The Grumpy Vegan read Josh Hooten’s (editor, Herbivore magazine) commentary on the inclusion of speakers from so-called “humane meat” producers at this year’s Taking Action for Animals conference, which I did not attend.
The article is highly recommended as he articulates well the dilemma of vegan animal advocacy in a nonvegan world.
And it’s always a dilemma as to where you draw the line. For example, I was quite comfortable with our (Animals and Society Institute and Culture and Animals Foundation) decision to invite John Mackey (CEO, Whole Foods Market) to speak recently at our International Compassionate Living Festival. But if I were HSUS/AWI et al I would not have invited the “humane” meat producers to speak at TAFA. This is where I draw the line—fuzzy decision making though it maybe because I know we received criticism, which I understood, for our decision to invite Mackey.
At various times, the animal rights movement has to speak directly with nonvegan animal interests as part of a strategy of moving the animal issue forward. It’s the nature of change, especially in the political arena to build coalitions to initiate change. The question is: How and when? And because each circumstance is unique they have to be judged on their individual merits, which is why you end up with a fuzzy line.
Wayne Pacelle’s leadership of The HSUS is a difficult one. He has to balance his personal and professional commitment to vegan animal rights activism with the interests of leading a multimillion dollar, national nonvegan humane society. His position is like Mackey’s: a vegan leading a nonvegan empire. Neither will please everyone all the time.
All this reminds me of how I characterize the challenge of the animal rights movement: To balance a utopian vision with pragmatic politics. Not easy. But extremely potent to achieving change if done well. So, yes, sometimes, it will be necessary to work with nonvegan interests but other times it will not.
And what’s the alternative? Just saying “Go vegan!” Yes, of course, we must say “Go vegan!” But it’s a bit like saying “Just say no to drugs!” The truth is wrapped in a simplistic slogan. Making the truth a reality is a complicated challenge and demands a complex, multi-faceted approach.
