by Walter Bond
12-08-2011

We all at times feel lonely, desperate and depressed in our struggles. To be a revolutionary or a militant in the fight for liberation is no small undertaking and often demands more of us than we think we can endure or withstand. Sometimes we look around this beautiful world and are overcome with grief, anger and resentment at all the avarice, greed and insanity that our kind inflicts upon all kinds.

I was born with the same natural instinct as most mammals. The belief that if you leave others alone, they will leave you alone. In a natural World, that’s correct most of the time, but not in this uncivilization. The powers that destroy the Earth, Animals and ecosystems, the powers that pollute, exploit and derange everything pure and natural, exist as a definitional problem of technology, industry and ‘progress.’

These forces of human greed, laziness and manipulation are incredibly and intensely pro-active, which means that we must also be. But something else we must also be, is aware of our love. Although we must fight as ferociously as any freedom fighters before us and at times employ the most ruthless of tactics, we must not forget that ours is the fight for the truth, in every sense of the word.

I say this advisedly because as a U.S. prisoner and a Prisoner Of War for the Animal Liberation Front, it’s a challenge I face daily. In my situation it’s all too easy to become hateful and belligerent, not only against the forces of oppression that daily confine me, shackle me and belittle me, day in and out for approximately the next decade. Not just at the corporate juggernaut that murders the planet while plundering and profiting from all in their path, but also the many sheep in wolves’ clothing that I see talking the talk, but never walking the walk. It’s difficult to lose your freedom, but it’s painful to watch others turn your fight for liberation into a fashion show or internet thread.

And then I remember the amazing words and life of men like John Africa, Malcolm X, Huey P. Newton, Zumbi or Barry Horne and I am all at once reminded that far better men than myself have been through far worse than me. I am reminded to focus on my love of Animals, on the reasons why I remain defiant, and on the reasons why I’m obligated out of compassion to continue forward, without despair. I’m reminded to focus on my love, and not be twisted into a petty and spitefully self-absorbed unit. To a greater or lesser degree it’s a choice that any of us that have decided to stand against an enemy much larger than ourselves must deal with.

Many times I’ve been asked if I think we can win. Can we change things? It’s an annoying question I usually ignore because if you don’t believe it when you ask it of yourself, what the hell can I do about it? Plus it’s an answer that differs from person to person. Can we win? No, not if you don’t think you can win.

And what is winning? That’s a question I can answer. Winning is not the end of all human, Earth or Animal exploitation. Those are end goals, ideals that may be brought about by many, many victories in the battle ultimately leading to an awakening within the masses that sit on their asses. No, ‘winning’ or ‘changing the world’ begins in the self and is manifested outward every time we speak up in a loud clear voice. Every time we push through our fears of authority, every time we’re knocked down and we get back up and keep coming strong. Every year that we don’t give up and every sacrifice we make shows us what we are made of and builds us into people that can change the world!

On the other hand losing hope, quitting, taking extended breaks from our beliefs or the movements for liberation, weaken that resolve. And then staying silent, obeying unjust laws, getting knocked down and staying down, quickly become an octopus of oppressive chains until we find ourselves asking strangers what we can and can’t do.

My fight ultimately is for Animal Liberation. When I think back to many of the mangled and crippled Animals that I have worked with or rescued, or the 1000s of hogs that I saw die day in and out as a young man building slaughterhouses, when I think of the years I spent willingly eating and drinking their death and slavery, I see a personal debt there. Then I ask myself what is owed. The answer is a lifetime commitment. I owe the Animals the best of who I am and could ever become. I owe that, not because I’ve ever been some spectacularly evil person, but because so few care!

When you can see what others can’t, when you can feel what others don’t, then it is your responsibility to make greater change. Not everyone else’s responsibility to wake up, not without a good shaking at least. So ask yourself, what do I believe in, what do I deeply care about, the answer to that is Mother Nature telling you where your responsibility lies. And then struggle, fight, get beat-up, stand back up, tear it up, burn it down, educate, train, build, destroy, lash out, save a life, turn on your oppressors, defend the defenseless and don’t stop, don’t forget, don’t pretend and don’t give up ever! As long as there is breath, you’re still in the fight!

Animal Liberation, whatever it may take!

Yours for love and liberation,
Walter Bond

“In Natural Law we trust, all praises to the order of life, the presence of truth is the power of God, long live God’s power, the force we relate to, the power, the source, the life force of MOVE. Long live the rabbits, the beetles, the frogs, snakes, lizards, snails, buzzards, wolves, jackals, fox, cougars, the birds in the field that without life is dead, the voice they obey when their young chirps for balance. The worm in the field that connects birds’ existence. The fruits of the orchards of life they are kin to, the tree that springs pregnant with fruit for all subjects, from soil that drinks in the rain it relates to. The breeze that skips across the family of wheat fields with meaning that’s gentle and smooth and united. Long live the sun that forever must shine, the oceans that rise up full force when life’s threatened, the wind that distributes life’s seed of existence as rivers, brooks, streams and springs of life it is linked to. The thunder that shakes free the germ of stagnation. The lightening that plucks out the weak in life’s presence, long live our Mama who suckles, feeds, cuddles all subjects of life with no notion of race, no exceptions of color, of creed, rank, position, no commitment to anything breeding division. The force of our power is Mama (Mother Nature). The Source, the force of God’s law that’s as mighty as thunder, Mom’s strong as a lightning bolt, swift as the wind, stout as the ocean that beats at man’s door. Mama’s reaching as rain, broad as her snow, outstretched as Sunshine that blankets all subjects, rich as her dirt, tough as iron oak, bold as the mountains that cuddles the valley. She is the blizzard before MOVE, the quake at our flank, the gale at our back as we rid life of sickness. Mama’s all that we need to turn around this intruder, so long as we all MOVE together as one there can be no divisions to pull us apart! No matter how hopeless life’s work may seem, the power that’s needed will never betray us. Remember how water seems pent-in and trapped until the dam breaks, crumbles and dies. Just like its Maker. Remember, to blockade life’s plan is cruel, fatal, blind and deadly to anybody that imprisons the force to be free.”
– The Prophet of Mother Nature, John Africa