Simple, Yet Effective

We’ve just begun another month, yes it’s October. Where is the time going? Anyway, as it just so happens, this month marks my 5th Veganniversary! Wow, it’s been 5 years? Both, with respect to, it’s only been 5 years? And, I can’t believe it’s been 5 years, already? Kind of strange, now that I think about it.

Point is, it’s been 5 years since I started taking animal advocacy seriously, at least personally. My “outreach” could use a lot of work. But, that said, it all started with a “simple, yet effective,” act.  My going vegan. I’ve been rather sensitive to animal issues for going on 15 years, but, speaking from experience, my efforts really didn’t mean much until I swore off all animal consumption. And, honestly, it was, by far, the best decision I’ve ever made.

Let me count the ways;

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Things Aren’t Always So Black Or White

So I’ve spent a fair amount of my time recently — the past 6 months seems to be a nice round number — thinking, or better yet, re-thinking how I really feel about a number of things. My approach to ethical veganism and animal rights specifics being most significant.

My previous stance didn’t stray too far from the Francione school of thought;

“[T]o provide a clear statement of an approach to animal rights that (1) requires the abolition of animal exploitation and rejects the regulation of animal exploitation; (2) is based only on animal sentience and no other cognitive characteristic, (3) regards veganism as the moral baseline of the animal rights position; and (4) rejects all violence and promotes activism in the form of creative, non-violent vegan education…”

That said, and recent gaffs aside, I can’t say my views have changed all that much. Meaning I still think much of what I thought, but I’m no longer convinced it’s a “strict,” or, more specifically, such a black or white issue…

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