It is vitally important that we set clear, specific and achievable goals, set a time horizon for their implementation, and then unite around these goals and focus our actions on putting them into practice.
Change is happening, but not fast enough.
We are not united, our attention is too scattered, we aren’t using all strategies, tools and tactics we have at our disposal.
We don’t have clearly defined goals; sometimes we are too radical, often not radical enough.
For example, “Animal Liberation” is a wonderful goal and I wholeheartedly support it and wish it would come true TODAY. BUT… WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN????
Is it about freeing all animals from farms, laboratories, shelters and zoos?
And then what? Where would they go? How would they survive?
For the average person, this is incomprehensible, even frightening.
Certainly impractical, inhumane even. And completely insane.
“More humane agricultural practices,” which will lead to increased “animal welfare” is another goal that sounds like something we should strive for, but what does it really mean? I don’t deny that for the animals that suffer on factory farms, sparing them some degree of torture and pain matters.
But what message does it send? That it’s okay to destroy the environment and kill animals as long as they aren’t drastically mistreated? Because is there really such a thing as humane abuse and killing?
For most people who eat meat, this may be a good excuse not to change anything.
They may feel that such products are a sufficient alternative to a plant-based diet.
Why would they make the effort to become vegans when they are eating meat “grass-fed, cage-free, humanely raised and killed (is there even such a thing??!), and maybe even poetry-read.”
While it may reduce the pain a bit, after all, that’s not all it’s about.
Because it won’t really help at all to reduce the number of animals that are bred and killed; AND AGAIN, there will be more and more of them, because people will stop cutting back.
This approach simply absolves people of any sense of responsibility for what they do.
So, what should be our goal?
Plant-based Mondays or Fridays? Or something else like that?
Asking everyone to go vegan?
Is relying on individual changes enough?
I believe it’s important to ask people to change, but we can stop at that.
We must be strategic and laser focused in our efforts–and demand systemic change from our politicians and policy makers.
That’s why the Plant -Based Treaty, which sets clear goals and actions to be taken, is so important.
Learn more and sign the treaty at PlantBasedTreaty.org.
Also, take the Online Warrior Activism Challenge (details coming soon).
