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26 August 2007 Issue
2. CVA Activism
3. California Initiative to Prohibit Intensive Confinement
4. Video Showing Animal Intelligence
5. “Pro-Life” (all-life) Commentary
The CVA is considering spearheading Animal Kinship Ministries. One or more people would approach their church leaders and request permission to have information tables on compassion for animals. They would then table before or after church services, offering literature on pet care, animal issues in general, and veg. recipes.
If interested, please contact me at cva@christianveg.org.
Steve Kaufman, CVA chair
Thank you for the booklets you recently sent out here to Australia. They have been a bit of a hit here at the University of New England with about 20 people “trying the veg thing” as a result of the pamphlets. As in the past I will pass them on to other people in our vast country so that others may benefit. Thank you for your time and effort in this most noble of causes.
Sincere Greetings
Justin Arnold
Armidale Australia
3. California Initiative to Prohibit Intensive Confinement
The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) has initiated a California ballot initiative that seeks to “prohibit the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs,” with some exceptions. The Farm Animal Protection Act would ban battery cages, gestation crates, and crates for calves used for veal, effective 2015 and would likely cause production costs to increase, which consumers might be willing to pay. Animal advocates have until October 1st to gather 433,000 signatures in order to put the initiative before the citizens for a vote.
To read the full article please visit "Humane" Livestock Production Costs Hard to Gauge
4. Video Showing Animal Intelligence
Check out the second trailer: www.heartlandsfilms.com/trailers
5. “Pro-Life” (all-life) Commentary
Below is a response by Vasu Murti (author of They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy available at www.christianveg.org/materials.htm) to an Op-Ed piece by Bryan Kemper. Mr. Kemper expresses opposition to dog-fighting, but he is outraged that people care so much about dogs while seeming less concern for unborn “baby boys and girls.”
On the issue of animal rights "versus" prenatal rights, to paraphrase Dr. & Mrs. Willke: "Why can't we love them both?” Many pro-animal people are pro-life as well.
The animal rights movement is divided on the issue of abortion. This was made clear by Ingrid Newkirk, Executive Director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), in a 1992 interview with conservative Dennis Prager. In 1997 or 1998, the Animals' Agenda ran a cover story about the debate within the animal rights movement over abortion. And in 2003, on the Democrats-For-Life e-list, Maria Krasinski mentioned a poll which found animal activists evenly divided over abortion. This WILL change, IF pro-lifers get involved in the struggle for animal rights.
One can turn Bryan Kemper's question around. Instead of asking how is it that pro-animal people can turn a blind eye to the killing of unborn children, why not ask: How can those calling themselves "pro-life" and prepared to give full human rights to zygotes and embryos ignore the very real pain and suffering of animals?
Pro-lifers speak of the "slippery slope"--the belief that acceptance of abortion leads to a devaluation of life and paves the way towards acceptance of infanticide and euthanasia. Those of us who are both pro-life and pro-animal insist that the "slippery slope" begins with what we humans do to animals.
Pro-lifers look in horror as an entire class of humans are systematically stripped of their rights, executed, and even used as tools for medical research...but this is what we humans have been doing TO ANIMALS for millennia. We reap what we sow.
Christian religious leaders like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson who call themselves "pro-life," claim events like 9-11 are God's punishment upon our nation for allowing abortion on demand. What if abortion itself is God's "punishment" upon our nation for allowing billions of His innocent animals to be killed?
Abortion, like war, is the karmic reaction for killing animals. Pythagoras warned, "Those who kill animals for food will be more prone than vegetarians to torture and kill their fellow men." As PETA pamphlets from the 1980s used to say: "A nonviolent philosophy begins at breakfast."
---Vasu Murti
Your question and comments are welcome
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