Political Animals Should Get Political For Animals

Under the brutal Southern Cairo sun, in a tempreature of 45C, this donkey was left sick in the middle of the street, only 100 meters away from Torah prison where pro democracy activits were detained. He was left to die after he became of no use.

Sen. Barack Obama said outside a Vegas town hall meeting that ‘how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other.’ A poll released in July showed Proposition 2 with 63% support and 24% opposition. A Gallup poll found that “almost 4 in 10 Americans say they favor banning sports that involve competition between animals” and “a quarter of Americans say animals deserve the same rights as humans, while almost all of the rest agree that animals should be given some protection from harm and exploitation.”

Clearly, animal issues will play a role in this election. Maybe it’s time that Democrats and Obama supporters study up on a few key animal issues…

We’re all well aware of Sarah Palin’s atrocious record at protecting wildlife what with her support of aerial hunting of wolves and bears, but not everyone knows about the other animal issues that may play a roll in this presidential election.

• The Humane Society of the United States endorsed Barack Obama.
• The Obama Family announced they will adopt a shelter dog (rather than buy a dog from a pet store or breeder).
• The Green Party includes animal rights in their platform.
  California’s proposition 2, which will make some animal welfare reforms to industrial agriculture, has tons of support.
• Sarah Palin’s speechwriter, Matthew Scully, is an animal advocate and a vegetarian.

Regardless of your position on animal rights or welfare, you can not ignore the fact that a large segment of Americans are concerned about animal issues and will be voting in part on animal issues.

Some Current Political Issues Involving Animals

Last night’s VP debates may have some people wondering where the candidates stand on animal issues:

“Sen. Biden has been a longtime friend of animal welfare in the Senate, and has received high marks year after year on the Humane Scorecard. In the current session of Congress, Sen. Biden co-sponsored measures to stop horse slaughter, upgrade the penalties for animal fighting, ban the possession of fighting dogs and attendance at a dogfight, and call on Canada to stop its annual massacre of baby harp seals. He has consistently signed onto letters requesting increased funds for the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and the federal animal fighting law.”

Meanwhile, Palin put bounties on wolves and tried to remove polar bears from the Endangered Species list.

California’s Proposition 2 is a very modest reform of animal agriculture. The proposed act prohibits the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. This issue alone may bring some people to the polls who wouldn’t normally vote. Obama supporters may want to capitalize on these animal welfare votes by reminding folks that the Humane Society of the United States, a key supporter of Prop 2, also endorses Barack Obama.

California just recently passed the Researcher Protection Act of 2008. This law criminalizes some blogging activity and restricts freedom of the press. It makes publishing information about academic researchers or their family members a misdemeanor. The act also makes it a misdemeanor for animal advocates to enter researchers’ property. Barack Obama’s response to similar federal legislation was:

“I do not want people to think that the threat from these organizations [ALF and ELF] is equivalent to other crimes faced by Americans every day. According to the FBI, there were over 7400 hate crimes committed in 2003 - half of which racially motivated. More directly relevant to this committee, the FBI reports 450 pending environmental crimes cases involving worker endangerment or threats to public health or the environment.”

Obama rightfully prioritizes crimes according to prevalence and actual damage to humans, rather than economic damage to specific enterprises. Obama’s statement reminds us that we ALL deserve protection from crime, not just big business or the academic elite. Though it should be noted that he voted for the legislation.

Some Current Events Involving Animals

October 1st was World Vegetarian Day. With the growing public awareness of climate change and the knowledge of the damage industrial agriculture has upon the environment, more and more people are going vegetarian. The Guardian reported:

“People should have one meat-free day a week if they want to make a personal and effective sacrifice that would help tackle climate change, the world’s leading authority on global warming has told The Observer”
“Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which last year earned a joint share of the Nobel Peace Prize, said that people should then go on to reduce their meat consumption even further.”

Those who heed the UN’s advice and reduce or eliminate their meat consumption are choosing to live their values.

Yesterday was World Farm Animal Day.

“WORLD FARM ANIMALS DAY [...] is a time dedicated to exposing, mourning, and memorializing the needless suffering and slaughter of the more than 55 billion cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, and other sentient land animals in the world’s factory farms and slaughterhouses.”

Likewise, across the country there will be demonstrations in favor of more stringent animal welfare laws and law enforcement, such as Walks for Farm Animals.

November 1st will be World Vegan Day. Being so close to election day, veganism may be on the minds of many voters.

And let’s not forget that Rep. Dennis Kucinich (a vegan who has many vegan and pro-animal fans) told his supporters that if he did not appear on the ballot they should back Barack Obama.

Clearly, animal rights and welfare are on the minds of at least some voters during this election season. Obama supporters should remember the above when speaking to vegans, vegetarians, or animal advocates.

Moreover, progressives and liberals are ought to be interested in animal issues:

“The speciesism of liberals/progressives contradicts their fundamental values [...] The speciesism of conservatives reinforces their fundamental values”

and here:

“The final—and most prominent—argument for vegetarianism is to protect the rights and welfare of animals. The routine abuse that animals face when raised and killed for food is a clear example of corporate greed gone amok. Animals are systematically denied everything that is natural and important to them and are instead forced to live a life full of cement and steel, suffering burns, cuts, and beatings until they are slowly bled to death for our meals. Chickens on factory farms have their sensitive beaks cut off with hot blades, and many pigs have their throats slit while they are still conscious. How can we call ourselves a progressive society if we allow this kind of cruelty to continue? We can do better, and indeed we must.“

Sections: Vegan Food, Vegan Theory
Topics: Obama, politics, Theory, Vegan