1. Latest Issue of Peaceable Kingdom
2. Animals Platform
3. Comment on The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
4. Upcoming Leafleting Opportunities
1. Latest Issue of Peaceable Kingdom
* One of the NewsNotes tells of a short animated film that can
educate viewers of any age about how "downer" cows turn into hamburgers.
* The Zookeeper's Wife, describing the heroism of Antonina and Jan
Zabinski in working to save some of the humans and animals during the
German decimation of Warsaw, is among the books reviewed.
* The Film Review features A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to
Help Heal the World, which informs viewers about the causes of our
present ecological crisis, particularly the major contribution of animal
agriculture, and how putting into action the Torah's principles of
responsibility and compassion can pull us back from the brink.
* Among the Recipes is a savory peppers-and-tofu dish that will both
gratify taste buds and build health.
* Nathan Runkle, the founder of Mercy for Animals, tells his story in
"My Pilgrimage."
* The Pioneer for March is Dick Gregory, civil rights hero and
comedian who very early extended to animals the principles of
nonviolence that he learned from Martin Luther King, Jr.
You can read this issue at
http://www.vegetarianfriends.net/issue41.html
Toward the Peaceable Kingdom,
Gracia Fay Ellwood, Editor
2. Animals Platform
In this election year, we should consider how candidates stand on
animal issues. For general legislative goals, check out the National
Council for Animal Protection’s Animals Platform Working Group comments
at
http://animalsandsociety.org/resources/index.php?pid=40&tpid=8
3. Comment on The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael
Pollan
Pollan discusses how animals on modern factory farms routinely
experience painful mutilations without painkillers, stressful crowding,
and chronic frustration due to their inability to express instinctive
drives. The practice of “Tail-docking” pigs illustrates the inherent
cruelty of factory farming. Farmers remove piglets from their mothers at
ten days, and the pigs retain a life-long desire to suck and chew. If
given the chance, they would bite neighboring pigs’ tails. Normal pigs
would fight off such attacks, but stressed, chronically depressed pigs
often fail to fight back. Their skin could become infected, which would
cost money to treat, leaving farmers with a choice to absorb this
expense or kill infected pigs. In order to stop pigs from engaging in
this tail-biting “vice,” the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has recommended
that farmers cut off most of the piglets’ tail, which is done without
painkillers. However, farmers leave a small stump, which is very
sensitive. Consequently, if another pig tries to bite a pig’s tail
stump, the pain will be so intense that the pig will fight back,
reducing the risk of an infection. While such a strategy to avoid this
consequence of factory farming strikes me as diabolical, it makes
perfect economic sense, as long as the pain and suffering of pigs have
no value. (p. 218)
Stephen Kaufman, M.D.
4. Upcoming Leafleting Opportunities
FL 3/16 Tampa Beyond Measure Tour with tobyMac
TX 3/21 Arlington Beyond Measure Tour with tobyMac
CA 3/21 San Diego The Katinas Christian Rock Concert
NC 3/21 Asheville New Song Christian Rock Concert
CA 3/22 Santa Barbara The Katinas Christian Rock
Concert
GA 3/22 Atlanta Natalie Grant Relentless Tour
NE 3/28 Omaha Women of Faith Conference
SC 3/28 Greenville Extraordinary Women Conference
FL 3/28 Jacksonville Living Proof Live with Beth Moore
FL 3/28 New Port Richtie Natalie Grant Relentless Tour
FL 3/29 Boca Raton Natalie Grant Relentless Tour
FL 3/30 Vero Beach Natalie Grant Relentless Tour
AR 4/4 Little Rock Women of Faith Conference
FL 4/4 Miami The Katinas Christian Rock Concert
FL 4/5 Kendall The Katinas Christian Rock Concert
SD 4/9 Brookings Natalie Grant Relentless Tour
MO 4/10 Kansas City Natalie Grant Relentless Tour
WA 4/12 Seattle Natalie Grant Relentless Tour
CA 4/12 Fresno Women of Faith Conference
DC 4/15 Washington Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the
USA (huge!)
NY 4/18 New York Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the USA
(huge!)
WA 4/18 Spokane Women of Faith Conference
To find out about all upcoming leafleting and tabling opportunities
in your area, join the CVA Calendar Group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group.christian_vegetarian/ . Read the home
page, and then join. You will then be able to log in anytime to identify
upcoming events in your region. Contact Paris at
christian_vegetarian@yahoo.com if you might be able to help.