Animal Writings

No. I see meat every day. I ate it for decades. I've cooked it and prepared it. I've stuffed turkeys and ground chicken livers. I open cans of cold meat for my cat at six in the morning. I've eaten meat that might disgust you: cow tongues and brains. And foie gras - despicable in its cruelty.

I have no knee-jerk revulsion to meat.

I am saddened by the suffering that the animals go through. It is often prolonged and severe. I am dismayed by people's indifference to this suffering.

Your curiosity about my reaction to meat is encouraging. Something about eating meat, and about my resisting it, is potent enough to prompt you to bring up the subject, or to project self-doubts (that are probably usually suppressed) onto me. Maybe for a moment you looked past the chicken breast on your plate, and saw a flightless bird in a dark, stinking, crowded shed. Perhaps you saw the bird desperately flapping its wings as its legs were grabbed and hung on a conveyer belt.

To those who ask if I'm disgusted by meat, I would reply, address the question back to yourself. How do you feel? Look at yourself in the mirror.

I read in the paper few months ago where a Tyson Foods vice president kissed a pig for charity. This was offensive to me for three reasons, none of which has anything to do with actually kissing a pig -- as I'll demonstrate later in this post.

One -- Tyson, like other agribusiness concerns, brutally mistreats animals. Their genetically deformed chickens grow at an explosive rate that causes lameness, chronic pain, and premature death from heart disease. The chickens live 45 days in crowded, filthy, windowless sheds. Their fundamental needs — flying, perching, dust-bathing, socializing, moving around freely — are denied. Although the chickens are all innocent, they're treated worse than convicts, even when accounting for differences in species.

The chickens are slaughtered at high speed with lots of mistakes, according to way too many poultry plant workers. The mistakes result in torture: wings ripped off, necks sliced, and feathers boiled off while totally conscious. The slaughterhouse workers are treated as expendable tools, like the chickens. Complain and you're fired and replaced by another minimum wage person with no other job options. Complain in public and you may become the victim of a smear campaign. Produce video evidence of severe cruelty, such as chickens being squeezed to death, stomped on, or thrown against the wall repeatedly, and a few low-level workers will be let go as scapegoats while the managers up the chain who are well aware of the abuse and contribute to it, remain.

For a Tyson executive to pretend that he likes farm animals, even for one photo-op, is obscene. Tyson, Perdue, ConAgra, Smithfield, and the other factory farm giants massacre animals like we massacred the Indians. Year after bloody year. Their lies are as offensive as their behavior. They claim, beyond all sense, that the animals enjoy being cooped up in a prison that barely gives them enough room to flap their wings, where the stench hits visitors like a Mac truck, where sick chickens die and starve in the muck and not one person — certainly not anyone in management — cares in the slightest. In fact, the "attrition" is built into the business model.

Two -- what is so terrible about kissing a pig? Pigs are cool! I've seen pig barns and frat houses close up —it's no contest.

Three -- Positive PR for Tyson? No way. They're like feudal lords that keep their people poor and powerless. They blatantly lie to the public about the cruelty they commit and the health of their product. (Tyson claimed in a series of magazine ads that their chicken is "100 percent natural." There's nothing natural about a bird that can no longer fly, grows at twice the speed it did 50 years ago, is kept indoors, is confined, is grabbed by the legs, is hung up on shackles, is killed when a fraction of its normal lifespan, and is cut up into pieces and packaged with side orders of feces, antibiotics, and growth hormones.)

So I'm starting a new contest: for each non-vegetarian person who gives up poultry between the time you read this and the end of the year, I will not only kiss a pig, but I'll take photos, and publish them here, and I'll also donate ten dollars for every pig kissed to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary. I would love to usher in 2005 with a pig-kissing marathon and a big check to the animal sanctuary. Poplar Spring takes in animals that — often through sheer luck — escape the knife and the confinement of the farm. They restore the animals to good health. Visitors to the sanctuary meet the animals up close and see how they're full of personality and life. Every animal has a name and a story. Poplar Spring is a true "humane" farm. The animals aren't killed. Sick animals are treated instead of ignored. The animals have room to move and be themselves. Most choose lifelong friends. It's wonderful to see two pigs that nearly died of neglect take naps next to one another each day. Their happiness is infectious!

Details of the contest: You're on the honor system. No poultry means no chicken, no turkey, no duck, no game hens, no pheasant, no quail, no squab, no goose — you get the picture. No chicken nuggets, no chicken Caesar salad, no chicken soup, no chicken fat, Nothing. Check the labels on canned frozen food. Figure most Chinese food, including vegetarian lo mein and vegetarian egg rolls, has chicken fat in the sauce. What if you make a mistake and eat something that had chicken broth as one of the last ingredients? If you're otherwise on a roll, email me and we'll work it out. My promise is a promise: 10 dollars for each abstainer, plus a pig kiss (that's the easy part). What if it gets to be 2000 dollars? I'll be overjoyed and ask Poplar Spring if I can make quarterly payments.

What does vegetarian mean? For this contest it means you average at least one poultry meal a week over the last few months. Use your judgment. Work with me.

What about your kids? If they're on solid food and have eaten chicken for at least three months, they're in. No cheating at school or you're out!

What if you don't hear about the contest until Christmas (or afterward)? Can I trust you? Then, you're in, as long as you don't touch another piece of poultry for three months. If you do, it's 10 dollars to Poplar Spring for each infraction. You're on your honor. And I hope you'll see that all your fears about giving up poultry were unfounded. It's really no big deal. It makes a great New Year's resolution.

What about eggs? Please don't eat them; the hens have it even worse then the chickens, and they're all killed after a year. A God-awful year. Try Amy's Tofu Scrambler, EnerG egg replacer, and eggless desserts. But...sigh...there's no prohibition on eggs in this contest. The no-eggs rule won't go into effect until the next contest.

For those of you participating, now would be a PERFECT time to try some of the many chicken alternatives out there. I really hope you'll try the vegan varieties, from companies like GardenBurger and LightLife (now owned by ConAgra, which is good and bad). But I'm not going to hold you to it. Yet. That comes later. For now, I just want to wean you off this particular cruelty. Incentivise you onto the path of a more humane diet. Hey, Atkins people — this means you, too. It's pretty easy, with these chicken substitutes, to maintain a low-carb regime. (Although please stick around long enough to read my upcoming post on the success of high-carb diets. Complex carbs, that is.).

Pass this on to the whole world. Which reminds me — what about people from Peru and Yugoslavia? Can they join? Sure, why not? Anyway, newsgroups, friends, family, colleagues, email-lists, etc. I'm really interested in getting the word out to non-vegetarians who might be open to the idea. Environmental groups (factory farms are major polluters), alliances that feed the hungry (plant-based diets can feed many more people than meat-based diets), health groups (vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease and cancer), and religious organizations (check out Genesis 1:29). If you're in the media, that's a huge bonus. I'd really like to get this circulating at Tyson, Perdue, Chick-Fil-A, KFC, those sorts of places. Maybe get a few employees to join in. Hey, just cause you work there doesn't mean you have to eat the stuff.

How do you notify me? Email me with name, city, state, country, email. info@animalwritings.com.

What did I leave out? Probably several vital pieces of information that I'll think of later. Or you'll let me know. I just thought of one more thing. I don't want vegetarians to lose out on the fun. You can participate, too. Send 10 dollars to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary (P.O. Box 507, Poolesville, MD 20837, info@animalsanctuary.org, or www.animalsanctuary.org); note that it's for the Kiss a Pig fundraiser, and you're in; the pig-kissing tally increases.

In the meantime, spread the word. I wanna kiss some pigs!

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Here are some of the pigs that will get multiple-smooched...:

• Fern
• Rosie
• Harry and Bobby

...and some of the rescued chickens I plan to invite to watch:

• Rachel
• Haley and Jana

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Related Resources:

Chicken Cruelty:
http://www.chickenindustry.com/
http://www.upc-online.org/broiler/
http://www.poultry.org/

Recipes:
http://www.chickenindustry.com/cfi/chickenfreerecipes/"
http://vegweb.com/recipes/

Pretty good intro article on veggie meal options from someone whom I presume is not vegetarian:
http://www.preparedfoods.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/coverstory/BNPCoverStoryItem/0,1229,113286,00.html

I'll add to this list later on.

Dear God,

We bow our heads in reverence to Thee; You who have endowed us with sentience and awareness, with thought and emotion, with breath and life.

We have faced torment and trials that have left us bloodied and ravaged. We have known despair and suffering that has destroyed billions of us; mechanically, ritually, sadistically.

We have bled to death with our entrails strewn across a metal cage floor. We have witnessed our pups starve because a trap clenched around our paw prevented us from feeding them. We have been skinned alive because our neck was only half-broken. We have heard the jeering in one ear as a Matador sliced off the other. We have drowned because we tried to swim without fins. We have lain down in the snow, wounded from a bullet while our companions watched. Worst of all, we have died from sadness in tiny cages and the dark corners of factory farm floors.

We are boxed into enclosures that leave us no room to move; our wings never fly; our legs never race across the ground; our mouths never taste good food. Our offspring are stolen from us; we are isolated from family, flocks, partners, and herds. We are chained, starved, suffocated, whipped, beaten, and burned. Our deaths are barbaric and pitiful, not gallant or natural.

Yet our faith is not shaken. We look forward with eagerness; we await our salvation. You made a covenant with us: we shall be redeemed. We shall witness a Holy Kingdom of goodness and life, free of malice and contempt, in which estrangement is replaced by communion, prejudice by good will, where no blood is shed and every creature under Your dominion is respected.

Our bodies are fractured and spent but our spirit remains unbroken. We will one day be freed from the shackles placed upon us. We will soar and swim and run without fear. Without impediment. Your mercy will shine in every soul and harmony will reign forever. The reconciliation will be eternally joyful. That is Your promise, we shall not waver in our faith.

We are the weak and helpless, the victimized and enslaved; yet we pray for our tormentors, as you have shown mercy toward sinners.

Let them have compassion. Compassion widens the heart. It is the antidote to the numbness of hedonism.

Let them have sympathy. Sympathy generates kindness, builds fellowship, and erases loneliness.

Let them have honesty. Honesty comes from looking at our eyes and seeing our pain. Honesty is the cure for guilt that is buried under burdensome layers of self-deception. Honesty is liberating; it enables one to admit fear, rather than hide from it. Honesty creates humility, which disarms tyranny.

Let them have joy. Not greed or gluttony or avarice, which are seductive pretenders. Real joy comes from grace, from selflessness. We can help them. When we take flight across a cloudless sky; when we wash our young tenderly but are trusting enough to not flee; when we cluck, and coo, and purr, and wag our tails. We are Your emissaries of joy. Let them receive from us tenfold what they give to us through pureness of heart.

Let them have peace. We are all deserving of that. Even people who do terrible deeds may be desperately hunting for it, yet never find it.

Let us have faith, for that rekindles our spirit each day. It prevents the flame of hope from ever being extinguished.

Let us worship together, and give praise to You, our common Creator, who has given each of us immeasurable worth and infinite possibilities if we truly love one another.

We've killed enough turkeys. We've put two billion of them through Hell, grossly deforming their bodies, cramming them into filthy, windowless, stinking sheds, depriving them of any semblance of a normal life. What terrible thing did they do to deserve this awful treatment?

We've proved to them how mean we can be. Now let's show them how nice we can be. You can start by adopting a turkey. I'm not talking about having a turkey move in with you — though that would be interesting. Farm Sanctuary, which rescues farm animals and gives them a place to live out their natural lives, has started an "Adopt-A-Turkey" program that lets you "virtually" adopt a turkey like Willow, pictured below. It costs hardly any money, but it means the world to them. Perhaps after all the death and suffering, we owe them a little something.

When you get a chance down the road, visit Willow and her friends at Farm Sanctuary in New York State or California, or visit an animal sanctuary near you. Meet farm animals of all ages, living naturally, at peace, with friends. Some of the animals are shy; others walk right up to you and give you a friendly nudge, or even a kiss. An outing at an animal sanctuary is a great family activity any time, but has extra meaning when you've adopted one of the residents.

Jewish prayer for wine: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine."

Jewish prayer for bread and grains: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth."

Jewish prayer for fruit and nuts: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree."

Jewish prayer for vegetables, herbs, and legumes: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth."

Jewish prayer for meat: none.

God imposes on Noah a littany of conditions for eating flesh, including one that may be impossible to meet: draining all the blood from the animal. And he did this after the earth had been flooded and food was scarce. In contrast, God freely encourages us to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains: "Behold I have given you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed--to you it shall be for food". Shortly after this invitation, God delares the world He had made "very good."

Have a very good Thanksgiving. Be thankful for your ability to make the world a more liveable, compassionate, peaceful place — for all creatures.

The short answer is that you can find them everywhere. Thanksgiving is a great time to try new vegetarian foods. People expect at least one dish to be a little different from everyday fare. So go for it. There are lots of good vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, but most of the time I prefer the Internet. In fact, I often type a few ingredients into Google, add the words "recipe" and "vegetarian" or "vegan," and see what comes up.

This is just a small sample of the web sites that have vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes. The recipes range from simple to involved. These particular sites all offer main dish ideas, which usually are more confounding for new vegetarians than side dishes. The recipes are not all vegan, but lots of them are, and most of the non-vegan ones can be converted to vegan. A cruelty-free Thanksgiving makes for a memorable and satisfying holiday, since you're not making living creatures suffer. Enjoy!

http://vegweb.com/food/events/index-thanksgiving.shtml

http://vegetarian.about.com/

http://www.boutell.com/vegetarian/Thanksgiving.html

http://www.theveggietable.com/recipes/thanksgiving.html

http://www.tazarat.com/thanksgiving.html

This story is short, but, I hope, conveys that turkeys are not mindless, soulless, emotionless commodities. They're thinking, feeling creatures. I've met several now, and it's amazing how unique each of their personalities are.

Turkeys also have a reputation of being mean. Not true. One turkey at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary cannot walk, because the farmers that raised her cut off so much of her toes. The volunteers at the sanctuary carry her out to the grass each day. She enjoys the warm sun and the cool grass, and keeping the humans company. She is friendly and clearly appreciative. How many of us would have such a good attitude after being treated so horribly?

The story is called "A Turkey Named Adam." Here's an excerpt:


Full story...

Amy's Tofu Scramble is the frozen food that has most exceeded my expectations so far. I was expecting a pitiful attempt to imitate scrambled eggs. I was wrong by a mile. It's really good.

It tastes better than it sounds, but here goes. It reminds me of eggs florentine, since it has spinach. It also comes with a small serving of hash browns and tomato slices. It all works together well. It's sort of like an English breakfast, but less greasy and without any animal parts. It's healthy and hearty, and it cooks up in five minutes in the microwave. It's part of my regular breakfast rotation now; I have it about once a week. It's a great choice for cold weekday mornings when you have to go to work and don't have much time.

I've seen Amy's Tofu Scramble in Whole Foods and health food stores, but it may be showing up in mainstream grocery stores very soon.

Bonus: fry up some vegetarian sausage and mix it in. Brew some rich coffee, and you've got yourself a very tasty breakfast. Try it this weekend.

Why not pardon two turkeys this year? The traditional one and the one that would have appeared on your plate. What have you got to lose? The turkey has its life to lose.

Thanksgiving is the easiest day of the year to be a vegetarian. There is an abundance of food. Salads, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, casseroles, pies. You won't even miss the turkey.

The turkey is a native American, and almost became our official bird. Of course, modern-day turkeys in the supermarket are a far cry from their wild ancestors. The turkeys slaughtered for Thanksgiving — even the "free range" ones — are grossly disproportioned, unable to fly or mate, and often suffer from lameness and heart disease. You'll be setting a compassionate example by going without, so that an animal is spared suffering. You may inspire others to do the same. Often, people who have a notion in the back of their mind wait for someone else to set the pace. "If the President can do it, so can I."

Yes, turkey is traditionally the main course at Thanksgiving. But the real meaning of the holiday is not turkey; it's gathering with family and friends and giving thanks. Please give the turkeys something to be thankful about, also.

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Did you know? None of the pardoned turkeys are still alive by the following year's Thanksgiving. The pardoned turkeys would have a better quality of life if they were sent to an animal sanctuary instead of a petting zoo.

This fox had a horrible life on a fur farm. She paced from one side of the tiny cage to the other. Every instinct in her yearned to be free. There was no way out. She was trapped. She went mad. She ate her cagemate. Her body ached from wire floors and no activity. Her powerful legs and spirit wasted away. Her last two months were spent curled in the corner.

On this day, she had had no energy left as two men lifted her with metal tongs. She never touched solid ground. Her death, like her life, was devoid of affection, hope, joy, or peace. It was unnatural and brutal. One man clamped her neck with the tongs and grabbed her tail. The final indignity. The other man killed her. Such a graceful animal when in the wild. Doesn't she look like a small dog?

A probe was shoved into her rectum, another was forced into her mouth. While the electricty burned her insides, she died of heart attack. At least she had a heart.

The fur industry claims that animals on fur farms are humanely treated. It's a lie drenched in blood.

This is the beginning of a long story about a pig farmer and his transformations. It is brlliantly told by author and animal rights advocate John Robbins. The complete story is here.


The story of the pig farmer contains a multitude of subplots, which I plan to discuss over the next few months.

John Robbins is the author of The Food Revolution and Diet For a New America.

From www.foodrevolution.com:

"The only son of the founder of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire, John Robbins was groomed to follow in his father's footsteps, but chose to walk away from Baskin-Robbins and the immense wealth it represented to '...pursue the deeper American Dream...the dream of a society at peace with its conscience because it respects and lives in harmony with all life forms. A dream of a society that is truly healthy, practicing a wise and compassionate stewardship of a balanced ecosystem.'"

Bret Hart won multiple championship titles as a pro wrestler. Now he's a champion for grizzly bears killed by hunters looking for their latest "trophy." Hart's challenge to his fellow Canadians: "Do we not pride ourselves in protecting and conserving our natural resources? So why do we condone the reckless extermination of grizzly bears in Alberta to the point that they are in serious danger of extinction?"

Hart had a reputation for being fearless in the ring, and he pulls no punches when confronting hunters. He said he "fails to see the glory in taking a high powered rifle with a targeting scope and blowing away a grizzly bear — often leaving orphan cubs behind to starve, get hit by cars — or to be exterminated themselves by some other jerk so he can mount their heads on his wall. The only thing animal trophies are a testament to is ignorance."

Trophy hunting is more unfair than any WWF, WWE, or WCW match. At least in wrestling competition, both sides consent to the fight, and stop short of killing their opponent.

It arguably takes more courage to stand up to hunters than to face The Undertaker or Yokozuna. I admire Bret Hart for speaking his mind, alerting people to the plight of one of nature's most magnificent animals, and taking trophy hunters to task.

Did you know? -- Bill Goldberg, who ended Bret Hart's wrestling career, is another staunch animal advocate.

"I take vitamins daily, but just the bare essentials—not what you'd call supplements. I try to stick to a vegan diet—heavy on fruit, vegetables, tofu, and other soy products."

-- Clint Eastwood (speaking to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association)

This story about a blind cat, written by Christine Church in her book, Housecat, illustrates how we can rise above our handicaps, and the healing power of friendship:

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Sunday: "The Pig Farmer"

Your military background can help animals immensely. In several respects — at least — you are better qualified than most to give up meat and dairy, and give freedom to hundreds of animals directly, perhaps millions indirectly. That would be an achievement of which you could be proud. You may not know it, but you are a defender of all sentient beings, not just humans, that benefit from peaceful times and a thriving economy.

Here are some of the ways that your experience in the armed forces can be of service to animals that could really use the help.

The military defends the peace. Animals fare poorly during wartime. Pets are orphaned. Zoo animals die from explosions. Wildlife populations are decimated from bombings, land mines, and habitat destruction. All animals alive in the U.S are extremely lucky to have been spared the ravages of war during their lifetimes. As an active or retired member of the military, you have an appreciation for peace; you know the cost of freedom is high. Please help bring some peace to ten billion animals that suffer terribly each year and are stripped of their freedom. Chickens are made to fly, to forage, to bathe in the dust. Their strongest urges tell them to do these things. But they are denied all this in the prison camp-like confines of factory farms. Their entire life is being cooped up in a windowless shed that reeks of fermented waste. Through genetic engineering and hormones they grow so huge, many die of heart attacks and most become lame. All in 45 days, their allotted time on Earth before slaughter.

Egg-laying hens have it even worse. They spend a year essentially sitting in one place, a tiny wire cage. This is grossly unnatural; a torturous way to live. Pigs — intelligent as primates in some aspects, are stuck in metal enclosures that don't even give them enough room to turn around. Ducks are forced into narrow wire cages; the only water they see is in a cup or a drip bottle. The list goes on. We're treating farm animals like prisoners of war. The conditions we provide for them would miserably fail the Geneva conventions. The cruelties we inflict on them would all be against the law if done to a dog or a cat, yet the farm animals feel pain and sadness in the same way. Please help these innocent creatures know just a little of the peace we cherish. Try vegetarian versions of chicken patties, pork barbecue, and luncheon meats. I can almost guarantee you'll be surprised at how tasty they are. You can continue saving lives long after your military career. And the good thing is, going vegetarian, part-way or all-the way, does not interfere one bit with any other humanitarian ventures you may pursue.

Military men and women know about service. Life is not just about looking out for number one at the expense of others. Participants and veterans of war, as well as men and women in the service who could be called up at any time, understand self-sacrifice. We willingly deny ourselves some of the things we want so that others may benefit. Yes, bacon and eggs taste good. But the price to the animals is steep. The fatality rate is 100 percent. (Factory egg-laying hens are slaughtered at about one year old.) Death is not swift. It starts almost the day they are born. Sick animals are denied veterinary care. Hens that fall through the wire cage floor starve to death. Fur-bearing animals in "fur farms" go mad from the lack of activity and denial of their most basic interests.

By making the tiny sacrifice of wearing high quality synthetics you save animals from a death that is so barbaric it rivals some of the horror we've seen on TV news reports. By eating vegetarian sausage from LightLife and other companies, you can enjoy a healthy, good-tasting breakfast without making animals suffer. Self-sacrifice is meritorious. Making innocents sacrifice on your behalf is reprehensible. Far beneath your standards.

Being a member of the military teaches you to work toward long-term goals. You will not see world peace in your time. But you are working toward that day. In the same way, animal advocates across the world, in Spain, in China, in Australia, in England, in Israel, in Canada, and in the USA are working toward a day when our routine abuses of animals in factory farms, roadside zoos, circuses, fur farms, and rodeos (yes, all those places — emphatically) will be incomprehensible; dark memories of an unenlightened time. Like we think of slavery today. It was once commonplace. Pillars of the community had slaves, Your family had slaves. Presidents had slaves. It was just something you did. Yet a few generations removed, the concept is abhorrent to all of us. That's how quickly things change. But they don't change automatically. Each person has to make the effort to make the world less hostile to our animal friends. Yes -- friends. All the farm animals and fur animals are quite friendly when you treat them right. I've met just about every species first-hand and close-up now, so I know of what I speak.

Envision a time when we don't have giant, football field-sized, windowless sheds with chickens crammed in so tight they can barely walk. Imagine your grandchildren living in a world where we don't skin caged rabbits alive to look fashionable. All the cruelty-free alternatives are here, waiting for you to use them. Be of service to all who benefit from your strength and kindness.

The military builds confidence and self-esteem. You don't have to prove your toughness. You've been there. You're a hero, not a bully. You're strong enough to be gentle. "No, thanks, I don't eat animals." Don't worry what your friends say. They really respect your choice. First they say, "what, are you wimping out on me?" After three months they say, "How are those Riblets? Pretty good?" Yeah, they're pretty good. And you spare an animal from suffering every time you eat one. You know the old Perdue line, "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken?" Wrong. It takes a tough man to be kind to chickens, and stop eating them.

People often taunt vegetarians in their midst because it makes them uncomfortable. It reminds them that all is not well, that they're contributing to the pain and agony of God's innocent creatures. Day-to-day, those feelings are buried. It's difficult when we are reminded of things we are doing that are wrong yet superficially pleasurable. The taunts are temporary and a strange way of reaching out. Stand your ground and your friends and family will come around. Do the right thing, and your heart and soul will benefit. Use your self-esteem to follow a compassionate path, regardless of the fact that advertisers and people you know are bombarding you with invitations to eat meat and other animal products.

The military instills leadership skills. You are humble and obey orders, but you are also a leader. You know it. The animals need people like you. Trendsetters. People that others look up to. If you say, "No thanks, I don't eat animals anymore," people respect you. If they ask you why, you tell them it's because you have a moral obligation to reduce suffering, not add to it. You can't argue with that. People may try; they'll complain, they'll try and challenge that assertion, perhaps with silly side issues like "plants have feelings," but ultimately they know you're right. You don't have to elaborate. Lead by example as you have always done. The animals may not be able to thank you personally, but their gratitude is overwhelming, real and powerful. You'll feel it.

You only shoot at the enemy. The last thing you want is for a buddy or an innocent civilian to be killed by "friendly fire." Animals are all non-combatants. Please, don't hunt them. The terror for the animals starts with the first shot. Some of the animals you would shoot at have young to feed. Others haven't even lived one year. They're innocent. "Hunt" them with your camera. Admire and respect their desire to live. I know this will be tough. I wasn't born yesterday. Hunting is a tradition. But there is no honor in killing an animal that harbors no ill will, only wants to survive, and cannot defend against your weapons. That is cowardly. Skeet-shooting and target ranges are a great outlet for sharpening your shooting skills. Ditto for archery ranges. Don't fall for the "conservation" arguments for hunting. They're weak and self-serving. There are plenty of non-lethal ways to peacefully coexist with our wild neighbors.

The K-9 Corps back home is looking for a few good men and women. Or a few million of them. You've seen the pictures. The dog whose owners dumped him when they moved. The kittens found in a cardboard box. Visit your local shelter and let your heart be stolen by one or more of these animals. This Christmas or Hanukkah, give some love to a new family member or two. Make it the best year of their life. If you've never had a pet before, of course do your homework, and make sure 100 percent that you are committed to their care. Then be prepared for a transforming and beautiful relationship. Puppies and kittens are irresistible, but please don't overlook the shy "plain black" cat, or the adult dog who wants a peaceful home, not a cage, in which to spend his last years. Also, don't forget about rabbits, birds, and other animals. They have charms equal to dogs and cats, and want very much to be part of a human family where they can play, eat good food, and cozy up to their favorite humans.

Your military training keeps you physically fit and in shape. You know the value of a healthy body and mind. I can't state unequivocally that a vegetarian or vegan diet is the healthiest in the world. (Although some esteemed doctors seem to think so. Dr. William Castelli, director of the reknowned Framingham Heart Study, stated, "Vegetarians have the best diet. They have the lowest rates of coronary disease of any group in the country...a fraction of our heart attack rate and they have only 40 percent of our cancer rate.") But it is a healthy diet. On average, vegetarians are leaner and have a better cardiovascular profile than non-vegetarians. Remember, Dr. Atkins was overweight and had a heart attack. On the other hand, the Ornish Diet, which is practically vegan, has been shown to reverse heart disease. Think about transitioning to a compassionate, vegetarian diet starting this week. With your improved health, you'll be able to watch your grandchildren grow up, spend time with your family and old friends, and get a chance to see the peaceful world you've helped create.

Military Mascots helps soldiers and the pets they befriend overseas. War takes a terrible toll on animals, and you'd be way off base if you think soldiers aren't affected by that. Throughout history, during the darkest hours of combat, soldiers' hearts have been touched by stray animals that wander into camp, spreading joy simply by wagging their tail and purring contentedly.

It is no different today, in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflict areas thousands of miles from home. Having a furry creature to pet and play with brings welcome respite from the intensity of battle and constantly being on guard. A friendly animal curled up next to you, enjoying your company, makes the predicament more bearable; it brings a little touch of home and normality. It's hard to be gloomy for too long when an energetic puppy or kitten is coaxing you and your buddies into playing, or just being silly.

You know the joy you feel from seeing a familiar little face greet you at the door when you come home -- imagine how nice it must be to see that after spending all day fighting a war. A war that perhaps doesn't always make sense. In gratitude for the morale boost and companionship, many units officially adopt animals as their mascots, assigning them a rank and treating them with the full honor and respect deserving of a soldier.

As you can imagine, a high proportion of the stray animals that soldiers see in war zones are struggling. Some are starving, many are abandoned. In areas where people are barely surviving day to day, companion animals are last on the list. Suffering abounds. Sometimes residents of war-torn areas take out their frustration on the animals by physically abusing them. I don't care how tough you are; it tears you up to see this.

As soldiers' tours end, they often do not want to leave behind the animals to which they've become so close. That's where Military Mascots comes in. They provide assistance, monetary support, advice, and encouragement for troops returning home and anxious to bring a new U.S. "citizen" with them. The costs, logistics, and red tape associated with clearing all the legal hurdles for flying a pet overseas can be daunting. Military Mascots guides the soldier and helps to ensure that all arrive safely at their destination. Where it is not feasible to transport the animal out of the country, Military Mascots helps by arranging with in-country humane groups, to ensure that the creature who brought comfort to a soldier far from home will be well-taken care of.

I like very much how Military Mascots addresses the soldiers interested in their program. Their introduction is filled with respect for the men and women stationed overseas, as well as the animals that touch their lives:


Notice how Military Mascots displays concern not only for the befriended animal but all the shelter animals waiting for a home stateside. That's a difficult needle to thread.

The Military Mascots site is filled with success stories and heartwarming accounts of soldiers interacting with dogs and cats, and in at least one case, a hawk. Foreign news reports in the press may be dominated by reports of violence and conflict, but Military Mascots reminds that we can all be peacekeepers, even if our jobs require that we fire a weapon at times.

The Reverend Andrew Linzey says, "it is the vocation of the strong to be gentle." Perhaps nothing more poignantly demonstrates this "gentle strength" than a brave but weary soldier and a small helpless animal becoming best friends.

Visit Military Mascots at www.adoptpaws.org/mascots/. To donate, please go to www.adoptpaws.org/mascots/donate.html. A great way to support the troops and animals in need.

"Where do you draw the line?" "What about plankton? Should they have rights?"

Anyone who argues for animal rights will eventually hear this line of thinking. It's not the worst thing in the world. On the surface, it's a "challenge" question. Are there holes in the animal rights philosophy? Does it break down at the margins?

I tend to look at these questions in a positive light.

The suffering of pigs, birds, foxes, and other animals that die because we like the taste of their flesh or the feel of their skin — it's real, it's hard to deny, and when people see it on video it turns their stomachs. Most people can't even bear to look. The fox struggling like crazy to break free of the death trap; the pig unceasingly biting the bars of his cage because that's all there is to do; the hen that falls through the battery cage bars and dies amidst the muck and manure. There's no getting around it — these animals suffer terribly and needlessly because of us. 10 billion of them yearly. That's just in the U.S., and that doesn't include fish.

And unless you take the supremely callous position that it's perfectly ok to cause animals to suffer just because you feel like it, the only place to seriously look for holes in the animal rights imperative is at the margins. So people ask if it's wrong to kill bacteria. Or ask if I would object if they raised chickens in ideal conditions and ate their eggs. (No, I wouldn't.)

I have three general answers to these types of questions. (Yeah, they're often rhetorical, but never completely, in my opinion. Inquiring minds, even if burdened with some hostility, generally appreciate an honest answer.)

One, that's a good point you raise. I see no benefit in being rude if someone is making a legitimate inquiry. And it does neither me nor the animals any good to come off as a holier-than-thou self-righteous snob. Besides, I once asked these same sorts of questions. It often surprises people on "the other side" that even deeply committed animal rights activists have these discussions among themselves, and don't always agree on the answer.

Two, the misery we inflict on clearly sentient animals — mammals and birds, for instance — is so overwhelming and so widespread, so arbitrary and preventable (e.g., fur trim), that we really don't have time to get bogged down in debates about borderline situations. The veal pens and sow crates and battery cages are nowhere near the border. We're not talking microbes. It's happening now, and we can do something about it.

Three, help me with these mainstream issues and we can have plenty of lively philosophical debates over a beer about whether it's wrong to kill yeast or use flea protection on our pets. For that matter, we can explore the edges of any philosophy or even any deeply held ethical position. You can always poke a hole in it if you go to the extremes. That doesn't invalidate the principle. Killing people is wrong but is acceptable under certain conditions. We'll argue till Kingdom Come about precisely what those conditions are; that doesn't mean we should get rid of laws against murder.

In a sense, these "gotcha" questions and "what if" tests are indicators that the person doing the asking is thinking about the problem, and that's good. It's much better than apathy. Animal rights challenges people. It confronts long-held beliefs and habits. It incriminates daily behaviors. It is not easy to swallow that whole. It is perfectly natural to rebel, and the messenger is a classic target. But -- my fellow messengers -- the best thing you can do is gently show the person that his or her objections do not really change the harsh reality: that most of us are causing animals to suffer, and we know it, and we can stop at any time.

It takes 30 seconds and costs nothing. Please go to www.petitiononline.com/bunaide4/petition.html and add your name to the anti-fur petition.

The petition is in response to fashion magazines, and most recently Newsweek, calling the wearing of animal fur "fun." Fur isn't fun. It's torture. It brutally confines, traps, and destroys animals for "fashion."

And when I say brutal, I mean it. See if you can even stand to watch this short video of animals struggling to free themselves from lethal traps. If it's difficult to watch, imagine what it's like to live it. Fur farms are no better. There, the horror plays out slowly, over months, as the animals go crazy from deprivation and are killed by barbaric methods.

Two dedicated, all-volunteer rabbit rescue groups, RabbitWise and SaveABunny.com (the San Francisco/Marin County chapter of the House Rabbit Society) are taking the lead on this effort.

Thank you so much for helping the animals that are suffering for no reason. Tell your friends. Send a message to the media that seem to be so vigorously pushing fur: cruelty is not "fun."

This has to be the simplest way ever to help animals. Once a day, visit www.theanimalrescuesite.com and click on the big purple button. Each time you do that, a small donation goes to two excellent animal organizations: The North Shore Animal League, a large no-kill shelter on Long Island, and Black Beauty Ranch, which provides a lifetime haven for neglected and abused animals of all types, from alpacas to tortises.

The AnimalRescueSite.com is legitimate; I've checked them out thoroughly. It is funded by the site's sponsors. Which reminds me...occasionally, after clicking, peruse the sponsor links. Remember them especially as the holiday season approaches and you need to buy gifts. If nothing else, you can always use an extra pair of cat-themed socks.

Here are two of the thousands of animals you'll help when you take ten seconds out of your day: George and Valentino.

America became a great country because of the hard work and decent values of right-handed men and women. Our way of life is now being threatened by a small but vocal minority of left-handed extremists. We've put up with their immoral ways for too long; in return for our tolerance they want to destroy our cherished principles, by being able to marry like normal people. I will not stand for this blatant attempt by a fringe group to drive a stake in the heart of decency.

There is no proof to their claim that lefthandedness is genetic. It has been shown time and again that through intervention, left-handers can be reformed, and return to righthandedness, the way God made them. I have personally had former left-handers thank me for showing them the light and restoring them to goodness. The "I was born that way" excuse is nothing more than a ploy to gain sympathy, and hide the fact that left-handendess is a preference, not a so-called "orientation."

Studies confirm that left-handers are more likely to be liberal, atheist, and critical of our military strength. It is also a known fact that left-handers more frequently visit psychiatrists and take anti-depression medication, as a result of their perverted lifestyle choices.

Not too long ago, teachers had the power to correct deviant left-handed behavior. When I was growing up, the nuns in my school reformed left-handers the old-fashioned way — with a ruler — and turned them into disciplined, right-handed, normal youngsters. But the crybaby liberals — the leftists — made us take discipline out of the schools, and as sure as night follows day, lefthandedness, drug use, and premarital sex escalated out of control.

The Bible's position on lefthandedness could not be more clear: it is sinister and evil. Jesus sits on the *right hand* of God.

If people want to practice deviant behavior in the privacy of their own home, I suppose that's their right; it's a free country. But I don't want their Godless defiance in my face. I don't want to be forced to see a picture of my office-mate's left-handed spouse on his or her desk. I don't want my kids to think it's OK to be left-handed, when they see casual left-handedness all over the TV. I'll not have the left-handers invading my home.

It's time to draw a line in the sand. The left-handers are steadily eroding our hallowed traditions, and now want they special rights so they can pursue their agenda unabated - out in the open. They want the state to officially recognize marriage between two left-handed people. I did not work hard, pay taxes, and instill family values in my children just to see left-handers make a mockery of marriage.

It's time for all of us who still believe in righteousness and decency to stand up to the underhanded tactics of lefthanded activists. We need to protect our most holy institution. Marriage should be between two right-handed people, as the Lord intended. If we let the left-handers walk all over us on this issue, we'll have only ourselves to blame when we wake up one morning and find that our president is left-handed.

I recommend "Gimme Lean" brand sausage. It tastes and cooks like real sausage. You can cut it into patties or crumble it. Put a few drops of oil in the pan and fry it up.

It's a little messy, just like animal-based sausage. But if you spill some, you don't have to worry about disinfecting half the kitchen. It's also nice to know you're not eating pig snouts and feet. Snouts that never breathed fresh air and feet that never touched the good Earth.

Look for Gimme Lean in the produce, meat, or "natural" section of your supermarket. Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target also carry Gimme Lean. Ask if you don't see it. For more information, visit www.lightlife.com/gimmelean.html

Some excerpts from Caged Fur: The Inside Story:


Look at the pictures of these animals -- cruelly, unnaturally confined in tiny enclosures made of wire, without even a solid floor. The "houses" in which they're forced to live and die don't support their most basic desires: movement, exercise, play, comfort. They just want out! Their fate is in your hands.

Look at the rows of tiny cages, one next to the other, stacked four high. Like a factory. Or a concentration camp. Animals treated like things.

Even the bare minimal handling of the animals has a disturbing meanness to it. Foxes are picked up by prongs around the neck and grabbing its tail. This is how a fox is carried from its prison-like cage to the electrocution room, where it's killed. After a brutal short life without one iota of happiness, the animal can't even be handled with dignity for its trip outside the cage. It is denied its one chance to walk on its own.

If anyone you know "just has to have" a fur-trimmed coat, please let them know that the animal confined and killed for its fur "just has to have" its fur even more. Email this document to them and ask them to read it. They have to know the truth.

The cruelty of caged fur is pervasive and severe. The business is shameful and should be illegal. That is starting to happen in Europe, but not in the U.S. Fur sales are up and not enough people are speaking out against it. That would make all the difference. Visit www.furfreeaction.org for ideas on how you can help innocent creatures that are dying for "fashion." Thank you so much for speaking out on behalf of victims that have no voice.

Ronald Reagan was not an animal rights activist. His environmental decisions were abysmal. His lack of knowledge about current affairs of the time was embarrassing. And yet...

Unlike all the presidents after him, instead of chasing squirrels off the White House lawn, he fed them. He refused to participate in hunts, or pose with a shotgun. He could tell a self-deprecating joke with ease; no ulterior motives. For years, he exchanged letters with a boy who lived in a poor section of Washington, D.C. He was fond of his cats.

I disagreed with many of his policies, but could see clearly that he appreciated others on a one-to-one level. And that is the basis of animal rights. Yes, policies are critical, but it is empathy with individuals that compels us to protect them from harm. Recognizing that the person we are speaking with or the animal we are petting is deserving of our respect and kindness: those are the experiences from which we understand our obligation to treat all creatures with kindness and respect. As one who voted against Reagan, I have to admit that he often displayed these qualities. In contrast to the current atmosphere of divisiveness, deceit, and demonizing, I realize what a gentleman he was.