Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr
with Chris Hedges
teleSUR English on Jan 18, 2016
In this episode of Days of Revolt, host Chris Hedges sits down with legal scholar, animal rights activist and longtime vegan, Gary Francione. Francione begins by unpacking criticisms of the vegan movement, specifically addressing the structures of power that control the means of food production and access. He defends veganism from a moral standpoint, and explains how violence against animals is merely one form of violence inflicted by humans.
From the archives:
Helena Norberg-Hodge: The Right to Fresh, Healthy Food is a Fundamental Human Right
Green Festival: Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich: Veganism Helps the Environment
Supermarkets: What Price Cheap Food? (must-see)
Howard Lyman: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won’t Eat Meat (must-see)
Dandelion Salad 
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This really is the heart of the big issue, life itself. It is a difficult but necessary conversation because it has to include everything. I think there are a few points that, for me at any rate, are essential to understand.
The first is that our food is sacred, so no matter how we nourish ourselves, it should be both cruelty free, and healthy ~ that is to say wholesome, ethically produced, procured honestly and prepared with care and respect. Ideally, it should also be shared.
Personally, I am not against the use of animal products if these are derived from sources that are consciously engaged in the vocational practice of responsible husbandry, and are therefore cultivated according to the most advanced agro-ecological methods. This is the new paradigm many of us are striving to implement.
Veganism is too extreme in my opinion. I do not see anything particularly reprehensible about enjoying fresh eggs or swallowing oysters, nor do I consider wool to be a wicked material. Quite the contrary, in fact, wool is wonderful. Sheep do not have to suffer to provide us with fleece.
It is the callous exploitation of animals and their maltreatment that is criminal, and we need robust laws to ensure that they are well looked after. As with all laws, the challenge is how to exercise and enforce them. That is the responsibility of governments, agencies and institutions. If we had better schools, we’d have better standards.
We live in a world of terrible ecocidal abuses and appalling genocidal atrocity ~ motivated by the basest cut-throat ambition, spurious agendas, sheer moral ignorance and violent paranoia. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just figure out how to use it properly.
http://www.thevillagefarm.co.uk/
http://www.campaignforrealfarming.org/
https://www.ciwf.org.uk/news/2016/01/cheap-food-costs-dear
https://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/courses/short-courses/schumacher-certificate-in-eco-leadership-and-facilitation
I agree with you, David. Veganism is too extreme.
More to the point is human life sacred?
Depends upon who you are asking the question. In the US it’s not, with abortion, capital punishment, war, police brutality, domestic violence, child abuse, etc., etc.
Glad he interviewed Francione. To see more interviews and vids of Francione http://www.HowDoIGoVegan.com
Thanks for the link.