Comments | veganpeople: animal welfare group

fingers_to_fist in veganpeople

animal welfare group

Dec 17, 2006 23:10

hello, i'm fairly new here and i'm in the process of starting an animal welfare group in my school to try to get people more involved in animal rights and the world in general. it seems that animal welfare is a good place to start. i myself am a vegan now, almost a lifelong vegetarian beforehand, and there are a whole slew of people who are new to ( Read more... )

advice-newbie questions, activism-grassroots organising, animal advocacy groups, animal welfare

Comments 4

turnyourback December 18 2006, 03:52:08 UTC

you should probably start by changing it to an animal rights group.

ihaveagstring December 18 2006, 11:56:35 UTC

Just what I was about to say =p

But! Don't go more then 3 topics... our uni group for example are focusing on cage eggs, vivisection and spreading the green word (eg. promoting veg*nism). It'll help you stay focused. Plan functions (including vegan eatouts) and print off flyers! To action my fellow green warriors!!

fingers_to_fist December 18 2006, 21:17:40 UTC

we were discussing that. the only thing is, animal rights has a really negative connotation, especially here. we may decide to change it, i'm not really sure, but i think animal rights usually connects people with the idea of protests and splashing paint on fur, and even though it's kind of ignorant to say the least, i'm trying hard to make it broad just to make people become more interested and maybe not as scared of joining... not that i mind that :).

turil December 18 2006, 19:36:08 UTC

If you are interested in animal rights (as opposed to just being nice to other species out of the kindness of your heart), I would suggest really getting to the root of the issue by exploring why we humans believe in the idea of "rights" in the first place, and how we choose to draw the line of who is given rights and who isn't. Consider what the defining characteristics of someone (of any species) you think deserves rights, and see how detailed you can make that distinction. For example, to have the basic right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (aka, filling one's basic needs)" do you need to have self-awareness? Be able to feel physical pain? Have emotions? Have an IQ over 100? Not be ugly? Be alive? Something else? Also, if there are levels of rights - right to vote, right to social assistance, right to physical protection, freedom to travel, right to a home, etc. - how do you decide who gets what? And how do you determine when someone's rights are being violated if you can't talk to them directly with the ( ... )