THE WORLD IS VEGAN! If you want it.

Last week, Gary Francione made a podcast describing his new campaign for veganism for the new year (scroll down to the bottom of the page for a link to his podcast, "The Abolitionist Approach Commentary"). The message was simple: The world is vegan, if you want it. He adapted it from John Lennon's campaign for peace during the Vietnam war, similarly titled, "The war is over, if you want it." What an empowering statement. I think this is a perfect message to be sending to the vegan (and nonvegan) community, especially now that ethical veganism has begun gaining momentum in the states this past year. I think many people refuse to closely examine the issue of animal rights because they feel there is nothing they can do to change the system, let alone their own daily habits. This kind of thinking is not only disempowering, but it's downright untrue. Perhaps this lie is one that's been fed to us over the years, or one we tell ourselves to disuage a gnawing fear that we are not, perhaps, as innocent as we once thought. But we all have the power to choose what we put in our mouths and wear on our bodies. Despite common assumption, the power to decide the fate of animals lays not in the hands of the meat, egg and dairy corporations; it is with the consumer buying their products.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Gandhi