Dear Colleagues: This is to remind you that tomorrow, December 31, 2009, and on January 7, 2010, the BBC World Service (audio) will do a 2-part documentary program entitled One Planet: Animals and Us. The documentary is produced Victor Schonfeld, who did the influential The Animals Film (narrated by Julie Christie) in 1982. Schonfeld will […]
Dear Colleagues: Speciesism occurs when we accord a different weight to a similar interest on the basis of species. An example of speciesism is vegan bashing. We all agree that human slavery—however “humane”—is morally unjustifiable. But animal slavery—if “humane”—is defended by some so-called animal advocates who characterize veganism as “absolutist” or “purist” or “fundamentalist.” This […]
Dear Colleagues: Let’s start out 2010 the right way-promoting veganism as a moral baseline. Veganism is not, as some welfarists suggest, the “most” that we can do; it’s the least that we can do if we take animal interests seriously. If we regard nonhumans as moral persons, then we cannot justify eating, wearing, or using […]
Dear Colleagues: In this commentary, I discuss the virtual billboard campaign, which focuses on empowering advocates with a positive message that change is possible and that we have the responsibility to effect that change. It is time to reject the vegan bashing that has become the central focus of the welfarist movement. And I introduce […]
Dear Colleagues: On December 31, 2009 and January 7, 2010, the BBC World Service will do a 2-part documentary program entitled One Planet: Animals and Us. Victor Schonfeld, who did The Animals Film (narrated by Julie Christie) in 1982, hosts the program. Schonfeld will question whether we have made any progress in this area and […]
Dear Colleagues: Earlier this week, I posted two entries (1,2) about creating a virtual billboard spreading the slogan: THE WORLD IS VEGAN! If you want it. The point of this project is to reinforce a simple idea: that a vegan world is something that humans have the ability to bring into existence. We only have […]
Dear Colleagues: Yesterday, I suggested that we have a virtual billboard that we could spread around the world: THE WORLD IS VEGAN. If you want it. So far, I have received two sets of designs in English and I know that there are others being done in foreign languages. Vincent Guihan, who has two excellent […]
Dear Colleagues: In 1969, at the height of the Vietnam War, John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a billboard placed in Times Square. It read: “WAR IS OVER! If you want it Happy Christmas from John and Yoko.” I propose the following: That we flood the world with a message; that we create a virtual […]
Dear Colleagues: In this, Commentary #11, I have a discussion with Gary Steiner, Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Bucknell University. Gary recently had an editorial in the New York Times about veganism and we talk about the reactions that he got to his editorial, including the criticisms from welfarists, many […]
Dear Colleagues: Happy World Vegan Day to all of you. In this Commentary, I reflect on the state of the vegan movement. The bad news: the large welfare corporations have done a great deal to marginalize veganism. The good news: in the past year, we have seen the growth of the abolitionist movement, which views […]