Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - August 16, 2022
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Implications of Partisanship for Nonhumans
  2. All-Creatures.Org Ministry

1. Implications of Partisanship for Nonhumans

As discussed in previous essays, the strong partisanship that currently divides America threatens foundational democratic institutions. Partisanship undermines the communal bonds and the reverence for truth upon which the press, law enforcement, and government agencies depend. Ultimately, the breakdown of these institutions leads to autocracies, which gradually impoverish the populace as autocrats’ grip on power increases. They have no need for people to prosper as long as they can force the general populace to provide them goods and services while preventing the populace from threatening their power.

What are the implications for nonhumans? Gross productivity is reduced in autocracies, because there is little personal incentive to innovate and work hard. As the general wealth declines, the society’s ability to sponsor animal exploitation and abuse diminishes. People can afford less animal-derived food, fewer animal skins (including furs), fewer medicines derived from vivisection, and fewer spectacles that feature animal abuse such as rodeos and bullfights. The small number of people in positions of power continue to participate in animal abuse, but their numbers limit the consumption of the products of animal exploitation.

It is not all good news for nonhumans, however. In autocracies, animal protectionists have little freedom to advocate for animal rights, just as autocracies try to crush human rights activism. Consequently, autocracies might reduce the scope of animal abuse, but they tend to be barriers to the goal of animal liberation. Further, the stifling of innovation, while inhibiting the development of new and creative ways to harm nonhumans, also discourages development of technologies that might spare nonhumans from abuse, such as lab-grown “cultured meat.”

Though democracies throughout the world are threatened, I don’t think the future is inevitably dystopian for humans or nonhumans. Can humanity thrive and prosper without leaving countless victims in the wake? I will start to explore this next.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D. 

2. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry

Hot off the press … our newsletter is jam packed with helpful vegan, faith-based, and animal rights information – and so much more – to keep you up to date with all that is going on.

All-Creatures.org Newsletter for August 11, 2022

In the Love of the Lord,
Frank L Hoffman
All-Creatures.org

and

Kindness,
Tams Nicholson
Executive Directress
All-Creatures.org 

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