In Spain, a funny thing is happening on the way to the circus - all of the monkeys are disappearing.
At least, that is what a group of legislators on an environmental committee is hoping will happen, now that parliament is considering a resolution to grant certain human rights to "our nonhuman brothers" - great apes, gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees and orangutans. The measure has broad support and, barring the unexpected, is likely to become law within a year. After enactment, harmful experimentation on apes, as well as their use for circuses, television commercials and films, will be prohibited. It will be legal for the 350 apes in Spanish zoos to stay there, but their conditions will have to be drastically improved.
With one stroke, Spain will also become the first country to acknowledge unequivocally the legal rights of nonhumans.
More from Source: Human rights should not be afforded to animals -- Newsday.com
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Human rights should not be afforded to animals
Thursday, April 10, 2008
One reason why religion is not animal friendly
EULESS, Texas (AP) — A Santeria priest has filed an appeal in federal court after he lost his religious-freedom challenge to a city ban on animal slaughter.
The Washington-based Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed an appeal Tuesday on behalf of Jose Merced to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
"The First Amendment was written to protect the ability of all faiths to worship in their own homes and in their own way," Kevin "Seamus" Hasson, president of the Becket Fund said in a statement. "People of all faiths should be concerned when the government says someone cannot practice their religion in their own home."
Merced — an Oba, or priest — said animal sacrifices are an essential devotion in Santeria, a religion that emerged in Cuba when Yoruba slaves fused elements of Roman Catholicism with their religious traditions from Africa.
Merced sought a permit from Euless officials but was denied permission to sacrifice goats as part of a religious ceremony. For the rite, a 4-inch blade is used to sever an animal's carotid artery, letting blood fall on a shrine. The animal is then prepared and eaten.
Euless officials have insisted in court that local sanitation ordinances prohibit the slaughter of certain kinds of animals inside city limits. Officials could not discuss the case because the city does not comment on pending litigation, said Euless spokeswoman Betsy Deck.
U.S. District Judge John McBryde ruled in favor of the city of Euless last month, saying Merced could perform his animal sacrifices elsewhere, but not in the Fort Worth suburb.
In 1993, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye in Hialeah, Fla., and issued an opinion protecting the rights of Santeria practitioners to ritually slaughter animals.
Source: The Associated Press: Religion News in Brief
The Washington-based Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed an appeal Tuesday on behalf of Jose Merced to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.
"The First Amendment was written to protect the ability of all faiths to worship in their own homes and in their own way," Kevin "Seamus" Hasson, president of the Becket Fund said in a statement. "People of all faiths should be concerned when the government says someone cannot practice their religion in their own home."
Merced — an Oba, or priest — said animal sacrifices are an essential devotion in Santeria, a religion that emerged in Cuba when Yoruba slaves fused elements of Roman Catholicism with their religious traditions from Africa.
Merced sought a permit from Euless officials but was denied permission to sacrifice goats as part of a religious ceremony. For the rite, a 4-inch blade is used to sever an animal's carotid artery, letting blood fall on a shrine. The animal is then prepared and eaten.
Euless officials have insisted in court that local sanitation ordinances prohibit the slaughter of certain kinds of animals inside city limits. Officials could not discuss the case because the city does not comment on pending litigation, said Euless spokeswoman Betsy Deck.
U.S. District Judge John McBryde ruled in favor of the city of Euless last month, saying Merced could perform his animal sacrifices elsewhere, but not in the Fort Worth suburb.
In 1993, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye in Hialeah, Fla., and issued an opinion protecting the rights of Santeria practitioners to ritually slaughter animals.
Source: The Associated Press: Religion News in Brief
Saturday, March 1, 2008
survey
I got this over at Vegan Vidi Vici.
1. If you have to choose between locally grown or organic, which do you usually choose?
I guess organic. I would like to get to our local farmers market more often, but I live in Michigan; a place of long winters.
2. Favorite way to prepare potatoes:
Mashed. Specifically red potatoes with the skin left on.
3. Do you press your tofu before preparing/cooking it (if you eat soy)?
No.
4. Name your favorite recipe that is a tradition in your family:
Tamale casserole. I've yet to figure out a vegan variant.
5. Any food allergies?
None.
6. When you want to go to a fancy dinner, where do you go?
Used to go to our local Indian restaurant, but they've closed down. It wasn't "fancy" but they had excellent food.
7. When you have a cold, what do you crave?
Water.
8. What kind of water do you drink? (Filtered, spring, tap, etc.)
Tap.
9. Name a flavor of soda you'd love to see:
Hmm...I can't think of any.
10. If the recipes you ate as a child were compiled into a cookbook, what would the title be?
"Po' Boy: How to Make Due With What You Got."
11. If you were allowed to grow one food that can't grow in your climate, what would it be?
Avacado.
12. Favorite type of mushroom?
Shitake.
13. Most frustrating part of your kitchen?
The sink and counter space there (or lack thereof).
14. Last food you burned?
Pizza.
15. Usual response to a veg*n's favorite question, "But where do you get your protein?":
Soy and veggies.
16. If you were baking your own birthday cake today, what flavor would it be?
German Chocolate (vegan variant).
17. Favorite brand of chocolate chips?
I don't buy chocolate chips.
18. You have $200 of your tax return reserved for Williams Sonoma- What do you buy?
Just looked up Williams Sonoma. Wow! That's a hard one.
I'd have to say: I wouldn't after looking at the prices. That stuff is way too expensive.
19. Do you plan your menus in advance? Any tips to share?
No.
20. You have 3 minutes before you have to leave the house and you're starving- What do you eat?
Toast.
21. If Martha Stewart, Paula Deen, and Rachel Ray got into a fight, who would win and how?
I dunno.
22. If you eat oatmeal, what do you add to it before serving?
Plain? Brown sugar.
23. If you got to travel to one country and learn all the traditional dishes there, where would you go (ignore commitments in your current place of residence)?
Ethiopia.
24. Favorite late night snack?
Popcorn.
25. Favorite springtime food?
Tofu-salad sandwich, potato salad and chips.
26. Favorite food-related magazine?
I don't have one.
27. Which do you prefer: shoyu, tamari, conventional soy sauce, or Bragg's Aminos?
Kikkoman (it's probably not vegan). That's what's in my cupboard.
28. What vegetable or fruit do you dislike the most?
Rutabaga.
29. Name a holiday food you look forward to all year long:
I miss corned beef and cabbage. I've found a seitan recipe that I intend to make one of these days.
30. If you could convert anyone to veganism with your magic wand, who would you convert?
My mom.
1. If you have to choose between locally grown or organic, which do you usually choose?
I guess organic. I would like to get to our local farmers market more often, but I live in Michigan; a place of long winters.
2. Favorite way to prepare potatoes:
Mashed. Specifically red potatoes with the skin left on.
3. Do you press your tofu before preparing/cooking it (if you eat soy)?
No.
4. Name your favorite recipe that is a tradition in your family:
Tamale casserole. I've yet to figure out a vegan variant.
5. Any food allergies?
None.
6. When you want to go to a fancy dinner, where do you go?
Used to go to our local Indian restaurant, but they've closed down. It wasn't "fancy" but they had excellent food.
7. When you have a cold, what do you crave?
Water.
8. What kind of water do you drink? (Filtered, spring, tap, etc.)
Tap.
9. Name a flavor of soda you'd love to see:
Hmm...I can't think of any.
10. If the recipes you ate as a child were compiled into a cookbook, what would the title be?
"Po' Boy: How to Make Due With What You Got."
11. If you were allowed to grow one food that can't grow in your climate, what would it be?
Avacado.
12. Favorite type of mushroom?
Shitake.
13. Most frustrating part of your kitchen?
The sink and counter space there (or lack thereof).
14. Last food you burned?
Pizza.
15. Usual response to a veg*n's favorite question, "But where do you get your protein?":
Soy and veggies.
16. If you were baking your own birthday cake today, what flavor would it be?
German Chocolate (vegan variant).
17. Favorite brand of chocolate chips?
I don't buy chocolate chips.
18. You have $200 of your tax return reserved for Williams Sonoma- What do you buy?
Just looked up Williams Sonoma. Wow! That's a hard one.
I'd have to say: I wouldn't after looking at the prices. That stuff is way too expensive.
19. Do you plan your menus in advance? Any tips to share?
No.
20. You have 3 minutes before you have to leave the house and you're starving- What do you eat?
Toast.
21. If Martha Stewart, Paula Deen, and Rachel Ray got into a fight, who would win and how?
I dunno.
22. If you eat oatmeal, what do you add to it before serving?
Plain? Brown sugar.
23. If you got to travel to one country and learn all the traditional dishes there, where would you go (ignore commitments in your current place of residence)?
Ethiopia.
24. Favorite late night snack?
Popcorn.
25. Favorite springtime food?
Tofu-salad sandwich, potato salad and chips.
26. Favorite food-related magazine?
I don't have one.
27. Which do you prefer: shoyu, tamari, conventional soy sauce, or Bragg's Aminos?
Kikkoman (it's probably not vegan). That's what's in my cupboard.
28. What vegetable or fruit do you dislike the most?
Rutabaga.
29. Name a holiday food you look forward to all year long:
I miss corned beef and cabbage. I've found a seitan recipe that I intend to make one of these days.
30. If you could convert anyone to veganism with your magic wand, who would you convert?
My mom.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Animal Testing and Research Ethics (Talk of the Nation, Science Friday - NPR)
I caught bits and pieces of this and thought I'd like to share with everybody.
Listen:
RM
WM
mp3
podcast One of the most contentious topics in medical research is the issue of experimentation on animals. It's a topic in which middle ground can be hard to find.
Animal models are used in many types of research, from testing new surgical procedures to establishing toxicity levels for chemical compounds. In this hour, we'll talk about the issue of performing medical experiments on animals. How well do animal models predict what might happen in humans? What alternatives to animal testing are there, and how well do they work? Are there times when animal research is clearly justified? Join Joe Palca and guests in this segment for a discussion of animal testing, alternatives to testing, and research ethics. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.
Guests
William Stokes
Director, National Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Chapel Hill, NC
Jonathan Wolff
Member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics
Professor and Department Head, Philosophy
University College London
London, England, UK
Michael Conn
Co-author, "The Animal Research War"
Associate Director, Oregon National Primate Research Center
Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, Oregon
Related Links
Segment produced by:Molly WebsterThursday, February 28, 2008
Something to think about.
This is a short post. Just food for thought (mostly to all the omnivores out there).
How would most people feel about their childrens schools taking their children on a field trip to see the inside of a slaughter-house? Let me add that there is no political motivation whatsoever on the part of the teacher or the school. It's a simple field trip. You know, to get the kids to understand the general agricultural business by which we feed most of the country. It's a simple field trip. Let's say that hypothetically the slaughter-house felt open enough to allow complete access to it's entire operation with strict assurances to the safety of the children.
Would anybody, as a parent feel comfortable with this? I will hazard a guess here and say: no. Why? Because it would be horrible for children to witness these animals being slaughtered. This would be the explanation why a parent would not want their children to go on such a field trip.
Horrible, and traumatic? Well, why would this be horrible and traumatic? Could it be that somehow, deep down we know it's wrong? It's the same reason we don't let children watch violence and pornography on television. Society has deemed it immoral to allow children to view such things. The same goes for the slaughter-house.
Yet somehow it's not wrong to feed your children Chicken McNuggets, Junior Whoppers and Ball Park Franks. While you savor that medium rare rib-eye steak.
Just do this for me every time you eat meat: think about where it comes from and how it came to be on your plate.
How would most people feel about their childrens schools taking their children on a field trip to see the inside of a slaughter-house? Let me add that there is no political motivation whatsoever on the part of the teacher or the school. It's a simple field trip. You know, to get the kids to understand the general agricultural business by which we feed most of the country. It's a simple field trip. Let's say that hypothetically the slaughter-house felt open enough to allow complete access to it's entire operation with strict assurances to the safety of the children.
Would anybody, as a parent feel comfortable with this? I will hazard a guess here and say: no. Why? Because it would be horrible for children to witness these animals being slaughtered. This would be the explanation why a parent would not want their children to go on such a field trip.
Horrible, and traumatic? Well, why would this be horrible and traumatic? Could it be that somehow, deep down we know it's wrong? It's the same reason we don't let children watch violence and pornography on television. Society has deemed it immoral to allow children to view such things. The same goes for the slaughter-house.
Yet somehow it's not wrong to feed your children Chicken McNuggets, Junior Whoppers and Ball Park Franks. While you savor that medium rare rib-eye steak.
Just do this for me every time you eat meat: think about where it comes from and how it came to be on your plate.
Short Note
I have decided to ditch my one blog Vegan News & Current Events and create a blog that is more personal. More of a bitch and ranting journal...what a blog is really about (to me anyway). For a while I just couldn't think of anything for the name. One was: "You still eat fish?" Maybe I'll still use that as a subtitle.
Anyway. Enjoy my irascible, cantankerous and oft-times inebriated posts...or not.
Anyway. Enjoy my irascible, cantankerous and oft-times inebriated posts...or not.
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