Abolitionism

            

1086: 

This matter of talking about animal issues.  We vegans go on about the same old thing but what matters in the end is getting the omnivore on board, on side.

If the animal liberationist is to inspire change, permanent change, then our arguments need to be introduced carefully, like planting seeds in fertile soil.  To fertilise the soil we need to build trust and respect, and argue our case as non-violently and as non-accusingly as possible.  We need to touch sympathy spots, and describe ideas that will stick in the memory like any great message.  We should be promoting ‘liberation’ not just in terms of welfare reforms or making incremental stages of granting privileges to animals.  And we don’t need to confine our arguments to matters of diet.  These are important details, but they don’t deal with the bigger, underlying matter of ‘abolition’, as in not using animals at all for human benefit.

           

It’s from the idea of ‘abolition’ that everything else flows, as it did with the abolition of human-slavery.  To end the enslavement of humans there had to be a major change in public opinion.  A fundamental attitude change was necessary before slavery could be ended permanently.  When slaves were freed, only then did people see why it had always been about outright abolition.  And it’s the same with the slavery of animals.  It ALL has to stop, so there will never be any back-sliding, especially when things get extra-tough or extra tempting.

There was a time, during wartime conditions, when there was little food.  It was far easier to convince people that it was a matter of kill an animal or die of hunger. And following that came the intensification methods, so there was no danger of severe food shortage. This is the convincing reason for taking extreme measures, enslaving and killing animals on an industrial scale.  Most consumers are taking part in this terrible tragedy, daily, when there’s absolutely no need to.  Plant-based food and clothing, shoes and coats, and commodities in general, are plenty life-giving enough.  There’s no need to make any use of animals, whatsoever.