Gary Yourofsky
Encyclopedia
Gary Yourofsky is an American animal rights
activist
.
Yourofsky became an activist in 1996, founding Animals Deserve Absolute Protection Today and Tomorrow (ADAPTT).
He has been arrested 13 times between the years 1997–2001, and has spent 77 days in a Canadian
maximum security prison in 1999, after raiding a fur farm in Canada, liberating 1,542 mink
in 1997.
Yourofsky was sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA) between the years 2002–2005, and has lectured about veganism
to more than 60,000 students in middle school, high school and college.
Yourofsky has been banned from five countries, including Canada and England
.
, played guitar
, and dreamed of being a goaltender
in the National Hockey League
.
He left the circus when dancing bears wearing ballet tutu
s were brought out in front of the audience.
He started researching the treatment of animals in several industries, and became a vegetarian
, then a vegan.
In 1996, Yourofsky founded Animals Deserve Absolute Protection Today and Tomorrow (ADAPTT), a vegan organization opposed to any usage of animals. By 2001, the organization had amassed around 2,200 members.
On March 30, 1997, Yourofsky, alongside 4 members of the Animal Liberation Front
(ALF), raided a fur farm in Blenheim, Ontario
, Canada, and liberated 1,542 mink, who were scheduled to be slaughtered for their fur. The raid reportedly caused damage estimated at C$
500,000 to the farm. He was arrested by Canadian officials, and sentenced to six months in a Canadian maximum-security prison in 1999. Out of the six months, Yourofsky spent 77 days in prison.
The experience affected Yourofsky, who said "[he] was no more than an animal in the zoo. It wasn't pleasant", and that it has reinforced "[his] empathy and understanding of what these animals go through".
In the fall of 2000, Yourofsky received $10,000 from PETA, to fund the broadcasting of a commercial against "the animal slavery enterprise known as the circus". The commercial was broadcasted 69 times on a local television channel.
In 2001, Yourofsky began facing financial problems. In an interview with Jack Lessenberry, a professor in Wayne State University
, Yourofsky stated he is "in debt up to [his] ears", and that "[he owes] at least $30,000 on credit cards".
His financial troubles reportedly halted his activism for a brief period of 3 months that year.
call from Ingrid Newkirk
, president of PETA, who offered him a job. Employment negotiations between the two ended on May 20, 2002, with Yourofsky being made the organization's official, national lecturer. In an open letter sent by Yourofsky on May 28, 2002, he described his excitement, saying that "[getting] a call and/or a request from Ingrid is like getting a call from the Godfather's Don Corleone. It's an offer one can't refuse."
Several of Yourofsky's supporters felt that his decision to join PETA was "selling out
", because he had expressed dislike towards several large animal rights organizations, including it. Yourofsky responded to the criticism in the open letter sent on May 28, 2002, saying that "[...], those closest to me know that I have been growing wiser as each year of activism passes. I used to be flat-out vituperative when it came to PETA and other groups who didn’t do things my way. But last year I started to realize that my acrimony was wrong and wasteful..."
, the strategies used by PETA, and its president, Ingrid Newkirk:
Yourofsky also added that "[...] under Newkirk's guidance, she has single-handedly turned the animal liberation movement into a mockery with her naked women campaigns and cartoon-costumed protests."
. When asked how he feels about bacteria
being killed when he cooks food, Yourofsky responded that "you have the right to defend yourself and kill something that’s harming you."
He also added:
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
.
Yourofsky became an activist in 1996, founding Animals Deserve Absolute Protection Today and Tomorrow (ADAPTT).
He has been arrested 13 times between the years 1997–2001, and has spent 77 days in a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
maximum security prison in 1999, after raiding a fur farm in Canada, liberating 1,542 mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
in 1997.
Yourofsky was sponsored by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
(PETA) between the years 2002–2005, and has lectured about veganism
Veganism
Veganism is the practice of eliminating the use of animal products. Ethical vegans reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, while dietary vegans or strict vegetarians eliminate them from their diet only...
to more than 60,000 students in middle school, high school and college.
Yourofsky has been banned from five countries, including Canada and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Early life
Gary Yourofsky was born on August 19, 1970, in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He grew up in Oak ParkOak Park, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,863.8 persons per square mile . There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile...
, played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and dreamed of being a goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
1996–2001: Early years as an activist
Yourofsky traces his animal rights advocacy to the early 1990s. His stepfather was volunteering as a clown in a circus, and offered him a backstage tour. During the tour, Yourofsky saw an elephant chained to a post, with scars behind its ears. Yourofsky was shocked, "I looked into the elephant’s eyes and all I saw was sadness and despair."He left the circus when dancing bears wearing ballet tutu
Ballet tutu
A tutu is a skirt worn as a costume in a ballet performance, often with attached bodice. It might be single layer, hanging down, or multiple layers starched and jutting out.There are several types of ballet tutu:...
s were brought out in front of the audience.
He started researching the treatment of animals in several industries, and became a vegetarian
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
, then a vegan.
In 1996, Yourofsky founded Animals Deserve Absolute Protection Today and Tomorrow (ADAPTT), a vegan organization opposed to any usage of animals. By 2001, the organization had amassed around 2,200 members.
On March 30, 1997, Yourofsky, alongside 4 members of the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
(ALF), raided a fur farm in Blenheim, Ontario
Blenheim, Ontario
Blenheim is a community located in south-central Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,800.- History :By 1783, there were French settlers in Detroit and Windsor. There were also settlers in the Niagara and Kingston region, but no real settlers to speak of in the Kent County region...
, Canada, and liberated 1,542 mink, who were scheduled to be slaughtered for their fur. The raid reportedly caused damage estimated at C$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
500,000 to the farm. He was arrested by Canadian officials, and sentenced to six months in a Canadian maximum-security prison in 1999. Out of the six months, Yourofsky spent 77 days in prison.
The experience affected Yourofsky, who said "[he] was no more than an animal in the zoo. It wasn't pleasant", and that it has reinforced "[his] empathy and understanding of what these animals go through".
In the fall of 2000, Yourofsky received $10,000 from PETA, to fund the broadcasting of a commercial against "the animal slavery enterprise known as the circus". The commercial was broadcasted 69 times on a local television channel.
In 2001, Yourofsky began facing financial problems. In an interview with Jack Lessenberry, a professor in Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
, Yourofsky stated he is "in debt up to [his] ears", and that "[he owes] at least $30,000 on credit cards".
His financial troubles reportedly halted his activism for a brief period of 3 months that year.
2002–2005: PETA sponsorship
In early 2002, Yourofsky resigned as president of ADAPTT, due to financial troubles. A day after sending his resignation letter, he received a phoneTelephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
call from Ingrid Newkirk
Ingrid Newkirk
Ingrid Newkirk is a British-born animal rights activist and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals , the world's largest animal rights organization...
, president of PETA, who offered him a job. Employment negotiations between the two ended on May 20, 2002, with Yourofsky being made the organization's official, national lecturer. In an open letter sent by Yourofsky on May 28, 2002, he described his excitement, saying that "[getting] a call and/or a request from Ingrid is like getting a call from the Godfather's Don Corleone. It's an offer one can't refuse."
Several of Yourofsky's supporters felt that his decision to join PETA was "selling out
Selling out
"Selling out" is the compromising of integrity, morality, or principles in exchange for money or "success" . It is commonly associated with attempts to tailor material to a mainstream audience...
", because he had expressed dislike towards several large animal rights organizations, including it. Yourofsky responded to the criticism in the open letter sent on May 28, 2002, saying that "[...], those closest to me know that I have been growing wiser as each year of activism passes. I used to be flat-out vituperative when it came to PETA and other groups who didn’t do things my way. But last year I started to realize that my acrimony was wrong and wasteful..."
2005–present: Leaving PETA and continued activism
Yourofsky had a falling out with PETA in 2005, and left the organization after it had cut his funding. In an interview, Yourofsky criticized the Humane Society of the United StatesHumane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States , based in Washington, D.C., is the largest animal advocacy organization in the world. In 2009, HSUS reported assets of over US$160 million....
, the strategies used by PETA, and its president, Ingrid Newkirk:
Yourofsky also added that "[...] under Newkirk's guidance, she has single-handedly turned the animal liberation movement into a mockery with her naked women campaigns and cartoon-costumed protests."
Philosophy
Yourofsky considers intentional killing only as a necessity for self-defenseSelf-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
. When asked how he feels about bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
being killed when he cooks food, Yourofsky responded that "you have the right to defend yourself and kill something that’s harming you."
He also added:
See also
- Animal rightsAnimal rightsAnimal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
- Animal Liberation FrontAnimal Liberation FrontThe Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
- Earthlings
- Center on Animal Liberation AffairsCenter on Animal Liberation AffairsThe Center on Animal Liberation Affairs is a scholarly center established to advance the study and discourse of animal liberation principles and practices....
- Animal Rights Zone (ARZone)