Harambe and the Chicken

Many people are very upset about the killing of Harambe, the gorilla imprisoned in an Ohio zoo.

They ought to be upset. It was wrong to imprison Harambe. It was wrong to kill him.

But what happened to Harambe is no more wrong than what happens to all of the animals we use for food (or any other purpose).

Harambe may weigh more than the little chicken whose body is sold at the store for a few dollars. But from a moral point of view, Harambe and that nameless chicken are moral equals.

If you object to what happened to Harambe and you are not vegan, you need to see that there is no morally significant difference between the animal you think is “special” and the animal you eat.

Please recognize the moral value of all sentient nonhumans and go vegan.

**********

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.

Learn more about veganism at www.HowDoIGoVegan.com.

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

Anna Charlton
Adjunct Professor, Rutgers University Law School