Animal Rights Zone

Fighting for animal liberation and an end to speciesism

[Please click on the guest's name to transfer to the full transcript if you want to comment there.]

Q: You've said if we're going to speak out for animal rights, we should not in the process be doing or saying things that are rooted in prejudice, things that degrade others. It would be great if you'd expand on that here -- perhaps with examples, and how you'd address them or suggest they be addressed.

 

 

 

Minku Sharma:

 

 

 

Yes, I believe that all forms of prejudice and oppression are connected and really flow from the same root (that of making someone else an "other") I've definitely been conditioned with the privileges I hold (species, class/caste gender, and race, to name a few), and I've often said and done things that reinforce many types of "othering" . An example relative to animal rights would be using sexism or racism to further the animal rights/vegan message. I'm sure we all know about PETA's many sexist campaigns. Recently, I've argued against the book "Meat Is For Pussies". This book was written by John Joseph, a sort of legend in the US (NYC) hardcore punk scene.

 

I think his approach is absurd and overtly offensive, but others differ and say that ANYTHING that gets people's attention about the BIGGER problem is justified. They also say that JJ's book is meant to appeal to a certain subculture of sexist "macho" men, so by calling them "pussies" for eating animals, it'll make them think. I counter this by saying, "What if someone writes a book called "Fried Chicken Is For Niggers"?  Why should we use one form of prejudice and hate to fight another?

 

But, as always happens when one critiques anything in this movement, I'll get blamed for "cutting down" an ally in the struggle, simply for critiquing them.  So, John Joseph (and his blatant sexism) gets to be the victim. It's a catch-22. The best way to handle these scenarios is to address them, because they need to be addressed, but at the same time, I've learned (through my own anger) that one must convince others without attacking them personally. So, I can get angry and call John Joseph a "sexist a-hole" or whatever, but that doesn't get the point across. Sticking to the substance of the message, that the book's title and his approach, is offensive and violates what veganism stands for, does.

 

Then again, even polite disagreement will get you called divisive. In that case, you just have to move on.

 

Views: 143

Reply to This

About

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

ARZone Podcasts!

Please visit this webpage to subscribe to ARZone podcasts using iTunes

or

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Follow ARZone!

Please follow ARZone on:

Twitter

Google+

Pinterest

A place for animal advocates to gather and discuss issues, exchange ideas, and share information.

Creative Commons License
Animal Rights Zone (ARZone) by ARZone is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.arzone.ning.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.arzone.ning.com.

Animal Rights Zone (ARZone) Disclaimer

Animal Rights Zone (ARZone) is an animal rights site. As such, it is the position of ARZone that it is only by ending completely the use of other animal as things can we fulfill our moral obligations to them.

Please read the full site disclosure here.

Animal Rights Zone (ARZone) Mission Statement

Animal Rights Zone (ARZone) exists to help educate vegans and non-vegans alike about the obligations human beings have toward all other animals.

Please read the full mission statement here.

Members

Events

Badge

Loading…

© 2024   Created by Animal Rights Zone.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

Google+