An Article Series from All-Creatures.org 

 

Animal Rights/Vegan Activists' Strategies

Having it 'Both' Ways as an Animal Rights Ethical Vegan?

From Veda Stram
April 9, 2024

You really cannot have it both ways if you want to fulfill your original, pure commitment and stay true to your personal sense of integrity, wholeness and completeness.

Can we have it both ways and remain true to our original commitments? We know it’s possible to have it both ways because we know people who do that. The ‘we love animals’ dog and cat rescuers who serve other animals at their fundraisers have it both ways. The vegan food company owners who wear leather, fur, silk or wool have it both ways. The rounded-up wild horse adopters who then train their horses to do tricks have it both ways. The self-proclaimed animal rights ethical vegan activists who support, endorse, encourage an ongoing genocide have it both ways.

So, it is possible. But these examples of ‘having it both ways’ clearly demonstrate that they only serve to justify inconsistent and counterproductive attitudes and actions that over time always result in belittling, diminishing or eventually disappearing the original commitments that had been declared with power and clarity.

I spent the last 35 years of my life committed to supporting and encouraging animal rights ethical veganism because I believed, sincerely, down to my toes, that the more people in the world taking on that commitment would result in a world that works for everyone and everything with no one and nothing left out. But starting on October 8, 2023, that commitment was first thwarted, then crushed and is now decimated. I will continue to work for animal liberation and veganism because I know it will save animals. But more ‘vegans’ in the world has obviously not resulted in that better world. We will not have a world of human/animal liberation while too many people believe there are justifications for who can be abused, tortured, murdered and who cannot, or whose suffering we work to end or whose suffering we ignore. That’s what vivisectors and kitty stabbers and rodeo people do.

You really cannot have it both ways if you want to fulfill your original, pure commitment and stay true to your personal sense of integrity, wholeness and completeness.

You are either for liberation or you’re not.

You are either for freedom or you’re not.

You are either for fairness or you’re not.

You are either for genocide or you’re not.

I’m for liberation for ALL, everywhere, all the time.

And I’m for being proudly public about my commitments. And I’m not alone!

How about you? Do you you want information or need inspiration to speak for Palestine, for liberation! I’m here for you.

With empathy for Hind and for Bella and for ALL others!
Veda Stram
[email protected]

Hind Rajab

Bella Stram... vegan cat

 

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