Vegan lifestyle articles that discuss ways of living in peace with humans, animals, and the environment.
Direct Action
Everywhere (DxE)
May 2016
We have the power to have complete dominion over them,
but instead of using that power to cause pain we should be using it to
create the most respectful and nurturing relationship between us that we
possibly can.
Animal liberation because if we don’t do it, who will end their suffering?
They have not had a voice for far too long, and we are closer than we ever
have been to changing the unquestioned norm that animals are ours to use as
property.
Q: What inspired you to first get involved with activism and join
DxE?
Becoming an activist for animals was something I immediately wanted to do
the moment I learned what was being done to animals all around me every day.
Something within me had lit on fire, and it became all I could think about
every day. My activism didn't start until a year after becoming vegan
because I didn’t know another vegan or activist, and I didn't have the
confidence or knowledge on how to start my own protests or activist group.
I will always remember my first DxE disruption with Keira Devine in
Philadelphia. I was petrified, confused, and yet absolutely inspired. I knew
then that there was a place for me in the movement and that I could be doing
so much more for animals in my everyday life.
I became an organizer of the Harrisburg chapter immediately after I got home
from the 2015 National Animal Rights Conference. I was so inspired after
meeting Priya, Wayne, and so many others from DxE, and knew that I could
make a huge impact in my own town. Since then, I have finally found my voice
for animals. I cannot explain the way DxE has helped me grow as a person and
as an activist. It has given me a constant sense of urgency. My thoughts on
activism now is that not doing anything just isn't an option. They need our
voice now more than ever and we have to always keep that focus.
Q: What is your favorite or most accomplished moment in activism or
other DxE activity?
My favorite moment in activism was definitely disrupting Tom Wolf at the
Farm Show Complex in my hometown of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (PA). It was
amazing to see new activists there who were very nervous but got out there
and showed such bravery and strength. Most of the activists who came
traveled hours to get here for it early in the morning. That day, the
animals had a voice that had not yet been heard in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
It's such a small, rural city where a very large majority of the population
is hunters and farmers. I wanted to show other activists in small towns that
it IS possible. That these high-impact disruptions don't just happen in big
cities with fifty activists. My hope was to inspire those with small numbers
that they can do this, too. That even just a small group of passionate
people can get together and make a big impact for animals. We are all
capable of so much more than we think we are.
Q: How did you manage to organize and pull off the Farm Show
disruption, and what advice would you give to activists attempting a large
scale disruption such as this?
Activist Rachel Ziegler, surrounded by police, demonstrates powerfully at
the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
Disrupting this year’s PA Farm Show was something I started thinking
about more seriously after an attempt to disrupt another large event with
Zach Groff and some others. I wasn’t totally confident in how it would
actually play out, but doing a large-scale disruption seemed far more
attainable after being a part of (an attempted) one first-hand.
Originally, my plan was to just disrupt the vendors in the building, but
after a lot of trolling and asking around on Facebook and calling the Farm
Show and talking to their staff, it was confirmed that PA Gov. Tom Wolf
would in fact be there giving a speech. From there, it sparked a fire among
local activists, and before I knew it, I had a dozen people lined up for the
event. Olivia (from my chapter) and I went into the building the night
before and checked out the large arena where the speech was to be held, only
to find that the Governor would be speaking in the stands and not on the
ground. So much for the plan to hop the fence! I took plenty of pictures,
asked the security guards a lot of questions, and mapped out where we would
all sit in the stands.
When we walked in on the day of, we realized we could just sneak under the
rope and sit in the VIP section. A lot of it was just luck that there were
empty seats at the top of both sets of stairs that gave us a direct pathway
to the balcony ten feet below us. We had basically boxed in the Governor.
Chris, Amine, and Matt were all below us and parallel to the balcony. We
were all communicating through a group chat. Chris and I coordinated the
timing - we agreed that he would start by coming out from the side and I
would follow from up top, leading the rest down the stairs. From there it
was pretty simple! I never would have imagined how successful it would be.
My advice to others wanting to do a large-scale disruption would be that it
is not nearly as scary or as difficult as you think it is. I would also say
that the most important part is communicating with everyone involved, making
sure everyone is clear on what the plan is, spending a lot of time focusing
on details of the event, and being overly prepared. Don’t be afraid to call
the place beforehand and ask a lot of questions to make sure everything will
line up right. Be careful, but also don’t be afraid of getting creative,
using your acting skills, and taking risks (like jumping onto a stage or
sneaking into a VIP section). Know that some things will be unpredictable,
and you may have to just go with it. Try to have back-up plans! You have to
think like an infiltrator [laughs]. Also, make sure you have someone who is
VERY tech-savvy and can handle all the press releases and the media. Zach
Groff and Tiffany Walker were an incredible help with this!
Q: What keeps you motivated in your activism?
What keeps me motivated is the never-ending reminders all around me that
animals are suffering immensely at the hands of humans every second of every
day. Speciesism is everywhere. It absolutely crushes me inside, but it also
keeps me fighting harder for them. I am at a point where activism is just a
part of my everyday life, whether it’s a disruption of a restaurant or a
silent disruption in someone’s thoughts as they read the back of my car
window. It’s what needs to be done whether I feel like it or not. As Will
Potter says “Wake up and fight.” So every day, I wake up, and I fight for
them. It’s what I would want if I were the one trapped inside those walls.
Q: What advice would you give to new activists?
My advice would be that it gets easier each time. Whether you’re organizing
an event, getting yelled at by your audience, or dealing with the emotional
drain of it all, it becomes more normal and expected. What used to hurt and
cause a lot of tears is now just a part of the process that I hardly
acknowledge. Everyone is different of course, and there may always be a
feeling of nervousness or discomfort. It’s helpful to have at least one or
two other activist friends who you can confide in and get support from.
I would also advise keeping the big picture in mind and not getting
discouraged when you don’t see immediate results. Social justice movements
are not won overnight, and we do have quite a journey in front of us.
However, I think that with each disruption of speciesism, with each leaflet,
with each news story, and with each conversation, we get that much closer to
animal liberation.
Q: Why Animal Liberation?
Because no one in the world is more deserving and more completely
defenseless than nonhuman animals, whose fate is literally in the hands of
humans. We have the power to have complete dominion over them, but instead
of using that power to cause pain we should be using it to create the most
respectful and nurturing relationship between us that we possibly can.
Animal liberation because if we don’t do it, who will end their suffering?
They have not had a voice for far too long, and we are closer than we ever
have been to changing the unquestioned norm that animals are ours to use as
property.
Return to Articles Reflecting a Vegan Lifestyle