1. A Comment Related to the Massacre in Israel
I have refrained from taking a position on social and political issues of
the day, not because I have no opinions but rather because I respect the
diversity of beliefs and convictions among CVA members and because CVA’s
mission is to highlight food and animal issues from a Chrisian perspective.
Consequently, while I share with all compassionate people a profound sense
of grief for all victims of violence, I will not opine on Middle East
politics. Instead, I will offer a comment on the language used to describe
those who murdered Israeli civilians. I am not claiming that this is among
the greatest concerns raised by recent events, but it is a concern of
relevance to the CVA’s ministry.
Repeatedly, the murderers are called “animals” and “beasts,” and in related
language the attacks are called “brutal.” What happened on October 7, and
what has been happening subsequently, are distinctly human acts. There is no
close analogue among nonhumans. It is true that chimpanzees sometimes kill
rivals, that some carnivores use maimed animals to teach their young how to
kill, and that cats sometimes violently play with injured mice. However,
only humans kill each other because of tribalism. Further, only humans kill
other individuals for pleasure (such as sport hunting) or because other
individuals compete with humans for resources. Only humans have
industrialized abuse and killing, as manifest by the Holocaust and by
contemporary factory farms.
Describing abhorrent behavior as “bestial” does more than facilitate abuse
of nonhumans. It also paves the way to abuse of humans, because it is easy
to regard those we hate as “sub-humans” or “animals” and then treat them as
humanity, unjustifiably, treats nonhumans.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.
2. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry
All-Creatures.org Newsletter, October 11, 2023:
Halloween is just around the corner. What is your favorite vegan candy?
We hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter. There is always so very much to
share including …
When adopted Cats are ‘returned’ and how to prevent it — my Fruit Fly buddy…
saving a life — Life and Times of Tom Regan [PDF] — healthy vegan Cats and
Dogs — Horse beater’s license stripped — another breed specific ordinance
repealed — more Minks liberated from ‘fur farm’ — speciesist vs.
non-specisist language and animal advocacy — a poem for Los Angeles Animal
Save — and more…
All-Creatures.org Newsletter, October 18, 2023:
We hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter. There is always very much to
share including …
When we eat Animals, we ‘demand their despair’ — No surprise as yet another
racehorse is ‘euthanized’ — abolitionist vegan handbook [book] — some
cruelty presented in right-to-rescue trial — Brooklyn Goes Home [book] —
biggest Primate closed — animal shelters: see the best and worst of humanity
— industry ‘experts’ propaganda — Dear Vegetarian — and more…
Do you have things that you would like to see included in future newsletters? Then send it to us at veda@all-creatures.org.
In the Love of the Lord,
Frank L Hoffman
All-Creatures.org
and
Kindness,
Tams Nicholson
Executive Directress
All-Creatures.org