I’d rather see real reform, not your…
Did anyone happen to catch the newest ad in ridiculous from our friends at PETA? The new naked ad shows Tony and October Gonzalez. Gonzalez, for those who don’t know, is a tight end for the Atlanta Falcons. I usually ignore these types of ads (and the associated press with the ads) but this one caught my eye. Here are some excerpts from the Associated Press article, the bold emphasis are my own:
“It looks good,” Gonzalez said Wednesday, glancing at the photo on a reporter’s cell phone while standing at his locker. “It’s something me and my wife talked about. It’s something we feel very strongly about. That’s a great cause, especially when you educate yourself and find out what is happening out there in the world.”
Okay, not bad. Then he goes on to talk about the videos that PETA sent to him…
“I’ve never done something like this before. I’m usually not a political person,” said the 10-time Pro Bowler, who holds the NFL record for most receptions by a tight end. “The pictures I saw were pretty gruesome, pretty cruel. If done the right way, maybe. But done the way I saw it, it’s definitely inhumane.”
Tell me please, what is the right way to slaughter kill an animal for it’s skin? The article goes on…
“While prepared to take some good-natured gibes from his teammates, Gonzalez is serious about the anti-fur campaign. He became interested in animal right issues about three years ago and went on a vegan diet during the season, giving up meats or even foods that come from animals.
Gonzalez didn’t last long as a vegan. He abandoned it after three or four weeks, saying the diet caused him to “lose a little too much weight.” But he became more conscious of the meats he consumed and wound up writing a book about his methods, “The All-Pro Diet.”
Sigh. And this little gem:
“I eat a little meat now, but it comes from clean sources: grass-fed cows, free-range chickens, wild fish, stuff like that,” he said. “I’m OK with it as long as you do it humanely.“
This demonstrates why campaigns such as the “I’d rather be naked than wear fur” are without merit. Let’s focus on real issues, with real vegans, that will add up to some real results. Not on campaigns that use folks who aren’t vegan, “can’t” be vegan, and who talk about the humane slaughter of animals. Please, and thank you.
at 1:57 pm
Rashid,
First, thank you for commenting. However, I disagree with your comment. It is, for the animals in question, a matter of life and of death. Once you take a life, you cannot bring it back. That makes it, for me, an all or nothing issue. Either you support the slaughter of animals (regardless of species) or you don’t. When you talk about saving lives, there is no middle ground.
at 1:32 pm
That is total b.s. You make it as though it is an all or nothing issue. As with most things in life, there is a middle area. I myself eat a diet which I call pesca-vegan…I eat no animal products except fish (it is my personal opinion after hundreds of hours of study that this is the diet best fit for humans)…How is he a hypocrite? He is contributing as best he can. Every movement has those who take extreme measures as well as those who help as best they can. Just because someone is not 100% perfect vegan doesnt mean they can’t speak out about animaly cruelty. Like I said I am pesca-vegan, however I often inform my friends and family about the horrors of factory farming and consumption of most animal products..
at 11:30 pm
Veganism is not only about food.
If you want to understand the ethics of veganism then take a look at the work of people like Gary Francione. For example, http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/faqs/
at 11:26 pm
Herwin, this is not a difficult issue to understand. A hypocrite is somebody who espouses certain views or beliefs and then behaves in a way that is contrary to those espoused views or beliefs. So ANYBODY (myself included) who declares themselves to be pro-animal rights and then participates in behaviour that directly supports the continuation of the ill-treatment of animals is a hypocrite.
I certainly do not claim to be be exempt from similar hypocrisy in my own past. In fact, I have publicly questioned my own past behaviour on my blog in a post titled, “Are Vegetarians Hypocrites Or Was I The Only One?” Check it out to see if any of it resonates with you?
The bottom-line here, Herwin, is that PETAs anti-fur campaign is undermined and loses much its credibility by using people who are so clearly ethically inconsistent in their behaviour to animal rights.
I take back nothing of what I said. ANYBODY, who consumes animal products, regardless of their anti-fur stance, is a participant in the exploitation of animals and cannot, by definition, be pro-animal rights.
at 12:07 pm
in some parts of the world , yes, fur is “out of fashion” but only thanks to groups like Peta. In other parts of the world Fur is Not At All “out of fashion, like in Japan. Still, even there famous people are so kind enough and even brave enough to support Peta and join their I Rather Go Naked Then Wear Fur campaign. I repeat, “fur” is not out of fashion in Japan, contrary it is getting more and more fashionable. I seriously doubt if any famous people would join Peta in order to gain selfish publicity.
Peta has so much more campaigns besides the anti fur campaigns. Its all about raising awareness at odrinary people, its not for you and me who have a PhD in Veganism so to speak.
I really think it stinks to call people hypocrites and it certainly doesnt have any positive effect.
I myself am a vegan for a long time, ten years i guess. Before that however i was a vegetarian and did eat eggs and cheese and milk, all which i consider now as bad and even more worse then meat in terms of animal cruelty. Would that justify however insults from mudslingers like yourself (a “true” vegan, right ?) to call me a hypocrite ? how can you call people who do make efforts in terms of reducing animal cruelty, even if its a lousy one, a hypocrite ? for me, you and these mudslingers are people living in an ivory tower who are really negative and hypocrites yourself about veganism and animal rights. Were you born vegan ? me dont think so. Would be nice, right ? If in your meateating days somebody came to you and insulted you.my guess is you NEVER would want to become vegan anymore. What we really need is education and above all RESPECT, that way change will come and change will stay.
challenging is something diferent then insulting. the first is done with arguments.
at 12:07 pm
I think a large part of being vegan is not just how that food affects you but how the food choices you make affect others (animals, humans and the environment). So taste buds come second to the right of an animal to live, and preserving a sustainable environment. Luckily vegan food is delicious, and as you mentioned healthy, so no compromise is felt. Food is political, just as all things we consume.
at 8:28 pm
[...] Thanks to YourDailyVegan.com for pointing out that Gonzalez is no longer vegan.] GA_googleFillSlot("Post_468x60"); 1 [...]
at 7:58 pm
Every person should have the right to decide whether to base their diet on plant-based foods, animal-based foods, or a combination of the two.
I chose to become vegan for a number of reasons. I felt that it would help me lose weight, which it did, and I believed, as I do now, that there is too much cruelty in the world. I have seen many studies that show why it is healthier to be vegan, that it reduces the likelihood of heart disease and cancer. After studying more deeply, I learned that a vegan diet can be just as nutritious as a an omnivorous diet.
But the thing that made the biggest difference for was discovering how much I like vegan cooking. I first discovered fine vegan cooking in a volunteer-based community cafe in Virginia. The chef (a young women named Rat) was extraordinarily good. Later, I was privileged to move to an intentional community that is largely vegan. There are several excellent vegan chefs here, including a few well-known vegan authors.
I guess my point is to remember that we are talking about food here. I might know that something is healthy but that will not necessarily get me to eat it. On the other hand, if my taste buds and stomach are satisfied, that says it all!
at 12:27 pm
We are seeing more “celebrities” publicly declaring their opposition to animal cruelty and also an increase in the number of people who are openly advocating eating more consciously. However, many of these people seem to do so more to improve their public image rather than because of their ethical principles. It is not difficult to make a stand against the increasingly maligned fur trade because it is now so “out of fashion” to wear fur. What I want to see is more celebrities (and members of the wider population) being principled enough to stand up and raise the issue of the outright cruelty that exists behind the public face of the meat, dairy and egg industries. I look forward to the day… which will come at some point… when the majority of society looks back at the days of factory farming and animal slaughter as being as unethical as wearing fur has now become. In the meantime, it is important to challenge these people who talk about “animal rights” in one moment then practice behaviour that directly supports the continuation of the inhumane treatment of animals. The word that applies here is “Hypocrisy!” Thanks for reporting this.