Are You Already Vegan?
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Vegan?
OK, so you’re vegan. You’re doing something amazing for animals, the planet, and your health. And that’s great!
But why keep it to yourself? Why not make a difference instead of just being different?
Get active for animals!
Some guidelines:
- Follow your heart, your passion, your interests.
- Use your skills, your creativity, your education.
- Choose activism that’s sustainable and won’t burn you out.
- Set yourself up for success by choosing a form of activism that fits your personality, skills, and lifestyle.
Here are some resources:
- http://vegfund.org/
- http://www.veganoutreach.org/
- http://www.mercyforanimals.org/action-center.aspx
- http://www.peta.org/actioncenter/act.asp
- http://www.farmusa.org/involve.htm
- http://www.vegansoapbox.com/sections/vegan-activism/
I agree that Vegans must spread the compassionate word far and wide. What I don’t agree with, is the fact that a Vegan (such as yourself) can promote such an animal abusing organisation such as PeTA!
PeTA not only murder around 90% of the animals left in their care (mainly dogs & cats) every year, they also promote cak killing… http://www.peta.org/cak/ As a compassionate Vegan I don’t advocate the killing of animals at all!!!
Panda: what you have to realize about PeTA is that their priorities rest with doing as much good as is reasonably possible given the current circumstances. For example, it is better to humanely euthanize homeless animals than to have them live in unfit conditions due to lack of resources. It is also better to kill chickens humanely than inhumanely.
As much as we may want to, we cannot simply force every person on earth to immediately adopt 100% vegan practices. Instead, we have to approach the situation in a way that will improve the welfare of animals as much as possible by pushing for reasonable change over a reasonable timeframe. If we demand enormous, immediate changes that will affect millions of people, even though we’re right to demand them, we will be dismissed as unreasonable nutcases and no one will be the least bit interested in listening to what we have to say. If we continue to demand small improvements, and we show reason, understanding, and persistence, then we will make real change.
It is better to compromise and accomplish some good, than to remain rigidly dogmatic and accomplish nothing at all. You can personally be a vegan purist, and that’s great. But as far as public policy and the organizations that influence it go, the only way to accomplish anything is with small steps and great persistence.
I agree and disagree with both of you.
1. I feel OK about approving of some aspects of a large organization while also disapproving of other aspects.
This is what we all do with all relationships with other people or groups of other people. We figure out ways to work with people, love people, live with people even though they don’t always live up to our standards. We find ways to live with ourselves, forgive ourselves, even though we don’t always act perfectly.
2. My “promotion” of PETA is simply in their suggestions for animal activism. And none of those suggestions include killing animals. NONE.
“I feel OK about approving of some aspects of a large organization while also disapproving of other aspects.”
For sure… I’m not okay with throwing the baby out with the bathwater either. I try to judge each “campaign” or effort on it’s own merits… I think I stay as objective as possible… Not every vegan cookie turns out tasty enough to “convince” – And not everything peta does is ineffective.
I think of it as a buffet of tactics… I pick and choose what makes sense to me, and what I think will do the most good.
.-= Bea Elliott´s last blog ..Extend Your Kindess to Those Who Need it Most – Go Vegan =-.