“Why do you care so much about animals?”

My four year old grandson asked me at the breakfast table: an earnest question, and no time to prepare an answer.

“Because I have come to see them, to know them. They have feelings.”

Unsaid: How could anyone not? Witnessing so much suffering by animals at the hands of human beings over the past few years, it just seems to grow. The respect for other forms of life, those less understandable, just keeps expanding. The traits I have come to appreciate: the beauty of an underwater mollusk, the grace of a deer, the leaping ability of the cat, the loving, friendly quality of the pig, the gentleness of a calf, the amazing abilities of an insect or a fish. There is so much graphic evidence about the mass extinction of animals that anyone who cares even slightly can now witness enough horror to become convinced. How could anyone not?

Ruby Roth, in her children’s book, That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals, says, “When we treat animals respectfully, we practice world peace.”

Seeing Ourselves As Part of the Natural World

At the root, it is about how I see myself within the context of all other life in the universe. To truly practice peace, we must treat the earth with respect, too. We do what we can, recycling, composting, walking, living simply. We make mistakes, but we try. We do not see the earth as ours to use or dominate, but rather see ourselves as part of the earth, part of nature (no matter how destructive our species has become). Respecting animal life is about peace, absolutely. It is also about recognizing others, in various forms, and their right to life, too. It does not matter their size, whether a tiny bug or a gigantic whale, the life force that exists within each animal is significant.

I remember an argument I had with my father when I was very young. Arguing against my “sensitivity” towards animals, he asked me whether I thought the life of a cat was as important as the life of a human being. “To the cat or to the human?” I retorted.  He made a lot of money out of the blood and sweat of animals as owner of a racing stable of thoroughbreds. Growing up on the racetrack, one witnesses many unfair contracts. Many of those horses run their hearts out all their lives, then get sent off to slaughter when their bodies are no longer able to earn a profit — hardly an equitable exchange. My father’s entire family goes elk hunting every year – I witnessed that at three years of age. The uncles made us little kids stand by the dead animals; I thought it was horrifying. Still do.

Early Experiences with Knowing  Animals

Then there was my grandmother, who used to raise chickens. I heard stories about killing animals, how she used to drown kittens when they became too plentiful, as soon as they were born. I heard that she killed the chickens by wringing their necks. Those stories so horrified me that I was always a little afraid of this fierce slender woman with her charming Danish accent. Yet my own mother was more of a soft heart for animals. We seemed to rescue any number of cats and dogs over the years, and I can recall her becoming overwhelmed with tears when her little dog died. She even said yes to a little dog that was going to be euthanized, even though it fell far, far short of being as cute as my pleading friend promised it was. Those animals gave me someone to love, and they loved me back, at a confusing time I desperately needed someone to acknowledge me. Seems only fair that I would see animals in return, see them as persons, as individuals.

Yet it is only since I have become vegan that I see animals with new eyes. While my respect for all species has increased, so has my understanding of the injustice we human beings have unleashed against them. Why do I care so much about animals? Because we share in this life, together. Because of a yearning for peace, justice, ahimsa, nature, life. Because I have come to know them. Because I respect them. Because I continue to recognize my own speciesism and do my best to eradicate it. Because I want to see life on this planet continue and I want to see natural habitat preserved. And, because it is the right thing to do.

To reach a goal, you have to believe — believe you can achieve the goal, envision reaching the goal, then take a step towards the goal. Imagine if you did not believe you could make it through school — you would not attend the first class. All those classes between entering school and graduation may seem overwhelming at times, but it is only by taking them one class at a time that you finally reach your goal. You have to step out in faith and believe before you can make it happen.

I just read a commentary on a vegan forum that said no, we cannot, no we will not. That person believed that human beings were incapable of making significant change, that we were so mired in our traditional approaches that we would mess it all up and miss all cosmic deadlines. We would not fix global warming; we would not find cleaner energy. We would not go vegan. We would not make significant change.  In short, we are doomed.

Maybe, but maybe not. Lately I have been mired in lassitude, but even while mired, I knew it was transitory. So will we as a movement overcome; our collective lassitude is just our denial, not wanting to change, not wanting to deal with reality. War, recession, budget deficits, unemployment, oil spills, energy crisis, solar tsunamis, deforestation, overpopulation — it all seems too much to handle.  So some days, we pull the covers over our heads. It may take a crisis for some of us to get out of bed and make a change, but other people are continuing changing every day. Someone on Twitter just tweeted me that they had gone vegan – one more vegan!  Lassitude leaves, energy returns, and the movement gains momentum.

To all the nay sayers, Oh, Yes We Can and Yes We Will. The vegan movement is having an impact and it is growing every day.  How many teenagers were vegan a generation ago? Look at what is happening among  young people, those with the biggest stake in our future – they are still flexible, open, and inquisitive and many are learning about veganism and supporting the movement forward. And there are others of every agen, including elders, too, who prove daily that it is never too late to become educated about what is happening to animals.  We will abolish the commodification of animals. We must. There are a hundred billion reasons every year to do so.

A recent article in The Daily World suggested that we “learn flexibility with meat eating.”  The scenario posited was this: imagine you have decided to go vegetarian, have tossed out all meat, poultry and fish, and stocked up on plant foods. Then you are invited out to a romantic steak dinner. Do you throw your ethics out the window or decline the invitation?  According to proponents of flexitarianism, you can hold on to you ethics and your steak by being flexitarian.  For anyone who is an omnivore, this might seem reasonable.  But the real kicker for vegans who care about animals is this: Bruce Friederich, Vice President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is right there saying:

“If people influenced by health consequently cut back on fish and meat consumption, that helps animals. If two people cut their meat in half, it helps as much as one person going completely vegetarian.”*

Suddenly, Flexitarianism now has the PeTA stamp of approval, so it must be ethical, right?  First of all, vegetarianism does not improve the situation for animals; in fact, it may exacerbate things. How many newborn chicks die for the eggs, and how many babies (calves) die for the milk, cheese and yogurt that a vegetarian consumes?  Then there is the horrific life of a dairy animal, which includes rape, long hours of standing, mastitis, and hugely enlarged udders which become encrusted with sores.  If you have ever seen a video of those newborn calves taken from their mothers, you are not likely to ever forget it. And then there is the ultimate trip to the abattoir for the calf and mother alike, of course. Telling the public that going vegetarian or flexitarian helps animals sends a very muddled message.

This seems to be a new position for PeTA, whose director of research said in a Newsweek article circa 2009:

“Given the environmental, cruelty and health impact of a meat-based diet, going vegan is best, going vegetarian is good, and being a flexitarian is like smoking two packs of cigarettes instead of ten, beating one pig down the slaughter ramp instead of two, and pouring a pint of gasoline down a drain instead of pouring down a gallon.”**

Mark Bittman, noted author of Food Matters suggests much the same. After all, it is just too hard to go vegan, right? Usually those making that statement have never even tried; they are looking for an easy way out. But it is no easy way for the animals that must endure horrendous lives of illness, discomfort, pain, and misery. It does not help those that must suffer the terror and callous treatment at the end of the line at the slaughterhouse. And the truth is, there are thousands upon thousands of vegans who beg to differ: we find it extremely easy to be vegan. For most of us, one bit of information about the lives of animals, one video of the slaughterhouse, and we were done. It was easy, because every time we think of animal products, we see those images and we refuse to budge. We will NOT participate.

Earlier this year, Wayne Pacelle offered the following:

“It doesn’t take an all-or-nothing approach to make a major impact, and giving customers more meat-free meal choices will improve health, reduce the impact of global warming, and help animals,” Pacelle said.***

Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, is not known for taking all-or-nothing approaches to protecting animals. HSUS has owned stock in some of the worst animal exploitative industries, allowing them to profit from the consumption and slaughter of animals. This fact alone weakens any moral stance Mr. Pacelle could take.  Coupled with the fact that many if not most HSUS members consume animal products themselves, this appears to be one very flexible animal protection organization: for some of the animals, some of the time. While Mr. Pacelle is himself a vegan, he must as CEO of a large animal welfare organization protect the donations which come is to the tune of millions of dollars per year.

Standing in opposition to child abuse, human trafficking, rape, incest and domestic violence somehow does not make a person fanatical. Standing in opposition to abject cruelty and torture of animals does. Call me fanatical, but all this talk of flexibility and flexitarianism offends me, coming from supposed animal rights folks. Sounds like a lack of spine to me.

*“Learning flexibility with meat eating,” Daily World, July 14, 2010

**”Part-time Vegetarians”, Newsweek, September 29, 2008, by Karen Springen

***“Compass Launches Landmark ‘Flexitarian’ Initiative”, HSUS website

When I first learned that the products of the dairy industry resulted in endless suffering and animal death, I went from vegetarian to vegan and began to learn all that I could about what was happening to animals. I began listening to podcasts all day long as I worked and I learned a lot during that time. I listened to Colleen Patrick Goudreau of Compassionate Cooks, Dino Sarma of Alternative Vegan, the folks on Vegan Radio and Bob and Jenna Torres of Vegan Freaks. After that, I read and listened to anything I could get my hands on. Meanwhile, I was learning that some of the animal protection organizations to which I had sent money in the past were not helping animals the way I always assumed they had.  In fact, some of them were making things much worse, profiting from animal abuse by owning stock in some of the worst animal abuse industries and promoting the status quo by asking for regulation of the existing structure of domination and abuse rather than trying to abolish it. Some were participating in sexist, violent campaigns. Some were promoting flexitarian or vegetarian campaigns rather than veganism.  At the same time, I was getting an education online via some abolitionists, including Gary Francione. I was also becoming the object of some very snarky individuals and got caught in the crossfire between abolitionists and welfarists on more than one occasion. Good grief!  Then I started to really catch it; I was called divisive and told that I wasn’t  DOING anything for animals.  Those who believed in ending animal abuse by tackling one problem at a time saw those of us who wanted to end the domination of animals altogether as nothing but TROUBLE!

~~~~~~

Opposing Theories or Personal Attacks?

I was shocked and disturbed to see the personal attacks on people in the movement, in particular Gary Francione. Rather than debating him, or challenging the abolitionist ideas, there is a  deterioration into ad hominem assaults on occasion.  Many of us respect Professor Francione immensely because of the clarity and consistency of the message he ends, because of his tireless work for animals, and for his stand for ahimsa or non-violence.

Anyone who finds his message resonating within them is then accused of being a cult member, which is rather humorous in light of the theoretical basis of his view of animal rights. What these misguided people see as a fanatical attachment to a personality is, in fact, admiration and respect for a theoretical approach which seems to offer the only hope for peace and the end of commodification of animals.  Personally, there are many welfarists that I admire for their optimism and tireless work on behalf of animals. I love their hearts and know how sincerely they want to end all animal suffering. I deviated from the path they were on, and here is why:

Why I Left Welfare Activities

1. First, welfare reform is ineffective.  As long as animals are property, they will be difficult to protect. They will be considered commodities and will be subject to the whims of their owners. Despite decades of protesting the clubbing of seals, elephants in the circus, shooting of wolves, the fur trade, hunting, the killing goes on. Until a large proportion of the population adopt a vegan attitude towards animals, little will change.
2. Second, it supports the status quo. The current situation for animals is precarious because they are considered property and some humans benefit financially from their commodification.  Since working within the given structure reinforces the subjugation, it is doubtful it will ever change without a change in attitude towards animal life.
3. Third, it sends a very confused message to the public. Few of the animal protection organizations support veganism; some support veg*n, veggie, vegetarian or other such terms. This is confusing because if one is not vegan, one is still supporting the commodification of animals. Asking people to send money to an organization whose own members are consuming animal products is a sign of moral confusion. Owning stock and profiting from animal abuse causes confusion, as does campaigning for measures such as Controlled Area Killing (CAK), free range eggs, and humane labeled meat. There is some evidence that these campaigns have actually increased the demand for meat and eggs; it has definitely confused the public.  Let’s not add to it.
4. Fourth, it detracts from the energy and resources that could be going towards clear and consistent vegan education. HSUS  and PETA both take in millions of dollars each year. Imagine if they clearly promoted veganism. Imagine rather than using celebrities, many of whom are inconsistent and unclear about the meaning of veganism, if PETA promoted vegan education with their considerable PR machinery and funding.
5. Fifth, individual causes reinforce speciesism by gaining momentum based on emotional appeal. Baby seals, dolphins, cats and dogs all appeal to many human beings, but lobsters, turkeys, and pigs need non-speciesist individuals to fight for them, too. Animal welfare organizations tend to promote animals that are appealing to humans as a priority. It is no more just to work on protecting only certain species than it is to protect only certain human beings. It reinforces speciesism.

First, We All Need a Vision

One of the problems between welfarists and abolitionists is an inability to dialogue and debate. Many welfarists, sometimes referred to as New Welfarists, actually say they are abolitionists but believe the road to the abolition of animal use must be paved with welfare regulations first.  Believing they are being pragmatic, they view abolitionists as doing nothing, while abolitionists regard welfarists as spinning their wheels and wasting energy better spent on vegan education.  I would like to suggest that all of us need to expand our vision to what we would like to see happen and stop voicing that it is impossible. It is not. In my lifetime I have seen changes in women’s rights and civil rights that led to a female presidential candidate and an African-American president in 2008. But it took the vision of a man who went to the mountain top before it could happen.  Things change, if we can envision it, if we can imagine…..

It is doubtful that welfarist and abolitionists will ever see eye to eye, because there are two distinct views of how to end the subjugation and injustice towards animals.  In one vision, we must work within the existing power structure to effect change by using rules and regulations.  In the other viewpoint, animals should never be considered as property, must have a right to their own personhood, should be allowed to live their lives in the way they were intended rather than being used to benefit another species. This also means clear vegan education.

Many say abolitionists are dreamers, but the vision is very important towards achieving success.  It doesn’t take a preponderance of individuals in a movement to make it successful; in fact, it is usually a minority of people that effect change.

The Dancing Guy and Starting A Movement for Change

There has been a You Tube video going around called Leadership Lessons in Starting a Movement (by Derek Sivers) about how a dancing guy at a concert represents the start of a movement. There is just a single guy, dancing alone, with people giving him a glance as if he is a bit odd.  But after a while, a second guy gets up and starts dancing, too.  This second guy changes everything, because now the first guy looks like a leader  and not a crazy guy – he is just ahead of the pack.  After awhile, more and more people get up and  begin dancing, until the hillside is alive with dancing. At first it might have just been Gary Francione, dancing solo, getting hit from all sides.  But now, more people are joining in. We already have two teen abolitionist podcasters in New Zealand alone – imagine if there were teen abolitionist podcasters all over the globe! It will be wonderful when there are people joining us in the dance all around the world. As Emma Goldman said, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.”  All we need to do now is just dance!

Animal Rights People to Know

Tim Gier mantains an excellent animal rights blog. He is on Twitter and Facebook, too, and provides a lot of relevant information and articles for other people.  Tim has an engaging style of writing that is sure to win you over and get you thinking.  His Facebook page says it all, “I am not trying to be better than anyone else; I am just trying to be better than I was before.” You can find his blog at timgier.com. Be sure to bookmark it because you are going to want to come back to it again and again. Tim is a prolific writer so check back frequently – you do not want to miss any of his posts.

Another important contributor in the animal rights field is Sandra Cummings. Sandra has a facebook page called the Vegan Starter Kit that has more information in a small space than you can find anywhere.  She also posts lots of positive articles relating to justice, animal rights, and veganism.

An excellent writer is Angel Flinn of Gentle World. Angel writes for Care2.com and maintains her own blog, The Vegan Solution. Don’t miss her article, Being Vegan is a Speciesist World and Free Range – Not Free Enough.

Trouble by Elvis Preseley

Trouble by Over the Rhine

Imagine by John Lennon

Just Dance by Lady GaGa and Colby O’Donis

Leadership Lessons from the Dancing Guy by Derek Sivers

Tim Gier

The Vegan Starter Kit by Sandra Cummings

The Vegan Solution by Angel Flinn

As if it is not horrible enough that animals are being slaughtered by the billions, the truth is that we are killing babies.  Most of the slaughtered animals are just youngsters; many should never have been taken from their mothers so early.  Imagine what life must be for a newborn calf, dragged away form a grieving mother and forced into a horrible life without solid food in a tiny crate.  Or a newly hatched, perfectly formed male baby chick, who suddenly finds himself flying through a long frightening tube into a grinder – terror, pain, suffering, death.  All of it is crafted by man for man’s enjoyment and pleasure; it is incredibly cruel and disturbing that the healthy offspring of another species should be treated like trash.  A few people make a lot of money from these ugly enterprises; most people just are unwilling to deal with what their consumer choices cost others in misery and suffering. Some people are unaware and choose to remain unaware.

The Cost for Eggs and Cheese is Borne by Babies of Other Species

The male baby chicks are usually killed when they are only one day old!  If you have ever witnessed a mother hen, you know why that saying developed about the protectiveness of mother hens. Or if you have witnessed the grief struck cows whose babies are dragged away from them, bellowing and cutting themselves on barbed wire – stealing people’s babies so you can steal their mother’s milk is particularly odious.  But most people participate because it is so habitual that it seems normal – NORMAL! Nothing about stealing babies from their mothers and murdering them is normal. It is completely unnatural. When I see someone eating cheese or drinking milk, I mentally get an image of an adult human suckling on the cow’s teats – hardly a normal thing to do.

All those pigs and cows are usually slaughtered when only a few months old.  They are the human equivalent of toddlers. A few dairy cows may live into the animal equivalent of young teens, but then with abnormally enlarged and engorged milk sacs, often filled with pus. I have been a nursing mother and I wince when I see the distortions and know the discomfort that practice must cause those young beings that are cows. None of what the cow is capable of, none of what would give joy or seem natural, none of that is allowed. They are solely commodities on legs for an unhealthy and callous world.

Giving up Cheese is Giving up a Blood-Drenched Food

Next time someone is talking about their own “difficulty” in giving up cheese, milk, or meat, remind them that they are talking about the death of babies. Ask them how they feel about all the antibiotics and even pus that is part of drinking cow’s milk.  Ask them to consider the high fat content and what is happening to their arteries, and if their cholesterol is shooting skywards. If they think it is difficult to go without their milk, think how difficult it is for the baby for whom it was created.  The process that brings eggs and milk and cheese to your plate means death to newborn male chicks and calves; in fact, the dairy industry results in death as much as the meat industry does, and possibly causes more prolonged suffering. For a great article about the problem with cheese, read Vegan Freaks take on it.  Some cheese is not even vegetarian, because rennet, a substance used in processing the cheese, comes from the stomachs of animals.

Let’s get weaned and start acting like adults.

As a young teenager, I used to surf the coast of Southern California. My vision was poor, so I learned to feel the currents of water beneath me. When there was a light drawing back, it meant a swell was coming and I needed to get paddling. If I delayed, I would miss the ride, and if I was too fast, I would have the wave crash down on me and would wipe out. Lately, I have been feeling a shift in the currents beneath me once again, only this time I do not plan to miss it.

PETA’s Failed Policies

There have been rumblings on the vegan blogosphere about some of the latest new lows reached by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  Their pie-in-the-face disrespect to a person in authority seems contraindicated when requesting more respect for other beings.  It is assaultive and inappropriate behavior not becoming adults with serious intentions. Then there is the full frontal nudity of a young woman in their State of the Union Undress (deliberately not linked here) – disrespectful not only to women but also to our elected leaders. Even Ingrid Newkirk‘s response (A pragmatic fight for animal rights) to Victor Schonfeld’s article, Five fatal flaws of animal rights activism, in which she defends “silly antics” as being part of animal rights activism misses the mark by a mile.  While Ms. Newkirk may be well-intentioned, her behavior is the same old tired tactics that have been failing to do anything but increase the PETA budget and gain some press for many years.  At every turn, Ms. Newkirk sells out the animals and any chance to show respect for their lives, whether it is by cooperating with fast food enterprises that kill animals for food and profit, or partnering with corporations by buying stock in animal exploitation schemes. Ms. Newkirk never draws a line in the sand, never acts as if she believes what she says that animals are not ours to use; she uses and exploits them freely to draw attention and financial support to her organization while they remain in a living hell. I have noticed lately that when an outrageous behavior occurs in the news, such as the recent intrusion into Senator Mary Landrieus’ office by men dressed as phone company repairmen, the allusion on a recent MSNBC news discussion was to liken them to “PETA protesters.” Meanwhile, only 7 animals were saved in PETA’s “shelter” in 2008, while nearly 2,000 were killed.  With millions of dollars in annual income, it seems impossible that those lives were valued, because with the will to save them, they could have. If PETA wants ethical treatment for animals, they should begin by delivering some themselves.

HSUS Sells Out to Flexitarians

HSUS recently got into the fray, decrying the criticism from abolitionists this organization has been receiving.  While HSUS does not stoop to media madness in the same vein as PETA, they still have quite a few things in common with them and appear to be becoming more and more aligned with similar policies. While Wayne Pacelle is a hired hand whose position requires him to support the policies of his agency, unlike Ms. Newkirk who is a founder of hers,  it is still his choice to do so.  Reportedly he is a vegan; however, his organization does not support veganism to any significant degree. They have recently sold out by also partnering with fast food companies that kill animals for profit and joined in a “flexitarian” campaign with a major food service corporation. While it is admirable that this corporation is providing more meat-free meals, it is a far cry from HSUS taking the stand that all animal commodification is not to be tolerated. There are many vegan businesses that HSUS could profile; they deliberately chose a corporation that will allow their supporters to feel the warm fuzzies while consuming animal products. With friends like these, who needs enemies? If no one in an organization called HUMANE is willing to say commodifying animals is unacceptable, one would assume that, like PETA, HSUS considers the commodification of animals acceptable practice, at least in the immediate sense. Most would not deny that HSUS does some good; indeed, with millions annually, they have ample opportunity.  Stopping dogfighting is a noble idea, but doing so while participating in eating and commodifying other animals is not.  In the big picture, their policies are failing the bulk of animals yet they lack the moral courage to take a stand on the animals’ behalf.

It is interesting that Gary Francione has done more to change attitudes without any organization and without any budget than all of the high profile organizations put together.  Neither Wayne Pacelle nor Ingrid Newkirk are willing to debate Gary Francione, either. Put simply, he has remained consistent and has not sold out. So please do not write a check to any organization to make yourself feel better about the plight of animals without reading the paper – the news is not good for most animals on any given day. And despite what  you may be told, things appear to be getting much worse.  But within the vegan community, things are growing bigger, too, and a swell is developing. There are a number of individuals who will not sell out, who are quietly working hard to improve the status of animals, to promote peace, to save the earth, and who draw a line in the sand — animals are not commodities, not “things” to be modified and abused for commercial gain, profit, research or entertainment.  Recent reads of letters such as Mr. Schonfeld’s reveal numerous abolitionists agreeing about failed welfarist policies; letters in response to Ms. Newkirk’s letter offer contempt for that agency’s tactics.

This is not to lump all animal organizations into one.  There are some good organizations out there doing some very good work with limited financing.  They support veganism, allow space for ethical discussion, support no-kill shelters and spay-neuter programs, and work to improve and preserve habitat so there will be wildlife left for the future.  Organizations exist that provide sanctuary to homeless animals who would otherwise be destroyed. Working for justice and respect for life, promoting non-violence, and building a vegan community of support are all important work.  There are those that take in homeless animals and try to find homes for them. There are companies producing some excellent vegan products and some wonderful human beings developing innovative ideas for the future.  But even without that kind of structure or vision, each of us individually can reach out to change attitudes.  It is through individual activism and outreach, especially in this era of the internet, that real change will take place. Keep challenging those who harm the movement by behaving in violent or disrespectful ways. Become part of the rumblings, and let the volume grow. Make disrespect for other forms of life totally unacceptable.

A vegan tsunami is coming; add your voice.

I go to the greatest dentist; his entire staff are kind and friendly people, and he is technically very skilled.  He loves dogs, and brings them to work with him – they have their own room in the back.  He donates time and products to help others and works on a fundraiser every year. These are good people and have made me feel welcome when I was a new Texan.  They have taken good care of my teeth, too.

My last visit, I brought a copy of Mathew Scully’s Dominion to read while I waited.  The cover has a picture of a lamb, tied at the feet with rope.  My dentist saw it and turned the book over, finding it obviously distressing.  He said there was nothing one could do about what happens to animals; I told him that was not true. He then began placing instruments in my mouth so I was unable to continue the conversation, but I was left thinking about what to say or do. He scooted out before I could become verbal again, so any opportunity that was presented, I had missed.

Here is the letter I wanted to write to him:

Dear Dr. S:

First of all, thank you for the great ambience of your office and the wonderful people in your employ.  It is always a relaxing experience to come to an appointment, knowing how efficient and capable everyone will be and how kindly I will be treated.  But I decided I need to write to you because of something that happened during my last appointment.

If you recall, I had Matthew Scully’s book, Dominion, with me. The cover has a picture of a small lamb, tied at the feet. You couldn’t bear to look at it and turned the book over; that act led me to believe you are a compassionate man who cares about animals. Your comment to me was, “there is nothing we can do about it.” As someone who has been studying and learning about the horrific way billions of animals suffer and die each year in this world, I wanted to share with you some of the things I have learned, because there is much we can do about it.  For one, we can quit giving money to people who abuse and murder animals.  Every product you buy that has meat, dairy, eggs, animal secretions, leather, wool, fur, honey, and a host of animal ingredients too numerous to mention; any time you buy these products, you are in effect paying someone to harm animals.  No animal that ends up slaughtered is treated humanely.  The efficiency of modern factory farms brings diseased creatures filled with antibiotics and other chemicals into your diet. Did you know that even dairy cows are killed while still children? That newborn male chicks, those adorable and perfect little creations, are ground alive when they are separated out as useless at one day of age?  That newborn calves are sometimes dragged to slaughter before they can even walk, all so humans can steal their mother’s milk. If you choose to participate in these horrors, you must not believe that you truly love animals, only that you enjoy using them, dead or alive.

Not only does giving up eating animals and their secretions help one remain healthier, it helps the entire planet remain healthier. Animal agriculture contributes to global starvation, water pollution, deforestation, global warming and human health issues.  Ending the purchase of animal products opens up a new vista of healthier, greener choices and cheaper, better food.  Even if you give up a portion of meat, you will be saving an entire year’s worth of water for showering, so water-intensive is animal agriculture.

Watch the film Earthlings; you can rent in on Netflix or see it on YouTube. It will explain more than I ever could about animals.  You can also watch Meet Your Meat on You Tube if you care about what they do to animals to turn them into meat for you to eat.  You can read any book by Gary L. Francione, a Rutgers University professor, about the status of animals and how we can help them.  (I even have one you may borrow.) I have dozens of vegan cookbooks you can borrow and several personal recipes, as well as two sites that promote veganism: http://veganacious.com and Dallas Vegan Culture Examiner.

I am suggesting this because it is so very important that we stop the senseless slaughter and suffering of animals of all kinds, including dogs, for unnecessary purposes. I am doing this because from what I know of you, you do care.  (By the way, my cholesterol went down over 100 points when I went vegan and I eat whatever I want.) I am doing whatever I can to save the animals; I hope you will, too.

Or, you can simply turn the book over and turn your back on the suffering of animals.

Stay well,

Barbara

I haven’t yet sent the letter; I am trying to decide what is the best and most effective approach to take. I may bring in a package of information when I return in December. I may send the letter. I know one thing for sure: I don’t want to just turn the book over, either.

I am a vegan because animals have feelings.

I am an animal and believe I should treat other animals the way I would like to be treated.

I believe I should not do to others what I do not want done to me.

I do not want to be trapped, hunted, imprisoned, slaughtered, tortured, disrespected, shot, skinned alive or eaten.

Becoming vegan has meant:

• meeting a world of intelligent people
• creating an international community of compassion
• lowering my cholesterol 100 points, while eating anything I want
• lowering the cost of groceries
• having better relationships with the animals around me
• opening my eyes to things I would have missed
• enjoying food for the first time
• loving to cook for the first time
• blogging
• new friends
• fighting for justice
• discovering animal sanctuaries
• renewed respect for the natural world
• awareness of what we are doing to ourselves, to the planet
• grief, because of what I know
• solace, because of what I can do

If anyone is interested about becoming vegan, there are lots of resources out there to help you. I am one of them; write to me.  Join with all of us vegans on this important day. Save the animals, save the planet, save other humans.

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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Whether you are just dabbling with veganism or are a confirmed advocate for the vegan lifestyle, living becomes much easier with a comfortable, well-equipped kitchen. Gathering items for your food preparation space may take place over a long period of time and can be quite economical if one is in no hurry.  Discount stores such as Ross and Marshall’s have been the source for some of my favorites kitchen gadgets.

Some preliminary essentials include:

• Storage containers for bulk items
• Good sharp knives
• Garlic press
• Grater for ginger and spices
• Cutting boards
• Vegetable peeler
• Wooden or bamboo spoons

I use my large wok frequently and love it, although it was a very economical purchase from Ikea.  It has proven to be durable and functional.   There is a large variety of cookware types – find out what works for you.  I have added a few choice pieces by browsing at the discount stores as mentioned above.  I like to cook in bulk at times, so a large pot is a necessity for me.  And I like using small bowls for preparation of spices and small quantities of items for cooking so there is no mad dash as things begin simmering.

One of my favorite kitchen utensils is my blender.  This was a bit of a splurge for me, but after a malfunction with may last one, it has proven to be worth every penny. It is useful for preparing salad dressings, sauces, and baking mixtures; it is wonderful for smoothies.  I particularly appreciate that the heavy plastic container which mounts on the motor is all in one piece – no worry about leaks from an untight ring.

You will also need some measuring tools.  A liquid measure (glass or plastic) which measures up to 4 cups is best.  A set of measuring cups and a set of measuring spoons (I like to keep two ready when I am really cooking up a storm) would be a good to have on hand.  I recently purchased some inexpensive magnetic soft plastic spoons – they are the bomb!  They click right in place so you do not have to go searching all over the drawer to find the size you need.

Most of the aforementioned items are probably already in your kitchen. If you are moving towards a whole foods plant diet, it is very helpful to have the tools on hand that will make cooking and storing staples enjoyable.  Plan to update with high quality kitchen tools as time goes on.  To have an easy time as a vegan, start with an easy vegan kitchen!