More on the Matter of 'Shocking Facts'

2083:

If Animal Rights hasn’t reached many people yet then perhaps it’s time to re-consider our approach, and that might mean being less reliant on ‘shocking-facts’.

Back in the 1980’s when the horrors of modern animal farming first came to light in a big way, everyone was shocked. But soon enough it was ‘business as usual’. Things down on the farm are worse today, but essentially not that much worse in terms of mindless cruelty and indifference. The phrase ‘hens in cages’ is understood to represent the extent to which humans have become cruel, but that hasn’t induced people to think about it or stop buying eggs or products made with egg ingredients.

Yes, we are shocked, yes, we shake our heads in disbelief but we’re not willing to switch brands of biscuits or stop buying cow milk to pour on our breakfast corn flakes. We are not yet willing to change the habits of a lifetime. We say, “Be kinder to animals” but that’s where it stops. It means virtually nothing. So, this is why vegans advice is, “Don’t trust yourself around animals. Humans have a history of abuse”.

As activists, we have to start from a ‘rights’ point of view (not welfare) and promote a no-use-animal policy. That’s a long way from the norm and a long way from those who say “I agree with you. I only eat free range”. Some day every omnivore will have to come to terms with what we know today as ‘vegan principle’. It’s possible that they may find some of what we are saying interesting enough, to hear about it the first time round. But next time they see us walking down the street they’ll probably want to avoid us for fear of a repeat performance - no one wants to be baled up, or be ‘evangelised’. That’s surely why Animal Rights is not like a church and why vegans shouldn’t preach, nor start speaking with the words “I am a vegan …”.

So, if we are to be accused of anything, let it be for igniting dangerous discussion. We need to be seen as open people, rather than as purveyors of shocking-facts. We need to become a conduit for ideas and information. It’s still early days for Animal Rights consciousness.

This is one difficult subject to broach. We might expect people to be open with us but not if we drop bombs on them. As soon as we get personal, over ‘differences of opinion’, then dialogue ends and fights begin. Whereas, if we can have a non-judgemental exchange, we can’t go wrong. Somehow, we need to establish mutual respect, before lunging at people with the spear of truth.