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

Kill Eat Exploit the Weak guide to holiday shopping

If you missed last night's show, you also missed our suggestions about how and where to spend your xmas money. Lucky you, we promised to post the list here.


independent local retailers (KW):

Green Door Vegan Variety
10-509 Wilson Ave, Kitchener, 519-896-1500

Delirium Clothing
23 King St N, Waterloo, 519-886-8480

Scaredy Cats Costumes and more
64 King St E, Kitchener, 519-576-5340

The Catacombs
108 Queen St S, Kitchener

independent artists online:

The Royal Sarcophagus Society Store

online veg friendly shopping (Canada):

WWF Panda Store

Comondi

Grass Roots Environmental Products

PhytoAromatics

Downbound

online veg friendly shopping (US and international):

Jorubo

Crafters for Critters

Anatomy of a Skirt

Whammy Industries

Green House Framing

Super Vegan

Lekkner

Food Fight Grocery

If you're feeling ambitious you can also check our website's Causes page. Some of the charities listed there sell items to raise money for their efforts. And there's always the option of making a donation to a good cause in someone's name...

On a slightly different note, while I was browsing through Herbivore Magazine looking for shopping ideas I came across an interview with Michael Franti. At one point he talks about the importance of realism in the "politics of veganism," and since what he says is very close to my own philosophy I wanted to share it with you here:

"I find that people come to vegetarianism a lot more easily through attraction than they do through shock tactics. I'm somebody that really believes in that. I don't preach my diet to other people. If people want to talk about it because I'm eating certain things, I'll talk to them about it. If people want to know if there are some political beliefs, some economic reasons, or some health reasons behind it, I'll explain it to them. I don't try to belittle other people for where they're at in their evolution as a person.

"There should be some realism to the politics of veganism. For example, if we could get everyone in America to stop eating half as much or even 30 percent as much meat, it would be a much greater effect on the meat industry than if we just get a handful of all-out, 100 percent vegans. So, while I would love to see everyone benefit from the health effects of veganism, I would also like them to see the effects of the meat industry on the environment, on the suffering of animals, and on the consumption of oil and other natural resources ... of deforestation ... all of these things could be significantly reduced if we encouraged people to eat less and less and less meat. Over time, hopefully, people find the benefit of being vegan or vegetarian."

Michael Franti (Spearhead, Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Beatnigs) in Herbivore Magazine, Issue 12, p.52

next on-air KEEW: Dec 16, 11pm ET