I've been following this debate as a lurker, because it's interesting to me--I work in conservation and am a vegetarian (environmental reasons--while I wouldn't call myself an animal activist I am definitely an environmental activist). Out of curiosity, how much have you worked with animals--and how much would you say folks in any animal activism you've been involved with work with animals? I saw "The Cove" (for what that's worth) and have some periphery awareness, but as someone who has worked on farms, fished salmon in Alaska, and killed snakes to feed to endangered birds...I don't really get the impression that many veg*n/ag-focused animal activists have worked closely with animals.

I'm not trying to discredit your arguments, I really am just curious about this. I rarely encounter animal activists as such in my work; lots of veg*ns and people with strong opinions but those opinions are generally welfare focused (i.e. enrichment for captive animals, and opinions about how farm animals should be treated).

Incidentally, Sara Gruen's "Ape House" is an interesting book.

-ka