Day 288 - 28 Oct 96 - Page 28


     
     1        23I.  If I can just make a point about Mr. Walker's
     2        statement that as a result of the food industry the
     3        suffering of the animals is inevitable.  Can I say that
     4        that is to us an acceptance, an admission, by him that the
     5        food industry is causing the suffering, because he says 'as
     6        a result of the food industry'.  So, the suffering, the
     7        food industry, is responsible for, is causing, the
     8        suffering of animals inevitably, is how we would read
     9        that.
    10
    11        Just a couple of further points.  That the back page of the
    12        fact sheet, and all sections, should be seen as part of the
    13        context of the fact sheet and, obviously, it contains the
    14        general overall positive alternatives being put forward by
    15        London Greenpeace and what people can do, which gives the
    16        context which I have explained for the rainforest section.
    17        Sorry, if I can find it -- but even more so, for this
    18        section of the leaflet, because much of it is about
    19        practical things that people can do in their everyday lives
    20        to avoid suffering of animals, for example, by being
    21        vegetarian.  All that kind of stuff.
    22
    23        It is important in defeating the malice claimed by the
    24        Plaintiffs, but also in providing a context for the words
    25        complained of, that they are seen in the light of positive
    26        alternatives and the contrast - what it is saying about the
    27        animals, for example, is the contrast, is not the suffering
    28        contrasted with other companies or contrasted with...
    29        Anyway, all implicated clearly in the "everything must go"
    30        box, but the contrast is not that are the conditions worse
    31        than the normal conditions in the industry.
    32
    33        The point is, the normal conditions that pertain to the
    34        food industry are contrasted with the rights of animals to
    35        live their own lives and not be used at all.
    36
    37   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Why do you not let Ms. Steel get on with her
    38        submissions on the facts in relation to the three species I
    39        am concerned with and then if you want to make -- I suggest
    40        the time for general comments like this is at the end.  I
    41        mean, you made that comment before.  All I need to note is
    42        that you make the same point with regard to animals as you
    43        do with regard to the rainforest.
    44
    45   MR. MORRIS:   Yes.  I mean, maybe it is particularly pertinent
    46        to this section because of some of the points made on the
    47        last page.
    48
    49        There was only one further point I wanted to make about
    50        meaning, if I may make it, which is it may be worth noting 
    51        that what McDonald's say in their press release, the April 
    52        1994 press release, which was the subject of the 
    53        counterclaim on animals ----
    54
    55   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Just read that bit out to me.  I will not
    56        turn up the actual document.
    57
    58   MR. MORRIS:   It is not much really.  They say the leaflet
    59        states, that is the fact sheet, that McDonald's is
    60        responsible for torturing/slaughtering animals; and their

Prev Next Index