When we first take seriously our recognition of animals as members of the moral community, no doubt we become very excited about our new found identity.
Afterward, it's off to Google to find groups and organizations who appear to have the same goals and mindsets as we do. Surrounding ourselves with support in our new decisions is a healthy impulse, but there are some important questions to ask and considerations to make.
If you find yourself at the front door of a life of taking animals seriously, you must take these ideas into consideration. Let's start with two questions
Taking animal rights seriously
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Facebook"I believe it is important to be a vegan but I have friends who are not vegan. What should I think about these friends given what I believe?"
We live in a speciesist society. The vast majority of us use animals in nearly everything we do, yet we are raised to believe this is so normal that anyone who questions this way of life is endangering their health or being "extreme." This is the context which we must consider before we make judgments of non-vegans. While surrounding ourselves with vegans is arguably better for our psyche, we can still respect those close to us without respecting some of the decisions they make. This shouldn't sound unusual, even in non-vegan circles, friends take on this concept about other personality and behavioral factors.
That being said, if we believe that animals are morally significant, does it make any sense to say that it is "okay" that others consume animals? It's surely a contradiction. This does not mean, however that we are ethically obligated to physically prevent our friends from consuming animals or even impose ourselves in some way to make them feel uncomfortable because we are so sure we are right.
On the other hand, there are in fact ways to talk to our friends about veganism in a respectful way. A fear of making our friends uncomfortable should inspire us to find a creative approach rather than to stay silent. We must simply remember we have no control over what they do. Only they can make the decision to accept what we say and to go vegan for themselves. We don't need to force our beliefs on them, only show them the beliefs they already have. If we veil our discussion to talk only about environmental issues because we believe animal rights will "scare them away" or to promote lacto-ovo vegetarianism because it is "more attainable," we are simply being morally dishonest and condescending of our friends to boot. Maybe they won't take to heart what we believe, but why don't they deserve the right to exercise their own logic to judge for themselves?
Newcomers to animal advocacy are often attracted by the shiny materials and
celebrity endorsements of multimillion dollar organizations like PETA, often
not knowing of their extremely high dog/cat kill rates, objectification of women,
or monetary investment in the animal industry.
"What organizations and groups should I join?"
To reiterate, it's a healthy impulse to surround ourselves with like-minded people when we become serious about our beliefs on animals. However, understand there is a lot of money to be made from people like you who want to convert their dollars into "activism." While some donations are worthwhile to the cause of animal rights, the vast majority go into redundant, unenforced, and actually detrimental legislation which serves to ensure the welfare of the donors, not the animals. There is also a wealth of individuals who have miseducated themselves on animal issues.
We shouldn't get caught up in the idea that we must constantly sign petitions and donate our money to support animal rights. Being an animal rights advocate begins with the self. We cannot claim to take animals seriously until we abstain from as many products from animals as practically possible. Abstaining from animal-derived food and clothing is practically possible even if you need a little help or some resources from online vegan friends. Don't take no for an answer, look for solutions.
Of course, we don't need to be a bunch of quiet vegans afraid to make change in the world. Remember that the horrible things we all know happen to animals happen not because we're overrun by evil producers but because our society want these products. We believe animals are things which exist for us and that our enjoyment of their exploitation is self-justifying. Activism means vegan education, talk to people. If you don't know how, talk to people who know how to talk to people.
More important than joining some multimillion dollar organizations is understanding animal rights theory. Budding animal rights activists have benefited greatly by starting with books like "Introduction to Animal Rights" by Gary Francione. It's a compelling and informing read which may already be available at your local library. You owe it to your cause to pick it up!
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