They may have the media, but we have the truth….

(Army Strong)

I recently heard about the collaboration of media and the Pentagon and realized these ties between media and poltics, media and corporations, media and power, run very deep. Here is a clip from Leonard Lopate about how the US military controls the message in Hollywoood films.

(Leonard Lopate’s Underreported)

Media can indeed be quite manipulative, and this kind of manipulation has proven successful. There are a lot of frustrated vegan advocates who are searching for an effective way to educate the public about speciesism and the plight of animals on this planet. I frequently see the anger seeping out on Facebook threads and in blog posts. Yet most of us, by far, were once consumers of animal products. Something happened and the light was turned on over our head, and illumination changed everything in our lives. It might help us understand those for whom the light never goes on if we understand some of the messages that we hear all the time that reinforce thinking animals are nothing more than commodities. Media is a powerful force. When we get frustrated with other people, keep in mind that many of us grew up hearing these kinds of messages on a daily basis.

(Oscar Meyer. Bordens, McDonalds, Velveeta)

Or more recently:

(Yoplait, Activa, Hillshire Farms)

Each of these ads is selling something more than their products; they are trying to offer strength, health, happiness, and comfort along with the product being sold. Here is one that is offering something else entirely:

(Pepsi)

The overt message is that drinking Pepsi makes you part of the the future, of the NOW generation, but there is another message, too. A young boy dressed and dancing like MJ backs into Michael Jackson himself, his eyes grow large, and suddenly the little boys are dancing with The Jackson Five – Pepsi can make your dreams come true! Skillfully crafted, I am sure that audiovisual delight kept the Pepsi cans dancing right off the shelves.

Dr. Roger Yates, a Professor of Sociology from Dublin and a fellow ARZone administrator, whose excellent blog is found at On Human Nonhuman Relations; along with Jordan Wyatt, Creator and Dictator for Life of the Invercargill Vegan Society and Purveryor Extraordinaire of CoexistingWithNonhumanAnimals, are going to discuss the power of media manipulation. Thank you Roger and Jordan for taking time to be on the show.

Discussion with Dr. Yates and Mr. Wyatt regarding media and the socialization of children

There has never been a better time to advocate for nohuman animals. While the monied interests may hold most of the media hostage, there are still independent media such as podcasts to tell their truth. Thank you for listening and I will see you next time!

Mad Men Theme

Related resources:

On Human-Nonhuman Relations – Dr. Roger Yate

Stanley Sapon and The Species Barrier Maintenance

Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals - Jordan Wyatt

Invercargill Vegan Society

 Leonard Lopate: Hollywood and The Pentagon

Iron Brion (see video clip at bottom of page) 

In their Mixed Media section of the November-December 2010 issue of Mother Jones, Clara Jeffery interviewed Anthony Bourdain in an article entitled, The Omnivore’s Agenda. Mr. Bourdain is seen in a photo holding a chicken by the side of his face, eyes closed as if in rapture — probably imagining some future meal that the bird might become. Bourdain is known for his book Kitchen Confidential and his Travel Channel foodie show, No Reservations. In the interview, he makes no apology for fetishizing food but does take issue with chef Alice Waters, reporting that when recently asked what her death-row final meal would be, Ms. Waters replied Shark Fin Soup — hardly an ethical or sustainable choice.  Ms. Waters, a chef at a Berkeley, California restaurant known for promoting locavorism, has since suffered chagrin and has pledged to never eat the stuff again. Shark Fin Soup is one of the cruelest meals possible, wherein an entire shark is hoisted onto a fishing vessel, their dorsal/pectoral fin is excised, and they are tossed back into the drink to die a slow and torturous death, slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean, unable to swim. It has been estimated that over 90% of the world’s sharks have been depleted, in part due to the popularity of this dish, with millions of sharks callously killed every year.

Bourdain Attacks Vegetarians

After learning of this disheartening bit of news, the interviewer, Ms. Jeffery, asks Bourdain the following;

MJ: It seems like your unhappiness with vegetarians comes from a few different beliefs: that you kind of fear the nanny-state concept; that it’s often a luxury of the affluent; that they prioritize animal rights over human misery..

AB: Yeah, or human joy, for that matter.

MJ: …And that they either try to force their views on others or rend the social fabric when they refuse the hospitality of carnivores.

Bourdain then goes on to extoll the virtues of vegetarians who “put aside those principles” when they travel. (He should just love Jane Goodall, then.*) Mind you, we are not even talking about vegans, just vegetarians.   He then speculates the problem with avoiding meat:

AB: It’s inconceivable why anyone would want to not experience as many colors in the spectrum as possible with our limited time on Earth.

Experiencing the Full Spectrum

This brought to mind an incident from my earlier days, when I was traveling across Baja California and then down through Mainland Mexico along with three Hispanic friends. These friends has assured me that people would throw rotten tomatoes at me, with my long sun-bleached blond curly hair and my blue eyes.  The truth was much, much brighter – I was a curiosity and was treated hospitably by all those I encountered. While riding on a bus, a little girl pulled at her mother’s arm and pointed to me — I was different and worth noting. At one point in our travels, we met some people from a small rural fishing village who invited us to spend a few days.  When we arrived in the village, many children came out and touched my hair – with the humidity, it was floating and quite full.  With our friends was a full sized untrimmed poodle, and they found both of us to be enormously intriguing and worthy of much laughter, asking if the dog was a lamb.  It also happened that a wedding was going to take place the following day and we were to be honored guests.

The wedding was amazing. Fortunately, we had a polaroid type camera with us (this was pre-digital), and one of the men took photos of the bride and presented them to the proud papa. It was unforgettable that these kind people, who had only occasional electricity from a generator and dirt-floor homes, could prepare wonderful food such as fresh fruit and home made tortillas, as well as elaborate hair styles for the wedding. When the photos were presented, the father grew teary-eyed and accepted with thanksgiving.  Everyone thought it quite funny that my Hispanic friend had to ask me to speak for him as I knew more Spanish than he did. When it came time for the wedding feast, I was told at the last minute that the people had butchered a pig, something very rare for them, and they were going to share with us — a gesture of great generosity. Today as a vegan I might have handled it differently, but I turned to my then boyfriend and asked for help. There was no way I was going to touch that poor dead animal even if they ran me out of the village, but I also wanted to accept their graciousness without offending.

Here is where I disagree with Bourdain – I feel like I did try all the colors of the spectrum while I was in Mexico. I ate fresh fruit and ripe avocados right off the carts in the town. I tried their soda and their tea — in fact it was Manzanilla tea that save me from the normal digestive problems that accompany many tourist visits, something prepared just for me in one of the lovely homes I visited. I tried the soft coconuts that had the texture of a peach. I danced with the children and played with their little Chihuahuas and only regretted I did not bring more things to give to them all. I chatted with the women as to the best way to prepare tortillas and made my own when I returned home. I was invited into many homes and we emptied out the van with our belongings to leave in that village. I will never forget the gracious spirit of those people, how they shared their stories of brief times spent in the US working, of their offers to give of their few belongings to us, or their willingness to listen to us with such rapt attention as if we were from another, more interesting place.

Bourdain is Wrong About Vegans

Here is where Bourdain has it wrong: most of the food I ate in Mexico was vegan; there was very little in the way of dairy products or animal products that was affordable to most of the people there — making his statement that vegetarianism is the bastion of the affluent ridiculous. Of course, I was not dining in expensive restaurants, but was off the beaten path. I spent one night in a coconut grove on the ocean, another on an abandoned beach. I was certainly not affluent, nor are most of the vegans I know. There are many friends I have had that are Hindu and eat no animal products for religious reasons. So much for anti-vegetarian point number one.

Next, Bourdain criticizes that vegetarians prioritize animal rights over human rights.  He is dead wrong again.  Many animal rights people are also simultaneously involved in other social justice causes.  The claim that they do not care about human rights is usually a defense from someone who is not working on either. Vegans see the correlation between all forms of exploitation.  Bourdain is focused on his own pleasure and rails when anyone suggests he might consider how his behavior impacts others. Of course, that is his choice.

Last, he agrees that vegetarians try to force their views on him or rend the social fabric when they refuse to eat dead animal bits. Force? The only force in this equation is what is being done to the animals — that is force. While I cannot speak for all vegans, most of those I know work very hard to educate the public about what is going on with animals and how our choices are impacting innocent others, the earth, health, the economy, wars, exploitation and other such issues. They believe in the inherent goodness of mankind to rise to the challenges that are presented to them. Perhaps someone disagreeing with Mr. Bourdain feels like force to him and threatens the life he finds so satisfying. Unfortunately, he remains totally free to roam the earth in search of an ever better way to prepare and enjoy eating dead flesh. As to rending the social fabric — it is not much of a fabric if it requires the dismemberment of an innocent animal. I came through my dilemma with my principles and my relationships in the village intact. Most of the time, taking such a stand gives people pause and causes at least momentary consideration for their eating choices. I wonder, really, what entire parts of the spectrum Mr. Bourdain is missing by insisting on only eating with omnivores and focusing on gustatory pleasures to the exclusion of relationships with other beings.

One-Sided Journalism?

Clara Jeffery never became a journalist throughout the interview, never challenged these assumptions or tried to dig deeper to see why he held such beliefs. Mother Jones, a supposedly progressive publication, is not very progressive when it comes to veganism or animal rights. (See my prior article, Progressive Disappointments.) Bourdain even goes so far as to defend foie gras, to which point Ms. Jeffery states, “Watch his segment on it and you might change your mind.” Hardly, Ms. Jeffery – it is exploitation of scores of animals for the palates of a few very spoiled individuals. In the end, the animals are killed for another being’s momentary pleasure.

Mother Jones (Clara Jeffery) and Anothony Bourdain seem to be totally unaware of the immense suffering and death that goes into pleasing their palates. For adults of this stature to be so self-absorbed is nothing less than disturbing. While we have come to expect a lack of journalistic integrity these days, it is always alarming to see a publication that calls itself “smart and fearless” become so mainstream and passive. One might expect a professional foodie to be hedonistic and self-absorbed; one expects better from someone who calls herself a journalist.  As to Bourdain’s suggestion that we “put aside those principles” when we travel, I would say he lacks even the most fundamental understanding of what being principled means. A life versus a social engagement? No contest. I would choose dancing with those children and Chihuahuas over any meal.

_____________________________

*Jane Goodall article which relates she is not vegan when traveling

Recently, I have become very disappointed in progressive media.  It would seem that when it comes to animal rights, things are not all that progressive.

Huffington Post Misses the Irony in Recent Post by Jamie Lee Curtis

Huffington Post recently published an article by Jamie Lee Curtis, lamenting the Conklin Dairy Abuse revealed by undercover videos.  We now know there will be no cruelty charges for the owner of the dairy (see linked article by Angel Flinn), no matter how distressing the videos.  Where there is demand, the brutality continues.  How does Ms. Curtis think that the very product she touts, yogurt, is created? By raping the cows with artificial insemination, stealing the baby calf from his or her mother, and then stealing the mother’s secretions from her, secretions made for the survival of her baby, not for adult humans. I always find those yogurt commercials to be interesting.  They suggest their brand of yogurt will help people with digestive problems, the very problems that come from eating a highly processed, animal-based diet. The solution? Another highly processed, animal-based product of course! Perhaps Ms. Curtis has never considered the cost for other beings of the products she sells. But when she wrote that article, obviously distressed at seeing animals treated as objects, devoid of any consideration for their personhood, she missed an important connection between what she does for a living and the act of living for other beings. And Huff Post missed a chance to post an article based on the stark and horrendous reality of the more than sixty billion land animals that perish for the pleasure of human appetite each year.

Mother Jones Appears to Have Lost the “Fearless” in Their Journalism

Even more egregious, Mother Jones (July/August 2010) published an article by Kiera Butler, a “lifelong vegetarian,” who broke her no-meat stance to dine on “grass-fed beef” (an interesting term denoting how devoid of acknowledgement of animal personhood our thinking is — cows eat, not beef; beef is a dead animal.)  She shared that it was delicious and she felt satisfied.  In the article, Get Behind Me, Seitan, Ms. Butler reports that the “vegetarian-equals-green argument” is not so cut and dried.  She then proceeds to offer a comparison between highly processed fake meat and grass fed animal flesh. She notes that her Berkeley, California crowd is really moving towards eating more meat, not less, and she seems to move along with them. One wonders why she ever became vegetarian; she did not mention any moral concerns, health concerns, certainly no consideration for the impact on the animals themselves, no discussion of violence or cruelty.  This was all about the trend and “local buzz.”  It seems preying on baby animals is all the rage these days.

Touting the “great caloric bargains” of things like fish, there is no mention of the toxins that accumulate the higher you go up the food chain. There is no mention of the dying oceans, respect for nature, or a moral baseline; there is plenty of talk about crab feeds and pig roasts.  There is discussion of hexane, used to remove soybean oil and keep soyburgers low in fat, a registered air pollutant and suspected neurotoxin.  Ms. Kiera reports that with a processed soyburger, there are numerous ingredients but with grass-fed beef there is only one, making it somehow purer. This defies everything we know about the accumulation of pesticides and other toxins as one moves up the foodchain, making it more and more dangerous to eat other  beings. There is no discussion of the impossibility of providing enough grazing land for the way the world now consumes animals. And worst of all, there is no discussion of the animals themselves, discussed solely as a commodity for humans throughout the entire article.

The progressive media needs to become truly progressive in the arena of animal rights and veganism. A start would be to post the work of one of the really good vegan advocates who are talented writers — Gary Francione, Roger Yates, Dan Cudahy, Angel Flinn, Tim Gier, Nathan Schneider, Jeff Perz, Mylène Oullet, and many, many others.  They could select someone to write who actually has a philosophical stance that does not move with the crowd, and leaves the “fearless” in their ability to stand alone when necessary, to actually take a position based on something beside their own health, coolness or gustatory delight.  It is  much easier to be oh-so-flexible when dining out, selling out the suffering of animals at every turn, and keeping in lockstep with mainstream thinking. This is progressive? NOT!

The article in Mother Jones did:

• present some of the problems with highly processed foods
• discussed some of the problems with unnatural methods of feeding animals that result in disease
• highlighted that Great Plains pastureland stores 54% more CO2 per acre than cropland

The article failed to:

• mention the many ways to eat a vegan diet that provides plenty of protein and keeps you fully satisfied
• investigate the consequences should the nation move towards grass fed animals
• mention the high levels of toxins in flesh products
• look at the fact that a vegetarian diet may not offer any moral, environmental, or welfare benefits over an omnivorous diet
• mention anything about the lives of animals as living, feeling beings
• mention the correlation between animal slaughter and violence in society
• even consider a whole foods vegan diet
• address the false dichotomy presented: there are infinite choices besides eat animals and eating fake meat.

In the end, Ms. Kiera decides to eat mostly plants, but with an occasional “indulgence.” Most vegetarians and vegans would not consider eating meat an indulgence; they would find it disgusting and nauseating. The callous disregard for the various ways these decisions impacts other living beings, the environment, or public health seems out of sync with the purpose of magazines like Mother Jones. The complete lack of any consideration for social justice towards animals, human or non-human, is a glaring omission.

Other articles online at Mother Jones include one about a “kinder, gentler, more convenient abattoir,” a man who kills animals six days a week. This sounds like ancient history, not “fearless journalism.”  Buying into the humane slaughter myth, the happy meat myth, and misrepresenting the positive aspects of healthy vegan cuisine seems more like something one would hear on Rush Limbaugh. Et tu, Mother Jones?

One of the first shows I found was Julie Hassons’ Everyday Dish.  Julie is responsible for my first purchase of an electric ice cream maker. While the one she uses was a lot pricier than mine, her easy canned pineapple and coconut milk blended recipe got me hooked.  It was easy and tasty and had my attention.  (The fat content was too high for me, but it got me thinking a lot about making healthy confections.)  Julie is delightful and has various guest chefs who add a lot of variety to her programs.  Her repertoire is large so please check our her website and watch a few of her great shows.

Produced by filmmaker Betsy Carson of All Art Media Inc. and featuring host Toni Fiore, ”Totally Vegetarian” (Delicious TV Veg) is not always vegan, but most recipes are and the rest usually have a vegan option for those of us concerned about ethical eating.  Our hostess for this show is always very clear, very professional, and has some terrific ideas for preparing healthy, plant-based recipes.  Toni has introduced me to Tempeh Club Sandwiches and Tofu Bits, among many other dishes.  It is fun to see how she functions in her beautiful kitchen.  She is the reason I bought my olive oil drizzler.

Adam Ford from Ridgeline Fitness offers several fitness videos using the Swiss Ball and his unique brand of controlled exercising.  If you never thought an inflated ball could be used for working your biceps, think again.  With this man, nothing is impossible!  If these videos do not motivate you to have a healthier, more fit appearance, you might as well cancel your gym membership.  After viewing these YouTube videos, I purchased his DVDs and use them regularly.  They work, plain and simple. Who knew a Swiss Ball could function as a weight bench, a set of dumbbells, and a stretching machine?

As you can clearly tell from the above information, I fully appreciate the contributions each has made to my life. Most people who give so willingly of their time and information pro bono also appreciate patronage of their material: cookbooks, websites, or exercise DVDs. As you can tell from my self-report, I have spent $$  as well as time as a result of these shows, but it has definitely been worth every penny. These are knowledgeable, talented people that let you get a preview; they are all on YouTube so you can check them out before you invest.

For More Information:

About Toni Fiore

Julie Hasson

Adam Ford

When I transitioned to veganism, I found several vegan podcasts to be sources of invaluable information.  I simply loaded them on my iPod, and educated myself while I walked, worked out, or participated in life. These podcasts are easily available through iTunes, free of charge. (Of course, if you really appreciate them, the sponsors do appreciate donations, too.)

The first podcasts that I discovered were Colleen Patrick-Goudreaux and her Vegetarian Food for Thought series.  Colleen is a great teacher with well-researched information delivered in a kind but relentless manner – she gives you the straight scoop, so be prepared. She also gives you some literary offerings, some dietary suggestions, and loads of truth about the current state of being an animal in the world today.  She offers cooking classes and sells her DVDs and cookbooks (a new one has just been released!) on her website, and adds a host of other informative ideas.  You can even buy her helpful DVDs in bulk at a very low cost, so you can inform your friends and family who might be interested.  See her Compassionate Cooks website.

Not to be missed is the Vegan Freaks podcast series with Drs. Bob and Jenna Torres.  ”Coming to you from their elite fortress of moral superiority,  here are your protein-deprived hosts…” begins each segment.  This is always entertaining and informative and has a bit of spice to it – they are not concerned about telling it with a bit of color (in the language that is!).  Bob has written a few books well worth checking out too, and they run Tofu Hound Press, which supports vegan authors.  This podcast lets you feel like a visit with the best of friends who are also smart and cheeky.  Check out Vegan Freak for more information. And get a copy of his books while you are at it.

Vegan Radio is the podcast about the vegan culture and happenings, including information about the vegan bus that runs on used food oil, spreading the word  about veganism. Listening to their podcasts is like being on the road with them — always an adventure, always educational, always worth the trip.  They keep you abreast of current vegan events and culture while allowing you into their world, their sense of humor, and their most obvious compassion and thoughtfulness.  A recent listen was something about George Clooney’s sweat and tofu (???)….well, you just have to listen to make the connection.  Check out  the Vegan Bus or Vegan Radio for more information.

One of my new faves is Alternative Vegan, where one can garner information about cooking, veganism, produce, herbs, cooking, storing food and a host of other pragmatic and helpful topics — I am left feeling like I have my own personal vegan mentor.   Our host, Dino, is very down to earth and very aware of the culinary options for us vegans.  I relisten to these podcast more than any others, because they are like going to a Vegan University — without the tuition. Good podcast, good information! I am a BIG Dino fan and just purchased his book, which is all produce, all the time.  Dino’s blog is also wonderful; be sure the check it out.

And A Couple More…

There is a good fitness podcast that is also helpful to those of you who are fitness buffs: Fitness Rocks.  Dr. Monte Ladner gives well-researched information about a host of topics.  Since I try to keep my recipes, like my lifestyle, pretty simple and healthy, I really appreciate the passion Dr. Monte puts into helping me do the same.  He is also involved in a new venture, Fit Talk, an interactive fitness podcast with a wider net. This M.D. also has a blog.

For the animal lover in you, there is Animal Voices. This Toronto-based program gives an update on news that concerns animals, interviews with leaders in the field of animal rights, and discussions on relevant animal-related topics. This is a very professionally produced program, filled with good information and jam-packed with data and resources.  Kudos, AV!!

Be sure to support these excellent podcasters by leaving reviews and votes on iTunes and Podcast Alley. They offer a wealth of free information and support to all of us looking for a healthy, compassionate lifestyle.

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