anti-speciesism/anti-racism

While writing an essay on eruptions of national socialism and racism in the Norwegian black metal scene I came across a disturbing reminder that vegetarianism, environmentalism and animal activism are not inherently related to political orientation or ethical stance. To put it bluntly, vegans can be racists and/or neo-nazis too.

Before I go on with this post I want to make my own position clear: I am anti-racist as well as anti-speciesist, and just generally against anything that leads to cruelty, injustice, suffering, fear... I have a deep respect for all forms of life and although I have no magic answer for how we can all co-exist peacefully and happily I believe that if we all were aware of and cared about how our attitudes and actions (or inaction) impact others we would be moving in the right direction.

In the spirit of this project of awareness and concern I decided to do a few web searches to see what comes up when I try to combine vegetarian, veganism and animal rights with human rights or anti-racism as search terms. Here's a sprinkling of what I found, which wasn't nearly as much as I had hoped. This issue begs further investigation.

From the Vegetarian Resource Group: How is Animal Rights Related to Human Rights?
Sistah Vegan: "Decolonizing our diets" and more on the intersection of race, gender, class and veganism from a black female perspective
Triangle Vegetarian Society: vegetarianism, ethics, social justice
Roots of Compassion: activists against abuse, exploitation and oppression in human-animal relations but also sexism, racism, capitalism and hierarchy in general
LA Indymedia.org: Feature categories include Animal Rights, [Anti-]Racism, Environment
David Alan Nibert: Animal Rights/Human Rights: Entanglements of Oppression and Liberation [book]
University of Toronto Coalition for Animal Rights and the Environment (CARE): Factory Farming and Human Rights

animal studies vs studying animals and a little activism pt. 2

From Greenpeace:

Turns out today, December 8, is a Global Day of Action Against Climate Change - a citizens' response the 13th International Conference on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia.

Some of the neat things going on today include (or have included) a family-friendly rally/parade in downtown Guelph and a mass demonstration in Toronto. Environment Hamilton has several interrelated projects on the go too, like letter writing, signing up to record your vehicle use for a month, commitments to taking public transit, and family/friend screenings of An Inconvenient Truth (that movie by Tipper Gore's husband).


From Niagara Action for Animals:

Letters are needed in response to the current deer culling taking place on Navy Island and the Standard's coverage of the cull - Native bow hunters culling Navy Island deer; Some sport hunters upset at exclusion.

NAfA has campaigned against this cruelty in the past, but the Ministry seems intent on having the deer killed rather than come up with a humane alternative. They are now (irresponsibly) proposing that native hunters be allowed to kill the deer with bows, as you can see from the headline. NAfA's guess is that the ministry is allowing aboriginal hunters to carry out the cull in an effort to stave off criticism. NAfA asks for polite letters to be sent to the Standard. Contact NAfA by email if you need additional background information.


Stocking stuffer suggestion: a vegan coffin soap from the Royal Sarcophagus Society.

And if the holiday season has you feeling a little too commercial and indulgent, consider making a donation to a worthy animal rescue organization as a present to yourself. Of if action is more to your means or inclination, deer culling on Navy Island isn't the only issue you can put your pen to. Try sending a Zoocheck postcard to parliament about legistlation for animals in captivity. Tell the government that animals need protection when they're in transit. Demand the banning of leg-hold and conibear traps in Guelph, Ontario.

animal studies vs studying animals and a little activism pt. 1

Last year at the Popular Culture Association (PCA) conference I picked up an anthology call The Animals Reader, but it wasn't until these past few weeks that I actually had a chance to begin to read it. Its selections are often just mere snippets but the editors did a good job and each section includes a substantial list of suggestions for further reading.

A recent talk I attended (Jessica Carey, Ph.D. student in English and Cultural Studies - "Educating People with Respect to Animals: PETA and Public Pedagogy") provided another nudge in the right direction and led to some much appreciated discussion.
[If you're not sure what critical pedagogy is (I had only a glimmering myself), check out the Critical Pedagogy Project.]
Jessica analyzed some of the problems with PETA's attempts at public education while pointing out some of structural obstactles that the animal rights movement in general faces in its efforts to engage other humans in dialogue about the ethical treatment of animals.

Another inspiration came from an art exhibit catalogue one of my professors loaned me. Becoming Animal: Contemporary Art in the Animal Kingdom took place at MASS MoCA in 2005 and featured 12 internationally known artists investigating the shifting boundaries between animal and human. I'm particularly mesmerized right now by Sam Easterson's video camera-wearing critters.

the more I learn the less I realize I know...