70% of Iowans Oppose Restrictions on Photography at Farms

Fortunately, Iowans have much more sense than the politicians who have introduced state-level legislation making it a felony to expose living conditions for animals at farms by use of photography.

Source:  http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2011/03/22/survey-finds-iowa-voters-oppose-prohibiting-secret-animal-abuse-videos/

Vegan Myths Debunked

Love this video debunking myths about veganism through song!

Lierre Keith, author of The Vegetarian Myth, has her Nutrition Facts Checked

While Lierre Keith may have some good points about monoculture in terms of plants raised for human consumption, her points on human nutrition are baseless.  Here's a good rebuttal of those points.  The second part of the video contains some images that may be disturbing to some people (dead animals, basically).



Here's an unrelated YouTube recording of Lierre Keith attacking vegans as being basically angry and emotionally depraved in response to being attacked with a cayenne pepper pie (which is a horrible thing to do to someone). Ms. Keith has some extreme ideas about nutrition and health, but arguing that vegans are more likely to be violent or angry is completely wrong. She was just assaulted by some people who went too far, and this has nothing to do with anyone being vegan.

Vegans and Omnivore Alliance Against Animal Factories

It's a long, complicated name for an idea that makes a lot of sense since 99% of all meat produced in America is produced in animal factories and if there's one thing that locovores like Michael Pollan and vegans like me agree on is that factory farming of animals is 100% bad.  From health and nutrition, to the environment, to worker safety and rights, to ethical treatment of animals, factories produce the lowest standards in every respect and must be opposed.  I hope that this new alliance between locovorism and veganism puts divisions and acrimony aside as we advocate against animal factories in a united front.

Source:  http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-23-introducing-the-vegan-omnivore-alliance-against-animal-factories

Update:  Here's Erik Marcus' reply to this idea -- http://vegan.com/blog/2011/03/24/a-veganomnivore-alliance-it-already-exists/

Amercian Humanist Association Board Member Jason Torpy on Veganism

Jason Torpy's editorial on the AHA homepage will sound a bit strong for people who consider themselves both omnivores and humanists, but he reasonably makes the argument that people should be the, 'best humans that we can be,'  and even if going vegan is not possible, that humanist should be, 'aspiring vegans.'  Is he being judgmental?  Yes.  Is he right? Possibly.  But no matter whether you agree with him or not, consider checking out his article for yourself here:  http://www.americanhumanist.org/HNN/details/2011-03-why-vegan-priorities-are-humanist-priorities  To read Lindsay Beyerstein's critique running under the headline, "Humanist Vegan Screed is Tripe," you can read it here: http://bigthink.com/ideas/31666 

Florida and Iowa Move to Criminalize Photography at Farms

Photography, including stills and video, of farms without the owner's permission would be a felony punishable by up to thirty years in prison under laws being proposed in Iowa and Florida.  Obviously, this is meant to defend the unsafe, cruel, and environmentally hazardous conditions at many of these states' factory farms.  Indeed, the law in Florida was drafted at the request of one of their state's largest egg producers. If you live in Iowa or Florida, please contact your department of agriculture or consumer protection and tell them you oppose this bill, as well as your legislators.  If you don't, you'll be letting big business take away important whistleblower protections in your state.

Invertebrates and Sentience

I have never thought that most invertebrates possessed sentience, at least not in the sense that they could feel pain or experience pleasure, but this essay by Rick Bogle suggests that there is a lot that I don't know and perhaps will never know about animals and their ability to be self-aware.  Regardless of whether I can prove that an insect or oyster is capable of being in pain, or experiencing fear, they do seem to be capable of higher order sentience and deserve the benefit of the doubt when it comes to how we as humans treat them.  Beware of anyone who suggests taking the sentience argument and applying it to plants, as sentience requires the ability to feel or perceive with a mind, nervous system, etc.  I love plants, but they don't have minds and as far as anyone knows, they cannot experience pain or pleasure.

Donate and Pass On

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