal rights extremists and anti-abortion groups etc. Many people who preach animal rights themselves eat meat and meat by-products that have been produced and reared under the most terrible conditions. Don't you DARE preach to me when you don't realise where that chicken on your plate came from, fools! And please don't tell me you would gladly tolerate fleas / rats / mice and bedbugs in your house, 'cos you would not! I am all for animal rights generally, but try to temper this with some sense of priority. In my world humans take priority. If I can help a starving child or a starving cat, the child gets my support. If I had to choose between supporting a cat or a paedophile / rapist / murder / abuser I would support the cat first. I deplore abortion. I think it's wrong in almost all but a limited certain specific cases. I don't think that makes it right to go and blow up surgeons' cars! If a woman is raped or there is clear scientific proof that continuing a pregnancy could cause physical harm to mother or child, abortion may be justified. If a woman wants to use abortion almost like a means of contraception, that is totally unethical. Many people who take animal rights to extreme have been wronged by humans and shun them in favour of animals who provide a more unconditional kind of companionship and lack capacity to deceive. We have much to learn from animals but please do not forget the barbarity that goes on in the animal kingdom. I encourage people to take a broader view and look at their own issues before condemning others simply because they don't fit your narrow agenda. I'm not vegetarian. I eat organic beef once or twice a month. I check the husbandry and rearing. I act charitably where I can, where I can know and see it making a tangible difference. Do I give a damn about pigeons and rats? Not particularly, no! If I saw a pigeon with a broken wing and it was suffering, would I help it? Absolutely yes. I'm not claiming to be a perfect person but I do try to take a broader view than many people do. I have many reasons to have given up on the world, yet I haven't done so. There are probably more wonderful things than there are negative dross, but I'm not scared to exercise common sense and good judgement. So for all you ignorant people bestowing me with your "pity" that you "don't want to be patronising" (which in itself seems inherently patronising) go and stick your pity where the sun doesn't shine. You don't know me from Adam. Sort your own life out and be true to yourself!