What Is Effective Animal Advocacy?
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Bruce Friedrich recently wrote an article for HuffPo that criticizes those who call themselves “abolitionists” in the animal movement. His article meanders from one thing to the next; I wondered exactly who is the target audience for his piece. Friedrich has written better. Namely, “Humane Meat: A Contradiction in Terms” and “Eating Animals is Indefensible.” Frankly, the article was not all that compelling to me, but the topic of effective animal advocacy is an interesting one and the discussion is lively.
As a refresher, my perspective is simple: Go vegan and encourage others to go vegan, too.
Vegan education is probably the most worthy use of our time and resources. If not THE best form of animal advocacy, it’s certainly up there in the top five. Vegan leafletling, both in-person and online, are likely the most effective forms of advocating for animals. This nonviolent, simple, legal activism is the foundation for monumental change.
However, the animal welfare reforms encouraged by large animal advocacy organizations are not going to disappear any time soon. Individual animal advocates (like us) must decide how best to respond to animal welfare reforms. We cannot control the world; we can only control ourselves. We choose how to react to welfarism. Our options: participate, ignore, criticize, condemn, attack, or reframe.
Because our time and resources are limited, we ought to consider whether or not attacking welfare reforms is a good use of our time.
If the reforms were counterproductive, that would certainly suggest that an attack is warranted. However, lead abolitionist, Gary Francione, admitted years ago that there is no empirical proof for his claim that “improving animal welfare makes people feel less uncomfortable about animal exploitation.” He asserts that his thesis is true because it’s “common sense and intuition.” But the truth is that there is emperical proof that when animal welfare is in the news, people choose vegetarian and vegan options more often. That suggests that the attacks on animal welfare reforms are counterproductive, not the welfare reforms themselves.
What do you think?
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I agree. Going vegan, pushing vegan education, and supporting welfare reforms are not mutually exclusive. Attacking reforms (or even PETA for that matter even though it might be fun for some) is a waste of time in my opinion. Why should it be an either/or proposition?
We need to be educating people about veganism. I think the abolitionist approach and veganism is the only one that will ensure long term success for the animals. Animal welfare is merely a band-aid. Getting the word out about veganism is the best thing we can do!
I’m sharing this and I agree with this statement. “But the truth is that there is emperical proof that when animal welfare is in the news, people choose vegetarian and vegan options more often.” I cater and mold my activism to my audience. Somtimes I have to get graphic and other times it is a simple conversation about an old friend’s health. BTW-Love your blog. I read it everyday via rss.
The ony qualm I have with this article is that Friedrich seems to be conflating abolitionists with Francionists. While all Francionists are abolitionists, not all abolitionists follow Francione’s methods.
@ So I’m Thinking of Going Vegan “is a waste of time in my opinion.” And mine too! Plenty of room for every voice (for now)- Spending energy “in”fighting just takes away from the messages each of us has our own reason for. I don’t think there’s any “proven method” that works on everyone to “go vegan”. At least not that I’ve found and I’ve played the deck both ways…
@ Jo Tyler – “While all Francionists are abolitionists, not all abolitionists follow Francione’s methods.” Excellent observation!
It’s this binary view that limits and halts the conversation with nonvegans… And I honestly believe – We’ve got to start the conversation “somewhere.” For many, “treatment” does matter. – It’s a beginning for them to open up in further discussion and clarification. If you can’t even get them to care “how” animals are used – I doubt seriously they’ll ever care “that” they are used.
I hate these debates… It winds up wearing me thin as to what I should/shouldn’t be doing – And where I stand in the mix… I think all of us are just trying our darned best. This is a monumental task – There are no cut/dry “simple” answers! But it’s arguments like this that make us take our eye off the objective. Some of us take trains to a destination – Others fly… What’s the sense in delaying the plane to sabotage the train?