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Thanks go out to Vegan Soapbox

Thanks go out to Creature Talk!

Mark Twain wrote,

Heaven is by favor; if it were by merit your dog would go in and you would stay out. Of all the creatures ever made, [man] is the most detestable. Of the entire brood, he is the only one... that possesses malice. He is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain (emphasis added).

I can find vegan food for my (omnivorous) dogs, but cannot for the life of me find vegetarian joint supplements for my (herbivorous) horse. 

I met a self-identified vegetarian yesterday who eats fish and chicken. She said, after some clarification that was somewhat forced by my inquiries: 

"I guess I just don't eat mammals or dairy." 

Caution: While restaurants may claim to have vegfriendly alternatives such as vegetable patties, for example, for the ethically consistent amongst us, these "alternatives," while, by definition, may be such, in reality, the term "vegfriendly" is often grossly overstated.

If a menu offers a veggie burger, ask "How is it prepared? In the same area or on the same grill as the flesh, perhaps?" If you frequent restaurants that offer Italian cuisines, for the non-flesh pastas, ask "What is the base of the marinara? Cow flesh?" You may be offered a variety of vegetable soup's, but beware, unless you are assured otherwise, they contain chicken or cow stock.

Of course, these are only examples for the wary. I only mention them because from some direct experience of late, I have been introduced to the world of restaurant deception. Indeed, when a menu claims "We have a garden burger for the vegetarians out there," it stands to reason that said food item is free of flesh. If, however, it is prepared on the same surfaces as the various flesh items, or on the grill following the cooking of a piece of cow, the claim being made by the restaurant about a "vegetarian option" is false. They may rationalize - "The heat is so intense anyways" - but these arguments are just that, rationalizations, which may or may not be sound. 

We should, therefore, ask questions. Make it known that we take ethics seriously; dishonesty won't be tolerated. Now, for the waiters, they are not at fault. It make's sense that they are unaware of what is occurring. However, the individuals who created the menu and who cook the food are perpetrating a fraud, even if they don't realize it. So let's tell them: "If you want to offer a vegetarian option(s), make it vegetarian."

Can you imagine a restaurant that purported to offer kosher food items that actually prepares food in a manner not consistent with the Jewish tradition? Sure we can imagine it because of the shortcomings of our species, but my point still holds: Many of these restaurants that claim to be vegfriendly haven't considered what this actually means. They are playing to a sort-of tangential niche market without considering the majority of individuals who exist beyond this tiny "market" but who actually compose, and define, the wider segment of this same population.   

At the core of this problem we find mere self-interest (and blatant prejudice?): It takes effort to make good on these claims about being vegfriendly; however, we vegetarians and vegans are the minority, in numbers and power, therefore, for most people, it's simply extra effort that doesn't need to be exerted because a) Who's going to find out? and b) Who cares? The same cannot be said about the Jewish population, for example, which is why my example above holds.  

We care. Asking questions - moving beyond the welcoming pretense being presented by the restaurant - will say to these people, "I take this seriously and so should you because..." Be gracious, act with prudence and kindness, which will help prevent the often-taken metaphorical steps backward during these kinds of discussions, but ask nonetheless. It's advocacy of an all-important sort. We must continue to move this force, this discourse about social justice, beyond dismissal into dialogue and criticism. This simple action, if done properly, will help.  

Creature Talk has a great story about vegan advocacy (She has pictures!):

Elina is 19 years old and lives in Seattle. On [America's Next Top Model], she said she became vegan in 7th grade and has dedicated her life to the animal liberation movement.

When the judges and host Tyra Banks found out Elina was vegan, Tyra asked her if she would have been able to participate in a photo shoot last year that involved all the models being DRESSED IN MEAT. Yes, clothes made from beef. It was absolutely disgusting.

Anyway, when Tyra asked Elina if she would have been able to get dressed up in dead animal flesh, Elina said no.

Bravo.

As an aside, a commenter spoke about Joaquin Phoenix's refusal to wear leather and animal hides during the filming of Gladiator. Again, bravo.

Another commenter, CB, however, raised an interesting question:  

I think it's great that Elina is a vegan and shares that with viewers! However if she wins her $100,000 contract be from a company that uses animal testing (Cover Girl). Does the show use exclusively Cover Girl cosmetics (I would think so since they are the main sponsor)? I'm just surprised that someone who is a vegan and cares about animal rights could feel comfortable using cosmetics that are tested on animals.

Excellent point. I'm curious to see how far her advocacy extends. Will she criticize Cover Girl for their wholly unnecessary torture of animals for beauty's sake; for yet another kind of lip gloss? Perhaps. It seems to follow from her previous defense of veganism.

These tests are not meant for therapeutic ends. They don't result in drugs that allegedly help humans overcome disease (which ought to also be questioned for their justness). It's extreme suffering for a new eyeliner. That should be sickening to anyone with a conscience.   

This platform is tailor-made for vegan advocacy as there is movement within the fashion industry away from fur, for example. Maybe leather and silk are next to go. (Okay, maybe not.) And within the cosmetic industry, steps are being taken by the largest companies to end their animal exploitation thanks to efforts by P.E.T.A. Therefore, let's wish Elina much success. For the animals...and morality.  

Will be crossposted @ Vegan Soapbox  

"Women, take the Activia 14 day challenge!" It's a digestive aid: helps with occasional irregularity, and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). 

Several days ago two pit bulls and a labrador attacked a nice young Mormon man on his way to work in Orem, which is about 45 miles south of Salt Lake. The story was on the news the other day, and they showed a shot of the male pit bull, the only one who didn't get picked up and taken home after the attack (the female and the lab were both taken home by their people). The show shows him huddling at the back of a small concrete cage, devoid of food, water, cushion or toys. In fact, devoid of anything to offer him the remotest comfort, all alone in a strange and scary place.  

Breedism:

"Breedism is analogous to racism," Bernard E. Rollin writes, "in that all dogs of a certain breed are tarred with the same brush, as "killers." Just as racists see all members of a given race as instantiating the same negative traits, breedism sees all dogs of a given breed as identically a menace to society, despite the fact that animal behaviorists know full well that a given dog may differ markedly from a given stereotype."

This "canine racism" is illustrated in the following conversation I had recently with an individual in the management office of an apartment building. (Yes, this is truly an accurate reflection of the conversation. I couldn't help myself, and although I don't have a dog currently, I pretended for effect.)

Alex: "Do you allow dogs in your apartment building?"

Breedist: "It depends on the dog."

Alex: "How so?"

Breedist: "It can't be one of those aggressive, vicious types. What kind is it?"

Alex: "Well he is a mutt. I don't believe he has any Chihuahua in him. The meanest dogs I've

         known are Chihuahua's."

Breedist: "Well, I don't mean like small dogs; I mean the vicious kind."

Alex: "Right, you already said that. And as I said, he certainly doesn't have any Chihuahua in

         him - most Chihuahua's I know have a touch of "little-man" complex, and can be quite

         defensive. Just look at the "Dog Whisperer," right; lot's of people fear them. I do know

         two very friendly Chihuahua's, however. Perhaps I am misunderstanding your question?

         Have you already decided what make's for a vicious dog?"

Breedist: "Well, I'm talking about certain breeds that make people feel uncomfortable."

Alex: "Oh, I understand. You mean like Pit Bulls and Dobermans. You've had a lot of

         experience with aggressive Dobermans in the building have you? Been mauled yourself,

         I'm assuming? I mean how else could you damn the whole group?"

Breedist: "No, I've never been attacked."

Alex: "But surely someone's been bitten or something in the building, or else why couldn't I

         be a tenant living with a Pit Bull whom I love? Quite irrational if you think about it."

Breedist: "There's just a negative impression out there about certain breeds, and...the policy

              of the building reflects it. We just don't want any attacks..."

Alex: "A preconceived 'negative impression' about an entire group? I think that's called a

        prejudice. Well, nothing to fear, he is certainly not one of those aggressive, vicious

        types. Although perhaps you should re-think your policy about Chihuahuas. There's just

        something about them as a group that I don't like."

According to Rollin, this "social stupidity" is derived from our failure to understand each individual animal, which necessarily results in our inability to stimulate them effectively or provide outlets for their natural propensities, to institute certain limits to their conduct, to structure their activity, etc.

We must better understand our dogs as individuals and respect this individuality. Indeed, there may be natural proclivities (instinct to protect his/her person, for example); however, our failures become "manifest," as Rollin so succinctly states it, when we make baseless assumptions about breeds - when we collapse all dogs into groups and thereby negate individual differences.

Our actions magnify instinct, which in turn can develop into problems. (The same is true of humans; let's never forget that.) Punish the human, maybe the deed, but not the breed.  

If you think about it, it's no different then saying "All blacks, by their nature, commit crime; therefore I don't want them in the building." I use to say ridiculous things about Pit Bulls, half in jest but with a lot of sincerity also. I was wrong, and so is our society.  

Simone De Beauvoir wrote, "One is not born, but becomes a woman." Cultures have elaborated on biological differences to reinforce patriarchy, therefore feminist thinkers, such as de Beauvoir, question assumptions about "natural femininity." We must do likewise to counter these preconceptions about certain breeds. Presuming knowledge without sufficient evidence, experience or reason leads to erroneous conclusions. It's illogical and just wrong.   

One is not born, but becomes an aggressive, vicious dog. As de Beauvoir argued, biology isn't destiny.

Will be crossposted @ Vegan Soapbox 

From Think Progress

Rep. Duncan Hunter's (R-CA) staff recently contacted the U.S. embassy in Chad to see whether he could visit the country and distribute food at a refugee camp. He said he wanted to hunt wildebeest and then distribute the meat to the refugees. The embassy, however, wasn't too happy with this idea - especially because there are no wildebeest in Chad: 

• [The Embassy welcomes] Congressman Hunter's interest in food assistance to Darfur refugees in Chad. Given the significant quantities of U.S. food aid programmed for distribution to these refugees through the World Food Program (WFP), Embassy Ndjamena would encourage the Congressman to time his visit to coincide with an already scheduled food distribution. Embassy Ndjamena can make the necessary arrangements for the Congressman to observe a WFP food distribution, which will include U.S. food aid, in one of the refugee camps.

Nope! Not as fun.   

In light of this, Duncan Hunter would very much like to go hunt wildebeest in Kenya and then donate their dead bodies to refugee camps in Chad.

Why hunting? Is orphaning a baby wildebeest truly an answer to global hunger? This ridiculous argument is only made more amusing because of the seriousness with which Mr. Hunter espouses it.   

The fact that wildebeest aren't native to Chad merely makes Mr. Hunter sound stupid, but I digress.

Oh yes, it appears that wildebeest are currently more endangered than usual. Due to political unrest in Kenya, 

"[The wildebeest] annual migration is under threat from poachers. "When the animals come into Kenya there is this big influx of poachers," says Brian Heath, CEO of the Mara Conservancy that manages animal protection in the border regions of the park. "Unless we control it we are in danger of the number of animals being poached not being able to sustain the population."

I ask Mr. Hunter this, why do you hate wildebeest so much that you want them to go extinct? What did they ever do to you? I know its fun to kill - power make's me excited down there too. (Oops!)    

Here's a better idea:

"[Mr. Hunter] could be really useful by advocating in Congress policies that provide meaningful economic development support and trade incentives to Kenyans and other Africans, and policies that provide more financial support to refugees and increase options for refugee resettlement."

Of course we could make sensible use of current feed staples such as corn or soy. Imagine the excess plant protein and calories that would be made available to the world community if that 15 pounds of feed being funneled through a hog to produce a single edible pound of flesh as I write this was instead distributed to three, four, five starving individual men, women and children. By aggregating this gluttonous excess and waste, the possibilities are endless.

But the idea being suggested by a Representative of the United States of America is let's round-up a few carcasses.