Today, the egg industry sent out a press release touting research showing how "free range hens experience just as much or more stress than hens raised in modern, conventional cages." The industry professes that this research debunks assertions by animal rights activists that hens exploited for their eggs have horribly stressed lives. In reality, all this research really debunks is the myth that any form of animal exploitation can be "humane."
December 2007
Butterflies's Poems to Inspire Transformation
M. Butterflies Katz is a passionate vegan advocate, a professional chef and a co-author of Incredibly Delicious: Recipes for a New Paradigm, published by Gentle World. Katz is also the author of Metamorphosis: Poems to Inspire Transformation, a book of inspirational verse rooted in the life affirming love and compassion of veganism.
Resolutions for a New Year and a Better World
Over the holidays many of us find ourselves at gatherings hosted by friends, family members or social acquaintances that feature the products of others' exploitation. Whether an aspiring or a long-time vegan, I think each of us can take this opportunity to reassess what is happening around us and each make New Year's resolutions that will take the vegan ideal a little further in the coming year.
Practicing Nonviolent Direct Action
Veganism is a principle that calls for the immediate rejection of the use and exploitation of all animals, as far as is humanly practical. Thus, in practice, the principle of veganism leads to nonviolent direct action.
When we practices veganism we are engaged in a real, immediate and concrete form of abolition. Each of us who sincerely embraces a vegan way of life directly respects other animals through our daily actions. We literally become the change we want to see in the world.
When we practices veganism we are engaged in a real, immediate and concrete form of abolition. Each of us who sincerely embraces a vegan way of life directly respects other animals through our daily actions. We literally become the change we want to see in the world.
A Caution Against Overemphasizing Global Warming
It's become an established fact among the media, scientists and the international community that the exploitation of sheeps and cows for human use plays a significant part in global warming. But without a sustained emphasis on the vegan ideal of non-exploitation can we expect this to lead to a change in people's consciousness? Read more...
'We Are Abolitionists'
Vegan aims are much more than just 'animal welfare', with a bit more feed for the slaves, cleaner cages for the vivisected, or another box of bandages to plaster over the terminal cancer that is animal slavery and exploitation. In short we are abolitionists, though non-violent ones, for how we accomplish something is every bit as important as that it is done (and often more so).
All Captivity is Morally Objectionable
It's true that if you accept the captive exploitation of animals, then, yes, there seems to be no moral objection. But if we take the vegan perspective that other animals shouldn't be exploited, then the moral objection becomes crystal clear. In this respect, I agree that we must explain to the public very clearly the difference between accepting how other animals are exploited and opposing that exploitation as inherently oppressive. And we can start by stating clearly and confidently that captivity is exploitation, and all exploitation of other animals for human use is morally objectionable. (Read more...)
Desserts and Circuses: Vegan Style
Unfortunately, veganism is often seen as the exclusion or absence of something. But living in a vegan world can be as joyous, and delicious, as ever. In most cases it is even more so, since eliminate exploitation from our lives makes room for more peaceful and just alternatives. I recently contributed a couple articles to The NewPeople, "Pittsburgh's Peace and Justice Newspaper," that touch on how flavorful and fun life can be without exploiting other animals.
Vegan Desserts Take Over Pittsburgh
On November 4, AnimalFreedom, a local animal rights and vegan advocacy organization, hosted the Pittsburgh Vegan Dessert Fest ’07 at the Amani International Coffeehouse and Café.
A crowd of more than 100 people patiently lined up to taste over 25 animal-free desserts submitted by participants. Professional vegan bakers My Goodies, Emma Rehm, Vegan Goddess and Whipped Bakery were also on hand with samples of their treats, and Shadyside ice cream shop Oh Yeah fed the crowd vegan ice cream cones.
Pittsburgh Embraces Animal-Free Circuses
Two thousand years ago when Romans went to a circus they saw gladiator-slaves who were forced to fight one another, elephants, tigers and other captive animals. When they include animals, modern circuses continue this legacy of captivity and exploitation even to this day. Like gladiators of ancient Rome, the use of captive animals for entertainment is an anachronism ready to be replaced by something better.