John D. Aquilino, Jr.

John D. Aquilino, Jr., is Director of Communications and Editor in Chief at the International Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources (IFCNR).

"The Washington Post describes Aquilino as 'a gun activist, prominent in groups that campaign for gun rights.'

"His gun advocacy work has led to his being quoted in the entry for nigger in the The American HeritageÂ®Dictionary of the English Language: '[http://www.bartleby.com/61/11/N0101100.html Gun owners are the new niggers ... of society' (John Aquilino)expanding the meaning of that perjorative word to encompass all forms of bigotry. "Aquilino is also described as a partner and a Senior Fellow with PEAT Institute in Washington, D.C. He's also said to have 'worked on behalf of biomedical research'. The [now defunct] PEAT Institute has been described as 'a PR firm' but the institute prefers the term 'an advocacy strategy group' and says, 'Its clients are private corporations with sustainable use products'.

"The distinction is based on the idea that corporate attempts to 'apply the techniques of brand marketing/traditional public relations spin to counter the allegations of animal rights and environmental advocacy are fruitless. The former simply is not compatible with the latter on any level. PR and brand advertising is equated in the publicâ??s mind with 'selling' something. Advocacy is seen as 'helping' the helpless.'

"IFCNR goes on to say, 'Few consultancies understand the immense pull of advocacy. Those that do, and the PEAT Institute is one, demonstrate strategies that neutralize NGO rhetoric...'

"Aquilino's vision of NGOs was outlined in an article entitled, 'The Truth About The Antis' [no link found] in the hunting magazine The Sporting Classic:

"'A relatively small number of very articulate and highly intelligent individuals govern the worldâ??s animal rights and environmental activist groups. They hold the reins of a litany of organizations... Their spin-off groups and coalitions are as legion as the targets they attack and provide the veneer of credibility to their claim of speaking for the public ... Brilliantly calculating and utterly relentless... their ultimate goal is to control the multi-billion dollar resource-related enterprises that provide our food and shelter, our energy, our health care and jobs.'"