tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44653858555495909832024-02-20T21:15:39.184-05:00The Vegan Party of CanadaDaniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-50033193082183638862013-11-21T21:41:00.000-05:002013-11-21T21:42:11.597-05:00A Friend of a Friend of Mine was Killed Today<style>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ_B8pVjMRXRTBZo06w4DgJv-lWmbFKj6il-NGN-_L3EAxGrVDvt3fjvd78eY9OFzhelO-3UZk0lG7OWuaK_T7VhC0bP6ztzBAAMu6XKyu04Drk-YXKM3eWFXlup5TD2KLfdw9Xo1L4db/s1600/IMG_9999_23a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ_B8pVjMRXRTBZo06w4DgJv-lWmbFKj6il-NGN-_L3EAxGrVDvt3fjvd78eY9OFzhelO-3UZk0lG7OWuaK_T7VhC0bP6ztzBAAMu6XKyu04Drk-YXKM3eWFXlup5TD2KLfdw9Xo1L4db/s400/IMG_9999_23a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haudenosaunee hunters in Short Hills. Note the deer in the back of the truck</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Let’s say you’ve noticed that a stray cat has been hanging
around your backyard. You love animals – who doesn’t? – and you want to help
him out if you can. Maybe he’s a feral cat and you’ve tried getting close to
him but he’s just too clever for that. <br />
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<br /></div>
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Still, over time, and because you’re putting out food for
him, he’s become used to your presence. He tolerates you. You’re kind of like
his guardian angel, and naturally you look forward to seeing him out there every
day. Regardless of what he thinks about you, you’re his friend. <br />
<br />
So how would you feel to learn, upon coming home one night, that your friend,
this stray cat who calls your backyard home, was shot through the head, killed
by a neighbour who perhaps didn’t share your love of cats, or just enjoyed
killing animals? <br />
<br />
This happened today to a friend of mine. Only the victim wasn’t a cat. It was a
whitetail deer. He was killed in Short Hills Provincial Park during the first
day of the now semi-annual First Nations deer hunt. My friend, protesting at
the gates of the park, instantly recognized the antlers sticking out of the back
of one of the hunter’s trucks as it left the park tonight. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The buck, with his incredibly massive and unusual looking rack,
was a frequent visitor to my friend’s backyard, which borders the park in the
south end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, my friend had
showed me pictures of this magnificent animal only a few days earlier. Now he
was dead, because someone else saw him as a THING to eat.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Had this been a cat or dog, the public would be up in arms and
demanding the killer be charged with animal cruelty. But because it’s a deer,
the law says it’s okay. How is this okay? How is a deer any different than a
cat or dog? Aren’t they all mammals and, given the choice, would rather live
than die? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What kind of world do we live in where someone can kill
someone else’s friend and get away with it? Why is it someone’s “right” to end
another’s life?<br />
<br />
A friend of a friend of mine was killed today. The killers are celebrating the
death of this animal even as I write these words but as far as I’m concerned,
this is a sad day for humanity.</div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">P.S. To my friend, I’m
sorry for your loss.</span>
Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-53091128512956090742013-09-25T19:01:00.000-04:002013-09-26T17:41:33.681-04:00Cultures of Violence<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfczFf9M42kLFSCOTkcfcBd8eJi-KWFAYEYEpG7mtE-cjNOFnPfmKtIMyMA66UeZgjNoVjNLMzaX4t8T9UjMzWlctfBMUzjCjEGz8MLo-U0u_c9wA0WBUeYpMBo-SWaGJW4LPn9f2vydfC/s1600/IMG_9999_19a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfczFf9M42kLFSCOTkcfcBd8eJi-KWFAYEYEpG7mtE-cjNOFnPfmKtIMyMA66UeZgjNoVjNLMzaX4t8T9UjMzWlctfBMUzjCjEGz8MLo-U0u_c9wA0WBUeYpMBo-SWaGJW4LPn9f2vydfC/s400/IMG_9999_19a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MNR and Haudenosaunee representa<span class="">tives at White Meadows</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
So it appears we’re going to have another native deer hunt
in Short Hills. That will be the second one this year, only this time the park
will be closed for all four weekends in November, up from two weekends back in
January. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The announcement came from the Ministry of Natural
Resources on September 19 at White Meadows Farms in Pelham, where the MNR
staged an impromptu open house to answer the public’s questions. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
A few representatives of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy also
attended, to clear up any misconceptions people might have about the “harvest”
and why we (anyone not native to Canada) need to respect the natives’ culture.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Nearly every viewpoint was heard that night. Farmers who
want the deer culled because they’re eating the crops, residents who want to
protect the deer, local hunters angry that only natives can<span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="font-size: small;">hunt</span></span> in the park, people against treaty rights, tree
huggers, animal rights activists, NIMBY’s and more.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Now I sympathize with the Haudenosaunee and what the “white
man” did to their ancestors, how they were driven off their lands and how
they’re struggling to keep their traditions alive today. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
It was our culture of violence that was responsible for
almost wiping them off the map. Our progenitors saw themselves as “superior”
to the so-called savages and this arrogance justified the near-annihilation of
them. It was a terrible time in our history and I hope it is never
repeated.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
But the natives also perpetuate this culture of violence.
They see the deer as resources, things to be "harvested", as if these animals
were fruits and vegetables. They see themselves as "superior" to other forms
of life, as if all the earth were here for them to do as they please.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Just as we do. We exterminate, slaughter, hunt and
“harvest” any and every species that gets in our way, has a pleasing taste or
gives a good chase. I can’t look at a native hunter as the “bad guy” while my
own people commit even worse atrocities to other sentient beings.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
When asked why the natives have to kill deer that are so
habituated to human beings it’s like shooting fish in a barrel (according to
the MNR, Short Hills is the first provincial park to allow hunting since the
late 1970’s) the Haudenosaunee ambassador replied, “Don’t you eat
chickens?”</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
He makes a good point. With the exception of a few
vegetarians and vegans in the audience, everyone there that night eats animals
of one kind or another. Why are we so appalled at the killing of a few
doe-eyed ungulates but don’t think twice about the animals we eat three times
a day?</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The cows, pigs, chickens and other animals we breed, raise
and butcher for food are just as vulnerable, just as cute and just as worthy
of our compassion as those whitetail deer. We chastise one culture of violence
but fail to acknowledge our own.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
If you really care about animals and want to reduce the
amount of suffering and violence in the world, go vegan.
</div>
Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-43064186540006671452013-02-01T06:27:00.000-05:002013-11-30T06:55:28.537-05:00Final Thoughts on the Short Hills Deer Hunt<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPag3a0RnwcIeWCBeN31yjARhpHnbeXomGcRWDCABxupMOLxYRVhYchUPo2igajcr7skIu2EWcueOnP24InRG_xHUmFwgXJiv8d5cOiuuRehzSrPAf6RcMHE_GI8Ho_HocsxDSL31v1zL/s1600/IMG_6256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPag3a0RnwcIeWCBeN31yjARhpHnbeXomGcRWDCABxupMOLxYRVhYchUPo2igajcr7skIu2EWcueOnP24InRG_xHUmFwgXJiv8d5cOiuuRehzSrPAf6RcMHE_GI8Ho_HocsxDSL31v1zL/s400/IMG_6256.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i>“The assumption that animals are without rights and the
illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance is a positively
outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is
the only guarantee of morality.”</i> – Arthur Schopenhauer</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Rights are bullshit - there, I said it. They’re an illusion,
a pie-in-the-sky ideal. More like “wouldn’t it be nice if things were this way”
rather than the way things actually are. They’re principles, propositions and
beliefs, not carved-in-stone laws. Sometimes they’re called natural rights and
sometimes they’re called inalienable rights, like the right to life. But
they’re still all bullshit.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
If we all have the right to an education and clean water,
why are so many of us without either? And doesn’t a child have the right to go
to school without being murdered by a gun-wielding maniac? But it happens. Without respect for another person’s life, what good are rights? </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFlhz37O5Yq9UQ7mXqeRGC3RAHTQJAHpZNsD3b1wl3Ko0IYzBpBdFbHseZfqPRTDj5_pLcqKrCWhG04CJMEuVn5g17zxXnwhx_3_OSazlaNJwH88vDGOFxzM-5kXECKSxdN09z1x3Onaf/s1600/IMG_6229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFlhz37O5Yq9UQ7mXqeRGC3RAHTQJAHpZNsD3b1wl3Ko0IYzBpBdFbHseZfqPRTDj5_pLcqKrCWhG04CJMEuVn5g17zxXnwhx_3_OSazlaNJwH88vDGOFxzM-5kXECKSxdN09z1x3Onaf/s320/IMG_6229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aerial shot of protest and blockade at Pelham Road entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
And then there are those whose rights seem to carry more
weight than the rights of others. Take the First Nations deer hunt in Short
Hills Provincial Park a few weeks ago. According to the Ministry of Natural
Resources, the native deer hunt in Short Hills was “a traditional hunt by First
Nations exercising their treaty rights.”</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Because the First Nations wanted to exercise their treaty
rights, my rights – including the right to enjoy a public park I help maintain
– were not only secondary to the natives’ treaty rights, but for the first two
weekends in January, were actually taken away.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Why didn’t I have the right to enter a provincial park funded
in part by my tax dollars? My “right” to hike through a provincial park was
suspended so a group of natives who don’t even live in the area could exercise
their treaty rights. Their “rights” trumped mine. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
And why were the native hunters allowed to drive their
trucks and suburban assault vehicles into the heart of a provincial park when
non-native hunters, during their hunting season, are not?</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
On the second Saturday and Sunday of the hunt, Niagara
Regional Police shut down Pelham Road, stopping any vehicular traffic from driving
past the Pelham Road entrance to Short Hills where the protesters were set up. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CttVsHNxFKgYLUcgSiXmnivqKC4BMFVEwvjjmf58qTxW-HavPDrx_oms4AqvP5nS0bR2RzNk67etIm1ZFUHityZlRdd8IN5vhgwwNKcsTrh5xl6a7Pqt6d-WTpmf-IEeOBPZixROu29H/s1600/IMG_6212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CttVsHNxFKgYLUcgSiXmnivqKC4BMFVEwvjjmf58qTxW-HavPDrx_oms4AqvP5nS0bR2RzNk67etIm1ZFUHityZlRdd8IN5vhgwwNKcsTrh5xl6a7Pqt6d-WTpmf-IEeOBPZixROu29H/s320/IMG_6212.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niagara Regional Police shut down Pelham Road</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
This effectively killed any chance the protesters had to
educate passersby about the deer hunt at Short Hills. Sure, the protesters
still had the “right” to assemble peacefully, and they still had the “right” to
exercise their freedom of speech. Unfortunately, the only ones around to listen
to their message were a couple of pigeons sitting on the telephone line across
the street.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The police said they shut down the road because they were
concerned about public safety (somebody being hit by a car because they might
stand too close to the road was the reason given). Then why wasn’t the deer
hunt shut down when the police learned that several groups of protesters were
inside the park? So much for public safety…</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Because of the political tension surrounding the hunt and out
of a fear of being labeled racists, the police ignored the rights of one group of
citizens to accommodate the rights of another. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
And what about the rights of the animals not to
be hunted
down and killed? What gives anyone the right to take the life of
another?
Whether you’re native or non-native, if you kill other animals when you
don’t
have to (meaning the human body doesn't require animal flesh to maintain
good health or nutrition), saying you respect those animals is just
more bullshit. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
When killing becomes a “right”, perhaps it’s time to say
that certain “rights” are wrong. Instead of the Idle No More movement, I’d like to see a Killing
No More movement. Extending our circle of compassion to include the animals is the first step.</div>
Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-67677892936503362052013-01-08T06:45:00.000-05:002013-01-08T06:46:19.106-05:00Thoughts on the Short Hills Deer Hunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZw38xAJAsnIY2EuKU4OE_mztj1WArofF59TV_VHuI-bEcrlpIjdxCFlkq5fi9ndKKqN6Fu46GHsKa_Q3NiND1iSB_6W9hhNzjmVCIWXr5tmS4BNaTOa-e5HHsAgWl8fhVhN9sqTw8FDW/s1600/IMG_2628.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZw38xAJAsnIY2EuKU4OE_mztj1WArofF59TV_VHuI-bEcrlpIjdxCFlkq5fi9ndKKqN6Fu46GHsKa_Q3NiND1iSB_6W9hhNzjmVCIWXr5tmS4BNaTOa-e5HHsAgWl8fhVhN9sqTw8FDW/s400/IMG_2628.1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Some of my earliest encounters with “wildlife” took place in
Short Hills Provincial Park. My grandparents used to be the caretakers at Camp
Wetaskiwin, also known as the Boy Scout Camp, on Pelham Road outside St.
Catharines. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
As kids, my sister, my cousins and me would explore the
trails, and my dad would take us winter camping (we built our own lean-to) or
into the bush to identify the various edible (and poisonous) plants. We also
spent a lot of time discovering and befriending many of the creatures that lived
within the park. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I still spend a lot of time in Short Hills.
Whether I’m hiking or doing my waterfall photography, I’m amazed and
delighted when I spot a group of deer resting underneath the hydro towers, a
lone coyote walking along the Bruce Trail or a new kind of beetle. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
A few winters ago I sat patiently by Terrace Creek Falls,
watching and waiting for a raccoon to stir from her sleep in the hole of a tree.
All I could see was her bum! I must’ve waited an hour or so in the snow before she
roused herself, stared at me long enough so I could snap a few photos, and
climbed further up inside the tree, away from prying eyes.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUrYmDeXXdNoZ1EIbG2Z5H4en4ZYAeOAn0_6mLt7onjgG9rjTSsKgb5ZTr3pZUSMBYerOV59wgFNNdfEtczDL2QP9p4_zdJIqv30qiHE3Wp41UJ5Ize2M5WA3vQ9T3HVbf6wohOWnuDio/s1600/100_1296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUrYmDeXXdNoZ1EIbG2Z5H4en4ZYAeOAn0_6mLt7onjgG9rjTSsKgb5ZTr3pZUSMBYerOV59wgFNNdfEtczDL2QP9p4_zdJIqv30qiHE3Wp41UJ5Ize2M5WA3vQ9T3HVbf6wohOWnuDio/s320/100_1296.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Hunting sign at Short Hills Provincial Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Sometimes I see deer on my hikes, sometimes I don’t. But I
know they’re there. They’re always there. When I do see them it’s like reliving
my childhood, and anyone who hikes with me knows the joy I get from seeing my
forest friends. Sometimes the deer hang around a bit and I get the feeling that
they know I’m not going to hurt them. I think they can sense it. When I’m in
Short Hills I feel like I’m home.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Chief Seattle once said, “We are part of the Earth and it is
part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters, the deer, the horse, the
great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the
meadows, the body heat of the pony, and the man, all belong to the same
family.”</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
So when I heard about the First Nations deer hunt that took
place last weekend and that’s taking place again this weekend in Short Hills, I
was angry and I was sad, because I knew my friends were going to be killed.
These animals have never been hunted here, at least not in the last 40 or 50
years. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
They’re not starving to death and according to all the reports
there is NOT an overpopulation problem in Short Hills, despite what some
pumpkin farmers might say. The deer are familiar with, if not habituated to,
people in the park all year long. A hunt would be like shooting fish in a
barrel. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I agree with Chief Seattle. These animals ARE our brothers.
They’re also our sisters. And they’re my friends. So what I did last weekend – the
details aren’t important – was what anyone would do for their friends or family
members. If someone were trying to hurt your brother, sister or friend, would
you stand idly by?</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVCVOhvtHnuF63FDbQZl-ePo0cJD_I_VJfTfC1XOxiHqaw-ATrl3f9E9xenFY_sOEcHxB4VAGnnBCcaYINGjAvXFjpqOqBLQhfaCNmLRH7SHLSnT1nilNHXMURP7fW7Yigc5ETnz6CyYN/s1600/IMG_6080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVCVOhvtHnuF63FDbQZl-ePo0cJD_I_VJfTfC1XOxiHqaw-ATrl3f9E9xenFY_sOEcHxB4VAGnnBCcaYINGjAvXFjpqOqBLQhfaCNmLRH7SHLSnT1nilNHXMURP7fW7Yigc5ETnz6CyYN/s320/IMG_6080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Nations hunters inside Short Hills Saturday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I respect the indigenous peoples, and I sympathize with what
has happened to them and what they have lost. I also respect the treaties,
contracts and agreements our government has made with them (even if I don’t
agree with all of them). But the one thing I can’t respect is the unnecessary
slaughter of innocent animals. I sympathize with the animals more on this
issue. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The indigenous, like the rest of us, have a choice. If they
want food they can go to a grocery store like everyone else. They don’t need to
kill the deer to nourish themselves. This is the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Why are
any of us still killing animals for food? </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I hope this isn’t coming off as racist, because it’s not
meant to be. I usually respect the law but only to a point. When a law says
that it’s okay to kill, then in my opinion it’s a bad law. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
And I believe there is a higher law that we should be living
by, or at least a rule that I live my own life by and I suspect that most of
you do too. It’s called the Golden Rule: Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t
want them to do to you. If you wouldn’t like somebody driving an arrow into
your chest, don’t do it to someone else.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
The other rule I live by is this: Be kind to others and do
as little harm as possible. Just because they’re not human doesn’t mean they
should be excluded from our circle of compassion. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
For me, opposing the First Nations deer hunt has nothing to
do with the indigenous people or treaty rights. For me, it’s about a group of
people trying to kill my friends.</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dNGMES89KMvRmQ3XcghxwlwHCNMKko1goDkQRM5g4kOiunVt0nTK0oOIo68W3WkWQW5LU5J73kzqVcMQDi5P3_9-zjRl1KBvGQp0IHgJqgUcqgq-ZZlUx05rv1fez-pzk_BJEGHy5_aK/s1600/IMG_6098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dNGMES89KMvRmQ3XcghxwlwHCNMKko1goDkQRM5g4kOiunVt0nTK0oOIo68W3WkWQW5LU5J73kzqVcMQDi5P3_9-zjRl1KBvGQp0IHgJqgUcqgq-ZZlUx05rv1fez-pzk_BJEGHy5_aK/s320/IMG_6098.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protesters outside Short Hills</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Three deer were killed Saturday and one was killed Sunday. The hunt continues this weekend, January 12<sup>th</sup>
and 13<sup>th</sup> at Short Hills Provincial Park. And so will the protests. </div>
Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-31774500415189628172012-12-10T17:01:00.000-05:002012-12-27T20:58:50.327-05:00Different than Other Animals?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwx3gNS3dXG_xWffXcW3cIXMNgXjK086RvXmHiuyB6XdxbLYQX_QPN2s6NNgu1Xcnzu7bjVytYkXW9D1Rdi9BiyLAVON5vAfTDc0jOR_w84tH8EbFhhH-OXA4pkZ_kBohWrSI7WN3XhLm/s1600/animal-rescue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwx3gNS3dXG_xWffXcW3cIXMNgXjK086RvXmHiuyB6XdxbLYQX_QPN2s6NNgu1Xcnzu7bjVytYkXW9D1Rdi9BiyLAVON5vAfTDc0jOR_w84tH8EbFhhH-OXA4pkZ_kBohWrSI7WN3XhLm/s400/animal-rescue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We remind ourselves every day how different we are from
other animals. We believe we’re smarter than the rest of creation and that
we<span style="font-size: small;"> a</span>re the more advanced species. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />We profess that we are the only ones capable
of contemplating life and death, and that we alone possess morals, ethics and a
conscience. </span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yet every day we support the killing, torture and exploitation
of other animals, or sometimes we do it ourselves, just for fun. We justify
these actions by saying other animals kill as well. This of course is true. For
some animals to live, others must die. <span class="uficommentbody">It’s all part
of nature, red in tooth and claw, and aren’t we also a part of nature?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="uficommentbody">Yes we are. But just because
something is natural doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good or desirable. There are
many animals that rape (spiders, ducks, water beetles), enslave (ants, wasps, dolphins)
and kill and eat (chimpanzees, bears, lions) members of their own species. Is
this something we want to mimic as well? *</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We’re a <i>different</i>
kind of animal. We don’t live in jungles anymore and we don’t live <i>by</i> the law of the jungle. We live by a
set of rules, laws and codes of right behaviour for the benefit of all. It’s no
longer a matter of kill or be killed, or survival of the fittest. We take care
of our elderly, our young and our sick. We help those less fortunate and those
in trouble. In a word, we’re <i>civilized</i>.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But despite the fact (or claim) that we’re different, better
and so much more evolved than the “lower” animals, in many horrible ways we act
just like them. Why aren’t we behaving better? Why aren’t we <i>acting</i> more evolved? We don’t condone
the slaughter, enslavement and exploitation of other <i>human </i>animals, so why do we think it’s okay to kill, torture and
enslave <i>non-human</i> animals? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Other animals can’t pick and choose what they eat. Flesh
eaters need flesh. We don’t. We can survive and stay healthy eating all the other foods
this wonderful planet has to offer. But we choose to eat other animals because
they taste good and because we’ve always done it. These are pretty lame reasons
for ending someone else’s life, and we end more than <i>50 billion animals’ lives every year</i> because of our preferences.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We can’t have it both ways. Either we’re just like the
animals or we’re not. Isn’t it about time we put our money where our mouths
are? Isn’t it time we started
acting better? If you really think you are different, better and more highly e<span class="usercontent">volved than the other animals, prove it - </span>go <span class="usercontent">vegan.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="usercontent">* <span style="font-size: small;">On the flipside, there are a
number of animals that ha</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">ve been observed helping others, including
those of different species, even putting their own lives at risk to do so. If
we <span style="font-size: small;">want </span>to imitate other animals, let’s imitate these ones!</span></span></span></div>
Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-70480415241913134022012-07-14T18:48:00.000-04:002013-01-08T21:43:22.008-05:00Rodeos – A Celebration of Humanity’s Ruthlessness?<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsbrc7mvuZAP6WVyU2GPYoH0UNLP722xUCIIRBA8w6QfUR45vILmT9mara2UD5pwH17PclCuDKNHID6b3BSzSVMUcElxY-SueX3LK1Pv_-36S8u2HFAhbt9h6ChfNvBshQH4xJzg_tmfK/s1600/1341726619485_ORIGINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsbrc7mvuZAP6WVyU2GPYoH0UNLP722xUCIIRBA8w6QfUR45vILmT9mara2UD5pwH17PclCuDKNHID6b3BSzSVMUcElxY-SueX3LK1Pv_-36S8u2HFAhbt9h6ChfNvBshQH4xJzg_tmfK/s400/1341726619485_ORIGINAL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Calgary Sun</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Two recent news stories affirm the callousness and cruelty
that is humankind. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Both involve the exploitation, maiming and killing of
animals by their owners, and sadly, both incidents are perfectly legal, considered part of our cultural heritage and
supported by most people in our society. </span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The first story is about the practice of tripping horses for
human entertainment at rodeos south of the border. </span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A video by SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) was
posted online depicting horses at the Jordan Valley Big Loop Rodeo in Oregon
being lassoed and then tripped to show off the cowboys’ roping skills. Here’s
the link:</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<a href="http://eugeneweekly.com/blog/oregon-rodeo-horse-abuse"><span style="font-size: small;">http://eugeneweekly.com/blog/oregon-rodeo-horse-abuse</span></a></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Did you watch the video? If not, please watch it right now:</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/zmp8pkbU03I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Did it sicken you? Yet people in attendance are heard cheering
and applauding. I don’t know how anyone could think this is fun to watch, but
apparently lots of people – normal people by society’s standards – do. And it’s
not just the Americans that are suffering from a major brain malfunction. </span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Lots of Canadians also find it entertaining to watch animals
being mistreated and forced to do things against their will as long as it’s
exciting (for the spectators anyways) or as long as it’s good for the economy. </span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The second story involves the accidental yet inevitable killing
of horses for the Calgary Stampede, now celebrating its 100<sup>th</sup> year
of animal abuse and exploitation.</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">As the Vancouver Sun reported, three horses were killed last
Thursday during one of the chuckwagon races. According to the Vancouver Humane
Society, over 50 horses have died in chuckwagon events since 1986.
Here’s that story:</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Three+horses+Calgary+Stampede+after+crash+chuckwagon+event/6926687/story.html"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Three+horses+Calgary+Stampede+after+crash+chuckwagon+event/6926687/story.html</span></a></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What really kills me about these stories is that the owners,
the staff, the care providers, and of course the organizers, are always really,
really, really saddened by the death, or deaths, of these animals, yet year
after year after year they keep forcing these animals to risk their lives and
year after year after year they keep getting killed.</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">According to
Doug Fraser, a spokesperson for the Calgary Stampede, </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"Nobody
wants to see this happen. But I think the emotion really
showed with [driver] Chad Harden. The driver is devastated and even our chief
veterinarian ... felt emotional about this. We've had absolutely phenomenal
success this year, up until tonight." </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Well Doug, I’m
really, really, really sorry that the deaths of these three animals (and I’m
sure there will be more) got in the way of your Stampede’s success. I really, really, really
feel your pain. That’s sarcasm by the way. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But you know
what folks, if I was responsible for an animal’s well-being, and there was a
chance that making him do stupid tricks, or racing him was going to put his
life in danger, I wouldn’t make him do it!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;">And what’s
worse is that people by the hundreds and thousands, and in the case of the
Calgary Stampede an average of 100,000 each day (and the Calgary Stampede runs
for 10 days!) go and pay money to watch this crap. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So are all cowboys – on both sides of the border - cruel and
insensitive monsters, or just western cowboys (along with all those cowboy
wannabes in attendance)? Does stupidity breed stupidity, and callousness breed
callousness, or is it nurtured? </span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Or perhaps it’s in our DNA to be cruel; a part of what makes
Homo sapiens the most powerful - and destructive - force on the planet. Are
these events really about celebrating our ruthlessness as a species?</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">All I know is that as long as we view other animals as
products, disposable commodities and slaves, and as long as we continue to be
indifferent to their suffering, this type of abuse will continue.</span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We may be human, but until we change our worldview, we will
never be truly kind.</span></div>
Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-3423435413851609282012-02-05T20:03:00.004-05:002013-04-15T18:03:17.660-04:00Victory for Some, for Now. Not So Much for Others<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIggWrORIYVdfGK7sCt_ju0kHfnD5gQY1k98tk8WXLpmcnGMOJGbHZ8xA7YquigTl_FkSNQ4gMlQL4RxAoJTUWm-wgTPafrSqq8DU_pOLTMXVG26wlVcEyI75Pxj52ZEysh5fQydsT3OIh/s1600/seals.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="312" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705822643371534738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIggWrORIYVdfGK7sCt_ju0kHfnD5gQY1k98tk8WXLpmcnGMOJGbHZ8xA7YquigTl_FkSNQ4gMlQL4RxAoJTUWm-wgTPafrSqq8DU_pOLTMXVG26wlVcEyI75Pxj52ZEysh5fQydsT3OIh/s400/seals.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="400" /></a><i>"Part of our history is also whaling, for example, and the day came when the whaling industry stopped," he said. "Now, is that day coming with the seal hunt? It just may be."</i> – Ryan Cleary, MP, St. John's South-Mount Pearl in a statement to the CBC last week <br />
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This was all it took for some animal rights groups to declare a “victory” for the animals.</div>
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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) praised Cleary’s remarks on their website (their last "victory" for the animals was negotiating with KFC Canada to gas their chickens to death rather than slit their throats and boil their bodies while still alive), and Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society wrote that the Canadian seal hunt is dead:<i> </i><br />
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<i>“The Canadian seal slaughter is commercially dead and it will have no place in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. This anachronistic, barbaric enterprise is being tossed into the dustbin of history where it belongs. Finally after a lifetime of struggle to end it, this obscene embarrassment is for all intents and purposes – dead.”</i></div>
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Don’t get me wrong. I think butchering animals because you think their skin looks better on you than on the animals is akin to raping someone because it makes you feel sexy, but for animal protection groups to say the slaughter is over, or dead, is simply not true.</div>
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For the record, the Canadian government has made no official announcement that the seal slaughter – it shouldn’t really be called a hunt as all the victims are just lying around waiting to be bludgeoned to death – has been shelved, and Cleary has stated emphatically that he and his party, the NDP, support the killing of seals for commercial purposes, with Clearly sporting a seal-skin vest recently to prove it.</div>
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According to Cleary, last year’s “hunt” generated only a million dollars in revenue, with approximately 38,000 seals being killed (the quota set by Fisheries Minister Gail Shea was actually 400,000) leading the MP to wonder aloud if it was economically viable to continue it.</div>
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But let’s pretend for a moment that the seal hunt has actually been nixed. Would this really be a victory for the animals? Of course, for the actual seals not having their brains bashed in, it’s certainly much better than the alternative. But for the 53 billion other animals (not including sea life) being slaughtered for food each year because we like the way they taste, the victory would at best be bittersweet.</div>
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And because the “victory” was the result of a declining economy, rather than an increase in awareness and respect for the animals’ feelings, interests and the simple right to life, all could change overnight if it suddenly became propitious to do so again. </div>
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As long as we view other animals as commodities, grocery store items and things to serve our own ends, or things to be eliminated because they get in our way, there will be no victory for any of them. </div>
Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-27120808734760506792011-12-14T22:18:00.006-05:002011-12-14T22:33:01.559-05:00Hunters: No Respect for Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHkQ3f0_ITe2s0T5l4tswuCf5jUaSnZaK1lEBxkKKiLjj0ZtA8F6gfYowz2X4_VXCKSTGcXy9G75vhFlNEmOHhKHsavAaZUethrkS7VC24Nan1teV0njvD-meDo_T3THtKnkk6ny1HZHp/s1600/IMG_0323.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHkQ3f0_ITe2s0T5l4tswuCf5jUaSnZaK1lEBxkKKiLjj0ZtA8F6gfYowz2X4_VXCKSTGcXy9G75vhFlNEmOHhKHsavAaZUethrkS7VC24Nan1teV0njvD-meDo_T3THtKnkk6ny1HZHp/s320/IMG_0323.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686189952856930130" border="0" /></a> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} span.ssens {mso-style-name:ssens;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal">Far be it for me to stereotype people, make sweeping generalizations or paint everyone with the same brush, but hunters are a despicable lot (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">despicable</b>, adj. <span class="ssens">deserving to be despised</span><strong><span style="font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">;</span></strong><span class="ssens"> contemptible; morally reprehensible; </span>vile<span class="ssens">)</span>.*</p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ></span> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} span.ssens {mso-style-name:ssens;} span.st {mso-style-name:st;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Sectio</style><p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Case in point: I’m hiking out at Rockway Conservation Area last Sunday and I notice these two guys in the parking lot of the Rockway Community Centre doing something out of the back of one of their trucks. I didn’t think too much about it as I figured they were getting ready to go for hike as well. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">When I returned a few hours later, they were still there, getting ready to leave. I also noticed something in the grass directly behind their trucks so I went over to investigate. Turns out it was a deer carcass, freshly killed and cleaned. The head was severed, the flesh removed and the innards stuffed into two garbage bags along with a rolled up sheet of plastic dripping blood. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The two guys jumped in their vehicles and took off as I went over to take pictures of the gruesome scene (and snapped a couple license plates in the process). One of the men drove slowly, smiled and gave me a little wave before pulling out of the parking lot. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I called the police when I got home, who suggested I contact the Ministry of Natural Resources. A very nice girl up in Sault Ste. Marie (who handles all hunting violation issues for Ontario) explained that although what these two men did was “unethical” and “not smart”, they did not violate any laws (providing they have a tag to hunt deer). </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">If anything they are guilty of littering, which, I was told, will be addressed by the local municipal bylaw office. However, killing a deer, stripping the flesh off his body and tossing his remains in a parking lot where people go hiking, walk their dogs and take their children to experience nature, is perfectly legal, if not “smart”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">According to the MNR, if these two Bungalow Bills had littered on Crown property, like a provincial park, then charges would be laid, but only for the garbage bags and the sheet of plastic. The nice girl on the phone explained that if a hunter dumps the bones or body of a deer back in the woods it’s a good thing, because he’s returning the animal to nature where other animals can benefit from it. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I wanted to ask her what was so natural about two weekend warriors, armed with high-powered weapons and driving a Hummer<span class="st"> </span>and an SU<span class="st">V</span>, going in the forest (not exactly man’s natural habitat anymore) and taking down a healthy young buck when natural predators take down the sick and old, but fought the urge, knowing I would be wasting my time and hers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The day before this happened I had taken a number of people to Short Hills Provincial Park - just down the road from Rockway - to do some nature photography. While we were on the trail, we spotted half-a-dozen deer, almost completely camouflaged in the tall grasses. We tried to get closer to take some pictures but they bolted across the field, their white tails flapping as they ran away.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">No wonder they’re so afraid of us. Some people respect life, and feel lucky if they just get a glimpse of these beautiful and graceful animals in their natural environment. Others get their rocks off by destroying life. It makes them feel big and powerful to take down a helpless, innocent animal and kill it. I’m told it’s the way of the world. Maybe it is. But does it have to be?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">* My apologies to all you despicable hunters who slaughter animals “responsibly” and “sustainably” and other such garbage like that, as if that makes it okay or means anything to the animal being killed. My advice? Get a life, instead of taking someone else’s. </p>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-46670714326201772232011-11-18T09:05:00.016-05:002013-01-10T06:26:25.499-05:00Veganish: It's Okay to Hurt Animals Once in a While<div style="text-align: left;">
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There’s a new fad strutting its stuff these days. It’s called <i>veganishism</i>. It’s also known as <i>half-assed veganism,</i> <i>lazy veganism</i> or <i>veganism-for-people-who-think-it’s-cool-to-say-they’re-vegan-when-they-really-aren’t.</i> It refers to people who are “mostly” vegan but still eat animal products now and then.</div>
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The Urban Dictionary (urbandictionary.com) defines it as<i> “An eating practice for people who kinda want to be vegan, but sometimes just need to eat some cheese or chicken.”</i> It is also described as <i>“guilt free veganism”</i>.</div>
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Surprisingly, a number of vegans are promoting the idea of “veganish” so as to, if I understand correctly, make people who care about animal suffering and exploitation, but can’t quite adhere to a 100% vegan diet* feel less guilty if they “fall off the wagon” from time to time. </div>
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Other advocates of occasional veganism are motivated by personal health or a cleaner, more sustainable environment, rather than violence to other animals. As noted above, many, if not most advocates for “veganishism” only focus on food issues and don’t address the other aspects of veganism, such as clothing, animal experimentation, hunting and fishing, and all other areas of animal oppression.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Carpe<span class="st">V</span>egan.com explains veganish this way: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><i><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">“If someone smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, they’re clearly a smoker; but if, once or twice a year, they get drunk at a party and smoke a cigar, then they’re a non-smoker who smokes every once in a while. <b><span style="font-family: Cambria;">We propose a similar way of thinking for veganism: if 95%’ish of the time you’re vegan, you’re vegan or veganish.” </span></b></span></i><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Ad</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">vocates for veganishism argue that as long as people are trying to be vegan, they should be referred to as vegans, or veganishes (?) because in spirit, if not actually in practice, they are vegans. They also contend that more people would be willing to try veganism if they didn’t have to be 100% vegan at the get-go, and if they weren’t attacked for not living up to some vegans’ perfect, yet “impossible” standards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">From an animal rights point of view, promoters of veganishism believe fewer “food” animals would suffer and die because given the choice between vegan and veganish, more people would choose the latter because it’s easier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Now to me, veganish is no different from occasional vegetarianism or occasional carnism. I have no problem with the word vegan, its definition or adhering to its principles. But the bastardization or watering down of the word to make it more appealing to people troubles me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">To be vegan is to eliminate, as much as possible, ALL forms of cruelty towards other animals. And, I might add, ALL the time. Not whenever you feel like and not whenever it’s convenient. It’s a moral position (and a stand against violence), not one that you can ignore when it suits you and not one that changes day to day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">I have some friends who consider themselves "vegetarians in principle" because they say they love animals and they feel bad for them when they’re killed for food - but they still eat them. I think veganish is the same thing: you don't have to be vegan in practice, just in principle, kinda like Mark Bittman's Vegan Until Six program or the Conscientious Carni</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">vores</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">. If you cause suffering to animals once in a while, that's okay, because you're not really vegan - you're veganish!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">Let’s look at it another way. If I reduced the amount of beatings I inflicted on my child by 95% I would still be a child abuser. If I was pulled over for speeding I could argue that since I go the speed limit 95%-ish of the time I really wasn’t speeding at all. The police officer would then tear up the ticket, tell me to have a nice day and let me go own my way - yeah right!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">My point is that if you reduce your cruelty to animals, e<span class="message-text">ven by 80, 90 or 95%, but intentionally cause their suffering and death once in a while, you’re still causing their suffering and death. This is not something to celebrate.</span></span><span class="message-text"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="message-text">Would we applaud the person who goes 364 days a year without sexually molesting a child or murdering another human being but “falls off the wagon” and destroys someone else’s life just that one time? How is this any different from “veganishism”? I’ll tell you: it’s no different because it still causes someone else to suffer.</span></div>
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And if you’re saying to yourself, “But he can’t compare the murder of a human being with the use of animals,” then you aren’t really an animal rights activist. That’s because <i>equal consideration</i> is at the heart of the animal rights movement. If you wouldn’t want someone to use, imprison, torture or slaughter you, then you don’t do it to someone else, whether that someone has two legs, four legs, wings or gills.</div>
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It’s easy to fall off the wagon if you’re vegetarian or vegan for health reasons or to reduce your carbon footprint. You can always assure yourself that, if you slip up, cheat or cave in one day, you can just make up for it the next day. What’s the harm? </div>
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We all consume things that aren’t 100% healthy for us, but we believe that “anything in moderation” is okay, or if we eat something bad “once in a while” it’s not going to kill us. After all, we’re not perfect and we all impact the planet negatively, to some degree, each and every day. In this context, falling off the wagon occasionally is no big deal.</div>
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But if you’re vegan for ethical reasons, because you believe that using and slaughtering animals are forms of violence and morally WRONG, then falling off the wagon occasionally becomes a BIG DEAL, because every time you consume animal products, you’re contributing to the suffering, exploitation and killing of other animals. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">The whole idea of “veganish” seems to want to pat people on the back who aren’t fully committed to a lifestyle of compassion, and to make people feel good when they do eat animals. I think this is a mistake (and imagine how confusing it is to non-vegans!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">None of us are perfect and there's no such thing as a 100% consciously or unconsciously aware vegan - your car alone most likely contains animal by-products of one kind or another and we all support animal exploitation to a degree, even if it's buying vegan food at a grocery store that sells animal products - but the goal is to eliminate, as much as humanly possible, those products from your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"></span>If you want to cut down on your animal consumption for health, the environment or the animals, great! But making up a word to make people feel good about the occasional suffering and death they’re causing doesn’t change the fact that unless you’re vegan, you’re still part of the problem, just as you’re part of the problem if you murder, rape and steal (even if it’s only 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1% of the time).</div>
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I don't think anyone should be shamed or ridiculed because they're trying to be vegan, but stumble once in a while. If you’re vegan in every other aspect of your life but just can’t give up cheese, then you’re definitely reducing the amount of suffering in the world. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">My advice to them is to do your best to be vegan. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up once in a while, just get back on the wagon and move forward. Seek out vegan organizations to help you find cruelty-free alternatives and to reassure you that you’re doing the right thing when you’re feeling weak. You’ll find that other vegans will be more than happy to share their experiences and expertise with you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"></span>But if you're “okay” with causing the suffering, exploitation and slaughter of other sentient beings, even once in a while, you're NOT vegan, and all the variations in the world (<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">v</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">eganish, veganesque, etc.) </span>won’t change the fact that until you DO go vegan, you’re still part of the problem, not the solution.</div>
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Does the individual cow, chicken or pig suffer any less if someone is veganish? As long as there is a demand for animal products - any amount of animal products - animals will continue to suffer and die. There’s no such thing as slaughter-lite, death-free death or exploitation-ish. The idea of veganish is just as absurd.</div>
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*According to Donald Watson, co-founder of the British Vegan Society <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>and creator of the word, veganism “denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude - as far as is possible and practical - all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment."</div>
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Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-30118607978829377402011-04-13T16:42:00.007-04:002011-04-13T17:39:00.611-04:00A Bridge Too Far<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuEiRPeyQVPHoESDcd678Wbg8A0pG5zzjEqkFaSiKe6eo2rKrjsNaGuvrmucBTWEov13InJhuIgYdrHDvLZHh_7oacCXCgTc-Ne7WAqyljDJPGWCkpdiPitMTKvweJon3XC8OwfZFkxaH/s1600/IMG_9774.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuEiRPeyQVPHoESDcd678Wbg8A0pG5zzjEqkFaSiKe6eo2rKrjsNaGuvrmucBTWEov13InJhuIgYdrHDvLZHh_7oacCXCgTc-Ne7WAqyljDJPGWCkpdiPitMTKvweJon3XC8OwfZFkxaH/s320/IMG_9774.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595173833237903570" border="0" /></a> <style>@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }@font-face { font-family: "Tahoma"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">"<i style="">No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.</i>" – Yoda to Luke, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Empire Strikes Back</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">I have this friend. He’s a great guy, concerned about the environment, social justice issues, local and international politics, sustainable living, heritage preservation and so on. He has so much integrity, passion and commitment that he started an online newspaper, devoting most of his free time and energy to inform and educate the masses (and he doesn’t even get paid for it!). </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">He’s also a huge animal lover. For as long as I can remember he’s written about issues concerning animals. He’s always condemned local and national acts of animal cruelty. He’s called for stronger laws to protect animals we call pets from abuse. He’s written against the insidious past-time known as sport hunting. And he’s been a relentless pain in the butt towards those who keep whales in captivity. <span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">He supports local animal rights groups when they hold their protests and vigils, advertises and covers various lectures and symposiums to enlighten the public on animal issues, and even features animal adoptions on his website. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">Yet despite all his concern and compassion for other living beings, he still supports the exploitation, suffering and slaughter of animals for food. He still EATS animals and animal products. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">We’ve talked about it a lot, and I’ve even offered to take him out and treat him to a delicious vegan meal at a restaurant just down the street from his house. So far he hasn’t taken me up on it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><span style=""></span>In a recent email, my friend wrote:</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">“please don't ask me if I am vegan yet .... as much as I share your passion for all creatures great and small on this planet, that probably ain't going to happen for me. .... not eating an egg is a bridge too far.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">It’s not the first time I’ve heard this. Many people I’ve spoken with over the years have expressed the same sentiments. But does this make my friend a hypocrite? Is it hypocritical to condemn those who exploit and kill animals for commercial gain or personal satisfaction, only to support other forms of violence towards animals? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">What’s the difference between stealing whales from the wild (or breeding them in captivity) to live as slaves for human entertainment, and breeding cows, pigs and chickens to live as slaves destined for slaughter (yes, cows and chickens are slaughtered when they can’t produce any more milk or eggs) because people enjoy the taste of their flesh and secretions? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">And what’s the difference between the family who buys a season’s pass to the marine park and the family who buys a ham for Easter?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">I can picture my friend interviewing someone who kills animals for their fur. “Isn’t it cruel to kill an animal just to make someone else look good?” he asks. The fur trapper then replies: </span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">“please don't ask me if I am going to give up killing animals for the fur industry .... as much as I share your passion for all creatures great and small on this planet, that probably ain't going to happen for me. .... not trapping animals is a bridge too far.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">Or how about the person who keeps whales in tiny concrete tanks?</span></p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">“please don't ask me if I am going to stop displaying whales .... as much as I share your passion for all creatures great and small on this planet, that probably ain't going to happen for me. .... not displaying whales (and jeopardizing the success of my business) is a bridge too far.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">Cruelty is cruelty, and suffering is suffering. It is no less so just because it’s being done to a different kind of animal. That doesn’t mean I think my friend is a cold-blooded killer or cruel animal collector, but in regards to reducing animal suffering and ultimately the amount of unnecessary violence in the world, if you’re not part of the solution…</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">So what IS the solution for my friend? Put your money where your mouth is. Like Gandhi said, be the change you want to see in the world. If you’re against animal exploitation, slavery and cruelty, go vegan. Can’t give up eggs yet? Then give up everything except eggs. A little bit is better than nothing at all. But don’t write it all off because you’re too old or too set in your ways. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">Or as Yoda would say, only in your mind is the bridge too far…</span></p>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-1958460743965102012010-11-07T12:22:00.009-05:002010-11-07T12:46:04.910-05:00Who Made Your Eggs Today?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYrwQAWq81uDHxhyQwU6BKRZstitZ32ZukXNV9YorTe3i1WZITDDxVfIZQS9lk6-w9lv_Iv8vgAVAEd1uH1q-1f-E87u_QXWqIr-ESGE8rFJeuxDATUAcPdPjYsKg4xbVLjhkeWNn0MYh/s1600/egg+farmer.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 227px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536863936287447346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYrwQAWq81uDHxhyQwU6BKRZstitZ32ZukXNV9YorTe3i1WZITDDxVfIZQS9lk6-w9lv_Iv8vgAVAEd1uH1q-1f-E87u_QXWqIr-ESGE8rFJeuxDATUAcPdPjYsKg4xbVLjhkeWNn0MYh/s200/egg+farmer.JPG" /></a>It never ceases to amaze me how companies that exploit and slaughter other animals twist and bury the truth in order to sell their “products” or boost their public image. And they always get away with it.<br /><br />Why is that? Oh right, because we let them. Otherwise, we’d be complaining and writing letters to those who regulate and guarantee truth in advertising.<br /><br />If a billboard went up today advertising that cigarettes are good for you, or make you look cool, people would go ballistic. In fact, the ad would never get approved in the first place.<br /><br />But when it comes to animal agriculture, we turn a blind eye. We allow false advertising, even encourage it, so we’re not reminded of how our meat and other animal products get to our table.<br /><br />That’s why Ribfest uses a smiling pig in a chef’s hat (or coveralls) for its logo. That’s why milk and dairy products come in packages bearing pictures of happy heifers in idyllic fields. And that’s why the egg industry lies to its customers.<br /><br />The question is: “Who Made Your Eggs Today?” And we have a picture of an egg farmer for the answer. Well my friends, the egg farmer didn’t make the eggs. He’s a man, a mammal, incapable of producing eggs. Chickens produce eggs, not humans.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyM72mhaTss-7twF4i7OxAxzYLTksTi1r3YAw6nnHKEeP_wO2iDfFbWqERnQFl2mnMMZD4ROBLB7LluyBVhTr-QJ4yklVZXohBhkNXnP58Dke6-YAuvOwVM8ATNF2zCaobMj7gwaeApS23/s1600/Battery_Cage_02.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536863660695841522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyM72mhaTss-7twF4i7OxAxzYLTksTi1r3YAw6nnHKEeP_wO2iDfFbWqERnQFl2mnMMZD4ROBLB7LluyBVhTr-QJ4yklVZXohBhkNXnP58Dke6-YAuvOwVM8ATNF2zCaobMj7gwaeApS23/s200/Battery_Cage_02.jpg" /></a>If this billboard (one of many around the peninsula right now) was accurate, it would show a picture of six or seven birds, crammed into a battery cage, struggling to move around.<br /><br />Their beaks would be cut off with a hot blade (and no pain-killers) so they can’t peck each other – a stress-induced behaviour – and risk damaging the production units (the industry’s term for chickens). And they might even be covered in fecal matter dripping down from the cages above them. Not a pretty picture.<br /><br />So instead of the truth, we have a lie: a smiling farmer instead of a tortured little bird.<br /><br />The truth is, the animals who make your eggs are sentient. That means they can feel pain, experience stress and terror, and suffer, just like your pet cat or dog. We shut down puppy mills that treat dogs in this manner, but support factory farms that treat chickens in this manner. Why?<br /><br />I’d like to see some real truth in animal agriculture advertising. Maybe then people would consider going vegan.Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-63993200825329059122010-03-24T06:45:00.000-04:002010-03-24T18:55:50.746-04:00Violent vegans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98_bBB8zAouUFLS7AwwMkJr_3zwcG4ZtMzTUNjkYRxqb_FzrqfROAkIXVka-UIgFJjODKOaRJO1MIKodNKtm_En4Hg7_qM_LVIl3hKl0Xlulh_x7nD_MSab9HPKlN8hfEU28cOleKgQXQ/s1600/pie+face.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 208px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 149px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452134996360094674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98_bBB8zAouUFLS7AwwMkJr_3zwcG4ZtMzTUNjkYRxqb_FzrqfROAkIXVka-UIgFJjODKOaRJO1MIKodNKtm_En4Hg7_qM_LVIl3hKl0Xlulh_x7nD_MSab9HPKlN8hfEU28cOleKgQXQ/s320/pie+face.jpg" /></a><em>“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”</em> - Isaac Asimov<br /><br />This guy has a piece of celery in one ear, a carrot in the other ear and a zucchini up his nose. He goes to the doctor and asks him what’s wrong. The doctor tells him, “Well, for one thing, you're not eating right.”<br /><br />Okay, maybe not the funniest joke in the world but I just wanted to show you that I do have a sense of humour. But what I read last week wasn’t funny to me at all. In fact, I thought it was quite appalling.<br /><br />The incident I’m referring to is the pie-ing of Lierre Keith, former vegan and author of <em>The Vegetarian Myth</em>, by three hooded vegan extremists.<br /><br />According to the <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em>, the assault took place at an anarchist book fair, where Keith was promoting her book, and the pies thrown at her were reportedly laced with chili peppers. For the complete story, click here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/17/MNGI1CGM1H.DTL">http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/03/17/MNGI1CGM1H.DTL</a><br /><br />A similar occurrence happened here in Canada a few months ago, when a pie-wielding PETA member attacked the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans because she supported the annual east coast seal slaughter. PETA claimed responsibility for the pie assault and the woman, an American from New York City, was charged. Here’s the link to that story:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/755483--anti-sealing-peta-protester-smacks-minister-with-tofu-pie">http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/755483--anti-sealing-peta-protester-smacks-minister-with-tofu-pie</a><br /><br />Now there are a lot of things that people say and do that I disagree with, but I don’t go around throwing pies at them. It’s not only childish; it’s an act of violence. Veganism is supposed to be about NON-violence.<br /><br />And while a number of people have applauded the pie-throwing episode in San Francisco, some vegans don’t even consider it an act of violence. According to a person who witnessed the assault:<br /><br /><em>“I was there and perhaps I should have snickered in silence, and I am the first one to condemn ‘violence’, but I firmly feel that this was not a violent act, but a clever and effective direct action. The only thing the pie throwing ninjas bruised was her ego. Lierre Keith's book is very dangerous to the vegan movement.”</em><br /><br />For the record, hitting someone in the face with a pie IS a violent act. It’s a display of force meant to embarrass or humiliate someone else, and it’s doing something to someone else against their will - a violation. It doesn't matter that Keith wasn’t physically or seriously injured.<br /><br />So what are these people trying to prove? Do they think they’re going to win the public over or be taken seriously by hitting people in the face with pies? What message do they hope to impart on society, other than if you support acts of violence against animals (or even write against vegetarianism/veganism), you will become the target of violence?<br /><br />Some animal activists used to do the same thing to people who wore fur, but instead of throwing pies, they threw red paint (and apparently still do on occasion). But the tactics, and the message, are still the same: the use of violence to raise awareness of violence. It’s all pretty stupid if you ask me.<br /><br />And it’s counter-productive. Throwing pies at people doesn’t make them think about animal suffering or animal rights. It will however, make them think that animal activists are a bunch of crazy idiots.<br /><br />Since 99% of the population doesn’t see anything wrong with using or eating animals, a lot of people will use this stunt (and others like it) to denounce veganism, and label us all as angry, militant and irrational hypocrites, even though it's not true.<br /><br />If these violent outbursts continue, the progress we’ve made as agents for peaceful change will suffer. We’ll be branded extremists and terrorists. Never mind Lierre Keith’s book; it’s the pie-throwings and other senseless acts of violence that could do the vegan movement the most harm.Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-48135080923873376222010-03-09T17:28:00.007-05:002010-03-11T17:40:07.795-05:00In defense of James Cameron and Avatar (sort of)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3Xxyy58hFFpTBcR3Mv_zQN8rBm0lkQCp9u08ZZscHvpZy0cjrfPtnbdqiuASMf6IqHmQAcAfEpoutnByunpWl7KQzO_us8qzo5sor7RPacV9QbRoYmvVQG50IM5voxDdAbyVDHBpAedq/s1600-h/jake+and+ikran.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 248px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 164px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446765404088265522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3Xxyy58hFFpTBcR3Mv_zQN8rBm0lkQCp9u08ZZscHvpZy0cjrfPtnbdqiuASMf6IqHmQAcAfEpoutnByunpWl7KQzO_us8qzo5sor7RPacV9QbRoYmvVQG50IM5voxDdAbyVDHBpAedq/s320/jake+and+ikran.jpg" /></a>Stephanie Ernst over at Animal Rights & AntiOppression recently wrote that James Cameron’s new film <em>Avatar</em>, despite what the critics, or even some of the big animal rights organizations say, does NOT show respect for animals.<br /><br />She takes particular offence to a scene in which the lead character forces himself onto (and into) another creature in order to control him. For Jake to become a full warrior, he must overpower and subdue an ikran, one of Pandora’s flying beasts. Stephanie writes:<br /><br /><em>“It is Jake’s duty, while the animal fights him off, to “bond” with the animal by overpowering him, tying him up, climbing on top of him, and inserting a part of his body into the body of the animal while his victim desperately fights him off.”</em><br /><br />Click here for the full story:<br /><br /><a href="http://challengeoppression.com/2010/02/16/domination-and-rape-in-avatar-this-is-respect-for-animals/">http://challengeoppression.com/2010/02/16/domination-and-rape-in-avatar-this-is-respect-for-animals/</a><br /><br />Stephanie also has a problem with the film’s message that as long as you pray or pay your respects to other animals, it’s alright to kill them (although we don’t actually know why Jake kills the animal and we never see the Na’vi eat animal flesh).<br /><br />I saw <em>Avatar</em> twice and I personally thought it was an amazing movie. I loved the computer graphics, the music and the way the film brought attention to the environment, capitalism, the use of the military and the way we’ve treated (and continue to treat) indigenous peoples.<br /><br />Nevertheless, I too was bothered by the “rape” scenes. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at the time but something about it made me uncomfortable. I was reminded of the way wild stallions or elephants are “broken” but I think I saw it more as some kind of mind control than rape. I’m grateful to Stephanie for making me see what it really was.<br /><br />I also found it disturbing that PETA would honour a film that promotes the exploitation of other animals, awarding James Cameron with a Proggy (PETA’s progress award) because of the film’s compassion and understanding towards animals.<br /><br />According to PETA Senior Vice-President Lisa Lange, “We hope viewers will come away from Avatar with a new way of looking at the world around them and the way we treat our fellow earthlings. For helping animals with the positive message of this film, James Cameron is PETA’s ‘King of the World.’”<br /><br />What? Okay, whatever. I learned long ago that PETA will do or say just about anything (or ride on anybody’s coattails) to get a headline. Remember CloFu (George Clooney sweat-flavoured tofu)?<br /><br />But I don’t blame Cameron for making a film that promotes the slaughter, subjugation and rape of other animals. After all, Cameron isn’t a vegan or an animal rights activist. If he was, then I’d take issue with him exploiting animals in his films. But he’s not.<br /><br />A friend of mine was also concerned that the use of violence towards the creatures in Avatar was going to send a message to the public that it’s okay to exploit and kill animals.<br /><br />I had to remind my friend that the public ALREADY thinks that it’s okay to exploit and kill animals. We live in a society where it’s commonplace and acceptable to use animals for any reason whatsoever.<br /><br />We kill them for fun, we kill them for food, we kill them for scientific curiosity and we kill them because we think we look good wrapped in their skins. We rape cows, we torture primates, we drown rats and we grind baby chicks alive.<br /><br />We bash in the heads of turtles with hammers to study their heart rates and drill holes into the heads of hamsters to analyze their sex drives! We even cook and eat animals while they’re still alive. I could go on and on.<br /><br />Aside from vegans, who make up a whole 1% of the population, everybody else eats and uses and kills animals.<br /><br />So Cameron wrote and produced a film that depicts animal exploitation. Why are people surprised? Why would he write anything else?Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-21814922920411686082010-02-24T17:29:00.005-05:002010-02-24T18:00:09.389-05:00We are not lions<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu7cdfMe4VjNj61OdoaF4a1vD6Wq3mfWOiO9NOX4Yx-Jt2rShLLE5xKCAynEDNEQi7yUKsjBT53-XwZiMtmiOC7VML_gmp37hGUNkrwTI2XBFC62Z9cq5rbyUyEfI4tPTGiDx_Lyzg96i/s1600-h/lions-mauling-a-zebra_are_you_next.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 209px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441941790544364418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHu7cdfMe4VjNj61OdoaF4a1vD6Wq3mfWOiO9NOX4Yx-Jt2rShLLE5xKCAynEDNEQi7yUKsjBT53-XwZiMtmiOC7VML_gmp37hGUNkrwTI2XBFC62Z9cq5rbyUyEfI4tPTGiDx_Lyzg96i/s320/lions-mauling-a-zebra_are_you_next.jpg" /></a>In an attempt to defend meat-eating, there are those who say it’s perfectly natural for us to kill and consume other animals, and since we’re at the top of the food chain, everything and anything (or anyone) is on the menu.<br /><br />These people often cite lions, tigers and bears (oh my) to back up their beliefs that humans are supposed to eat flesh, because other animals eat flesh. I can see where they’re coming from because I thought the very same thing when I was very young.<br /><br /><em>“Bears are omnivores and so are we,”</em> I once told my then vegetarian sister. <em>“Get the bears to stop eating meat and I’ll stop eating meat.”</em> I thought I was so clever!<br /><br />Lions kill antelopes, wolves kill deer and bears kill fish. They’re animals and we’re animals. So what’s the big deal? What’s the difference?<br /><br />The difference is we are not lions, wolves or bears. We’re human beings: a different kind of animal; a MORAL animal. Lions and other carnivores don’t have morals, nor do they have a choice. If they don’t kill other animals they’ll die. They can’t survive on fruits, grains and vegetables. It’s the same for omnivores. But we can. We have other options.<br /><br />Maybe once, a long time ago, we had to eat animals to survive (humans also ate other humans NOT so long ago) but we’ve learned so much since then. Today we work with lasers, communicate instantly with people on the other side of the planet and send robots to other planets. We’re in the 21st century now, not the Stone Age. We don’t need to eat animals anymore.<br /><br />Some readers might say: “Yes, but we’re omnivores too!” Are we? I’m not so sure. Our physiology seems to indicate we are not, and the health implications (not to mention the environmental consequences) of consuming animal products suggest it would be wiser for all of us if we gave up meat.<br /><br />And just because we can do something, like eating someone else’s flesh, doesn’t mean we should. Our bodies can also handle cocaine, heroine and crystal meth in moderate amounts, but I don’t know anyone promoting widespread psychoactive drug use.<br /><br />So meat advocates can use predators to try and make their meat-eating arguments if they like but I’m more inspired by the gorillas, elephants and rhinoceroses. These amazing animals are just as strong as lions (if not stronger) and they’re all vegans. They manage to survive without killing and eating the bodies of other animals and they do just fine.<br /><br />But I don’t object to predatory animals killing other animals (even though I feel bad for the victims) because, as I wrote earlier, they have no choice; it’s either do or die. Humans on the other hand do have a choice. And that’s what it all comes down to: a moral choice.<br /><br />We know that killing, unless absolutely necessary, is wrong. We also know that causing unnecessary suffering to others is cruel. That’s why we have laws. If we didn’t, society couldn’t function. So we’re taught from an early age about right and wrong, do unto others, and so on for the betterment of society and the good of its members.<br /><br />We’re praised when we perform acts of kindness and punished when we commit acts of violence. We’re also encouraged to work together to strengthen our communities, protect the weak and vulnerable, and help the sick and elderly. We don’t live by the law of the jungle because we don’t live in the jungle.<br /><br />We can’t be part of a moral community, and reap the benefits of that community on one hand, and then justify killing and eating animals “because other animals do it.” There are no rules in nature; it’s survival of the fittest. But WE don’t live like that. If we did, there would be no law enforcement agencies, no hospitals, no charitable organizations, no social services, no mercy and no compassion.<br /><br />If you want to reject civilized society and all its rules, living “red in claw and tooth” and killing what you eat go right ahead. But leave behind all the protections and benefits that come from living in a civilized society, including all those fancy gadgets. Wild animals don’t have cars, kerosene generators or high-powered rifles and neither should you.<br /><br />Either we live like human beings, and accept all the rights and responsibilities that come with that, or we live like animals. It’s one or the other. We can’t have it both ways.Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-37132764723430834362010-02-10T19:04:00.008-05:002010-02-10T19:26:50.104-05:00The sanctity of life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eBxVBCyCe5pBEh9qxjt-qLO0TzmMJpwCXguxdtqn3jG6ekU_RXkSQyPi2Z1GCB478JSZRDx_6IM4mV3YeVpwqOvweHZlns8YDNY6_wM-ad0WYeYRk813fGaRrD9A03Hm4LfkoJ7_N4qP/s1600-h/cow+resting.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 183px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 132px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436772826668136978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eBxVBCyCe5pBEh9qxjt-qLO0TzmMJpwCXguxdtqn3jG6ekU_RXkSQyPi2Z1GCB478JSZRDx_6IM4mV3YeVpwqOvweHZlns8YDNY6_wM-ad0WYeYRk813fGaRrD9A03Hm4LfkoJ7_N4qP/s200/cow+resting.jpg" /></a>I’m reading the newspaper the other day when I come across the following headlines:<br /><br /><strong>Innocent bystander shot in the head and killed while pumping gas.<br /><br />12-year-old girl found raped, murdered.<br /><br /></strong>I mention them to a number of people and their responses are typical:<br /><br /><em>What a shame. How could somebody do such a thing? What a waste of a life!<br /></em><br />They all feel bad for the victims whose lives have ended so abruptly, brutally and needlessly, and their hearts go out to the grieving families, unable to imagine the suffering they’re going through.<br /><br />They try their best to make sense out of such senseless violence. Some get angry. One person wonders how some people can have so little respect for another’s life. Another asks, <em>“What’s wrong with this world?”<br /></em><br />However, the one thing that nobody says, not even one of them, is, <em>“Well, at least they had a good life up until then.”</em> Could you imagine if someone did? What would the others think of that person? At best, he or she would be accused of being some kind of cold-blooded monster!<br /><br /><em>“How could you say such a horrible thing?”</em> they’d ask. They’d be shocked, disgusted and angered. They’d probably find such a remark repugnant, offensive and insensitive. And rightly so.<br /><br />That’s because most of us have a reverence for life; we believe it to be sacred. We also believe that everyone should have a chance to live out his or her life; to grow up into adulthood, get married, have children and pursue a career; whatever they want to do. To have that life cut short by an unnecessary act of violence is both terrible and tragic.<br /><br />Yet people say this all the time when it comes to the animals, don’t they? “Well, at least they had a good life up until then,” as if a couple of months (or for cows, a couple of years) of not being tortured justifies a violent and horrific end.<br /><br />But that’s the whole idea behind “free-range” and “certified humane” animal products; that it’s okay to butcher animals as long as they’ve had a good life (and it’s us humans, not the animals, who determines what a good life is and when it should end).<br /><br />Thanks to the countless undercover investigations and You Tube videos, the public is now more aware than ever before of what happens in today’s factory farms. Still, most people see nothing wrong with eating other farmed animals as long as they’re treated “okay” (up until the time their throats are slit anyways). And this is exactly what the industry wants you to think.<br /><br />“Free-range” and “certified humane” labels were invented for one reason: to sell animal flesh, eggs and milk products to so-called “conscientious” consumers. But make no mistake: this new breed of animal exploiter is no more concerned with animal welfare than the animal exploiters over at the factory farm.<br /><br />They do understand one thing though. People care about animals, even if they won’t stop eating them (and of course, no animal farmer wants you to stop eating them), so they’ve come up with an innovative marketing strategy to relieve the customer’s guilt: free range and certified humane animal products.<br /><br />The customer feels good because he thinks the animals aren’t suffering (or not suffering as much). The exploiters feel good because they’re able to sell their flesh, milk and eggs at a higher price. The only ones who aren’t feeling so good are the animals because, well, they’re dead!<br /><br />These so-called “happy” animals (how else do you get happy meat?) are still mutilated, abused and slaughtered. Chickens still have their beaks burned off; cows still have their horns cut off and pigs still have their… well, they’re still castrated. All of this is done without anesthetic and in the end they are all mercilessly, painfully and brutally killed.<br /><br />They’re still treated like machines (the industry prefers “production units”) instead of sentient beings who have interests of their own. These “happy” animals are slaves, plain and simple. Since when is slavery humane? Who ever heard of a happy slave?<br /><br />Well, here’s a newsflash for you: there’s no such thing as happy meat and there’s no such thing as humane slaughter. If you wouldn’t do it to another human being, it’s not humane.<br /><br />Approximately 145 million animals are slaughtered on a daily basis (that’s over 50 BILLION a year) because we like the taste of them. That’s the only reason. So we try to justify our eating habits and ease our guilt by convincing ourselves, or letting the exploiters do it for us, that certain kinds of slaughter are acceptable; even desirable. They are not.<br /><br />Whether these animals are “humanely-raised” or reared in an intensive confinement facility, they are ALL OF THEM slaughtered. They don’t retire; they aren’t sent out to pasture; no old folks home for them. The only place they go to is the slaughterhouse.<br /><br />Over 50 billion lives every year. What a waste of life. No wonder there’s so much violence in the world. Isn’t it about time we made the connection, that as long as we engage in any act of violence, we will never be free of violence?<br /><br />The French poet, Alphonse Lamartine, said, <em>“Do not raise your hand against your brother, and do not spill the blood of any living creatures who live on the earth, neither human beings nor pets nor wild animals nor birds. In the depth of your soul some divine voice stops you from spilling this blood. There is life in it. You cannot return this life.”</em><br /><br />And that’s what we’re talking about here: life. Someone else’s life. In fact, 50 billion someone elses each and every year. Their lives are not ours to take. These animals, given the choice, would rather live than die. Their life has value to them just as yours does to you.<br /><br />We need to start practicing what we preach. We need to start respecting the sanctity of life. <em>We need to go vegan.</em>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-73853342430342319302010-01-30T17:38:00.007-05:002010-01-30T19:07:19.727-05:00The Great Separation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCAQfAGcZq3hW3C5bNeU5Fso9M5GjUp1nZtCZskaCH2-3m9sD3L6xv1liXvTgG1fNoPZ-cO2TkM5xOE33aZaWfOLB1PiO3H3S3BFjvr8IHWAeWH5fveLhqu1XRGaxqDMB9iRyhiIff4cY/s1600-h/Blue+hills.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 198px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432687155469478162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCAQfAGcZq3hW3C5bNeU5Fso9M5GjUp1nZtCZskaCH2-3m9sD3L6xv1liXvTgG1fNoPZ-cO2TkM5xOE33aZaWfOLB1PiO3H3S3BFjvr8IHWAeWH5fveLhqu1XRGaxqDMB9iRyhiIff4cY/s200/Blue+hills.jpg" /></a>Thousands of years ago, man lived in harmony with the rest of the natural world. Through what we would call Telepathy, he communicated with animals, plants and other forms of life - none of which he considered "beneath" himself, only different, with different jobs to perform. He worked side by side with earth angels and nature spirits, with who he shared responsibility for taking care of the world.<br /><div></div><br /><div>The earth's atmosphere was very different from what it is now, with a great deal more vegetation-supporting moisture. A tremendous variety of vegetable, fruit, seed and grain food was available. Because of such a diet, and the lack of unnatural strain, human life span was many times longer than what it is today. The killing of animals for food or "sport" was unthinkable. Man lived at peace with himself and the various life forms, whom he considered his teachers and friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>But gradually at first, and then with increasing intensity, man's Ego began to grow and assert itself. Finally, after it had caused many unpleasant incidents, the consensus was reached that man should go out into the world alone, to learn a necessary lesson. The connections were broken. </div><div> <br /></div><div> </div><div>On his own, feeling alienated from the world he had been created from, cut off from the full extent of its abundance, man was no longer happy. He began to search for the happiness he had lost. When he found something that reminded him of it, he tried to possess it and accumulate more - thereby introducing Stress into his life. But searching for lasting happiness and accumulating temporary substitutes for it brought him no satisfaction.</div><br /><div></div><div>As he was no longer able to hear what the other forms of life were saying, he could only try to understand them through their actions, which he often misinterpreted. Because he was no longer cooperating with the earth angels and nature spirits for the good of all, but was attempting to manipulate the earth forces for his benefit alone, plants began to shrivel and die. With less vegetation to draw up and give off moisture, the planet's atmosphere became drier and deserts appeared. A relatively small number of plant species survived, which grew smaller and tougher with passing time. Eventually they lost the radiant colors and abundant fruit of their ancestors.</div><br /><div></div><div>Man's life span began to shorten accordingly, and diseases appeared and spread. Because of the decreasing variety of food available to him - and his growing insensitivity - man began to kill and eat his friends the animals. They soon learned to flee from his approach and become increasingly shy and suspicious of human motives and behavior. And so the separation grew. After several generations, few people had any idea of what life had once been like.</div><br /><div></div><div>As man became more and more violent toward the earth, and as his social and spiritual world narrowed to that of the human race alone, he became more and more manipulative of and violent toward his own kind. Men began to kill and enslave each other, creating armies and empires, forcing those who looked, talked, thought and acted differently from them to submit to what they thought was best.</div><br /><div></div><div>Life became so miserable for the human race that about two or three thousand years ago, perfected spirits began to be born on earth in human form, to teach the truths that had largely been forgotten. But by then humanity had grown so divided, and so insensitive to the universal laws operating in the natural world, that those truths were only partially understood.</div><br /><div></div><div>As time passed, the teachings of the perfected spirits were changed, for what one might call political reasons, by the all-too-human organizations that inherited them. Those who came into prominence within the organizations wanted power over others. They downplayed the importance of non-human life forms and eliminated from the teachings statements claiming that those forms had souls, wisdom and divine presence - and that the heaven they were in touch with was a state of Unity with the Divine that could be attained by anyone who put aside his ego and followed the universal laws. </div><br /><div></div><div>The power-hungry wanted their followers to believe that heaven was a place to which some people - and only people - went after death, a place that could be reached by those who had the approval of their organizations. So not even the perfected spirits were able to restore the wholeness of truth, because of interference of the human ego.</div><br /><div></div><div>Down through the centuries, accounts of the Great Separation. and of the Golden Age that existed before it, have been passed on by the sensitive and wise. Today in the industrial West, they are merely classified as legends and myths - fantasies believed in by the credulous and unsophisticated, stories based only on imagination and emotion. And although colored and simplified accounts of the Great Separation can be found in the holy books of the world's religions, it is doubtful that many followers of those religions strongly believe them.</div><br /><div></div><div>- Benjamin Hoff, <em>The Te of Piglet</em></div>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-8317615487592783342010-01-25T19:24:00.005-05:002010-01-25T19:30:45.498-05:00They're all good animals<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94v5uNtm8R3En6KXUdGZh7e_PcgKnC13dd06XAAM1HD4IV0MhUDHKo0RNqx3zTeDwvLUwKpffpJqyAe14tH-_ptGWoiz7-Hqo1vFWzkEcsb_ZbK26wgaFW6RJBVWu7w4H0Tz9FxEQC96_/s1600-h/catpig.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 210px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430839190487035330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94v5uNtm8R3En6KXUdGZh7e_PcgKnC13dd06XAAM1HD4IV0MhUDHKo0RNqx3zTeDwvLUwKpffpJqyAe14tH-_ptGWoiz7-Hqo1vFWzkEcsb_ZbK26wgaFW6RJBVWu7w4H0Tz9FxEQC96_/s200/catpig.jpg" /></a>Rusty died a few days ago.<br /><br />She was my mother’s cat and she was 18 years old, although you’d never know it to look at her. She seemed a lot younger. Perhaps it’s because she was so little. Still, 18 years is a pretty long life for a cat. And I can assure you she had a good life.<br /><br />Actually, she wasn’t my mother’s cat at all; she was my sister’s. But mom had agreed to take care of her when my sister moved away to Arizona more than 10 years ago. So even though Rusty wasn’t technically my mom’s cat, she was my mom’s cat.<br /><br />My mother was crying when she phoned me to tell me that Rusty had passed away. She was heartbroken and she still is. She said Rusty had been a part of her and now that she was gone, she felt like a part of her was missing too.<br /><br />She told me how she had been petting Rusty the night before she died and how Rusty had been purring. “Oh, how she purred,” my mother had said. Rusty was still warm when my mom found her lifeless body underneath the dining-room table the next morning.<br /><br />“She was such a good cat,” mom said as she wept.<br /><br />“I know she was,” I replied. I was tempted to add, they all are, but decided not to.<br /><br />My mom loved Rusty; of that I have no doubt. And I know she’ll get over losing Rusty in time; the pain and sorrow replaced by fond memories of her. It’s just too bad that my mother couldn’t (or doesn’t) have the same empathy and love towards other animals.<br /><br />You see, my mother loves some animals and eats others. When she hears of animal abuse on television, she’s appalled. Yet she refuses to make the connection when it comes to animals who are killed for food.<br /><br />Perhaps if she was able to know the other animals, one from every species, the way she was able to know Rusty, she might feel differently. After all, the cow who was killed for her hamburger was such a good cow. The pig who was slaughtered for her bacon was such a good pig. And the little chicken whose throat was cut so my mom can enjoy her sweet and sour chicken balls was such a good chicken.<br /><br />Maybe then she’d see that all animals are worthy of compassion; that they don’t need to die or deserve to die or want to die. She might come to the realization that they are all good animals, and the needless suffering and death of any of them is tragic; something to mourn and more importantly, something to stop.<br /><br />The only way to do this is to go vegan.<br /><br />Rest in peace Rusty.<br /><br />And rest in peace all you other good animals.Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-56951646175904909312010-01-13T18:09:00.009-05:002010-01-14T17:54:21.923-05:00Veganism is hard!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMNc4K9p-Hnmw4wcA9bClSya-e-lxnUpEfqBxT6Ojo80H151vXsouVojMXiC03E65rtAfzSEHJBzjioEI7LScXz5CX30eDFC8W6Wj_tG7DFcn4A9OiHwY7S-CBBpV41K_Ggq7uUJ2roZk/s1600-h/pulling+teeth.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 221px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 163px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426369383231888210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMNc4K9p-Hnmw4wcA9bClSya-e-lxnUpEfqBxT6Ojo80H151vXsouVojMXiC03E65rtAfzSEHJBzjioEI7LScXz5CX30eDFC8W6Wj_tG7DFcn4A9OiHwY7S-CBBpV41K_Ggq7uUJ2roZk/s320/pulling+teeth.jpg" /></a>Of all the reasons not to go vegan, this is the one I hear the most. Now I’m not completely convinced that everyone who says it’s hard has ever tried it (or has ever really given it a chance), but I’m assuming they assume it is. I also think a lot of folks equate veganism with extremism and view vegans as uncompromising purists.<br /><br />To some we’re seen as a special breed of humans with almost supernatural powers of self-control; strange beings who constantly deny ourselves all the good things in life and take pleasure in trying to make other people feel guilty all the time.<br /><br />Not true. The vegans I know (including myself) lead rich and rewarding lives. They’re as normal (or abnormal) as anyone else and they enjoy and do many of the same things you do. They also respect life - all life - and have devoted themselves to peace, which just so happens to begin with what (or who) you put in your mouth.<br /><br />And it’s not about trying to make people feel guilty; it’s about trying to make people feel something, <em>anything!</em> Because if they feel something for the animals, a connection, pity, something, maybe they’ll stop eating them.<br /><br />Personally, I’ve never considered veganism hard and I’ve been vegan for 10 years now. I make almost all my own meals and when I do eat out, I go to places that have vegan selections. I’ve also found that most restaurants are willing to prepare your food the way you want it; all you have to do is ask (try ordering a vegan pizza in a restaurant and see how many people comment on how delicious it looks).<br /><br />Instead of eating meat and other animal products, I enjoy a wide variety of plant-based foods I never dreamed of trying before becoming vegan. Chana masala (aka chick peas in a curry sauce) is now one of my favourite homemade dishes, although prior to going vegan I wouldn’t touch chick peas with a ten-foot pole. Oh how I’ve grown!<br /><br />I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything or depriving myself but I feel good knowing that my diet isn’t contributing to the suffering of others. Veganism isn’t about depriving yourself of things, but it does provide you with an opportunity to expand your food choices <em>as well as your circle of compassion.<br /></em><br />I also have no desire to use or wear anything that resulted in animals being tortured and killed, nor do I wish to see animals confined (zoos and marine parks) or abused (circuses and rodeos) for human amusement (the other part of veganism). Once I knew the truth about how these animals are made to suffer there was no going back.<br /><br />But let’s say for a minute that veganism is hard (but not impossible). So what? A lot of things are hard, like waking up early for work, going to school, doing the dishes, cleaning your room, dealing with your mother-in-law, obeying the speed limit, telling the truth, being faithful to your partner and helping others. Did I miss anything?<br /><br />My point is there are things that a) we need to do to survive and get by in the world, and b) we should be doing because they make us better human beings and the world a better place. Sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing but it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do the right thing. And going vegan is the right thing. Not just for me or a select few but for everyone who believes in kindness, compassion and the golden rule.<br /><br />Veganism is a commitment to peace and a stand against the exploitation of those who are weaker than us. Excluding animal products from your life is not the end of the world, but it might just be the beginning of the end to all the violence and unnecessary suffering in the world.Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-50821915184856144792010-01-08T05:27:00.012-05:002010-01-08T06:12:05.389-05:00Reasons to go veganAn article published by the Montreal Gazette yesterday commented on the growing popularity of veganism, stating that: <em>"A novelty only 30 years ago, meat-free diets are rapidly becoming the fashion for people who care about their family's and their planet's health."</em><br /><br />For the full story, click here:<span style="color:#ccccff;"> </span><a style="COLOR: blue" href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/letters/Vegans%2Bmove%2Binto%2Bmainstream/2409855/story.html&ct=ga&cd=1wgHotlSGGE&usg=AFQjCNGgQGIAcul_mdjC9P-zm092qQC5NQ" target="_blank"><span style="color:#ffff99;">Vegans move into the mainstream</span></a><span style="color:#ffff99;"><br /><br /></span>While I enjoy seeing stories like this in the newspapers, I wish the authors would also include the most important reason, and the number one reason most people go vegan: to stop the exploitation, suffering and slaughter of other animals.<br /><br />I suppose right now it's trendy to reduce your meat consumption (or at least to say you do) but trendy or not, veganism is compassion in action. It's about recognizing how cruel and unnecessary it is to use, kill, wear, eat or experiment on other animals and then adjusting your lifestyle to reflect that awareness.Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-72848362818445235852009-12-31T10:01:00.015-05:002012-01-03T06:44:45.729-05:002012: The Year to go Vegan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsUGXh5ptychdnv-XdAsTIloRbMRYfiOa5rtMtd9WN9SbUHF70Notmp1nWUU-eyvQFTL2Hl0pmhUNpSoLZcerwFmGont6hA7-i2D3oW2wPkX4BFZ80Drn5YE2hWxtVoqvU-vLgve9LoKP/s1600-h/pig.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421416004189452754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 194px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsUGXh5ptychdnv-XdAsTIloRbMRYfiOa5rtMtd9WN9SbUHF70Notmp1nWUU-eyvQFTL2Hl0pmhUNpSoLZcerwFmGont6hA7-i2D3oW2wPkX4BFZ80Drn5YE2hWxtVoqvU-vLgve9LoKP/s320/pig.jpg" border="0" /></a>I love the new year. It comes with so much promise; so many wonderful possibilities. And it’s always my hope that the new year will be even more wonderful than the last.<br /><br />I’m also a huge fan of making New Year’s resolutions and I believe everyone should make at least one resolution and try to stick to it.<br /><br />Of course, my dream would be that everyone reading this blog makes it his or her New Year’s resolution to go vegan - to end the unnecessary suffering and death of other animals (and by doing so improve your health, help the planet and end world hunger).<br /><br />And you can start to do all this by simply changing your diet. How cool is that?<br /><br /><span class="st">V</span>eganism is a journey; an adventure. Whether it’s a joyous and exciting one is entirely up to you (to learn why vegetarianism doesn’t go far enough to end animal suffering, please go to: <a href="http://veganpartyofcanada.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-is-veganism.html">http://veganpartyofcanada.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-is-veganism.html</a>).<br /><br />All that’s required to begin the journey is a positive attitude and the proper motivation. And here's the motivation:<br /><br />If you care about animals or feel that there’s too much violence in the world AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, this is the way to start. As Kafka said, <em>“Now I can look at you in peace; I don’t eat you anymore.”<br /></em><br />So make it your New Year’s resolution to go vegan. If you feel you can’t go totally vegan right away then do it in steps. Try eating vegan once a week and then twice a week and so on and so forth. If you fall off the wagon, don’t beat yourself up BUT DON’T QUIT! Just get back on and try again.<br /><br />If you need help, don’t hesitate to contact me and I’ll try to steer you in the right direction regarding recipes, resources or moral support. And, if you’re so inclined, send me the occasional progress reports to let me know how you’re doing (travel advisory: don’t embark on this journey alone; let others help you along the way and share in your adventure).<br /><br />Good Luck & Happy New Year!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Daniel</span>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-60002728772882561472009-12-17T07:04:00.009-05:002009-12-18T17:19:10.618-05:00Want peace on earth? Go vegan.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOVSXk6t1RXxUka8mq6IGA0Mty73_0ck6rQtPknnXa0hqmtaiTtdn2-dDSLsgyzjM5jA56J_pNHVILy2qkwa5McW4FqnyVQNgtI5eR1zmARE3-tfXZMeJomn42q-rm432puNtZmsF_-yH/s1600-h/carving+turkey.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416182155919319586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 172px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOVSXk6t1RXxUka8mq6IGA0Mty73_0ck6rQtPknnXa0hqmtaiTtdn2-dDSLsgyzjM5jA56J_pNHVILy2qkwa5McW4FqnyVQNgtI5eR1zmARE3-tfXZMeJomn42q-rm432puNtZmsF_-yH/s200/carving+turkey.jpg" border="0" /></a>I hate the holidays. There, I said it. And it has nothing to do with the fact that I was born two days before Christmas and that I always got ripped off by friends and family when it came to gift-giving. “Hey Dan, here is your birthday/Christmas present,” or “Sorry Dan, with Christmas so close, all I could get you was this crummy…” But I digress.<br /><br />The reason I don’t like this time of year is because it really hits home just how different I am from all my friends, coworkers, and even family members. When you tell people you don’t celebrate Christmas, they often look at you as if you have three heads or something.<br /><br /><em>“Are you Jewish? Jehovah’s Witness? Seventh Day Adventist? Well then what the hell’s wrong with you? What have you got against peace on earth, goodwill to mankind and all that other crap? You’re not a Commie, are you?”<br /></em><br />No, I’m not Jewish, a Jehovah’s Witness, a Seventh Day Adventist or a Communist. I’m agnostic (meaning I don’t know and I don’t care), but more importantly I’m vegan. To be vegan is to choose peace over oppression, compassion over cruelty and life over death (ironically, the same things that Christians claim to espouse).<br /><br />That’s why I don’t celebrate Christmas. I think it’s a sham. And I don’t think most people who celebrate it really believe in it either, or at least what it’s supposed to be about. If they did, there’d be a lot less violence in the world. And if they do, then I suspect it’s only a seasonal thing, like the flu, and as soon as the Christmas tree is thrown to the curb, so too are those warm and fuzzy feelings; the ones we should have every day of the year.<br /><br />To quote Abigail Adams, <em>“We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.”</em> Sure, we like to think of ourselves as kind, compassionate and peace-loving, but our actions don’t really reflect that, do they? We don’t really practice what we preach.<br /><br />The only thing we do practice religiously is the law of instant gratification; the fine art of pleasing ourselves. And the only thing that seems to matter is what’s on sale. Instead of volunteering at soup kitchens and homeless shelters, people are trampling each other (in some cases to death) at retail outlets to save a few bucks on their favourite video game or dolly. The Big Box stores are our new gods and we spend more time inside them than we do in our churches.<br /><br />We continue to wage war on our brothers and sisters to control and possess their natural resources. We support the exploitation of men, women and children for cheap labour so we can have our stuff. We pollute the land, sea and air knowing full well that we’re doing it and how harmful it is to our health. And we enslave, kill and eat other animals because God apparently told us to and because we’re at the top of the food chain, we’re special and we deserve it.<br /><br />Then on December 25th we get together with loved ones to exchange presents, feast on the remains of tortured animals (with all the trimmings) and bask in our own arrogance and false sense of benevolence, never questioning our beliefs and traditions or the consequences of how we live and how our lifestyles affects others. And so I'll continue to boycott Christmas until we begin to live up to our high-sounding words.<br /><br />But there is a light at the end of this dark Xmas tunnel: the year is almost at an end. That means a new year is just around the corner and with a new year comes the opportunity to start over; a chance to be the best YOU that you can be and improve the lives of others.<br /><br />If you care about the suffering of others, the exploitation of the weak and the growing violence both here and around the world, then do something about it. Make it your New Year’s resolution to go vegan. It’s cheap, it’s easy and it’s guaranteed to reduce a lot of unnecessary suffering in the world.<br /><div><div><em></em></div><br /><div><em>Let there be peace on earth</em></div><br /><div><em>And let it begin with me.</em></div><br /><div><em>Let there be peace on earth</em></div><br /><div><em>The peace that was meant to be.</em></div></div>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-13681111502243065642009-12-11T09:00:00.000-05:002009-12-11T09:00:06.362-05:00Eating animals alive<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK_XeDW80PxZslc0aHApnWllJXFDfqvO35dvTGuStd-HgBIYDvIDcehCLN0ATCYWPkrk9ZF_-pEICD-Jb01wuscYRyxoIRgVc3BkQUgcAyTxkJxeMWWhGhtOm-xaVCNsZfE8laaEU9wbx/s1600-h/ikizukuri1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 184px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413792532353572770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK_XeDW80PxZslc0aHApnWllJXFDfqvO35dvTGuStd-HgBIYDvIDcehCLN0ATCYWPkrk9ZF_-pEICD-Jb01wuscYRyxoIRgVc3BkQUgcAyTxkJxeMWWhGhtOm-xaVCNsZfE8laaEU9wbx/s200/ikizukuri1.jpg" /></a>How low can we go? That was the question on my mind after viewing a number of You Tube videos that show various people cooking and eating dissected, disemboweled and <em>fully conscious</em> animals. Of course there are a lot of people outraged by this morbid and sadistic practice, but remarkably, a lot of people are defending it too.<br /><br />I resisted watching them for quite a while, and they ARE sick, but if you want to see one for yourself, you can go to:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fGOjZjM0xQ&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fGOjZjM0xQ&feature=related</a><br /><br />This particularly gruesome method of serving sashimi (raw fish) is called ikizukuri, which apparently means “prepared alive” in Japanese. According to Wikipedia:<br /><br /><em>“Ikizukuri usually begins with the customer selecting, from a tank in the restaurant, the animal (shrimp, octopus, lobster, assorted fish) they wish to eat. The chef, almost always a sashimi chef who has undergone years of training and apprenticeship, takes the animal out of the tank and filets and guts it, but without killing the animal, which is served on a plate, sliced, with the heart still beating.”<br /></em><br /><div>Quite often the animal is “reassembled” after he or she has been cooked alive: the meat, once removed, is thinly sliced and put back on the animal in a decorative fashion. Vital organs are left intact and the animal, still gasping for breath or twitching on the plate lies helpless as diners pick and pull pieces of flesh off the body. The challenge for some people is to finish all the meat before the animal dies.<br /></div><br /><div>This tradition, art form or whatever you want to call it is either 2000 years old or a post World War II invention to boost local tourism for coastal resort villages, depending on which website you read. And though the practice is banned in Australia and Germany because of the obvious cruelty involved - and yes, fish, crustaceans and cephalopods feel pain - it is gaining popularity in North American (mostly Japanese) restaurants.<br /></div><br /><div>When I first found out about ikizukuri - icky is an understatement - it only strengthened my belief that we are one fucked up species; utterly insensitive to the suffering of others, and willing to subject other animals to such excruciating pain and terror for a laugh, for entertainment and to do something shocking and risqué.<br /></div><br /><div>Although many people consider it inhumane, fans of the “delicacy” justify it because of the flavour, quality and freshness. Others claim that even though it may not be their cup of tea, people should still show respect for other cultures and not criticize their ways.<br /></div><br /><div>I guess you'd have to be pretty “fresh obsessed” to want to eat a wriggling and writhing little animal and not care if that animal is suffering or not. Still, why is almost every act of animal exploitation considered a proud tradition or cultural activity, and why are all traditions and cultural activities involving animals - bullfights, whale slaughters, pigeon tosses, circuses, rodeos, hunting, fishing and ikizukuri - beyond reproach?<br /></div><br /><div>Why did you poke your sister in the eye with that stick? </div><div><em>Tradition.<br /></em></div><br /><div>Why did you run that red light? </div><div><em>Tradition, officer.<br /></em></div><br /><div>And the fish you gutted, fried and carved up even though it was still alive? </div><div><em>Ummm, ... because I’m an asshole?<br /></em></div><br /><div>That’s right. If you get your kicks by torturing and killing other animals, then you’re an asshole. And if your personal choice, religion, tradition or culture results in the pain, suffering or death of another, then that choice, religion, tradition or culture is cruel and wrong. </div>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-30668347295343759522009-12-04T07:30:00.000-05:002009-12-04T07:33:30.026-05:00Being vegan is more than just a personal choice<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiJhap3hBdm_o8mRVQFdlmOyToklce5iO9rrrPJD7iAPbXeTZD-IU4caZZdJ5if175U2b_AGEuvZh9Oi4MbjS6Pu_YYcLQON2cGU8RjNQ2-nba50sfjAyANgdMxgDWSgFFZRNjbfmofp-/s1600/burger_eating.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 231px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409554660645725186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiJhap3hBdm_o8mRVQFdlmOyToklce5iO9rrrPJD7iAPbXeTZD-IU4caZZdJ5if175U2b_AGEuvZh9Oi4MbjS6Pu_YYcLQON2cGU8RjNQ2-nba50sfjAyANgdMxgDWSgFFZRNjbfmofp-/s320/burger_eating.jpg" /></a>As far as some people are concerned, us “holier-than-thou” vegans can take our self-righteous and condescending views and stick them where the sun don’t shine (and while I’m tempted to say this attitude only comes from meat-eaters, I know a number of vegetarians who feel the same way).<br /><br />What we put in our mouths is a personal choice, they argue, and if we don’t want to eat animal products then fine, but we have no business telling others what to do and are often accused of “ramming” our beliefs down other people’s throats.<br /><br />Aside from the fact that we still live in a part of the world where we can freely offer our opinions without fear of persecution, and that stating an opinion isn’t the same as forcing someone to do something, most people really don’t “choose” to eat animal products at all.<br /><br />Instead we’ve been conditioned to eat what we do, just as we’ve been conditioned to believe in one religion or another. In most cases it was our parents who trained us to eat animal products, literally shoving their own beliefs down our throats when we were young, which in turn had been shoved down their throats by their parents, and so on, just as religion has been passed on from one generation to the next. We teach what we know; it’s human nature to nurture.<br /><br />Still, a lot of people defend their eating habits on the grounds of personal freedom, saying it’s their “right” to eat whatever they want. And while the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief, expression, the press, peaceful assembly and association, it doesn’t guarantee the freedom to "eat whatever you feel like". Neither does the United States Constitution nor the Bill of Rights (I checked).<br /><br />But in the end it doesn’t really matter. Let’s say meat-eating is a personal choice. So what? Rape and murder are personal choices too. Does that mean it's okay? So instead of defending one's choice to eat animal products, we need to ask ourselves, is it the right choice? Does it justify our claims of being a peace-loving and moralistic society? Is it a true reflection of our concepts of mercy and compassion?<br /><br />We concluded long ago that the murder of other humans is morally unacceptable so laws were created to reinforce that position. Slavery, child labour and racial and sexual discrimination have also been outlawed (for the most part anyways). We don’t condone or encourage these activities even though they too are “personal choices”.<br /><br />Killing animals for food (among other things) is still legal, but since there are other ways to maintain good health and nutrition, it's wrong because it causes unnecessary suffering and death and deprives other animals of their freedom and their desire to live.<br /><br />Being vegan is more than just a personal choice. It’s a commitment to non-violence and a reverence for all sentient life. No one has the "right" or "freedom" to eat or do whatever they want if it causes injury, suffering and death to others.Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-20065508375564792642009-11-27T06:37:00.001-05:002009-11-27T07:14:14.000-05:00Cheap & Easy! Creative vegan education that is...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuVgSlSHBtUd-E1-DuvevnDlnYBU2QoaC_rNBiE4B9nQCrtWQjAIzgMWyttjyKkwP7ZQhy9Bc4i768y97XqDfqByu9Ub_sqVbKJIyEyRiF5Kl7sSMhT7WtOl0B1ks5TBU3C5kV7JJhdnT/s1600-h/kerncliff+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391754339092823666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuVgSlSHBtUd-E1-DuvevnDlnYBU2QoaC_rNBiE4B9nQCrtWQjAIzgMWyttjyKkwP7ZQhy9Bc4i768y97XqDfqByu9Ub_sqVbKJIyEyRiF5Kl7sSMhT7WtOl0B1ks5TBU3C5kV7JJhdnT/s200/kerncliff+001.jpg" /></a>A lot has been written about how we can reach out and educate people about veganism so I’m going to try not to repeat what I’ve already read. It’s out there and it’s easy to find online.<br /><br />What I would like to do is share a few things that my friends and I have done (and do) to speak up for animal justice. Activism doesn’t have to take a lot of time or cost a lot of money. And the great thing about it is that we’re only limited by our imaginations!<br /><br />Bumper stickers are great, especially the magnetic kind, but a friend of mine has gone one step further and spray-painted GO VEGAN on the hood of his car. All it took was a can of spray paint and some masking tape and viola! A mobile billboard.<br /><br />T-shirts with messages on the back are also effective, if you consider how much time we spend in lines (at the bank, the grocery store, the movies, concerts, coffee shops, and the DMV) and because it’s on the back, you aren’t confronting someone directly. Instead, they’re able to read your shirt without getting all defensive.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2y8p_qpgymbLiq1hkpF5HBOMyyQKMCNPi0ITYZKugTa_M2Bnp3YKyAUg9Ok2rXb676CTnvzydJIUZVwzmTpsBvQFX6mmQjpiFZ4GLWrQy15vhwkJaaeXmHv-rQhGWEVlgQUDajB8Fi3L/s1600-h/vegan+shirt+007.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 179px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 124px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391754824942753858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2y8p_qpgymbLiq1hkpF5HBOMyyQKMCNPi0ITYZKugTa_M2Bnp3YKyAUg9Ok2rXb676CTnvzydJIUZVwzmTpsBvQFX6mmQjpiFZ4GLWrQy15vhwkJaaeXmHv-rQhGWEVlgQUDajB8Fi3L/s200/vegan+shirt+007.jpg" /></a> Buttons are also useful. I have a number of buttons on my backpack that I wear when I go hiking with my outdoors club. Which brings me to another great way to raise awareness: join a club!<br /><br />As a member of a club, you’ll be able to interact with people and influence the way the club operates. I joined a hiking club last year and I manage to work veganism into the conversation on almost every hike. In the spring I was able to steer a conversation about the smell of wildflowers to veganism and sure enough, people started questioning me on what I eat. The club now serves veggie burgers and veggie dogs at their barbecues and vegan pizza at their fundraisers.<br /><br />You can also turn the conversation to veganism in restaurants, on the bus, at the coffeemaker at work (discussing news, entertainment or about what you did on the weekend) or even at the dentist’s office, which I was able to do by talking about my vegan toothpaste.<br /><br />The health food section of the grocery store is also a good place to strike up a conversation with other shoppers, or you can ask the manager to carry more vegan products and why.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU1DGLmMXEeloN5XPnXMtqy70LLshFqIMpb1E4paWOJP7SSNsImt7tvm2v5RM4DZYSW5uFh0LQ5RgGuLZ9sUD27KOI6pXpHEdXibSFpoWJHH_5dNoxvCXkuHuN72XU78AosUio-kQgKwC/s1600-h/buttons+003.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 157px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 147px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391755417107402082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaU1DGLmMXEeloN5XPnXMtqy70LLshFqIMpb1E4paWOJP7SSNsImt7tvm2v5RM4DZYSW5uFh0LQ5RgGuLZ9sUD27KOI6pXpHEdXibSFpoWJHH_5dNoxvCXkuHuN72XU78AosUio-kQgKwC/s200/buttons+003.jpg" /></a> If you’re adventurous, you can also attend environmental events and hand out leaflets about veganism, explaining that a plant-based diet is not only good for the animals, it’s good for your health and the planet too. Last summer I “crashed” a Green Party meet-and-greet where they were cooking up animals on the grill, and since then they’ve invited me to table at two of their events by promoting veganism, with the last one featuring a vegetarian potluck (it’s a start).<br /><br />Library displays are another good way to educate the public about veganism. Most libraries will provide you with a table and let you set up for a week or even a month, depending on the branch. This is where you can let your creative juices flow, or if you choose, you can rely on literature and posters from some of the bigger animal rights organizations.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw6fmFEeItCIzZTuY9LhXAKZT6fNsotqH8_aYZ3s3lvTRs2WerHxK841sIP0vvKtGhoR0jLcDPyHXgBp9nxNRvVIO-yBbT9c7pNtXZ00ycBUqF7ZrX_H5jkjMdm7pOCAIZuonyRIheIQf/s1600-h/vegan+shirt+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391756063290518274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw6fmFEeItCIzZTuY9LhXAKZT6fNsotqH8_aYZ3s3lvTRs2WerHxK841sIP0vvKtGhoR0jLcDPyHXgBp9nxNRvVIO-yBbT9c7pNtXZ00ycBUqF7ZrX_H5jkjMdm7pOCAIZuonyRIheIQf/s200/vegan+shirt+001.jpg" /></a> Hosting a vegan potluck (whether on your own at your house or through your animal rights group) is another fantastic way to really impress upon people that going vegan isn’t difficult and that vegan food CAN taste great! Potlucks are also useful for networking with others, sharing recipes and providing support for people either making the transition or those who feel alienated from family and friends because of their beliefs.<br /><br />Writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper is a free and easy way to reach a lot of people about veganism (and a lot of newspapers now offer an online comments section too). Whether it’s in response to a story, an ad promoting animal exploitation (a circus, rodeo, fish fry or even a sale on turkeys), or about someone else's letter to the editor, you can let people know how you feel on the issues.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiReWzjieLKLIbMtL3RYnug1-c-VeJYUSwwDhiqpJgSVJz9zG7ax3wHUwLVGXryhoqKNc-1j2Vy2Ig4GMAiNmnfb26Vd5HDws5IUWOaoUAdecMitO_MG-QHWg3BiVUSnNhdm69GH5qxOul/s1600-h/leafleting.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 147px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391758817794097378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiReWzjieLKLIbMtL3RYnug1-c-VeJYUSwwDhiqpJgSVJz9zG7ax3wHUwLVGXryhoqKNc-1j2Vy2Ig4GMAiNmnfb26Vd5HDws5IUWOaoUAdecMitO_MG-QHWg3BiVUSnNhdm69GH5qxOul/s200/leafleting.bmp" /></a> Finally, keeping brochures in your backpack, in your car or in your desk at work is a great idea too. You never know when the opportunity will arise and it’s always good to be prepared.<br /><br />Two great places to download and print your own vegan brochures are Gary Francione’s Abolitionist Approach website:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/media/pdf/ARAA_Pamphlet.pdf">http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/media/pdf/ARAA_Pamphlet.pdf</a><br /><br />and Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.peacefulprairie.org/prairiePress.html">http://www.peacefulprairie.org/prairiePress.html</a><br /><br />The Boston Vegan Association also has a wonderful, free, full colour brochure for qualifying activists:<br /><br /><a href="http://bostonvegan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=354&Itemid=126">http://bostonvegan.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=354&Itemid=126</a><br /><br />Good Luck and Happy Educating!Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4465385855549590983.post-30698200675728963212009-11-17T08:45:00.000-05:002009-11-17T10:15:45.356-05:00Homo sapiens or Homo psychopathiens?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2RdmspeC5eDQm_A_ItxYHTsAt9q3SC1DcsdPYpvTM5smt3OvfprKQjy855jlt1fdMU_lmOY-xfR_u3JyqiQGxsGwW96byW9Ei-CXRDzMyt5ay1lhzFCtiRFxAcuUg__RgLeAiysLJTVX/s1600/432earthlings.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404883635839922578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2RdmspeC5eDQm_A_ItxYHTsAt9q3SC1DcsdPYpvTM5smt3OvfprKQjy855jlt1fdMU_lmOY-xfR_u3JyqiQGxsGwW96byW9Ei-CXRDzMyt5ay1lhzFCtiRFxAcuUg__RgLeAiysLJTVX/s200/432earthlings.jpg" border="0" /></a>By Daniel K. Wilson<br /><br /><div></div><div>psychopath, <em>n</em>. a person having a character disorder distinguished by amoral or antisocial behaviour without feelings of remorse<br /><br />amoral, <em>adj</em>. <strong>1</strong>. without moral quality; neither moral or immoral. <strong>2</strong>. lacking or indifferent to moral standards, criteria, or principles<br /><br />moral, <em>adj</em>. <strong>1</strong>. of, or pertaining to, or concerned with the principles of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical<br /><br />I watched <em>Earthlings</em> for the first time last week with a group of university students that were also seeing it for the first time. Now I’ve been fighting and speaking up for the rights of animals for almost 10 years and I’ve seen a lot of sickening, twisted and horrible animal cruelty caught on tape. <em>I thought I was immune!<br /></em><br />But what I saw on the screen was so vile and so overwhelming that it truly disgusted me to be associated with the rest of humanity. I wasn’t myself for days. I won’t go into the graphic details of the film, as I’m sure most of you reading this have already seen it. But if you haven’t, I recommend you do, animal activist or not (albeit armed with a good supply of tissues).<br /><br />As I facilitated the post-film discussion, I asked the teary-eyed kids in attendance if they thought the people committing the incomprehensible acts of violence in the film were psychopaths or if our entire society was psychopathic to allow, promote and participate in the institutionalized cruelty we so easily and without provocation inflict upon the animals.<br /><br />I believe our society, hell, our whole damn species, is psychopathic. I can’t think of any sane reason for what we do to the animals. We know they feel pain. We know they suffer and bleed and fear death. We know that when they’re beaten they cry out in agony.<br /><br />We know they can sense when they’re about to be slaughtered and we know they try to avoid it with every fiber of their being. We know they experience terror and we know that their screams are screams of terror and not of indifference. We know it but that knowledge doesn’t stop most of us from doing it.<br /><br />And what do we make of people like ourselves; part of this violent and sadistic culture yet dedicated to peace and compassion? What makes us different? Not everyone who sees <em>Earthlings</em>, or sees the inside of a slaughterhouse for that matter, will go vegan (although I’m certain many will). Why do some people change while others do not?<br /><br />Is it perhaps that we are the next link in the evolution of humankind; <em>homo sapiens pathiens</em> (from the Greek <em>pathos</em> meaning to evoke pity or compassion): the wise and compassionate human? I don’t know. I don't have all the answers.<br /><br />But I do know that sooner or later some of us will ask ourselves: how do we go on? How do we keep on fighting when 99% of humanity - our friends, family, co-workers and community leaders - have such utter contempt and disregard for the feelings and suffering of animals? How do we go on when it seems like we’re powerless to protect the animals from the evils of the human race?<br /><br />The answer is we just do. </div>Daniel Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05062261956977352699noreply@blogger.com2