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Traditional
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Chinese
Matt Ball
In the past twenty years, the animal rights (AR)
movement has made the public aware of many issues
concerning animals. During this time, unfortunately,
per-capita meat consumption has risen, and the number
of animals killed in the United States has increased
by hundreds of millions each year.
It may be possible to help small numbers of animals
by stopping blatant, socially unacceptable forms
of cruelty. But true animal liberation can only
be possible by changing deeply ingrained patterns
of thought about animals–specifically, that
animals exist for humans to use.
Contents
Fundamental Facts
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The number of animals killed for fur in the U.S.
each year is approximately equal to the human
population of Illinois.
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The number of animals killed in experimentation
in the U.S. each year is approximately equal to
the human population of Texas.
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The number of mammals and birds farmed and slaughtered
in the U.S. each year is approximately equal to
one and two-thirds the entire human population
of Earth.
About 99% of the animals killed in the U.S. each
year die to be eaten. Everyone makes choices directly
determining the fates of these animals when deciding
what to eat each day.
Because most people eat animals, the commonplace
view remains that animals are tools and commodities.
There are a million symptoms of this view–small-scale
yet highly visible abuses that always seem to demand
our attention: canned hunts, circuses, cockfighting,
fur, horse racing, etc. Many activists burn out because
of the never-ending torrent of these "battles" around
them and the difficulty in winning even the smallest
"victory."
This cycle will continue until there is a fundamental
change in society. The only way to make this happen
is by convincing people to stop eating animals.
Question Authority
We expect the general public to question everything
they assume and have ever been told about food, traditions,
health, etc. Given the enormity of the task at hand,
the increase in the number of animals killed each
year, and the relative paucity of our resources, I
believe we too must constantly question everything
we assume and have ever been told about our activism
and veganism. My assumptions and ego have harmed the
effectiveness of my advocacy in the past. I offer
these lessons learned solely as considerations for
improving advocacy, not as argument or judgement.
Hoop Dreams
A basketball coach once told me: "Practice doesn’t
make perfect. Poorly planned and executed practice,
no matter how hard you work, tends to just reinforce
bad habits and will ultimately only make you a worse
player.
"Only perfect practice makes perfect."
The same can be said about activism. No matter how
angry we are, how much we believe in something, how
hard we work, or how much we suffer, our activities
can be useless or even counter-productive. We should
always strive to think clearly, get good counsel,
be willing to admit our mistakes, and change course
in midstream if necessary (however ego-damaging this
can be). If our efforts are not part of a well-defined
and thought-through plan, we will spin our wheels.
Main Point
During the time the AR movement has been visible
in the U.S. (since ~1980), AR activists have stopped
some abuses, received media attention, and become
a fixture of pop culture. Yet after two decades, with
hundreds of millions of dollars spent and possibly
a similar number of hours of work devoted, almost
twice as many animals will be killed in the U.S. this
year as were killed in 1980.
Given the number of non-human animals suffering in
the U.S., the extent to which they are suffering,
and the reason they are intentionally made to suffer,
animal liberation must be seen as the moral imperative
of our time. Our entire focus must be on ending the
suffering as efficiently and quickly as possible.
I believe we have an ethical obligation to recognize
and set aside all of our personal baggage and to perform
an objective analysis of both the pros/cons and costs/benefits
of our choice of focus, our choice of tactics, and
the example we choose to present to the public.
Focus: Limited Resources
Along with anger, guilt is a highly motivating emotion
among activists. If we know of a highly visible case
of animal exploitation, we feel that we must take
action against it.
As much as we don’t want to admit it, though,
we can’t do everything: when we choose to pursue
one thing, we are choosing not to pursue others.
Compared to the public as a whole and the companies
which exploit animals, AR activists have extremely
limited resources: money, time, and emotional energy.
Instead of reacting to whatever visible abuses that
come up or following the leads of other activists,
utilizing our limited resources so as to maximize
their results should be our first priority.
There are a host of people out there who are open
to our efforts, while those who profit from the industries
that exploit animals are not. Shouldn’t we gain
strength in numbers by first focusing the bulk of
our energies into persuading those people who are
willing to listen to our message?
Money, Immediacy, and Victories
Some contend that small-scale, high-profile cases
provide a hook to allow organizations to raise money
and gain new members. Others argue that victories
can help energize activists who would otherwise burn
out on actions that don’t have a tangible payoff.
Although these are valid considerations, these potential
positives must be weighed against other factors.
Hegins
One example of our movement’s priorities is
the Hegins pigeon shoot–one of the primary AR
accomplishments of the 1990s. Immense amounts of money
and human effort went into this campaign. Ending the
Hegins pigeon shoot has saved ~5,000 animals each
year–the number of animals that die in U.S slaughterhouses
every 16 seconds.
In the future, we need to decide if the animals are
best served by this type of allocation of resources.
If we choose not to decide, we still have made a choice.
Tactics
Given the wide range of animal abuses and the various
situations in which activists find themselves, I believe
it is not possible to make a blanket statement that
a specific tactic is unquestionably positive or always
harmful. For example, a certain type of demonstration,
when run in a relevant situation and with a respectful,
clear message, can possibly raise the public’s
awareness, receive fair media coverage, and encourage
some activists. The same type of demonstration, run
under different circumstances and with an outrageous
message made through chants, shouts, and/or stunts,
can serve to harm the progression of animal liberation
by alienating the public and frustrating thoughtful
activists.
Like deciding where to focus our limited resources,
decisions about tactics must be made in the larger
context of our goals. Why are we doing this (e.g.,
is it because of anger and guilt, or because it is
a strategic step that serves our larger goal)? What
is the most probable outcome? What effect will it
have on the public? On other activists? What other
activities could we do with the same time and resources,
and would one of those options have a greater effect
overall? Again, I believe that we have an obligation
to ask these questions.
The Media Circus
Many activists feel that the worth of their activism
or event is based on how much media coverage they
receive. It is not necessary, however, to focus one’s
activism on getting media attention.
Trying to use the media has a number of drawbacks.
There is rarely enough time to present a full and
compelling case for veganism. Nor is there time enough
to get into important nutritional aspects that need
attention in order to follow a vegan diet successfully.
Furthermore, the media makes opponents aware of our
efforts. This enables animal exploiters to mobilize
against us, as well as providing them with a free
venue in which to disagree with us, since reports
invariably give them equal or better airtime. Many
in the media will only air something if they feel
they are able to make us look silly, or like vandals
and terrorists. Others make the entire issue of animal
liberation (regardless of whether it was originally
about fur, meat, or hunting) into "your baby or your
dog."
All of the above drawbacks can be avoided by handing
out detailed and accurate information about veganism
in one-on-one situations. You might reach fewer people,
but you will be providing them with thorough information,
versus a sound bite that is easy to dismiss or forget.
Why Veganism?
Spreading information about how veganism prevents
animal suffering helps to move individuals (and thus
society) away from relying on animal exploitation
for a fundamental, daily activity–eating. Once
individuals have broken their attachment to a daily
reliance on animal exploitation, it is much easier
for them to reject all animal exploitation, rather
than just the high-profile abuses committed by others.
As more people understand and act by the tenets of
veganism, it will be significantly easier for others
to join them. This will bring pressure to bear on
other animal issues, and achievement of our goals
will be accelerated.
But we don’t need a majority in order to make
a huge reduction in animal suffering by spreading
veganism: if 5% of Americans were to stop eating animals,
more suffering would be prevented than if we completely
abolished every other form of animal exploitation
in the U.S.
Promoting veganism brings about the fundamental change
that is needed. Done at a reasonable pace, it can
sustain activists who would otherwise burn out in
the face of endless "battles." It can be hard to put
fundamental change ahead of expressing our anger in
small battles, but it is necessary if progress is
to be made towards animal liberation.
As Donna Maurer concluded in her dissertation (1997)
about the vegetarian movement in North America, "the
strategies that vegetarian groups enact to promote
‘healthy diets’ for each individual’s
personal benefit inhibit people from adopting a collective
vegetarian identity based on moral concern regarding
human/animal relationships; without commitment to
this moral concern, ‘being a vegetarian’
is a lifestyle vulnerable to changing personal and
cultural tastes."
Many activists believe the
health argument to be the most effective for promoting
vegetarianism because it is the least threatening
and appeals to people’s self-interest. We question
whether this is really the best tactic for the following
reasons:
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Even if ethics is not as effective as the health
argument at initially persuading some people,
those who are motivated to change based on ethics
will be better spokespersons for veganism. In
the promotion of animal liberation, each individual’s
example and actions as a spokesperson are at least
as important as the economic impact their individual
choices have. Promoting a "plant-based" diet for
health reasons feeds our society’s focus
on selfishness by implying that animal suffering
is not worthy of people’s concern. It delays
the time when we, as a society, will come to terms
with our treatment of animals.
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Diets based on health claims are subject to further
change based on new, low-fat animal products and
fad diets (The Zone, Eat Right for Your
Type, etc.). People who follow a vegetarian
or vegan diet to feel healthier will resume consuming
animal products if they feel no improvement. Because
they do not necessarily have their hearts into
being vegetarian or vegan, they often will not
experiment with it long enough to find a way of
eating that makes them feel healthy. This can
have far-reaching, negative effects as they go
on to tell others how unhealthy they felt when
they were veg.
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In the past twenty years, the number of animals
killed has skyrocketed because of the move toward
eating more chickens and fish, brought about in
part because of people trying to eat less red
meat for health reasons.
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Health claims regarding the benefits of vegetarianism
can often be exaggerated and/or incomplete. Because
so many people have health questions regarding
a vegetarian diet, all activists should honestly
educate themselves with current and complete nutritional
information. When people ask about health, we
can confidently state that a vegan diet can be
healthy and explain which nutrients might be of
concern. (For the information Vegan Outreach considers
the most up-to-date and scientifically-thorough,
please see: veganhealth.org)
The Vegan Example
In general, people do not want to believe that they
are supporting cruelty by eating animal products.
They don’t want to give up convenience and their
favorite foods, and they don’t want to separate
themselves from their friends and family. So it is
unlikely that people will even listen to our message–let
alone think about changing–if they perceive vegans
as joyless misanthropes.
There often appears to be a contest among vegans
for discovering new connections to animal exploitation
(of course, links can be found everywhere if one looks
hard enough). This attitude makes us appear fanatical
and gives many people an excuse to ignore our message.
Some vegans claim sugar (and products containing
sugar, like Tofutti) isn’t vegan because some
sugar processing uses bone char as a whitening agent.
Bone char is also used as a source of activated carbon
in some water filters and by some municipal water
treatment plants. (These plants also use tests that
involve animal products, and water itself has been
tested on animals.) So should we say water isn’t
"vegan"?
The vast majority of people in our society have no
problem gnawing on an actual chicken leg. Yet we make
an issue of honey, despite the fact that insects and
other animals are killed in the process of planting,
raising, harvesting, and transporting our vegan food.
It is no wonder that many people dismiss us as unreasonable
and irrational when they are told (or when it is implied
by our actions) that they must not eat veggie burgers
cooked on the same grill with meat, drink wine, take
photographs, use medications, etc.; some vegans even
tack on other political or religious ideologies.
Busting the Vegan Police
It is imperative for us to realize that if our veganism
is a statement for animal liberation, veganism cannot
be an exclusive, ego-boosting club. Rather, we must
become the mainstream. Fostering the impression that
"it’s so hard to be vegan–animal products
are in everything," and emphasizing animal products
where the connection to animal suffering is tenuous,
works against this by allowing most to ignore us and
causing others to give up the whole process out of
frustration.
The way veganism is presented to a potential vegan
is of major importance. The attractive idea behind
being a "vegan" is reducing one’s contribution
to animal exploitation. Buying meat, eggs, and/or
dairy creates animal suffering–animals will be
raised and slaughtered specifically for these products.
But if the by-products are not sold, they will be
thrown out or given away. As more people stop eating
animals, the by-products will naturally fade, so there
is no real reason to force other people to worry about
them in order to call themselves "vegan."
We want a vegan world, not a vegan club.
Practical and
Symbolic Vegans
Most vegans have multiple motivations, but primary
motivations often distinguish vegans, such as "health
vegans" or "spiritual/religious vegans." I see another
type of distinction as being useful: "practical vegans"
and "symbolic vegans." Practical vegans avoid the
specific products for which animals are bred, raised,
and eventually slaughtered. Every product they choose
to avoid can be directly and causally linked to animal
suffering. Symbolic vegans, in addition to avoiding
those products, go beyond this to some level (e.g.,
avoiding sugar but not water) so as to be able to
make a statement (about solidarity with the animals,
personal purity, etc.).
Illustration
The gelatin in film makes many vegans uncomfortable.
However, film companies won’t use something more
expensive because of this discomfort. As long as animals
are slaughtered for their flesh, gelatin will remain
a dirt-cheap by-product. This won’t change because
of a relatively few symbolic vegans. It will change,
however, as the number of practical vegans expands
and there isn’t an endless string of animals
being slaughtered for food, making a substitute necessary.
In dealing with others, practical vegans can explain:
"I don’t buy products that directly cause animal
suffering–things for which animals are bred,
raised, and slaughtered. A symbolic vegan could add:
"Personally, I choose to go further and avoid film
[sugar, etc.] as a symbolic gesture."
Once the demand for primary animal products shrinks
and the by-products are no longer so cheap, companies
will find new filtering methods, new ways to cure
concrete, new means of producing steel and rubber,
new blood-test methods, etc. As more people are concerned
with animals, farming practices will be altered so
fewer animals are harmed and killed during planting
and harvesting of vegan food.
The Future: A New Vision
We need an articulated and actionable plan for bringing
about animal liberation. In the current view, we spend
our resources and energy "fighting battles," where
they occur and on the exploiters’ terms. We need
to move beyond this war imagery to a constructive
approach.
No matter how many chants we shout, no matter how
many sound bites we gain, no matter how many labs
we vandalize or "enemies" we defeat, animal liberation
will not occur until we join with everyone in a vegan
world. If there is to be a fundamental change in the
manner in which other animals are viewed–if there
is to be animal liberation–there can be no "us
and them."
There is hope for animal liberation if and only if
we learn how to help people get past their wall of
denial and manifest their latent compassion. To succeed,
our interactions with others must be rooted in empathy
and understanding–working with and from a person’s
motivations, fears, desires, and shortcomings. Instead
of approaching with a "fighting" mindset, which necessarily
makes people defensive and closed to new ideas, we
should provide people with information that they can
digest on their own time and act upon at a sustainable
pace. Only then will real progress be made.
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