To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

Protest Against Sexist Comments from Bear Hunter Mark T Hall

I've been in the news quite a few times because of my work against the New Jersey bear hunt with the BEAR Group, but this was the first time the I've personally been in the crosshairs. On December 1, 2011, Mark T. Hall, a bear hunter and attorney with New Jersey law firm Morgan, Melhuish and Abrutyn, posted on a hunting forum, "I Promise to Shoot one of the following bears in Your Honor Doris Lin Be sure to check back for pics of the bruin in the back of my truck! Thanks for the Hunt Babe-and by the way you need a new wingman-the girls your hangining, man they just don't ...... well you know," with photos of several bears at a bait pile. The thread had the subject line, "Hey DORIS THIS ONE's For You (pix)." Hall also posted taunting, sexist comments on the Facebook page of animal rights group SHowing Animals Respect And Kindness (SHARK). Hall later posted photos of himself and his teenage daughter with the two bears they had killed. All of this was done without using his full name, but Hall's identity was discovered by Stu Chaifetz of SHARK.

After two demands for apologies went unanswered, SHARK, Animal Protection League of NJ and the BEAR Group organized a protest against Hall on February 2, 2012, at his office. That same day, I joined the Women in the Profession section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. A male attorney calling a female attorney "babe" is offensive, misogynistic and unprofessional, yet this is the type of attitude that colors so many personal and professional interactions. The next day, the NJ Law Journal ran an article about the protest on their front page, and I received an apology letter from Hall on February 6. Although we demanded an apology at the protest, I doubted that we would get one, so in that way, the apology was more than I was expecting. It was, however, probably the worst apology I've ever gotten. The NJ Law Journal followed up with an article about the apology.

In his letter, Hall claimed that he posted his comments "on a members only hunting website to other hunters." No, Hall knew that the website is available to the public. That's why his comments were addressed to me, not "other hunters," and referred to me in the second person. And his apology was "for any offense you took," without recognizing the objective harm and offense of misogynistic comments.

Of course, the bigger crime was the killing of the two bears. I still believe that the New Jersey bear hunt is illegal, and we have appealed to the NJ Supreme Court. But even if the hunt were conducted in compliance with all laws, it is a crime against the bears' moral, if not legal, rights.

I'm grateful for the words of support from so many animal activists. Many thanks to Stu Chaifetz and SHARK for pursuing this issue, APLNJ and the BEAR Group for co-sponsoring the protest, and Mary Gallagher of the NJ Law Journal for covering the issue.

And while the Mark T. Hall chapter may be over, I'll continue fighting the bear hunt and fighting sexism.

Photo courtesy of SHARK

Follow Me on Twitter

Like my Facebook Page

Butterball Turkey Farm Raided by Authorities After Undercover Investigation

Butterball turkey

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

To the Woman in the Boycott Puppy Mills TShirt at the Brooklyn Food Conference

I'm the first to admit that I'm a better writer than I am a public speaker. Like many, I fare much better when I've had some time to contemplate a question before I answer. When I spoke at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12, 2012, I didn't have a good answer to one question, and the answer hit me later, long after I walked away from the conference at the end of the day.

During the panel on "Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food," I spoke about how, in my opinion, sexual campaigns objectify women, promote a very narrow definition of beauty, and do little (if anything) for the animals. A young woman said that such arguments reminded her of people at gay pride parades who try to tell other parade participants not to dress too flamboyantly or too scantily.

At the time, I didn't have a good reply, but I felt in my gut that the two situations were quite different. Later, it hit me: The scantily-clad people in the gay pride parade are removing their clothes as a form of personal expression. It may be spontaneous or it may be planned, but no one is talking them into removing their clothes. On the other hand, the women taking off their clothes for a "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" ad have been told by PeTA that their nakedness is needed to help animals. The women in the PeTA ads are not merely taking off their clothes to express themselves, but are being persuaded to remove their clothes to advance animal rights - a social justice movement. But a social justice movement, in my opinion, should not offend another social justice movement in order to advance their cause.

Anyway, the Brooklyn Food Conference was an awesome event, and I have to thank Adam Weissman and the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Group for putting together the two panels on which I spoke. I highly recommend the conference - it's free, it encompasses a myriad of issues surrounding food, the lunch options included several vegan meals, activities for children allow the parents to take advantage of the conference, and there are lots of nonprofit groups and vendors offering merchandise, information, and free samples.

Protest Against Sexist Comments from Bear Hunter Mark T Hall

I've been in the news quite a few times because of my work against the New Jersey bear hunt with the BEAR Group, but this was the first time the I've personally been in the crosshairs. On December 1, 2011, Mark T. Hall, a bear hunter and attorney with New Jersey law firm Morgan, Melhuish and Abrutyn, posted on a hunting forum, "I Promise to Shoot one of the following bears in Your Honor Doris Lin Be sure to check back for pics of the bruin in the back of my truck! Thanks for the Hunt Babe-and by the way you need a new wingman-the girls your hangining, man they just don't ...... well you know," with photos of several bears at a bait pile. The thread had the subject line, "Hey DORIS THIS ONE's For You (pix)." Hall also posted taunting, sexist comments on the Facebook page of animal rights group SHowing Animals Respect And Kindness (SHARK). Hall later posted photos of himself and his teenage daughter with the two bears they had killed. All of this was done without using his full name, but Hall's identity was discovered by Stu Chaifetz of SHARK.

After two demands for apologies went unanswered, SHARK, Animal Protection League of NJ and the BEAR Group organized a protest against Hall on February 2, 2012, at his office. That same day, I joined the Women in the Profession section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. A male attorney calling a female attorney "babe" is offensive, misogynistic and unprofessional, yet this is the type of attitude that colors so many personal and professional interactions. The next day, the NJ Law Journal ran an article about the protest on their front page, and I received an apology letter from Hall on February 6. Although we demanded an apology at the protest, I doubted that we would get one, so in that way, the apology was more than I was expecting. It was, however, probably the worst apology I've ever gotten. The NJ Law Journal followed up with an article about the apology.

In his letter, Hall claimed that he posted his comments "on a members only hunting website to other hunters." No, Hall knew that the website is available to the public. That's why his comments were addressed to me, not "other hunters," and referred to me in the second person. And his apology was "for any offense you took," without recognizing the objective harm and offense of misogynistic comments.

Of course, the bigger crime was the killing of the two bears. I still believe that the New Jersey bear hunt is illegal, and we have appealed to the NJ Supreme Court. But even if the hunt were conducted in compliance with all laws, it is a crime against the bears' moral, if not legal, rights.

I'm grateful for the words of support from so many animal activists. Many thanks to Stu Chaifetz and SHARK for pursuing this issue, APLNJ and the BEAR Group for co-sponsoring the protest, and Mary Gallagher of the NJ Law Journal for covering the issue.

And while the Mark T. Hall chapter may be over, I'll continue fighting the bear hunt and fighting sexism.

Photo courtesy of SHARK

Follow Me on Twitter

Like my Facebook Page

Butterball Turkey Farm Raided by Authorities After Undercover Investigation

Butterball turkey

Urgent Action Needed Against Iowa Utah AgGag Bills

Undercover photo from Hy-Line Hatchery in Iowa, courtesy of Mercy for Animals

Whole Foods Holds Meatopia and Best Butcher Contest

I don't know how many years this has been going on, but I just discovered that Whole Foods is presenting its annual "Meatopia," a self-described "Woodstock of Edible Animals," in New York in September. The one-day event is an all-you-can-eat meat festival, complete with a Best Butcher Contest in which Whole Foods' own butchers from their stores compete. In the same press release that announces the butchery contest, the chain touts their 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating(TM) program that began two years ago. The store also rates seafood according to sustainability.

No one thinks that Whole Foods is vegan or vegetarian. You can't shop there without knowing that they sell meat. But sponsoring a festival of meat - a celebration of butchery and slaughter - is a disgusting and irresponsible display that shows their true colors. In case anyone still believed that Whole Foods cares about animals, the environment, or sustainability, this should be proof that the purpose of their ratings is to boost their own profits by convincing their customers that they can buy animal products ethically. Even though there's no such thing as humane meat and no way to sustainably raise livestock for the masses.

I don't shop at Whole Foods often because it's far away and it's expensive. They do offer many more vegan and vegetarian options than other supermarkets. But whenever someone who is trying to sell you something tells you how ethical their product is, take it with a grain of salt and investigate it yourself.

State Ag Employee Tipped Off Butterball Before Police Raid

February, 2012 update: Dr. Sarah Mason, director of animal health programs in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Poultry Division, has pled guilty to obstruction of justice and resisting, delaying or obstructing officers. She was suspended without pay for two weeks and will be required to take ethics courses, but will continue to be employed by the Department. Mason also received a 45-day jail sentence, which was suspended to a year on probation.

ABC News has discovered that Butterball was tipped off by a state employee before the December, 2011 police raid that resulted from the Mercy for Animals undercover investigation. The undercover video shot by MFA depicted workers brutalizing the turkeys, sometimes killing them. On December 28, 2011, the Hoke County Sheriff's Department raided Butterball's Shannon, North Carolina farm; authorities inspected 2,800 turkeys, seized 28 and euthanized four.

According to information uncovered by ABC News, the Hoke County District Attorney's office asked the North Carolina Department of Agriculture if they would assist in the raid, since the Ag Department is charged with inspecting livestock. An unnamed state ag employee, the Director of Animal Health Programs, then tipped off Butterball.

The Hoke County DA's office is now looking into this apparent breach of confidentiality, including executing a search warrant for information on phone calls between Butterball and the Ag Department in the days leading up to the raid.

As Nathan Runkle, executive director of MFA, puts it, ""It is deeply troubling . . . that a governmental agency that is entrusted with monitoring and overseeing agriculture and food production is so corrupt that it's in bed with the very corporate interests that were documented abusing and neglecting animals. The fox apparently is guarding the henhouse."

Given Monsanto's unsettlingly cozy relationship with the US Department of Agriculture and the increasingly murky distinction between the regulators and the regulated, perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised that someone in the NC Ag Department would want to protect a farm from an animal cruelty investigation. But in this case, the county DA's office is taking the offense very seriously. The NC Ag Department claims they are cooperating with the DA's investigation and, "Once the investigation is complete, we will take appropriate action based on the facts."

This is also further proof of why ag-gag laws are so dangerous. Without the opportunity to document infractions as they happen, it would be much more difficult for employees, investigators or prosecutors to prove crimes such as animal cruelty, illegal working conditions, food safety violations or environmental infractions. Even without a tip from an insider, a company can clean up a crime scene long before the police can get a warrant and investigate.

Image courtesy of Mercy for Animals

Suggested Links:

• Law Enforcement Raids Butterball Turkey Farm After Undercover Investigation
• ButterballAbuse.com - official site
• Factory Farming FAQ
• What are Ag-Gag Laws and Why Are They Dangerous?

Two Essay Contests on the Ethics of Meat Eating

The Ethicist from the New York Times Magazine wants to know why it's ethical to eat meat, and is holding an essay contest to try to find someone who can explain it. Ariel Kaminer points out that omnivores "say, of course, that, well, they love meat or that meat is deeply ingrained in our habit or culture or cuisine or that it's nutritious or that it's just part of the natural order . . . But few have tried to answer the fundamental ethical issue: Whether it is right to eat animals in the first place, at least when human survival is not at stake."

Why are they even having this contest? Because there's no good answer. Any answer must be based in speciesism, which is irrational and unjust. That speciesism might come from a religioius text, or cultural norms, or our legal system, but it is speciesism nonetheless.

The prize? Your essay will be published in the New York Times.

I like the contest that vegan multimedia stars Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan of Our Hen House are now running: write an essay about why it's unethical to eat meat. Now that's an essay contest. Instead of asking people to defend the indefensible, ask them to write about something that should be obvious, but that most people don't think about. And someone who reads your essay may decide to go vegan. It's a much more interesting contest, and the prize package is awesomer.

Avon Mary Kay Estee Lauder Resume Animal Testing

"Avon Killing" - a PETA campaign poster from 1989

For Earth Day Meet Mike Hudak and Me

Environmental advocate Mike Hudak and I will speak at an Earth Day event in central New Jersey, on Wednesday, April 18:

Wednesday, April 18, 2012
7:00pm
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County (Directions)
1475 West Front Street
Lincroft, NJ 07738

Mike Hudak of the Sierra Club's National Grazing Team will speak on "Liberating Western Wildlife from Scourge of Ranching," and I will give a short presentation on"How Animal Agriculture Destroys the Environment."

This event is FREE and open to the public! Light vegan refreshments will be served. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary: info@aplnj.org or 732-446-6808.

According to the United Nations, animal agriculture is "the major driver of deforestation, as well as one of the leading drivers of land degradation, pollution, climate change, overfishing, sedimentation of coastal areas and facilitation of invasions by alien species." Millions of acres of public lands, including endangered species habitat, have been destroyed by livestock grazing. To add insult to injury, American taxpayers subsidize this environmental debacle with about $450 million annually.

Mike is also the author of "Western Turf Wars", a book that exposes the politics behind the mismanagement of ranching on public lands.

The event is co-sponsored by the Animal Protection League of NJ, the NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club and Transition Red Bank.

I hope to see you on the 18th!

HBO Cancels Show After Third Horse Dies

According to an article in USA Today, HBO is canceling the show "Luck" after three horses died in separate incidents. The channel stated, "While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won't in the future . . . Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision." In a rare move after the third horse died on Tuesday, the American Humane Association, which oversees animal action in films, television shows, commercials and music videos, demanded "that all production involving horses shut down" pending an investigation.

Read more

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

Suggested Links:

• Horse Racing - If it Ain't Fixable
• Eight Belles Dies at Kentucky Derby
• What Does "No Animals Were Harmed" Mean?
• Controversies Surrounding "No Animals Were Harmed">

Canadian Seal Hunt Quota Set at 400000

An editorial from The Corner Brook Western Star that was republished in the Winnipeg Free Press asks why anyone, including animal rights activists, should care about the Canadian Fisheries Department's quota of 400,000 seals when it's doubtful that anywhere near that number will be killed. The paper argues, "Scientists and the animal-rights people say the size of the herds is falling and the quota should have been reduced. That only matters if the quota is taken, and it won't be." The problem is that no one can predict how many seals will be killed.

As the editorial correctly points out, the seals will have fewer pups this year because of the lack of sea ice. It is believed that there will also be fewer sealers out because of shrinking markets and increasing costs. The European Union banned the importation and sale of seal products in 2009. In the United States, the Marine Mammal Protection Act banned the importation of seal products in 1972.

According to the Humane Society International, a Canadian government scientist called for a reduction of the seal hunt quota to 100,000 a few weeks ago because of the impact of climate change on the seal population. HSI is calling on the Canadian government to end the hunt and buy out the sealers.

Why are sealers allowed to kill any seals at all if the seals' survival is being threatened by climate change? And regardless of whether one cares about seals or their rights, the limit should reflect the reduced seal population. The purpose of a quota is to protect the seal population. Why set a quota at all if the Fisheries Department is going to set a scientifically unjustified quota?

What you can do: Various organizations are calling for a boycott of Canadian fisheries, but such a boycott is problematic from an animal rights perspective because it implies that eating non-Canadian fish is acceptable. Harpseals.org, of which my friend Diana Marmorstein is the CEO, is coordinating events around the world, including protests in Calgary, Alberta and Boston, MA on March 31.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

• EU Bans Commercial Import and Sale of Seal Products
• Baby Seals Clubbed for Fur
• Canadian Seal Hunt is Dying
• Canada's Governor General Eats Slice of Seal Heart

Iowa Adopts Nations Fourth AgGag Law

Three employees at Aviagen Turkeys, Inc. were charged with 19 counts of animal cruelty as a result of PETA's undercover investigation.
Photo courtesy of PETA.

Undercover Video Exposes Gestation Crate Cruelty

Pig in gestation crate at Seaboard Farms, courtesy of HSUS.

Brooklyn Food Conference May 12 2012

I'll be speaking at the Brooklyn Food Conference this Saturday:

Saturday, May 12, 2012, 9am - 6pm

Brooklyn Technical High School
29 Fort Greene Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(map and directions here)

The conference features over 150 workshops in 50 classrooms. I'm speaking in two of the Occupy Wall Street Animal Issues Working Group's series of workshops. The entire series includes:

Workshop #1: 11:00AM-12:15PM

Ethics of Eating Animals (Room 5W16)
w/ Gary Francione, Julian Franklin, Lori Gruen and John Maher
(Mariann Sullivan, Moderator)

Animals and the Food Industry: A Left Critique (Room 5W24)
w/ Norman Markowitz, Sachio Ko-Yin, Katie Pryor, and Brian Dominick
(Rachel Kay, Moderator)

Access to Healthy Food and Plant-based Diets in Communities of Color (Room 5E4)
w/ Donnie Smith, Terry Hope Romero, Doris Lin, Konju Oruwari, and Bina Ahmad
(Ruth Santana, Moderator)

Workshop #2 12:30PM-1:45PM

Corporate Power, Diet, and Animal Agriculture (Room 5W22)
w/ David Kirby, Caryn Hartglass, Victoria Moran, and Milton Mills
(Nicholas Laccetti, Moderator)

Foraging for Empathy (Room 5E4)
w/ Zaac Chavis

Workshop #3: 2:00PM-3:15PM

Globalizing Agribusiness: Free Trade, Factory Farms, and Genetically Modified Food (Room 5W12)
w/ Adam Weissman and John Maher

Women, Feminism, and the Use of Animals for Food (Room 5E6)
w/ Lori Gruen, Caryn Hartglass, and Doris Lin
(Jasmin Singer, Moderator)

Workshop #4: 3:30-4:45 pm

Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Hide Slaughterhouses (Room 5W8)
w/ Victoria Moran, Gary Francione, and Timothy Pachirat
(Katie Pryor, Moderator)

Taking Action for Global Food Justice (Room 5W12)
(followup to Globalizing Agribusiness: Free Trade, Factory Farms, and Genetically Modified Food)
w/ Christina Schiavoni and Adam Weissman

Other programs include issues such as fracking, free trade and school food. There are also cooking demos and a film room.

The organizers have really made an effort to make the conference accessible to all. The event is free, and includes free child care, activities for kids, and a youth summit. The $8 lunch ($5 for a kid's lunch) includes several vegan options. Organizers are encouraging everyone to pre-register, since they're expecting 5,000 people.

If you're able to attend the conference, I hope to meet you!

Frank Siteman / Getty Images

CA Foie Gras Ban Takes Effect

The force feeding machine rolls up and down the aisles between rows of caged ducks.
Photo courtesy of Farm Sanctuary

California's foie gras ban that was signed into law in 2004 took effect on July 1, 2012. Foie gras is the fattened liver of a duck or goose, and is considered one of the cruelest factory farming practices. The liver is ten times its normal size as a result of force-feeding the birds through a metal tube shoved into their throats. The law prohibits force-feeding birds for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver, and prohibits selling the products that result from force-feeding. Because the only way to produce such an unnatural product is through force-feeding, the sale and production of foie gras is effectively banned.

CA is the first state in the U.S. to ban foie gras, but a 2006 ban in Chicago was in effect for two years before it was overturned. Israel, South Africa and several European nations have banned the force-feeding of animals for food production.

Some people have reacted as you might expect - by violating the statute and by filing a lawsuit to try to have the ban overturned.

The animal rights position is that veganism is the solution because any animal use violates that animal's rights. While some farming practices may be more cruel than others, there is no such thing as humane animal agriculture.

Speak Up Against Dangerous Hunting Bill

The Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012 (S.2066/H.R. 4089, a.k.a. "Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act") is a drastic and extreme attack on wildlife and the environment, and has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the Animal Welfare Institute, the bill would:

• Require that the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of the Interior open nearly all public lands to recreational hunting, and provide that they may do so without following the environmental review processes required under the National Environmental Policy Act; and
• Eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to protect wildlife, habitat, and people from lead and other toxic substances released by ammunition waste under the Toxic Substances Control Act, thereby undermining the Agency's obligation to protect public health and the environment.

Also, the National Wolfwatcher Coalition points out:

• It amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to allow for the importation of polar bear "trophies" from Canada that are presented as having been taken prior to the May 2008 Endangered Species Act listing . . .
• It would allow recreational off-road vehicles to invade federally designated Wilderness Areas -- something that has never been allowed before. It would also open the door to new logging, mining and extraction of fossil fuels in these special places;

What you can do: If you are a U.S. resident, contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to oppose S.2066. Your senators' contact information can be found on the official Senate website.

J & L Images / Getty Images

Links:

• Hunting and National Wildlife Refuges
• Arguments For and Against Hunting
• Do Hunters Pay for Conservation?
• Does Hunting Reduce Lyme Disease?

World Week for Animals in Laboratories

April 21-29 is World Week for Animals in Laboratories. Here are four things that you can do to help animals in laboratories:

• Support the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, (H.R. 1513/S. 810), which would phase out the use of chimpanzees in laboratories. Learn more about the bill here, then contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives.You can look up your U.S. Representative on the House of Representatives website, while your senators can be found on the official Senate website. A personal communication is always best, but if you're short on time, you can use this webform from the New England Anti-Vivisection Society.
  
• Boycott products tested on animals, and go cruelty-free. Learn more about cruelty-free products here.
  
• When donating to health charities, be sure to support only cruelty-free charities that do not fund animal research. Learn more about cruelty-free charities here.
  
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper to reach others. You can find sample letters here.

Photo by China Photos / Getty Images.

Save Wolves from Aerial Gunning

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game wants to reduce the number of wolves in their Lolo zone from an estimated 70-120 wolves to just 20-30. Why? To boost the elk population for hunters. Again. Because the area is so remote, they plan to do it with aerial gunning.

But according to CBD, " The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has determined that predation by wolves has played a role in elk losses, but in fact the steepest declines in the elk population began after large fires in the 1980s destroyed their habitat -- before wolves had reached substantial numbers in the state." There are also other causes of death: bears, cougars, severe weather, and hunters.

That's right - Idaho wants to kill wolves because the wolves kill elk, but they still allow elk hunting. With "any weapon."

What you can do: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services is accepting comments on this proposal until February 28, 2012. Send your letter to:

Tom Vilsack
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250

If you're short on time, you can use the Center for Biological Diversity's online webform, here.

Kevin Schafer / Getty Images

Suggested Links:

• Don't Blame Wolves for Elk Deaths
• Killing Wolves, Because Only People Should Kill Livestock
• Wolves Removed from Endangered Species Act Protection
• Hunting Myths and Facts

Follow Me on Twitter

Like my Facebook Page

Greece Bans Animals in Circuses

Athens, Greece

Paul Watson Released on Bail

Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been released on bail in Germany, but is not allowed to leave the country and is still in danger of being extradicted to Costa Rica on what many believe is a false accusation of attempted murder.

Sea Shepherd states on their site, "The Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt confirmed together with the General Public Prosecutor that the authority to end the extradition proceedings belongs to the German Minister of Justice, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger." However, Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger implied that the decision is not hers in a post on her Facebook page on May 18, 2012:

Whether the request for extradition is permissible is a decision for the Hesse judicial authorities. Frankfurt/Main Higher Regional Court will now decide on the motion for detention made by the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor General's Office. The Federal Ministry of Justice harbours doubts about the permissibility of the extradition and has communicated its concerns to the Hesse judiciary for assessment. Federal Justice Minister Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger considers the independence of the judiciary to be a paramount value.

Supporters are calling for a tourism boycott of Costa Rica, but it seems Japan may be the real force behind Watson's arrest. If Watson is extradicted to Costa Rica, Japan could then call for his extradiction to face charges relating to Sea Shepherd's campaigns against Japanese whaling.

Watson gave a press conference upon his release from prison, in which he put the focus on the protection of sharks and whales in our oceans and assured the public that Sea Shepherd's campaigns "will continue with or without me." The press conference can be viewed in a 10-minute video here.

Sean Gallup / Getty Images

Make Mine SlaveFree Chocolate

Rabbits rescued by Friends of Rabbits

Poll Romney and the Dog

Romney supporter with dog

What kind of person straps a dog to the roof of the car, keeps the dog there after he gets sick, and keeps driving?

In 1983, Mitt Romney put the family dog, Seamus the Irish Setter, into a carrier that he tied to the roof of his car for a twelve-hour drive to Canada. Despite a homemade windshield that Romney attached to the carrier, the dog became predictably traumatized. At some point, Romney's eldest son noticed a brown liquid running down the rear windshield. Romney pulled over at a gas station, hosed down the car and the dog, and then put the sick dog back on top of the car and kept driving.

One might chalk it up as a long-ago mistake, but in 2008, Romney made light of the incident and didn't think it was a mistake. Romney is also a hunter and supports rodeos. Read the full story here, then answer the poll: