The first (and only) time I’ve
had the pleasure of meeting Lee Hall in person, was at the 2011 VegFest in San Francisco.
But, this was no feel good or warm and fuzzy presentation. And to be honest, afterwards my friend and I had feelings of doom accompanied by a “it just seems hopeless” attitude. This was no slight against Lee. It was just that hearing in one sitting all the gory details of how we as humans have reeked such havoc on the Earth and all of its inhabitants, leaving so much death and destruction in our wake, was a lot to digest.
I have absolutely no regrets because it was worth it to hear and see one of my favorite activists in the vegan community.
Lee's work has always
challenged me to think more critically about our relationship with animals and
theirs with us.
So a few months ago when Lee
asked if I would read a draft of their latest book and give my feedback, I felt honored. Even more so when I learned that Lee would
include my questions in the final draft when it was published. (In chapter six)
The book, On Their Own Terms: Animal Liberation for the 21st Century is an updated edition of the same title originally
published in 2010. The common thread throughout
is one of uncommon respect for both the Earth and all its inhabitants. I say uncommon because while the popular
vegan slogan “why love one but eat the other?” comparing our pets (dog and
cats) with animals raised for our consumption is compelling, Lee asks us to
question whether it was ever right to do either?
Lee makes a strong case for taking
an active role in reversing the effects of centuries of selective breeding. Universal neutering is presented as the most
logical action to take, along with making the choice to breed no more. Over time, this could enable their
counterparts in the wild (like wolves and wildcats) to regain more of their original
habitats lost due to domestication.
While Lee concedes that much
of our interaction with domesticated cats and dogs is positive and loving,
there are still millions of them that end up abused, abandoned, or
euthanized. They are forever dependent
and at our mercy because they’ve been
bred that way.
When it comes to farm animals,
I hadn’t considered the negative consequences beyond the slaughter that awaits
them at the end of their short lives. But they are not the only ones who suffer as a result of our
appetites. Those in the wild pay a high price as well.
From chapter one, page seven, “ …Meanwhile,
free-living animals remain invisible. How do they stand a chance as long as we
entitle ourselves to the lands on which they live, and they are not seen by us
as having any such claims at all?”
Lee also questions the understandable feelings of outrage over factory farming and animal mistreatment as the motivation for going and remaining vegan and shares what else needs to be considered.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you are open to stepping out of your comfort zone and having your assumptions about animal rights and veganism challenged, you will not be disappointed.
To learn more about Lee' and their work, check out the links below..
Lee’s blog
Books
On Their Own Terms:Animal Liberation for the 21st Century
Capers in the Churchyard: Animal Rights Advocacy In the Age of Terror
Dining with Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine
On Their Own Terms:Animal Liberation for the 21st Century
Capers in the Churchyard: Animal Rights Advocacy In the Age of Terror
Dining with Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine
with Priscilla Feral
Interviews and Articles
Lee Hall, Animals, Environment & the Law
Veganism Defined by Lee Hall
How the Unfairness of Being a Pet Gets Missed in Advocacy
What Are Animal Rights? The Vegan Peace Declaration
For Animal Rights & Human Rights: A Case for Breed-Specific Legislation
Veganism Defined by Lee Hall
Veganism Defined by Lee Hall
Excellent and thought-provoking book. Happy to see you are promoting it. Needs to get widely publicized.
ReplyDeleteI agree Jack.
DeleteThanks so much for stopping by. :)