NZ Vegan Podcast

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Just want to say I was never trying to hide my identity! I am proud of who I am. I just thought my nickname was unusual and unique and would draw attention, and there are so many Elizabeth Collins out there. I am NOT the Elizabeth Collins that writes/wrote articles for PETA!!!

Anyway, my friends from New York have been calling me Knuckles for as long as I can remember, it is my nickname, but everyone knows my real name because that is how it is shown on Gary Francione's site for example - it was never about hiding my name. But if I ever deal with someone who is looking for a reason to judge or make snap decisions, using my nickname may work against me, and well, you never know. So there you go. You can still call me Knuckles if you like! I don't care either way. But officially, podcast-wise, I'm dropping the moniker.

And I put a photo (another great suggestion from Doug) - it was taken by me on my camera phone in NYC in very early November 2007, only a couple of weeks after I saw Earthlings and went vegan. I had just that minute returned from being away at a wedding that I had promised to go to, and it was a great wedding of two of my closest friends and was beautiful, but in order to attend I had to leave my baby to go to Vegas for three days. This photo was taken minutes after we were reunited, and you can see the relief in her little face. I came back! Can you imagine what it is like for them when we leave them like that? I hope to never have to do it to her again.

Thanks to Doug Hines.

http://www.eatraworganicsunshine.com/why_no_meat_.html

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Hi

I made an embarrassing mistake in my last episode. Please accept my apologies to Dan Cudahy and Roger Yates for messing up. Roger's website is On Human-Nonhuman Relations:

http://human-nonhuman.blogspot.com/

and Dan's website is called Unpopular Vegan Essays:

http://unpopularveganessays.blogspot.com/

I am so sorry for making that mistake. Please check out these great blogs. Forgive me Dan and Roger.

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This week I talk about my personal experiences trying to work and earn a living as a vegan in a non-vegan world. I also talk about an interesting reaction I had (the way I reacted not the other people) upon being given my very first opportunity ever to address a group of relative strangers about veganism.

I also talk about Colleen Patrick-Goudreau with whom many people are already very familiar. So far I have not done any more than go to the iTunes Store and read a few of the 255 reviews, and listen to a couple of minutes of a show, all of which I just did now actually (although I am now of course a subscriber and will be listening to every single episode!). Even without listening any further and just by reading the reviews I know that this is someone I can learn from. I can't wait to hear all the podcasts. I have put a link in the link section to her podcast Food for Thought:

http://www.compassionatecooks.com/podcast.htm

and I also recommend going to the iTunes Store and reading some of the reviews. This is further proof of the effectiveness of peaceful vegan activism. I am grateful to those people who informed me about Colleen's podcast, it is very inspiring, re-affirming and empowering to see such effective vegan activism. I haven't had a real chance to listen yet - I am going off of what I have been told, and the incredible comments left by people about the podcast on the iTunes Store. I look forward to learning from and being inspired by such effective vegan activism.

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This Episode I mention how important it is to be in touch with reality no matter how painful it is. I think it is the best way to live, and it also allows us to embrace life, and only by being in touch with the reality of the world we are living in can we be effective in helping to better that world. I talk about the dreams I have which are not fantasies, but rather are about a future that I will probably never get to live long enough to see, which is however, a plausible future, a plausible reality. I wistfully imagine what it would be like being there to help solve the problems that will be need to be solved in a vegan or at least a more vegan world - how to undo the damage to the environment, how to help the surviving domestic animals and provide homes for them for the rest of their natural lives, how to sustain ourselves as ecologically as possible. These are my dreams; my reality is I am here in this utterly non-vegan world, and before we can solve the issues that will arise in a vegan world we must first wake people up to veganism. But I also feel that veganism and ahimsa go so much further than just abolishing the direct use of animals as our renewable resources; there are other ways that we as a species destroy the lives of non-humans for so many other frivolous reasons. We need to learn how to live, we need enlightenment, because our methods of entertaining ourselves as a species are also unnecessary, and are also causing the destruction of the non-humans we share our world with. If you want to know what enlightenment is, watch an animal. They know how to live, and we have a lot to learn from them. Observe how they live, and I don't mean copying their physical lifestyles, I mean watch how they enjoy the moment, something we have forgotten how to do. If we learn to appreciate life by living in reality the way they do we will learn how to live again. And we won't need to "entertain" ourselves with noise polluting machines and virtual worlds and violence and other destructive activities. Noise pollution is one of the most destructive and harmful side effects of our constant search for "entertainment". So we also need to face those truths. But those are my dreams only; my reality is firstly to try to open up people to change the fundamental way we look at all other living things, and that starts with educating people about the basic reasons for veganism, which starts with seeing the moral imperative of abolishing the use of animals as our renewable resources. Then we will be able to lead ourselves to address the other issues we have a duty and a responsibility to be real about.

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This week I try to articulate my thoughts about abolition veganism as a movement, as a cause that is becoming reality, because I am starting to think that we are at the beginning of something that may one day, albeit perhaps long after we are gone, be called a movement. The more people I am finding out about who are promoting abolitionist veganism, the more I realize that something has really begun. Something that actually will make a difference, unlike the last 200 years. It's very probable it has begun purely because of one man, Gary Francione; that is often how great movements are begun, but they only get going when people finally pay attention, and get involved, and get behind that person, then it becomes two people, then three then hundreds until it becomes a real grass roots movement. Think of all the great movements in history... However, I am trying to remind myself that firstly, if this IS the beginning of a movement, of a grass roots abolitionist veganism movement, then it is the absolute beginning, and I have to continue doing it whether I get to see any of the fruits of the labours in my lifetime or not. I will do it because it is all I can do. I cannot get hung up on results or tallies, because all I can do is be part of the beginning, and continue for the rest of my life. We are all human beings so we are all part of the problem. None of us is innocent, the only ones who are truly innocent are the animals. So I try also to remember that it is not about me. It is always about them.

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This week I say hi and thank you to people who listened to the Gary Francione interview and other episodes and got in touch with me to offer support and I have provided links to their fantastic websites in my list of links. I reinforce why I am only comfortable with peaceful, abolitionist vegan activism, because otherwise I would not be being true to myself. I talk about how animals, unlike women or human slaves, will never be able to start their own movement or create an agenda or a political party etc etc, obviously, so they will never have a way of helping themselves from this situation that we have placed them all in. It is only up to us to help them, right through to the end.

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Part 2 of my interview with Professor Gary Francione in which we continue the discussion of abolitionist veganism as a concept and as a method of activism. We also discuss the importance of the promotion of peace and non-violence in contrast to the troubling violence committed by some animal activists. We talk about the relationship between Human Rights and Animal Rights. We discuss capitalizing on peoples' empathy towards animals, and using that to expose them to the truth of the matter, and Professor Francione illustrates how every person can be a leader and an example in his or her own life. Enjoy! Thank you, Professor Francione.

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This week I have a very special guest on the show, Professor Gary Francione! Anyone who has listened to my podcast knows that I am a huge admirer of Professor Francione. His words and his philosophy of abolition are what inspired me to change my life, he is my favourite speaker on the issues, of course, and is an amazing person to have a discussion with. In Part 1 of the interview I ask Professor Francione to talk about his beginnings as an animal activist, how he developed his theory of abolition and why he does not support the animal welfare methods that are so widely promoted all over the world. I also ask for any advice for people like myself with regard to spreading this message of abolition in a non-violent, non-judgmental yet effective way. Enjoy!

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This week I want to clarify what I mean when I talk about being patient and tolerant. Unfortunately, at this point in time, we are fighting against something that is actually publicly defended as morally justified, unlike other causes such as fighting against racism or child abuse, and unlike those other causes we do not have the majority opinion, or even 20% or even 10% hell we don't even have 5% of public opinion on our side, so until we get enough of a percentage of people who truly believe we should not be exploiting animals in any way whatsoever, and who see why we are saying it is a question of morality, just like racism and child abuse etc are questions of morality, we have no real power to take action, and I believe the only way we can get that percentage of the population we need to have power, is to educate people with patience and tolerance. We must be careful not to turn people off from ever embracing the idea of veganism, which is simply the abolition of animal use, however at present we are so incredibly outnumbered. Right now, they look around them, and 99% of the world is doing it. If they look around, and only 80% is doing it, well that is much more effective. We need more vegans or we will not be able to make any difference.

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This week I have a special guest on the show, Jordan Wyatt, who joins me from the South Island of New Zealand, from the city of Invercargill. We talk about protesting, activism and his experience as a young male vegan. We also talk about how it is to live in a small town or city where there are no resources for vegans for things like personal care products etc. Also a shout out to Nancy and Nick who are listeners who sent me emails all the way from America and Canada. Thanks so much for contacting me and for listening. And thanks to Jordan for coming on the show.

Links to companies that make vegan personal care products:

http://www.jason-natural.com/

http://www.lush.com/

and to groups that provide information about companies:

http://www.uncaged.co.uk/crueltyfree.htm

http://leapingbunny.org/indexcus.php

This is link to an online store where you can buy Vegan products if you live in New Zealand, and you can go to the physical store in St. Kevins Arcade off Karangahape Road in Auckland. Note: I am not endorsing any welfare campaigns, I am simply endorsing this store and its vegan products.

http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.nz/index.php