Questions for an animal activist

[Char-x]

I wasnt sure where to put this as it isn't primarily vegetarian specific, however I also dont think it should get into an argument, but put it here incase.

Basically I was wondering if anyone could come up with FAQ's when it comes to animal rights and why someone such as myself and many of you think the way we do, as I want to do a blog on various sites I'm on, such as MySpace & Bebo (which I use to educate people on animal rights subjects).

I'm oftern getting asked questions like "yes but I spose you use medicane, arent you being a hypocrite" or "where do you get you're protein from being a vege". I have rigurously studied, researched and looked at most if not all animal rights subjects from you're domestic abuse (neglect), to bullfighting or the wool industry in Australia since I was about ten. So I want to educate others on the subjects.

So, any questions anyone could think of to go into my FAQ I would be greatful - I wont answer them on here but I will paste my blog when it's complete. I'm not a vegan by the way, as I do eat things like cheesy pizzas, but I barely, if ever infact, eat cheese alone, eggs or milk as I am against that industry too. I am against anything that includes animal cruelty.

Questions, Myths anything...just post it. If I can't answer it I just won't include it.

My ideas so far:

*Even if you're a vegetarian you won't save anymore animals they will be eaten by someone else

*Choose between a human and an animal (animal testing) - ALWAYS ASKED THIS

*What alternatives are there to animal testing

*You must take medicane, so surely you're a hypocrite

*You animal activists would be the last to offer yourself as a human subject

*PETA kills animals

*Where do you get you're protein/vits/minerals from?

*What about fake fur?

*Leather comes from meat, if I eat meat I can use leather

*All the cosmetics that are not tested on animals are expensive/give me a reaction

*Malteasers/Mars/Meat/whatever etc are too tasty to give up (this makes me annoyed )

*Dairy doesnt harm anything, it doesnt include any deaths.

*Fox hunting is a tradition/sport/good way to keep populations down

*Fur is the warmest things ever

*In the UK/USA they use good methods that result in quick deaths - meat industry

*What about the plants you eat, you're hurting them too

Anymore?

PS) I would also like to link pages for more information on subjects I can't cover fully in a single blog. So any really good links would be great, thanks everyone

[Mommy Of One]

*What if you were stranded on an island with nothing but meat, would you eat the animal or die?

[PhoenixFeather]

May I suggest, if you haven't already, that you read this article:

Personal Purity vs. Effective Advocacy

It's an excellent essay on how if we make vegetarianism or other animal rights issues seem "too hard", we turn people off and they do nothing.

I think it's important to let people know that every little bit helps. If they eat less meat, that helps animals. If they buy some products that weren't tested on animals, that helps animals. If people don't feel that it has to be "all or nothing" they are more likely to do "something".

Good luck with your guide.

May I also suggest that you have someone proofread for spelling and grammar before you post. Many people will take your guide a lot more seriously if it is free of major errors.

[Ly&Pigs]

On many islands there are other resources. There are usually fruits and nuts and there is the ocean where one could fish. I know vegans don't eat fish but many vegetarians do eat fish.

[Char-x]

PF - I always do that about how it's so easy to do all these things. I will write it out on word first too to check errors, I usually do it for posts on here but it makes them go weird for me like adds in weird codes and it was nearly 1am when I wrote that post (about 5pm in the USA?).

Mommy of One - Great question, thanks...

LY - I don't personally eat fish, but I will mention alternatives..

[Susan9608]

PETA has a list of FAQ almost identical to the one you're proposing. Why not just link to theirs? Not to diminish your idea, but why do the same work twice? They usually have no problem with you copying their info, too, so you could just copy the answers directly. Besides, most of the info and answers you and everyone else will come up with will have come from their site anyways.

About PETA >> FAQs >> General

About PETA >> FAQs >> Animals Used for Clothing

About PETA >> FAQs >> Animals Used for Entertainment

http://www.peta.org/about/faq-viv.asp

About PETA >> FAQs >> Companion Animals

About PETA >> FAQs >> Vegetarianism/Vegan

About PETA >> FAQs >> Wildlife

[Char-x]

Thanks, I had never seen those before...I want to put my own view across since most people have this anti-Peta thing lodged in their heads, and also because I may not share their oppinion on some things Thanks for the links I will take a peep!

Edit: Oh I have seen the general FAQ's before, some good ideas on there

[ferndalezoo]

will probably get some flack for this, but bear with me please. Let me state up front that I am NOT vegetarian. I do have some leather items in my wardrobe. I choose not to wear fur, and I'd rather not see it on anyone else. I have no opinion on "faux" fur (so long as it actually IS faux). I think drinking the breastmilk of another species is weird, but I do like cheese, and have been known to eat it. I am not against animal medical testing that has an important outcome (my son was saved by a surgery originally developed on dogs. Later, my dog was saved by the same surgery) but I am against cosmetic testing on animals. I guess you could call me a "animal rights moderate".

I'd avoid quoting PETA. Because of the extreme position of some within the organization, many people tend to block out anything else you have to say as soon as the word "PETA" comes up in conversation. On any particular issue, they may be right, but because of the bad press (much of it deserved, much of it not), many of the people you'd be trying to sway won't take it seriously if the information comes from them. Instead, try quoting from your own experience, or those of people you know/knew. Personal "testimony" goes a much longer way for me than anything some organization could drum up.

[Susan9608]

You don't have to quote PETA. That's why I said they are okay with people copying information from their website. They don't require information to be credited back to them.

I just thought it might make things easier to take advantage of their collection of questions, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.

(And FYI - we also have a "Why animal rights" section here on this forum that's written in a question and answer style.)

[Ally has U's]

I have dealt with this issue too many times to count. Another one my friends like to bring up is but you are killing the plants you are eating so their is still death involved. Though plants are living organisms, it has been proven that they do not hold feelings and emotions. They were practically put on this earth so we had something to eat and something to regulate our environment. Also barely anyone will listen to me about Iams.

Anyways I am getting off subject. What I do is I just stick each one of them with the truth and if they are willing and had time I show them full detailed videos and descriptions and anything else I have time to show them online (usually from PETA but also other sources). I have successfully turned some people veg. I had my mother watch Ingrid Newkirk's movie and she told me after wards that she could barely watch any of it and that she finally understood why I am the way I am.

Facts is all you can do, the smart ones will listen; the ones who just laugh are the ones who really don't want to know because, then they would have to care. Tis sad yet true.

[gpigluver14]

Vegetarians do not eat fish. You are a pescatarian if you still eat fish. Whole different thing.

[Ly&Pigs]

Thanks for that gp, I am not a vegetarian nor a vegan or any level in between so I don't know the names for all the different levels of veganism.

[Char-x]

Thanks everyone for you're input...

ferndalezoo, I respect everyones oppinion, and I understand what you mean about not being taken seriously when mentioning Peta, so I think I will do what Susan said and just base some of my questions around some of theirs and answer them with my own oppinion, as they do have some good questions I didn't think of...I will probably link to videos and try my best not to link to Peta too much but I will explain in the questions about how there are some extremeists in any groups that are based around passion, even religions etc also the ALF do say no animals or humans should be harmed in the operations of saving animals so it's ethier a few bad eggs that do hurt people or mistakes really...

Does anyone here know if Peta pay people like Pamela Anderson/Pink etc to work with them or if they do it voluntarily? I always get asked, or rather told, "Why doesn't Peta spend money on the animals rather than hiring big celebrities to sway people"...

Ally, I know what you mean about those who will lisen. They are usually the most smart, open minded and mature of the lot. I've realised this alot at school, the people who will shrug it off, or laugh at it are the ones who are quite narrow minded, and immature...
I guess it's because people who are more intelligent etc realise that the point of being on the planet, and to pretty much secure humans place here abit more is to start respecting it and whats in it abit more...When I first became vegetarian I was surprised as to how many there actually were in my year, I was pleasently surprised thats for sure!