I'm tired of seeing SAFE posters everywhere asking people to "Donate to help animals!" or "Join our annual appeal to help animals!"
Well, I'm writing this blog post to tell you that if you want to help animals, if you REALLY want to help animals, you don't need to donate or volunteer for any animal welfare organisation such as SAFE. Just go vegan. And educate people about veganism!
Vegan education is easy, and you don't need a lot (or even any) money to do it. It can be as simple as talking to friends about why you're vegan. Or you can get creative! As I said in my last blog post, whatever you enjoy doing, look for a way to promote vegansim!
I've hosted my own podcast and radio show. I've created my own videos and websites. I blog. I've made animations and graphic designs. I've handed out vegan food to classmates. I've baked vegan cupcakes to hand out at the stall. I've engaged the public in conversations about veganism. I've hand-printed the word "vegan" on clothing I wear. And I've done all this without much money. I'm not a rich person. But that hasn't stopped me.
Imagine what great things SAFE could do if they actually spent their money on peaceful vegan education, promoting JUST veganism. A big organisation like them, educating people about veganism ALL OVER NEW ZEALAND, we'll have loads more people choosing to live nonviolently! If only, if only they would promote veganism! But they are too concerned about losing donators to tell people to do something as "radical" as going vegan. So instead they tell people that "you can love animals and eat them too, just buy free range!"
I urge anyone, anywhere, to advocate for veganism. Those of us who are promoting vegansim unequivocally are the ones who are truly making a difference to the lives of nonhumans. We don't need a lot of money and we don't have to be a part of any organisation to make a difference in the world.
Why wage war on SAFE supporters? It does not help you, or any animals, at all to do so. They want the same as you do, the end of suffering, and they are going by the most realistic way that they can manage that.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet that SAFE have reduced animal suffering in New Zealand by a far greater amount than a couple of people stood on the street giving out a handful of cupcakes and writing 'vegan' on their clothes.
By all means, what you do is good. Anything that reduces animal suffering in the slightest is good.
But think for a few moments before you start resenting what SAFE do, because they have won some big victories for the animals of New Zealand.
If Safe wanted to help other animals, they would have promoted veganism. Welfarist approach which states that there is nothing wrong with use of other animals cannot lead to abolition of use of other sentient beings.
ReplyDelete"because they have won some big victories for the animals of New Zealand."
ReplyDeletecan you give some examples? Thanks
Bean, are you vegan? thanks
ReplyDelete"They want the same as you do, the end of suffering"
ReplyDeleteThen why are they not promoting the *end* of suffering, if that is what they want? I would really like to know please.
Veganism is the end of suffering. Anything less is exploitation, torture, and slaughter of animals, including "Cage Free" and "humanely raised", and that is a fact, not an opinion.
Can you respond to these points? thanks in advance
P.S: when we challenge the effectiveness of welfare reform and question the efficacy of tactics used by the still-dominant welfare movement, we are not "waging a war" on any individuals or organisations. We are challenging ideas and encouraging critical thinking.
ReplyDeleteSAFE same as all NGOs, grepeace, unicef, wwf are in the end nothing more than corporations in disguise, and as any corporation, the only way they can keep doing what they do (either good or bad) is if they remain profitable, if they loose money they can't "help" the animals or do whatever they hypocritically think they are doing.
ReplyDeleteIf everyone goes vegan and we end up animal suffering and exploitation, SAFE, PETA and all of those corporations will run out of business, therefore not being able to pay for rent, food and stuff.
as long as we keep supporting a corrupted capitalist system, based on scarcity and competition, and using the obsolete monetary system, there will be no end to the suffering of our fellow animal creatures.
most people that raise cattle, kill and torture animals for whatsoever reason do so for a profit. provide free, cruelty free food for everyone and no one will have to kill animals anymore.
just my 2 cents :)
Great points, Bruno.
ReplyDelete