Animal Person Caught Being Cynical
I know, Mary Martin is cynical isn’t exactly news.
But has something like this ever happened to you?
You hear that when the Obama’s get to the White House they’re going to adopt a dog from a shelter. Maybe even if they don’t get to the White House–I haven’t been following the story. I do know that there have been petitions and e-mails and other pleas for the Obamas to not go to a breeder and to adopt a rescue pooch instead.
When I first heard, I thought: great!
But then for some reason I heard it again and again and then my husband came home and told me the good news for the nth time and here’s what went through my mind: So what? He probably takes his kids to the circus and the zoo. He eats animals, the whole family eats animals, they wear animals, more animals are being tortured today than ever, 300 land animals die each second just for food, rats in labs often aren’t even counted, and the seal slaughter I wanted to stop 25 years ago is going strong!
It’s terrible, I know, but he was being treated like the second coming of JC because he’s adopting a dog and I thought that was a bit over-the-top.
Then I got a grip on myself and saw this as a minuscule step. This, plus Oprah’s show (that she keeps updating and that resulted in the closing of a handful of puppy mills and the rescue of thousands of animals), plus Ellen going vegan, all adds up. Mainstream America will hear about the Obama’s decision, as they heard about puppy mills from Oprah (and were introduced to the "vegan cleanse"), and healthy and compassionate eating also from Ellen. I guess when they all add up they could very well result in a shift in the consciousness and the behavior of mainstream America.
As teeny as some of the steps are/seem to be, I keep hoping that someday they’ll add up to something significant. But I just don’t see the evidence yet, and I feel like we owe so much more to the billions of animals we create simply to destroy, or we take from their homes and families simply to destroy, whether quickly or excruciatingly slowly.
Some days being vegan feels heavier than others. This is one of those days, for me.
Do you have them, and if so, what do you to when they occur?
I’m a huge fan of Stoic philosophy, particularly Seneca and Epictetus. In fact, someday I might start a blog promoting my particular brand of Stoicism, which is almost identical to Seneca’s. (Incidentally, Stoicism and the modern adjective “stoic” have only a very slight resemblance to each other, so don’t get the impression that I’m some kind of ascetic, because I’m not at all, and neither was Seneca or Epictetus. If you’re curious, read Seneca’s works.)
What other people do, especially people like Oprah, Ellen, and the Obama’s, is not in my control. As such, I don’t pay much attention to what they do, and I especially don’t let what they do get me up or down (if I do, I’ve erred).
I do what I do (including advocacy) because it’s the right thing to do. If I rant about something or someone (as I did a few days ago on this blog), it is usually because I want to make a point and maybe influence some people. In the rare occasions that I rant without a point to make, I consider it stupidity or carelessness on my part and try not to err again.
I highly recommend ignoring what celebrities do or don't do. I even more highly recommend not getting excited or depressed about what they do. We should take comfort in our own vegan behavior, which is in our control, and that comfort should give us plenty of peace of mind regardless of the world’s folly and stupidity.
In my haste in writing the last post, I forgot to mention another excellent Stoic philosopher whose work is a must-read: The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his Meditations.
My AR group demos every weekend in NYC (not Santos' b/t/w). Whether it's fur or vivisectors, the apathety (or worse, outright support) of such cruelty is overwhelming at times. Many times support of animal cruelty comes from the very people that should be on our side, the cat and dog "owners". But we continue to agitate, hoping we do makes a difference. Who knows, maybe giving a passerby a simple flyer could create the next Kevin Jonas.
Sometimes when I'm feeling low I reread something from Gather's song, "Glimpses of Hope":
"It's times like these, which come more often than I'd like / when it's almost impossible to look on the brightside / Everything I love, all I hold sacred, is threatened–doomed to be taken / It's rare I see beauty without thinking of it's inevitable end, how so much has been lost, or all that could have been / But I can't forget the glimpses of hope or the ones who refuse to give up / Time and time again, we've seen that a few with dedication can make great change, can bring about liberation / Cages cut open in the night / Animals run free for the first time / An act of love that saves lives / Corporations that seemed untouchable are now exposed and vulnerable / HLS on the brink of collapse due to uncompromising pressure from SHAC / In a world of insensitivity there is hope for the defenseless / The ones who have been caught, and those who remain unseen believe in the cause enough to risk everything / Those who've been caught, those who remain are the ones who will set the world free"
What do you think?
I definitely have more of those days than not. I try to go down my 'list' of things that i believe will someday bring more people around.. People are looking at eating flesh through diet concerns and trying to reduce consumption. People are starting to connect ongoing environmental problems with animal agriculture. Animal-related concerns are becoming more and more a part of mainstream consciousness via internet, television…this is hugely important to changing consumer purchasing. Science, in some sectors, is responding to animal concerns by trying to develop alternative methods in research.
Finally, for my warrior side, i always fall back on dreaming of an organized coup of a major slaughter plant, getting national & international attention and making if necessary, the ultimate sacrifice. It's all about coping with the worst case scenarios, which are the realities for so many animals.
I agree that the future "first-dog" is getting incredible press. Whereas, the millions of dogs, cats, chickens, pi g s… well, you get the point…are being routinely murdered. It's sad too that the fate of so many dogs hangs in the balance of what will be selected. We know what will happen if Obama were to select a "poodle" or "lab" or some other "breed dog" -we'd have the mills cranking them out in droves. His family has to adopt a mutt – they just have to.
Since I'm new to all this… I'm still not over the initial shock – I haven't quite integrated animal issues into my life entirely. I don't know that I'll ever drive by a McDeath and not know it for what it is… or see a milk tank and not know the suffering that took place… or go to a grocery store and not cringing down the "meat/body parts" isle… Does that ever go away?
The first picture I saw of a factory farmed animal I immediately went into "learn" mode. I was so angry at being deceived – furious at my own ignorance. It also didn't help when I cried to my sister about what horror I had discovered and she dismissed it as "routine" and that "everybody knows", (and "so what")… Gosh, goes to show how out of the "inside secret" of accepted animal abuse I really was…
My heart was broken in more ways then one. Over night my respect and affection for humanity was quelled. Since then, I've been trying to find the "nitch"… something to "win" the fight for animals. Somedays I hope it's a massive recall that will get people think… or a plantetary/health issue, or a video that exposes the horror… or some celeb, doctor, philosopher/miracle worker that will turn it all around. Unfortunately it seems the more I learn the more obscene the issues become.
I'm assuming eventually, it all gets "manageable"… and vegans find a place to put the pain… except for these kinds of days that are heavier than others. In the meantime I find what "acceptance" I can in the "teeny steps" and hope it becomes a giant leap for someone, (for many). I write letters, make calls, work on web stuff and leaflet… all this helps a bit. I love my own family as much as I can and know that we all are the "lucky" ones. And of course I always feel empowered here, where I can say with unanimous agreement: "KILLING ANIMAL IS WRONG"…
Mary, you do more for animals… more for me than you'll ever know. I'm sorry you're having an excessively burdened day. It will get better… We just have to keep at whatever we do to convince more people that "KILLING ANIMALS IS WRONG"… and unneccessary. peace
Ooing and Awing over O'Bama's almost reluctant mention that the dog they would (finally) choose would be adopted – rescued is so ridiculous, but no more puzzling to think he was "ordained" by several AR organizations just because he voted yes on a few regulations which would benefit animals in minor ways. Neither candidate or their VPs – or in fact Congressmen/women won't answer "What is there stance on the use of animals as "things" in laboratories to exisit in misery until most often agonizing death, or murder if they are "used" up. Face it, our government is the main nail in the coffin of billions of animals. Neither candidate is an Animal Candidate – naturally, in MY opinion. It will take a lot more than a candidate almost being forced to adopt a dog (alergy fee). Obviously, doesn't take much for the masses to fall down in worship for the liars and self-serving XXXXs.
Dear Mary,
Been a long time since I have visited your site and today was definitely meant to be. I did a PETA protest in downtown Milwaukee last Friday and was handing out "Chew on This" videos and holding a sign saying Meat is Murder. We were well received by many and also ridiculed by fat women stating they had burgers for lunch and steak for dinner. I do a lot of protests and hand out literature often and always remain dignified, engaging and soft spoken, but not last Friday. By the time the third fat woman was telling me how much she loved eating animals, I told her it was apparant as the fat was dripping off of her.
I don't like being cynical as I know it is not the path to freedom, but sometimes it is difficult not to be when faced with such unimaginable suffering and continually questioning how the obvious isn't obvious to billions of people.
What I do to get pass the ennui I feel at times is look at one of our 10 animals, all of whom were rescued from deaths door and see the transformation from fearful, starving, and neglected to confident, loving and happy beings. Then I write a letter to the editor of one our papers and sign my husbands name since I can only get a letter published every other month, and go to the dog park where I talk veganism every day of my life. Today was one of those days that I saw one too many slaughterhouse trucks go by and broke down on the way to the park. As I arrived with my 3 dogs I heard 2 women calling to me loudly stating because of me they were 12 days vegan. Many others joined in the conversation and once again my spirit was renewed. It is very difficult being vegan some days, but the rewards far outweigh the down times. We did our farm walk last Saturday and it was a huge success. All we can do is to keep keeping on. Keep doing all of your great writing and work. Thanks for all you do.
Hi Tricia – that's such great news that 2 women are going vegan because of information that got from you! Hooray! That's hundreds of saved animals each year… And who knows, those 2 women may enlighten 4 more and so forth… Thanks for sharing & keep up your good works. 🙂