Have Gone Vegan

have you met Cornelius the Wonder Turkey yet?

Okay, that isn't his real name (it's just Cornelius -- or Corno/Corny for short), but I'm hoping he'll prove to be as wonderful an ambassador for turkeys as Esther the Wonder Pig has been for pigs. Because it's that time of year when turkeys, though slaughtered and consumed by millions, are essentially rendered invisible. Sentient and smart and social as they are, they're horrifically reduced to single body parts and not given a second thought.

That is, until folk get to know a turkey personally or virtually (as they have come to know pigs through Esther), and realize they don't want to eat someone as classy and sassy as Cornelius. And that gives me hope. Statistics rarely sway, and numbers that are too big to fathom, too big to relate to, are easily dismissed. But the power of one is almost always more effective in changing hearts and minds. When people start seeing an animal of another species as having a personality, as having their own quirks, and having social connections much the same as we do, then it's harder not to recognize that they have feelings and would prefer not to be eaten. Or be deprived of the ability to live their natural lives with their own unique behaviours. 

So go, Corny, go! Show people worldwide how fabulous turkeys really are. Show us your true essence, and help educate people in ways that we mere human mortals too often fail to do. Be the Wonder Turkey that so many of us know you to be. :)

p.s. gosh, I haven't written regularly in a long time -- hope to remedy that soon!

hiatus interruptus: when words fail

Came across a passage in a book recently (I read daily no matter what else is going on in my life) lamenting how we don't have a real word for men who kill women, whereas the term "man-hater" is used so often you would think actual harm is caused by those accused of being one. And even though not new, this observation still strikes me every time I see it. They also rightly asserted that while we do have "misogynist", this too clinical and too academic-sounding word doesn't do the concept justice. 

It's ironic that man-hater is usually directed at those who don't actually hate men, but who do object to hateful actions that hurt everyone. Man-hater is especially lobbed against those who question the status quo, and who fight to eradicate gender inequality. Actually, no, you just have to look like you're not living up to outdated gender expectations and you can expect to have this word spat out at you. Feminist is another term that when not used by like-minded peers, is more apt to be hissed, snarled, or accompanied by spittle than merely said. Just like the term "man-hater", these words are often hurled in anger or contempt. Fear too, because how dare people, women especially, assert their right not to be subservient. An interesting word, subservient, as you can practically see the words serve, servile and servant floating within it.

Man-hater. But if you think about it, how many acts of physical violence resulting in bodily harm or death are caused by these so-called man-haters? How many injuries, rapes, other sexual assaults, or murders? Leaving verbal and other forms of violence aside for now, how much physical damage do victims of man-hating actually endure? 

Then think about the instances of physical assault, sexual assault, rape and death experienced by women. Without even looking up statistics, I know the numbers are staggering and frightening, but woman-hater isn't a term that's regularly used to describe the perpetrators of these acts. One could argue however, that evidence indicates we live in a rape culture, which is part of a larger woman-hating culture. So why is the more accurate term woman-hater rarely used?

Another word that I almost never see used relates to dehumanization. Loosely defined, to dehumanize refers to an act or process of depriving a person or group of human qualities. A terrible thing, obviously. A synonym for this is animalize, meaning to cause to be or act like an animal. Leaving aside the inherent anthropocentric bias (we've all heard phrases like, they're no better than animals!), why (and this is more of a rhetorical question) do we not use the term deanimalize to describe a similar process against animals? 

A paltry 2,540 results when Googled, it seems to me that this lack of acknowledgement of the horrendous injustice done to individual beings and groups on a daily and worldwide basis deserves greater use of the term. We routinely strip animals of their animalhood (personhood some would even say), that is, the essential qualities that make them a sentient being and not an object, and don't give it a second thought. It begins with the use of the word "it" to describe most animals instead of he or she, words like pork instead of pig, beef instead of cow, television commercials about eggs that don't even show or mention chickens, and of course the routine farming practices we all abhor. Language is twisted and doesn't include the appropriate naming of what would be considered theft, kidnapping, rape and murder if the victims were human.

Animals, male and female, old and young, sick and healthy, are instead treated as inanimate objects, products of consumption and cogs of a vast and vile agricultural machine. In short, living beings with their own interests are rendered invisible, and the very act of invisibling is made invisible for most people as well. So another word almost completely missing from our vocabulary is animal-hater, and really, what word better describes a person who kidnaps and kills without fear of punishment because of a victim's species? Animal-hating (even though it isn't defined as such) is very much a part of our culture and that of others, so it seems absurd to have many who condone animal cruelty refer to themselves as animal-lover simply because they favour a couple of specific species. Love isn't even necessary; animal-respecter would be nice enough.

Man-hater, animal-lover. Woman-hater, animal-hater. So much hate, but not enough words to identify accurately where the real hatred is coming from, and whom it's actually aimed at. A lot of fakery in other words, and sadly, in today's political climate, even the word "fake" is now failing. The difference between fake and genuine was once more easily discerned, but nowadays fake seems to be applied by some to anything they don't want to hear. In some ways even topsy-turvy is now better thought of as turvy-topsy, as if things weren't bad enough before.

Words fail when they mean the exact opposite, when they conceal what's really going on, and when we don't even have proper names to describe what's happening. Words in this post fail too, of course, because of what I've left out. While I've talked (the words briefly outlined would perhaps be more accurate) about some of the words that fail women and animals, I haven't even touched upon words that fail humans who, for example, aren't white. And I haven't mentioned the most important word, the word that's at the heart of misnaming or not naming at all, and the word at the root of harm to different groups of beings whether based on categories like class, race, gender, ability, orientation or even species.

I love words, but even I often fail to do them, and you the reader, any real justice.

quick blogging note

Hello peeps! Just wanted to let you know that this blog will continue to be inactive for a while as I'm likely moving* this spring. It's a daunting prospect, but exciting too. See you when I get back! Oh, here's a quote I bet many vegans can relate to, snort.

Everyone who makes a joke about a dwarf's height thinks he's the only person to ever make a joke about a dwarf's height.

TYRION LANNISTER (character in the TV series Game of Thrones)

*I'm moving for a variety of reasons; one of them being the discovery that our new landlords are the same folk who tore down a beautifully-treed lot next door 3 years ago to put up an office building. They've now decided that the gorgeous wild garden in the back of our century-plus-old house (and huge shed) need to make way (cue Joni Mitchell music here) for a 25-spot paved parking lot to accommodate commercial clients next door. Ugh, no thanks.

 

 

animal exploitation is the bedrock

What we do to animals is an extension of what we do to other humans. This includes colonizing their lands, wrongfully incarcerating them, stealing their reproductive autonomy, commodifying them and killing them. Animal exploitation is the bedrock of imperialist white supremacist capitalist cis-heteropatriarchy. You want to abolish oppression, you gotta include other species. Sorry, not sorry. -- Christopher-Sebastian McJetters

From: 10 Questions: Vegan Rockstar with Christopher-Sebastian McJetters

wham! bam! kapow!

Is pretty much how I feel the year has started:

Jan 1: spouse of sibling leaves sibling without notice and asks for separation
Jan 2: back to work to an outbreak that lasted for more than three weeks
Jan 3: the mom of an old friend passes away
Jan 11: without any notice our house is put up for sale by landlord
Jan 19: group of SIX inspectors, realtor, buyers inspect tenant units
Jan 20: world somehow continues to spin on axis as man-made disaster enters WH
Jan 21: a solid bright spot as millions protest this ridiculous man-made disaster
Jan 23: house gets sold, tenant futures up in the air
Jan 25: Trump issues executive order to build his damn wall
Jan 25: Mary Tyler Moore, who gave us the iconic Mary Richards, passes away
Jan 20-?: possible futures of all earth's inhabitants up in the air as celebrity con man continues to demonstrate how supremely unqualified he is for the Oval Office
Jan 26-31: ?

Note: this post was first drafted Jan 25 and obviously, a lot has happened since then. Who knew that it would take less than two weeks for a power-hungry, profit-worshipping asinine asshat to unleash so much destruction? It makes "supremely unqualified" sound supremely understated. Let's continue the list:

Jan 27: Trump signs "Protecting the Nation from..." well, let's call it what it is, Muslim ban
Jan 28-30: thousands protest Muslim ban at various airports
Jan 28: Trump adds alt-right Stephen Bannon to National Security Council 
Jan 29: white Trump-admiring nationalist kills 6 Muslims in terror attack in Quebec
Jan 30: Trump fires acting Attorney General Sally Yates for doing her job properly

While I haven't included every action Trump has undertaken on the above lists (a record number of executive orders, memoranda and proclamations to begin with), let's just say that we can safely summarize his administration so far as a threat to free speech, a threat to accurate information, a threat to women's reproductive rights, a threat to freedom from discrimination, a threat to the environment, and essentially, a real threat to democracy. Sobering, huh?

So yes, it's been a sucker-punch of a beginning. And the end result? I'm pissed. Pissed off at some of the things happening in my private life, and things happening in the public sphere. Work I can deal with, solutions to personal problems will be found, but the world at large continues to astound. Alternative facts? Ha! Feels more like an alternative universe, and my emotions bounce back and forth between anger, confusion, betrayal, shock, outrage, sadness, worry, fear, and back to anger again.

Clearly, my feeble plan as mentioned in my new year, old battle post of shutting Trump out of my sphere of attention ain't gonna work. Nor should it. He's proving to be too dangerous, and chillingly so, not only to America, but to every other country too.

How could we have gotten into this colossal mess? One of my favourite signs carried at one of the many worldwide women's marches on Jan 21 (it's not just Americans who are angry) was held by a woman who looked to be in her seventies or eighties, and it read I can't believe I still have to protest this fucking shit. 

Indeed. She's my hero (along with numerous others including the future hero shown below), and I hope to still be actively fighting when I reach her age in a couple of decades or so, but yeah, frustrated that issues fought for long ago are resurfacing. I mean, really? We still have to convince folk that women's rights are human rights? And what especially annoys the crap out of me and saddens me to my core is that we're still needing to convince other WOMEN (young women to boot!) of this fact. It's nothing but shameful. Note: many people took to the streets in shows of solidarity after the Muslim ban to demonstrate that, unbelievably, we still have to convince those in power that you can't discriminate based on things like religion or ethnic group. Unreal.

                                

So at the moment I'm angry at my landlord, disappointed in my sibling's spouse whom I got along with so well, angry at everyone who didn't vote in the election, angry at anyone who decided to vote for doofus Donald (I'll never call him the P word, petty as that may be) despite his showing his true awful colours, angry at the Electoral College system, angry at all the horrible members of Cabinet who now have power and who'll use it for worse, angry that the whole election cycle has unleashed and legitimized sexist and racist bullshit that at least people sensed was wrong before, angry that monumental effort will now have to go towards fighting what should have been resolved eons ago, angry that this legitimization of nasty attitudes and behaviours has spilled over onto other countries, and angry that as a resident of Canada I feel drawn into this political circus. 

But drawn in I am, and for good reason. The spillover effect I mentioned earlier has the potential to morph into global ramifications. Other countries are poised this Spring to vote in more leaders with alt-right views, and even here in Canada we have the spectre of a celebrity (of sorts) running for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party without any political experience, and someone who does have experience but also unabashed Trump-like ideals and goals (we should be screening immigrants for Canadian values, she says, for example). Sickening. Note: a specific example of the spillover effect occurred on Jan 29 when a white Trump-admiring nationalist killed six Muslims peacefully at prayer in a Quebec mosque. So, what do we call a person who inspires terrorism in others? A terrorist? An accessory, at the very least?

Where has some of my anger taken me to? Social media of course. Because what better place to express one's raw, unbridled, and unfiltered anger? What better place to advocate when you're angry and feel too many people are immature stupid clods? Exactly, sigh. So the title of my next post will be How NOT To Be An Effective Advocate. Let's hope I learn a few things from it myself. 

Finally, I'm disappointed by the relative silence of otherwise-vocal vegans on social media when it comes to the current political turmoil. Yes, continue to advocate for other animals, but don't ignore human ones. Being vegan isn't about eliminating animal oppression only; it's about eliminating oppression, period. It's not a matter of picking which group of oppressed beings to focus on, but trying to dismantle oppression itself: the root cause of ALL isms.

What will February bring? I'm actually afraid to find out, but resistance is necessary, so here's one article explaining How to Resist Trump Without Losing Your Mind. Good luck, I have a feeling we'll need it.

new year, old battle

Can you believe 2017's here? At the beginning of each new year I like to start with an encouraging/optimistic post, and my favourite of that kind is one I sometimes feel could be reused every year. This year, however, no such post is bubbling up. 

I'm still struggling with the disappointment of the US election and the reality of the Donald being in power, and I resent the fact that December 19 (the anniversary of my cat's death) will now always be linked to his official election by the Electoral College. My antipathy towards this doofus was made clear in prior posts, and while you may wonder why the election of an American president would bother this Canadian resident so much, it's because I fear that social justice for all creatures will take a huge step backwards. His cabinet picks so far bear this out.

I will outline why the election was a bad one for animals, and then hope to be done discussing this despicable man once and for all. It's the only way I can cope I'm afraid, and as childish as this outlandish man is himself, I may have to resort to shutting my eyes and ears whenever I hear his name on any kind of media. I know, that means I won't be hearing or seeing much over the next four (two?) years, snort.

Stress and sadness over other non-political issues have also been key this past year, and while I posted earlier about burnout, acknowledging and addressing it are two different things. I hope to recover a bit more joy and enthusiasm before year's end, write the posts I've been meaning to, and focus on how to be a better advocate, because sometimes I feel that my having been vegan for the past eight years has accomplished diddly squat for those I'm fighting for.

So, who has Donald picked so far and why is that bad for animals, human and non-human alike? Well, in a nutshell, and with few exceptions, Trump has surrounded himself with old, ultra-rich white men who have shown no interest in protecting the environment, animals, or humans who don't fit their own demographic. Far from draining any kind of swamp, Trump is simply making it swampier and more dangerous for those who don't look like him. 

Flooding the swamp he promised to drain with people who are anti environment, pro oil, pro gas, climate-change skeptics, pro big business, pro animal agriculture, pro factory farming, anti animal-rights, and anti public health care folk who tend to see everything in black and white, they wouldn't recognize a nuance if it bonked them on the head. The only regard they seem to have is for dollar signs. To people, sentient beings of all kind, and the planet itself, they're saying a big FU.

Trump's own two sons show complete disregard for wildlife by participating in the "sport" of trophy hunting, something that Donald is actually proud of. And given that the elder Trump is babysat by his own kids, their influence on his stance where animals are concerned can only be suspect. No, I'm afraid that the trumpnoxious (Trump-style brand of obnoxniousness) President-elect, his silly trumptirades (usually conducted on Twitter), and his downright scary-as-hell cabinet picks are filling me with nothing but trumpidation (the specific trepidation felt by almost everything the Trumpster says and does). The only silver lining is that perhaps things really do have to hit a rock bottom we didn't even envision before the world wakes up to the nightmare that the human species has created.

The stakes have NEVER been higher. And if we thought it was a battle before to have the rights of sentient beings recognized and respected, to have veganism be more than a scoffed-at movement consisting of a few, than I would say it's looking more like a war. As I said, I don't feel particularly encouraged or optimistic right now, and that's something I hope will change over the course of this year. In the meantime, let's all soldier on, because every single living being is counting on us. 

Not a great way to begin the year and end this post I know, so please reread my way-better-way-to-begin welcome of a few years ago. :)

how to get through Thanksgiving without killing anyone ;)

Obviously, most readers (all, one would hope) of this blog are already down with not killing turkeys or geese or ducks or chickens or any other sentient being in the perverse tradition (yay, we're so thankful, let's go kill something!) that this holiday is usually celebrated in, but this year it may be a tad more difficult to get through the occasion without harbouring thoughts of perhaps doing in your table-mates. Well, it would be for me if I lived in a particular country right now. I don't, and luckily in Canada Thanks-taking is already behind us, but if the situation were different...

I'm referring, of course, to the polarizing US election in which a certain doofus was deigned to be fit for the most important position of the land by about half of its voters. Clearly, I believe their vision and decision was murky at best and catastrophic at worst, and am still upset by what happened. So I can well imagine how folk who actually have to live with the wannabe autocrat in their midst, and the voters who put him into this seat of power, feel. 

Now, I'm NOT advocating for violence (cuz that wouldn't be the vegan thing to do), but given that I'm probably more short-tempered and less forgiving than most, I thought I'd let you read a post that made me laugh, and may just help American compatriots who aren't looking forward to supping with certain others tomorrow. :)

Here are some wise words on how to survive this year's Thanksgiving by Marla Rose, the Vegan Feminist Agitator: post-election advice for Thanksgiving. Enjoy.

twas the day after the election

‘Twas the day after the election, when all thro’ the world
Not a sane person was happy, baffled at what had just unfurled,
All hopes had been dashed, even though nurtured with care,
As citizens realized that civility is rare:
A bigoted narcissist is what some Americans wanted
So Donald took advantage and remained undaunted. 

And Hillary in her disgust, and Bill in his shock
Tried as they could to take clearer stock—
Because what had happened to cause this great rift?
This division of values, and misunderstood drift?
Racism and sexism held too many in its grip,
And that only bolstered Trump’s ugly ego trip.

Sure, some men might have cheered Donny boy on
But what could cause women to fall for this con?
And gays and minorities of all stripes and colours
Surely they saw through his worshipping of dollars?
So a sad world watched as obnoxiousness was rewarded
And learned the lesson that you can’t always clean something sordid.

******************************

no one wins November 8

Sure, someone will be elected, but with fierce opposition shown to both candidates, winning isn't the right word to use when half the American population will be pissed off no matter which person gets in. The elected candidate doesn't win, the lampooned parties both left and right don't win, and the people who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of democracy certainly won't win. Neither do the folk in other parts of the world held hostage to whatever decisions the incumbent makes. Global security and global economics are not factors to be taken lightly anymore. 

The other big losers in this election? Civility, decency, maturity, critical thinking skills, and empathy. And if anyone was foolish enough to think that racism and sexism were non-issues, this election brought out both to the forefront. Sexism, especially, reared its ugly head enough to be a central defining feature. Hillary Clinton doesn't smile enough and she's perceived as cold. Seriously? No, I mean, SERIOUSLY? When was the last time any male politician running at any level of office was admonished for not smiling enough? Accused of not being warm enough? And held accountable for offences committed by their spouse? Doesn't make any sense, unless of course a candidate is thought of as merely an appendage to that spouse. (Note: this doesn't mean Hillary isn't acutely flawed herself, or that Bill shouldn't be held accountable for the allegations of abuse directed towards him.)

A good test of sexism is to reverse genders and see if the same standards are held. Picture Clinton saying or doing any number of the offensive words and actions Trump indulged in almost daily, and imagine how long her campaign would have continued. Remember the ridicule Sarah Palin received (and rightly so) for her extreme lack of knowledge? Yet Trump was allowed to continue full steam ahead.

But the most jarring thing for me personally during this election was the downplaying of sexual assault. Being accused by more than a dozen women with credible stories doesn't disqualify one from becoming President. Words don't matter (dismissed as locker room banter), but actions don't either. That we shouldn't take sexual assault seriously was a lesson of this election. So, I take it back. The one clear winner no matter who's elected on Tuesday is misogyny. And depending on the election result, women's reproductive rights, gay rights, and transgender rights are all up for grabs. How sad, and how damn scary. Doesn't feel like 2016 to me at all.

Never before has there been so much palpable anxiety outside of America about who will be elected, because in a world that is now globally connected in so many ways, everything is at stake. But I feel badly for Americans who don't support Trump, yet who may have to live with the consequences right at home. I can only imagine their fear, worry, dismay and disbelief. It's not much of a consolation, but please know that your feelings will be shared worldwide. 

Dark times are indeed ahead, and like many people, one of my defense mechanisms for dealing with unpleasantness is humour. So here is my adaptation of part of a beloved Christmas carol for this can't-look-but-can't-look-away-either occasion. :)

 

Twas the Night Before the Election

‘Twas the night before the election, when all thro’ the world

Not a sane person was sleeping, anxious to see what would unfurl

All expectations were lowered with a sigh and a scowl,

In hopes that a defeated Donald wouldn’t make anyone howl;

But "deplorable" supporters stashed guns in their beds

While visions of revolution danc’d in their irrational heads.

 

And Hillary in her grief, and Bill in his fear,

Had just settled their brains in case things got near—

When out on social media there arose such a clatter,

People sprang to their devices to see what was the matter.

Away to Windows we flew like a flash,

Tore open our emails (yes, EMAILS!), and threw out the trash.

 

Except for one message, a beacon for sore sight,

And the only thing that could save just about everyone tonight;

Proclaiming the election a bad series of jokes,

Donald himself admitted to being nothing but a hoax.

So the weary world watched as Americans voted

And hoped never again to see anything so vile and bloated.

**************************

VOTE! And please vote wisely. THANK YOU.

 

"We interrupt this program..."

I'm sorry, I know this may not be the right place or time or even any of my business, but I just can't keep quiet any longer. Because certain events, even if they don't directly relate to veganism, or where I live, need to be discussed. I'm talking about the upcoming event that has already seen extensive discussion, and could have an impact on almost everyone no matter what country they live in.

I'm talking, of course, about the US election in deciding who is more qualified to be the next President. And the fact that some are having difficulty deciding "who is more qualified" is leaving many outside of the US nothing but gobsmacked. Worse, how did it even get this far? Because it sure makes me wish the words in the above graphic were true. Unfortunately, the most apt word to describe this election is surreal. 

But let me back up for a second. First, I realize that I may offend some readers with this post, and for that, I want to apologize in advance. Second, I don't remember any election in any country getting this much international attention, which I think indicates what's at stake for countries even far outside of the US, and why so many of us are also invested in the outcome.  

Note: the above was first drafted October 2, and sadly, enough has happened since that time to make the word I used to describe the election an antiquated understatement. Other suitable terms or phrases could now include any of the following: train wreck, nightmare, freak show, vile, offensive to the core, ugliness like never seen before, and unprecedentedly dangerous.

So at this point I was originally going to talk about why people outside of the US are baffled by how a non-politician with inferior verbal skills could have progressed this far, how Donald isn't a suitable candidate by almost any measure, his apparent symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and what that could mean post-election, how much of what he says is demonstrably false, the deep-seated sexism evident in this particular election (and that was before the video scandal even!), and the question of how Americans could possibly even want him representing them.

But some of the arguments for those points, I believe, have already been adequately shown by Trump himself and his core followers (and articulated by others already), so I'm going to venture down a different path instead. I'm going to talk about something that links this post to veganism.

Let me back up again for a bit. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been watching this circus of an election with a reluctant but compulsive and fascinated revulsion. Kind of like a bad car accident, but one that seemed completely preventable, and one that involves this car crashing again and again and again. 

One difference though is that for a while I was actually quite angry with Americans as a whole, which given that I live in Canada doesn't make much sense. But maybe it's because Canada finally got rid of a prime minister last Fall whom I also couldn't stand (a right-wing robot who denied climate change and didn't have much respect for women, but was a lot more polite and sneaky about it), and/or because this American decision could have a global impact like never felt before.

At some point though I realized it wasn't fair to blame all Americans (besides it being childish), so I redirected some of that annoyance at Trump followers instead. So being curious about how people could support and believe an individual for whom I have nothing but contempt, I began to read his Facebook page in an attempt to better understand what I considered seriously duped folk. And I quickly realized that these people are just as genuinely perplexed at how anyone could support Clinton. Are just as convinced that this individual is not a good person, does not represent the average American, and that electing her to office is not only foolish and preposterous, but also downright dangerous. Well!

I've seen the question asked several times now what it is that Donald could say or do that would convince followers he's unqualified to be POTUS, and the answer is always nothing. (Now while I would like to believe that Clinton supporters WOULD draw a line if unacceptable words or actions became known, that might not in fact be true.) The point here though is that I'm exactly the same as those who support Trump, in that nothing that anyone says or does could convince me that Donald isn't the absolute worst candidate ever, and that if the unthinkable does occur, questioning the election result shouldn't be out of the question.

So what does this have to do with veganism you ask? Well, this reminds me strongly of the sometimes warlike attitude of activists within our own movement when we disagree with each other, and the difficulty we have when what seems so clear and obvious to us, is dismissed by those who still consume other animals. Just give them information, we say, just open their eyes, let the slaughterhouse walls become glass and they'll see what's apparent, they'll see what's right. It IS hard to understand why others can't comprehend what we do, and it's tempting to view them as ignorant or wilfully cruel or any other number of uncharitable things.

But as I'm slowly learning in this election (as late as it is in the cycle), it helps to start asking the right questions. What do core supporters see in Trump? What is he appealing to that goes beyond the automatic charge that any vote for Trump is a sexist vote and/or a racist one?  How does the Clinton campaign not serve the ones who truly think of her as evil incarnate? What in their real lives stands in the way of being convinced by her campaign?

And just as with veganism, how much of a role does confirmation bias play? How do we accept or dismiss information that may or may not concur with what we already believe? Or do facts not actually play a big role? Do we just believe what we believe, and align any new data accordingly?

With this particularly difficult election (because it must be hard if you dislike both candidates), what factors DO you take into account? Is it important, for instance, to take into account past or present actions of spouses? Is political experience a necessary requirement? What standards do you apply?  And are those standards gender neutral? For example, is one candidate held to a much lower or higher standard than the other? Would the words or behaviour deemed unacceptable in one, be accepted in the other? My own bias is showing here, but is one candidate being given more leeway for acting like "a boy" (hard to believe this man is actually 70 years old), while the other is given a tougher time because they have the audacity to be ambitious enough to try and even play in a traditionally male arena?

Whatever happens next, I'm afraid that the chasm between the supporters of Clinton and Trump may not ever close. How can either person so reviled by the opposite camp be a force for unification? How can, in the same vein, abolitionists and pragmatists see eye to eye? How could an animal rights activist ever get along with a writer of ag-gag laws? Does the investment of Tyson into Beyond Meat, for example, set an example of somehow finding common ground? I don't know.

The main thing in this election though is not to be complacent, because Trump has tapped into something that would be unwise to ignore. Look at Brexit. Look at the rise in popularity of populism globally. In my own country of birth, for example, Geert Wilders seems to be Holland's mini version of Trump, and that country's election next March will be interesting to watch as well.

This talk of "Donald has lost already" scares me because there are enough people determined to get him in, and Hillary's victory isn't a done deal until every vote has been made and counted. Please do not "Brex" yourselves. And please, American voters, know that citizens around the world are paying close attention and waiting for you to decide what version of America you believe in, as it may affect us all. Thank you for listening.

p.s. I'm sure you can guess what I'll be viewing tonight. ;)

mercy and Thanksgiving

Tomorrow, Canada celebrates Thanksgiving. (Although in some ways, in my opinion, it may as well be called Thanks-taking for all the harm done to innocent beings.) And while last November I took a different (more generous?) approach when I talked about the occasion as Americans celebrated it, this year I want to focus on mercy. Or the lack thereof.

Because this past week has been merciless when it comes to animals in Canada, and even though it's Thanksgiving weekend, I'm still feeling more angry than thankful. As most of you may know, there was a horrible incident involving 180 pigs in a trailer rollover that left many vegans reeling. I don't want to retell the awful details (some of which you can find in the links posted below), but this incident (in many ways the word accident is insulting) demonstrated just how vile and merciless this industry actually is. 

These posts will fill in the background for those not familiar with what happened, and provide good commentary for those who are:

• The Crime of Indifference
• Blinders, Barriers, and Bearing Witness
• After the Fearman's Pig Tragedy

On the same day that this travesty occurred, Bill C-246 (which would have updated Canada's antiquated animal cruelty laws) was defeated 198-84. This bill originally included things like changing the definition of bestiality, banning the import of shark fins, cat and dog fur, and making it a crime to profit from or breed animals for the purpose of fighting. This, apparently, worried supporters of hunting, trapping, fishing, ranching and medical research. So they said, essentially, screw animals.

My Houghton Mifflin Canadian Dictionary of the English Language defines mercy as "Kind and compassionate treatment of an offender, enemy, prisoner or other person [being] under one's power." 

Where was mercy shown this week? 

• not by staff of Fearmans Pork Inc.
• not by management of Sofina Foods 
• not by the manager of communications with Ontario Pork
• not by Halton Regional Police officers (they charged Anita Krajnc AGAIN)
• not by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• not by vets
• not by representatives of the Ministry of Transportation
• not by some of the media outlets and consumers, and
• not by members who opposed Bill C-246

In fact, more mercy was shown by some of the injured and needlessly killed pigs themselves (this haunting photo and others was originally taken by Andrea White), toward each other:

 

But I'm trying to remember that there ARE a lot of folk to be thankful for, and that mercy IS plentiful, as shown by:

• members of Toronto Pig Save (including Cow Save and Chicken Save)
• hero Anita Krajnc
• supporters of Anita and all those who attend vigils and bear witness
• everyone who expressed outrage at what happened in Burlington
• sanctuary supporters and founders (including Esther's dads of course!) 
• animal rescuers who work tirelessly without being in the spotlight, and
• anyone trying to bring about change for all animals

I'm also thankful that I can virtually visit with Esther and other sentient beings. They give me strength, respite, resolve, and comfort. 

Rest in peace, sweet pigs. We will NEVER forget you.

 

hug a vegan day (and other upcoming notable dates)

Today is Hug a Vegan Day, so consider yourself officially hugged! :)

Spread the love and if possible go hug every vegan you know. Give yourself (and any farmed or animal companions nearby) a huge hug too!

This time of year is filled with occasions to commemorate, celebrate or even mourn, so here are a few to keep in mind as the weather finally and blissfully gets cooler:

• September 30: Hug a Vegan Day
• October 1: World Vegetarian Day
• October 1: National Cut Out Dissection Month begins
• October 1-2: Worldwide Vegan Chalk Bomb
• October 2: World Day for Animals on Farms*
• October 10: Thanksgiving is Murder on Turkeys Day (in Canada)
• November 1: World Vegan Day (launching World Vegan Month)
• November 8: world watches anxiously to see if Clinton trumps Trump
• November 9: world still in disbelief that Americans let a reality star get this far
• November 24: Thanksgiving is Murder on Turkeys Day (in USA)
• November 25: Cruelty-Free Friday
• November 29: National Giving Day

Being vegan, even when it feels that progress is maddeningly slow, is the best gift you can give yourself, your loved ones, and even those you find a bit more challenging to love. The world IS changing, and we WILL get there!

* Ironically, the next court date for Toronto Pig Save's Anita Krajnc takes place the day after World Day for Animals on Farms, and the second court date falls right on World Vegan Day.

all I really need to know about veganism I learned from uphill walking

Um, no, but it's a catchier title than the one I had before. ;)

In my previous post on vegan burnout, I included a few links on self-care: assessment, top 12 tips, and 100 places to start. A hundred (or even twelve for that matter) is actually an awful lot to start, so I thought I'd share my latest way of self-care. (Some of my other self-care techniques include biking, scheduling reading as a daily task, and most recently, writing first instead of leaving it for last.) Vegan self-care is something that activists need to take more seriously, but if you find it difficult think of it as helping yourself in order to most effectively help others. Because a burnt-out vegan isn't of help to anyone, or to any movement.

So, what is my latest fave way of taking care of myself? Well, the title gave it away, but in two words: uphill walking. 

Yep, I've been doing this for about four months now, three times per week, and I love it. And while I thought I was in decent-enough shape with all the walking, biking and even running around I do at work, uphill walking has had more benefits than I'd even imagined. Luckily, I live five minutes away from one of many roads going right up the Niagara Escarpment, so don't have to travel far to get a workout. 

One of the things I enjoy most about uphill walking is its non-multitasking nature. All I have to focus on is putting one foot in front of the other until I get to the top. Sure, sometimes I try to walk off whatever anger or frustration I'm feeling, think through a blog post I'm writing, or when feeling mellow simply enjoy the peaceful quiet and trees surrounding me, but basically, my goal is to get to where the incline stops (about 20 minutes) and then return home. Step by step is all I have to do.

Besides increasing my heart rate to a level where it counts (bike riding doesn't do that for me anymore), and moving my legs so I can really feel them (walking on a level surface -- for however long or fast -- doesn't feel like exercise anymore either), uphill walking gives me more energy for the rest of the day, and helps me sleep better at night. And while I'm not vegan for health reasons, it's a nice bonus nonetheless. 

But what I also appreciate about my newfound self-care component (and by now you've seen this coming I'm sure), is the metaphor it represents. Not so much the familiar a-journey-of-a-thousand-miles-begins-with-a-single-step metaphor (although that's a nice one too), but the actual journey of not only becoming, but also staying, vegan. 

Making the decision to head out the door is a bit like making that initial decision to stop your usual routine of consuming other animals, and doing something different. Something healthier, something life affirming, and something that will be of benefit not only to yourself, but to others as well. And no matter how often I've climbed that hill by now, I know that the first steep incline is the hardest and requires a bit of an extra push. Becoming vegan can be like that too. You're out of your usual comfort zone, and it may take some extra focus to get started.

At some point, it gets easier though. Once past that first hill, or that first while of being vegan, it's not as hard anymore and you take some deep breaths (or a few gulps from the water bottle) and relax. You keep going though, knowing that the next incline is coming up. But this time it's easier because you've had a little practice, and you know you've succeeded before. You know you've got what it takes.

You also know better though than to underestimate that hill in front of you, that hill that someone just the day before told you they weren't able to climb and will no longer even try. But also that hill that undoubtedly someone else will climb (or run or bike) faster or with better technique. That won't let it deter you though, right?

The vegan path can be strewn with obstacles too. No one said it would always be easy (the most satisfying and worthwhile things seldom are), but it's definitely doable. Like uphill walking, you don't need any special equipment, and you can do it on your own or with like-minded others. After time it really does require less effort, but sometimes if you're not careful or paying enough attention, you stop putting that one foot in front of the other and no longer even get out the door. (I first started uphill walking about five years ago, but then after a few months got bored and for some bizarre reason decided that I wasn't getting much out of it in terms of exercise benefit. If it could speak, my now five-years-older body would say, Seriously? What were you thinking, you not-yet-bothered-with-any-kind-of-joint-pain upstart?)

Now I'm not sure if this metaphor is getting too muddled here, snort, but to stretch it a bit further, you may occasionally make a misstep. You trip or stumble, and oops, not looking closely enough, you managed to eat something without seeing the whey powder hiding in a long list of ingredients, or honey that you somehow managed to overlook. Does this mean you declare yourself unfit for the vegan label and give up the journey entirely? Of course not. This is not the equivalent, by the way, of deciding to order that hamburger or steak because your body has spoken and you've decided to listen to its supposedly wise counsel.

Then again, even if this were to happen, it doesn't mean you can't get up the next day and like the mature adult that you are, start again. One lapse doesn't disqualify you for life. Just as one missed day or week of uphill walking doesn't mean you should never exercise again.

But like exercise, veganism becomes more effortless when it's a habit. Not an unthinking done-by-rote habit, but a well-thought-out conscious decision to flex those physical AND compassion muscles. When you've decided in advance that you want to take care of your body and take care of other beings, it's no longer a choice you have to remake every day. You know what's at stake, you know what you want to do, and so you just do it. And if you fall, you don't make excuses, but you get up and start again. You keep calm, you keep vegan, and you KEEP GOING. :)

what every vegan should know about burnout (resource list included)

Which rather makes it sound like I have all the answers, but clearly I don't, otherwise I would've been able to avoid burnout myself. At least, I'm wondering if I've reached burnout given the tone of some of my previous posts (we-animals-deserve-to-rot-in-hell in particular), and my more-than-usual cynical mood of late.

For example, while I like the oft-used quote about slaughterhouses being made of glass walls, I don't think it's actually true, and in general think it's less a lack of awareness than an agreement that other animals are ours to use as we see fit mentality that's at play. Sadly, as long as animal use is profitable or pleasurable or both, a vegan world seems a long way off to me. On the other hand, I realize my the-human-species-as-a-whole-is-insufferable conclusion isn't really effective, and isn't going to help. And while the people-who-consume-animals-are-bad labeling syndrome may be tempting; it too is not strategic, and not likely to increase the number of vegans.

But, back to burnout. Is this a condition that every vegan can expect to face at some point? Given that I'm eight years into the vegan journey, should I be surprised or happy that at least it didn't happen sooner? Is it in part what can make a vegan become ex-vegan? (Thankfully, I don't anticipate that happening with THIS particular vegan at any time.) And is burnout the same as compassion fatigue? Are the two terms interchangeable? Nope, apparently not. Here's a helpful article outlining the difference between compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout.

In my own case, there's also a degree of caregiver fatigue thrown in, which makes me wonder if vegans acting as caregivers for elderly parents are even more at risk for burnout. It's a bit of a double whammy methinks, and given that most vegans and most caregivers are female, you could have fatigue coming at you from all sides. Actually, forget about double whammy. If you're female and part of the sandwich generation looking after kids and parents, AND participating in the labour force, you're likely looking at at least a triple or quadruple whammy, eek!

At any rate, since I don't have the answers that the post title implied I might have, I thought I'd look around and share what I find. Especially since if the statistics on recidivism are correct (I've yet to be convinced they are, but that's a topic for another post), and if some form of burnout precedes recidivism, then nearly most of us will face this battle at one point or another.

As with many other problems, prevention is always better than solving, but given the continual assault on the beings of our concern and the huge scale of what we're up against, I would say that it might be a big battle to prevent or overcome this too-common occurrence. Luckily, there ARE also many resources that can help, whew, so I've compiled a short-ish list (a long one can be overwhelming in itself if you're already stressed) and for convenience sake divided it into books, websites, PDF material, and articles. Take from them what you can, as other animals need us to be strong, resilient and healthy. As do other vegans!

BOOKS:

• The Power of Joy in Giving to Animals
• Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others
• Aftershock: Confronting Trauma in a Violent World: A Guide for Activists and Their Allies 
• Compassion Fatigue in the Animal-Care Community (see FREE PDF version in PDF Material section below)
• The Lifelong Activist: How to Change the World Without Losing Your Way
• Chapter 9: Veganism and Caregiving in Never Too Late to Go Vegan

WEBSITES:

• The Animal Activist Support Line (24-hr email, text or online chat support) 
• In Defense of Animals -- Upcoming Events
• In Defense of Animals -- Animal Activist Helpline
• In Defense of Animals -- Activist Resource List (very extensive)
• Compassion Fatigue Resources List by Jessica Dolce
• Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project
• Resources list -- TEND Academy (Françoise Mathieu and Dr. Patricia Fisher)

PDF MATERIAL:

• Self-Care Assessment PDF worksheet
• Sustainable Activism and Avoiding Burnout (nifty flyer)
• Transforming Compassion Fatigue into Compassion Satisfaction: Top 12 Self-Care Tips for Helpers
• FREE PDF version of the Compassion Fatigue in the Animal-Care Community book listed in BOOKS above

ARTICLES:

• Activist Burnout: Understanding, Preventing, and Healing
• How To Still Create Change While Burnt-Out
• Self-Care Strategies: 100 Places to Start
• the personal stories of two activists (article on vegan mental health)
• should vegans be issued with mental health warnings?
• What is Compassion Fatigue?

MY OWN FAVOURITE QUICK PICK-ME-UPPERS:

• Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary
• Esther the Wonder Pig

So there you go. That should be enough to keep all of us busy(ier) for a while, snort. Let's take nasty burnout, turn it inside out and nip it in the bud. Let's Keep Calm, Keep Vegan, and Keep Going. (Which is also my new motto and blog byline, woot!) 

the following words may tell you that you're on the right track

And while it might be annoying to hear them at first, they're actually a sign that you're successfully ruffling some feathers (should vegans still be using this idiom?) and upsetting the badly-in-need-of-upsetting status quo. 

• radical
• fringe
• extremist
• lunatic or nutjob
• pushing an agenda
• or even plain old 'agenda' 
• lies or propaganda
• terrorist or terrorism
• anti-human or anti-humanism
• and human exceptionalism (a term worthy of its own future upcoming post)

Yep, those words mean you've hit a nerve, made folk uncomfortable, defensive or angry, and are messing with their version of what's normal, natural and acceptable. These may include individuals around you, people online, industry representatives, members of scientific and medical communities with vested interests in continuing animal use, and anyone whose livelihood is threatened by what you stand for. But know that when you or your work is described by any of the words in the list above, you're making headway.

On the other hand, don't spend too much time with those bandying around the more inflammatory terms on the list, because that would be like trying to persuade ardent Trump supporters that the Donald really is NOT interested in helping anyone but the already wealthy, or that Hillary Clinton is not the devil incarnate herself. Good luck, snort. (Okay, sarcasm doesn't really help either, and neither does shaming.)

No, spend your time with those who are still open to facts, who haven't completely closed off the notion that other sentient beings aren't just things or property. Keep up the good work, the good fight, and remember what we're actually fighting for:

No animal wants to suffer. Every animal wants freedom, at the very least to perform its innate needs. We humans might value our own lives in a more intellectualized manner, but we all share a desire to live. To be with others that we care about. To be with family. To run, if we are built to run, to leap, if we leap, to swim, if we are meant to swim. A desire not to be slaughtered by a merciless hand. --Jo-Anne McArthur WE ANIMALS p200

we animals... (and another quick quiz)

...deserve to rot in hell.

Never has one book filled me with so much loathing for the human species.* And it's not that I'm unfamiliar with the information We Animals contains, so maybe it's the images, as gripping and often non-graphic as they are, that set me on edge. The book IS excellent, and I still highly recommend it, but unfortunately, it fills me with a disgust and despair that differs in degree from anything else I've read or seen. Maybe because it's so encompassing, detailing the numerous ways in which humans can be cruel, callous, and ignorant, that evokes my strong reaction. The result though, even after getting through a few more pages than before, is cursing so prolific that even I'm embarrassed, and a wishing of terrible things upon my fellow humans. Not exactly peaceful, or compassionate, and definitely not helpful.

It makes me wish that if there were an afterlife it'd be reserved for non-human beings only, as too many of them have already suffered a lifetime of hell in their too short, and too miserable, lives. It makes me wonder why the majority of believers are convinced they'll be going to heaven (is there anyone who actually thinks they're hell-bound, and what the hell is up with religious mobsters for Pete's sake?), and it makes me even more pessimistic than I already am. It makes me feel that there's no hope (which is why I have to get through these awful beginning chapters and get to the more hopeful ones), and that as long as humans are alive, animal exploitation won't end. It makes me think that only self-inflicted extinction of the human species (under a watchful/wrathful? eye of Mother Nature) will end the horror we inflict on all beings.

I'm assuming my reaction is not what the author was aiming for, and not what most readers have or will experience, so my response is likely not typical and that's a good thing. So for the sake of my blood pressure, temper, and indiscriminate ill-will toward other innocent and not-so-innocent human beings, I'll do what I often do in situations like this -- make a virtual visit to go see Esther and the rest of the HEEFS gang. A distraction no doubt, but probably better for me, you, and everyone else. :)

Oh, here's an interesting Essential Species Quiz and a post by the same author talking about misanthropy in a way that makes quite a bit of sense to me.

And if you think the word misanthropy should have no place in a vegan vocabulary, how else would you respond to this poor excuse of a human being who runs a whole hog barbecue restaurant called Arrogant Swine (choice words come to mind about both the name and concept, but I'm trying to be polite here), and had this to say about vegan barbecue:

"Vegan BBQ is as nonsensical of a term as pork-chop sushi or composing a garden salad out of candy bars," Ho said. "BBQ centers around the philosophy of contextual communal feasting. Smoked seitan is violently antithetical to that. Rather than call to mind the excessive feasting of laborers at the end of the fall harvest, it's an anemic dietary constraint. Rather than a celebration of abundance, it's a solution to a problem no one wanted solved."

Sounds to me like he's feeling quite threatened by the idea of vegans encroaching on his perceived territory, and is himself spewing nonsensical verbiage (um, philosophy of contextual community feasting?) as a lame defense of his repulsive occupation. But I don't want to end this post on a sour note, so here's a sweet image of how hogs and other animals could/should be treated -- as part of a family, human or otherwise.

* obviously not all members of it, and I do recognize that some groups of members are more culpable than others...

quick vegan pop quiz

Look at the image below, and then answer the question that follows.

Is this meme:

a) racist
b) sexist
c) not appropriate for the vegan movement
d) all of the above
e) none of the above

Think carefully now.

You answered correctly (as I knew you would!), if you said: e) none of the above.

The scary part though is that this meme received a lot of negative feedback with different vegans chiming in that it was, in fact, sexist, or racist (because there's no such thing as white privilege), or not appropriate (why can't we just focus on the animals?) for the vegan movement. Wow, is all I can say. Okay, I CAN say more, snort.

Patriarchy is very much alive, despite the claim by some that equality between the sexes has already been achieved (right, what planet are they living on?), and despite the insistence by the men's rights movement that men are the real victims now, and even a minority, thanks to uppity man-hating feminists. (Did you see the eye roll?)

Others took great offence to the second line, because white privilege, apparently, is complete bullshit. And a figment of the imagination. Astonishingly, even some people of colour deny the existence of white privilege, adding that they enjoy more privilege than that of some of their white friends. But I think what can contribute to this confusion is a) not being clear enough on what white privilege actually means, and b) getting it mixed up with class privilege. For example, you can be white but not feel privileged because you grew up poor. An article that explains this really well is one titled Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person. A link in that article doesn't work (at least, it didn't for me), so here's a look back at a previous post of mine that does link to Peggy McIntosh's piece, as well as a few others. Oh, and at a follow-up post as well. 

The not-appropriate-for-the-vegan-movement line ties in to the All Lives Matter debacle. Now, to give vegans proponents of this slogan the benefit of the doubt, of course all lives matter in a general sense, and the whole thrust of veganism is respecting all sentient beings. But the problem with countering the Black Lives Matter slogan with the All Lives one is that, among other things, you're negating the real issue of racism. It is, if you're aware of the importance of intersectionality, offensive. And here it can get a bit dicey. Because while all types of oppression are similar (the root being power imbalance), you can't casually compare sexism, racism, speciesism and/or other isms as if they're all the same. There ARE nuances, different experiences, and one of the easiest ways to conceptualize this is with the following image that I first saw on veganelder's blog, who by the way, is doing a lot of thinking and writing about these not-always-easy-to-fully-comprehend issues.

No, we're at a point where vegans need to better understand how these different but similar oppressions interact and reflect a fundamental power imbalance, and listen more closely to those with direct experience of those oppressions. Otherwise, tackling single isms isn't going to get any being very far.

postscript to my last post (from long long long ago it seems...)

As often happens, what I read and write tends to overlap. That is, while drafting or right after publishing, I'll read something that pertains directly to what I just wrote. It can be a magical synergy-like thing, or sometimes, a needed kick in the pants. 

The day after I lamented the state of our planet and pinned my hopes on its survival on youngsters like Henry Marr (how fair was that, actually?) I read what I thought was the best chapter in Circles of Compassion. To be honest I'm not fully convinced that the book succeeded in accomplishing the aim of its subtitle: essays connecting issues of justice, but the last chapter before Will Tuttle's conclusion was, I thought, the most action-oriented and the most inspiring to me personally.

In it, author Zoe Weil outlines her MOGO principle for a more peaceful, sustainable and humane world. MOGO is short for "most good" and seeks to answer the question, "what does the most good and the least harm?" as a way of helping us make better choices. She begins her chapter by asking readers to imagine how they would answer this question from a hypothetical child from a future better world, "What role did you play in creating the good world we have today?" As she rightly points out, if we don't envision the world we want and identify our own part in its unfolding, it is harder to both imagine and bring about. It also places responsibility on each of us, instead of dumping that burden on future Henry Marrs. 

The MOGO principle works best when recognizing the intersections between human rights, animal protection and environmental preservation. Ms. Weil also stresses that while the principle is simple in theory, it can be challenging in practice, and as an example outlines both the destructive and helpful aspects of a common technological item such as a laptop.

Without going into further detail from her section in the book (she has written, by the way, her own book Most Good, Least Harm: A Simple Principle for a Better World and Meaningful Life), here are the seven keys that she's identified which can help people put the MOGO principle into practice:

1. live your epitaph
2. pursue joy through service
3. make connections and self reflect
4. model your message and work for change
5. find and create community
6. take responsibility, and
7. strive for balance

These keys make a lot of sense, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

**************************

p.s. After encouragement from some of my readers to go read We Animals already, I have finally started and concur with their assessment -- it's an excellent book. Jo-Anne McArthur has done a superb job indeed, and both her photographs and text are haunting, beautiful, evocative, skillful, and highly intelligent. But having said that, a part of me still wishes I had never opened it. I'm on the second chapter, Food, now, and can only read a few pages at a time* before my levels of anger and disgust threaten to get dangerously high. I am misanthropic enough as it is, so am planning to read the chapter called Mercy last, and thus hope to end on a more hopeful note.

* nope, stuck on page 98 now, and can't seem to go any further...

who's gonna save our planet?

Often, I'm sad to admit, the pessimistic side of me thinks no one.

And most of the time I'm grateful to be over the age of fifty so that I won't have to watch as our Earth implodes due to human self-destruction. As I said, pessimistic. On especially cynical and misanthropic days, I even think it may serve the human species right if (due to stupidity, selfishness and greed) the planet it abuses and takes for granted will sooner, rather than later, cease to exist.

But then that wouldn't be fair to all the other species. Or future human generations who didn't create the mess that most of us (and by most, I specifically point the finger at other former-hippy-turned-capitalist-consumer boomers) will leave behind for younger folk to solve.

So when I heard wise-beyond-his-years Henry Marr (or wise because the years haven't descended yet?) implore others to smarten up already, a small sliver of hope pierced my sometimes-hardened heart. Maybe, just maybe, enough youngsters will eventually set things right that us oldsters have so screwed up. Is this kid vegan?

Probably not, but if enough kids like him are passionate about something that will have an impact on the environment, or any of the other social justice issues that at heart are about oppression and power imbalance, then there's a chance that all the bits of action added up can contribute to lasting change. Cuz it sure is gonna take more than my generation to save the bruised planet we're leaving behind for others.

Here's Henry in his own words:

 

If you want to follow this trying-to-save-the-planet young hero on Facebook (and in case you think hero is overstating it, check out some of the decidedly non-heroic comments contributed by adults on the YouTube video above), here's his page:

https://www.facebook.com/emotionalenvironmentalist/

Keep up the good fight, Henry. We're counting on you! :)

be kind to animals week 2016

Begins today!

What sorts of animals should we be kind to?

• old ones
• young ones
• cute ones
• not-so-cute ones
• sick ones
• healthy ones
• big ones
• small ones
• companion animals
• farmed animals
• land animals
• aquatic animals
• all animals, actually
• including, ahem, human ones

What does being kind not include?

• eating them
• breeding them
• experimenting on them
• turning them into clothes
• stealing their young
• stealing their milk
• withholding care and respect
• confining 
• mutilating 
• killing 
• or using them in any other way for human gain

What are the best ways to be kind?

• rescuing them
• treating them as beings rather than things
• seeing them as kin -- the word kind is very useful for this
• unless already living with you (or in need of help), leaving them alone

So please be kind to animals this week, next week, and every week. Thank you!