Once Again, The U.K. “Vegan” Society Trashes Veganism

You will recall last year that The Vegan Society’s “Ambassador,” marathon runner Fiona Oakes, appeared on BBC and ran away from veganism just as quickly as she could, stating that veganism isn’t “for everyone, I’m saying that it’s not probably for very many people.”

At their June 27 meeting, The Vegan Society elected yet another “Ambassador”–a comedian named Sara Pascoe. who, in this essay states that veganism “is not a lifestyle I would recommend for everyone.”

She states further in that same essay that she is “not against eating animals or farming in theory”, but that “now there are so many people to be kept alive, and the food industry pressed to make more money that the conditions that animals are kept in are incredibly cruel.”

She expresses doubt about animal consciousness: “I don’t know how conscious animals are, I think it’s probably on a sliding scale…”

I suppose that the appointment of a comedian who holds such views as an “Ambassador” makes sense for an organization that has become nothing but a joke.

Vegan Society founder, Donald Watson, must be spinning in his grave.

**********

If you are not vegan, please go vegan. Veganism is about nonviolence. First and foremost, it’s about nonviolence to other sentient beings. But it’s also about nonviolence to the earth and nonviolence to yourself.

If animals matter morally, veganism is not an option–it is a necessity. Anything that claims to be an animal rights movement must make clear that veganism is a moral imperative.

The World is Vegan! If you want it.

Gary L. Francione
Board of Governors Distinguished Professor, Rutgers University

ADDENDUM (added August 1, 2015)

I was informed that Sara Pascoe is no longer an “Ambassador” of The Vegan Society.

Now perhaps they can remove Fiona Oakes, who not only trashes veganism but sells “happy” eggs.