Comments - Environmental Justice for Animals - Animal Rights Zone2024-03-29T06:42:33Zhttp://arzone.ning.com/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=4715978%3ABlogPost%3A92057&xn_auth=noI appreciate your perspective…tag:arzone.ning.com,2012-04-21:4715978:Comment:924282012-04-21T13:47:07.432ZBilly Lhttp://arzone.ning.com/profile/BillyLovci
<p>I appreciate your perspectives very much, this adds a great deal of insight to many different branches of my own thought, off of the animal rights tree. The environmental racism aspects are apparent to even the most casual observer in the SF Bay Area where I've been living for over 10 years now. While my gentrifying Oakland neighborhood has what Studs Terkel was seeking in Division Street America <a href="http://amzn.to/Ic5vQc" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/Ic5vQc</a>, that is, the place…</p>
<p>I appreciate your perspectives very much, this adds a great deal of insight to many different branches of my own thought, off of the animal rights tree. The environmental racism aspects are apparent to even the most casual observer in the SF Bay Area where I've been living for over 10 years now. While my gentrifying Oakland neighborhood has what Studs Terkel was seeking in Division Street America <a href="http://amzn.to/Ic5vQc" target="_blank">http://amzn.to/Ic5vQc</a>, that is, the place where all of the segregated, separated, isolated groups mingle on an equal basis; far too many neighborhoods are relegated to low-income, disenfranchised populations that are discriminated against for one reason or another. We could point the finger at a number of interrelated causes, but part of radical thought should be vision, so I try to keep a healthy vision of what ought to be when wondering why things are the way they appear.</p>
<p>When you ask what comes to mind, I look to the privileged ideal societies of the world, the ones with the means to experiment and intellectualize (not too unlike ourselves when compared with the most of the entire globe). One example is Freiburg, Germany - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauban,_Freiburg" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauban,_Freiburg</a> - and a bit more objective view: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/23/freiburg.germany.greenest.city" target="_blank">http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/23/freiburg.germany.greenest.city</a> - which I see as the possibilities.</p>
<p>In regard to your point about habitat and space for all beings powered by a community-driven social enterprise, I'm seeing hope in the community gardening (vegan food security) movement as a possible piece of the puzzle, as a way to motivate marginalized individuals with serious financial and time-constrained lives. It's the radical vision that enough of the world's majority peacefully assumes their rightful role as responsible members of such an enterprise, cares enough about things other than materialism, and simply sends the message to the tiny minority that work to press the psychological yoke down on those who cannot compete against their advantages (inheritance of wealth, social connections, etc.) that it's over, that there is no more 100% private ownership of the means of production, that poverty is not going to be accepted in the face of obscene abundance. Animal appreciation will come with education and a love of learning, too many folks are blinded by glorified violence, anti-intellectualism, and the possession of material items as a means of attaining social status, as if it some kind of shameful position to be in to not be avaricious members of global society. I see overcrowding in urban areas as a valid observation in this respect.</p>
<p>I look forward to more blog posts, and thank you for sharing your thoughts.</p>
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