JSF & Ellen DeGeneres talk about stuff- I’m just tired of listening

Jonathon Safran Foer made another trip to The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about his book Eating Animals. So what did they talk about?  Oh, you know- the prerequisite oh-my-god-where-do-you-get-your-protein crap and this:

If you were to ask people, ‘Do you think it’s right or wrong to eat animals?’, most people in our world would say, ‘Yes, it’s right.’ If you ask people, ‘Is it right to have a farm system that we know is making our antibiotics less effective?’…nobody wants that. If you say, ‘Is it right to have a farm system that we know, as a rule, is destroying our environment?’…nobody wants that. And nobody, I don’t care how much or how little you care about animals, nobody wants to keep pregnant animals in little cages for the durations of their pregnancies.  So…what has been demonstrated…in audiences that I’ve been able to interact with, that if we found a good way of talking about this, that wasn’t accusatory, that wasn’t wagging of fingers, that wasn’t saying that I’m better than you-if we just talked about the facts of the matter, people would agree- this is not what we want.

I am so ever tired of hearing crap like that.  So damn tired.

Listen, I’m vegan.  I’m standing up for non-human animals who don’t have a voice or a choice.  As a vegan I’m in the minority, my beliefs are considered fanatical, radical and/or extreme by most.  And by those rationalities, it’s no wonder people get frustrated when the vegan conversation starts- there are already preconceived notions about how crazy we are in the first place.

There are some who’ll say that vegans shouldn’t talk about veganism unless others bring it up first.  That, as a vegan, you must be cautious about how the subject is approached so that you don’t piss people off or appear judgmental.  Okay, I get the whole “respect others” thing- my momma taught me well, but my respect doesn’t guarantee my acquiescence.  It’s also important to understand, as a vegan, it’s vital that we continue to talk intelligently, respectfully, and- most importantly, consistently about the plight of non-humans.

My veganism is an inherent part of my life and to omit it from my daily conversations would be near impossible for me to do.  I’m not saying that I’m free to run around and throw factory farm facts in people’s faces, far from it.  I’m talking about keeping veganism in the conversation through respectful and intelligent discourse.  If you are witness to animal abuse, do you talk about it?  Of course you do.  Why should I be any different?

I could no more watch a dog being kicked to death than I could watch a chicken get it’s head cut off.  Each animal deserves that right to life.  I cannot stand by silently and watch billions of non-humans are killed simply because humans want a part of them- I just can’t.  But does talking about it really make me accusatory?  Does that automatically mean that I’m “wagging” my finger in your face?  Listen, if my so-called finger wagging (aka – me stating the facts) is bothering you- perhaps an examination of your conscience is in order.

So sometimes I’m going to say something that you don’t like, that’s okay.  I hear things I don’t like all the time.  But don’t let the mere fact that I brought the vegan conversation up mean that I’m sitting high and mighty, wagging my fingers at folks.  What you hear is the passion that I have for the plight of these animals that are capable of feeling fear and pain.  What you hear is my heart breaking each time I hear you tell me how much you love cheese.  The simple fact is that eating dairy still contributes to the deaths of animals, period.  I’m not accusing you of anything, I’m not wagging my finger at you- I’m just presenting the facts.

And isn’t that what JSF has said we should do, present the facts?

If I want people to stop killing animals, then I am going to tell them to stop killing animals.  I’m not going to say, “please stop killing animals, when it suits your lifestlye.”

It’s about a consistent message, that’s all I’m saying.

And listen, I know that Jonathon Safran Foer has been touted as “good thing” for the animal rights movement.  I like to give credit where credit is due, Foer is a great conversation starter and I know that is important.  He’s articulate and insightful, and from what I’ve read of his book, interesting to read.  That said, I just can’t get excited about a guy who knows what he knows, has seen what he has seen, and hasn’t made the decision to cease the use of these animals.  It isn’t about taking steps towards reducing consumption or irrational emotional attachments- unnecessary killing is…well, unnecessary.