Every vegan has heard this notionexpressed many, many times;

indeed, it passes for conventionalwisdom among those of us whotake animal ethics seriously.

I would like to suggest that theconventional wisdom on this matter iswrong and that we should educateeveryone, including and particularlyomnivores, about veganism and shouldnever promote vegetarianism as morallypreferable to being an omnivore.

There is no morally significant distinctionbetween flesh and other animalproducts. Animals used in dairy aregenerally kept alive longer than thoseused for meat, are treated every bit asbadly if not worse, and end up in thesame slaughterhouse. Moreover, theslaughter of animals for meat and thedairy industry are inextricably intertwinedin that there would be no veal industrywithout the dairy industry and dairycows are all slaughtered and consumed.

I have said many times that if I wereforced to choose between eating asteak or drinking milk and I was tomake the decision solely on the basis ofsuffering, I would choose the steak. Topromote vegetarianism rather thanveganism is similar to—and as nonsensicalas—promoting eating the meat fromspotted cows rather than the meat fromcows without spots.

When we promote this artificialdistinction, it is even more difficult forsomeone who gives up flesh to govegan because she sees no reason to.As often as I have heard animaladvocates urge that we shouldpromote vegetarianism rather thanveganism, I have heard vegans say thatthey remained vegetarians for manyyears before going vegan because theybelieved that they were being“compassionate” and acting morally,and were discharging their moralobligations to animals by not eatingflesh but eating dairy products.

We should never present flesh assomehow morally distinguishable fromdairy. To the extent it is morally wrongto eat flesh, it is as morally wrong—and possibly more morally wrong—toconsume dairy.

HOW DO WE RAISE THE ISSUE OFVEGANISM?

Animal advocates often ask me: howdo we raise the issue of veganism withomnivores without having them turn us off at the outset?

It’s easier than you think. As a generalmatter, it is almost always easier to havea discussion with someone if that persondoes not feel that you are judging her ina negative way and if you engage thethinking processes of the other person.

“We should never

present flesh as

somehow morally

distinguishable

from dairy. To the

extent it is morally

wrong to eat flesh,

it is as morally

wrong—and

possibly more

morally wrong—to

consume dairy.”

Gary Francione www.abolitionistapproach.com Photo: N. Romanenko

Vegetarianism

First?The Conventional Wisdom—and Why It’s Wrong

“Discussing veganism with people who are omnivores is too difficult. You have to start with vegetarianism.”

12 The Vegan l Spring 2010

So it is always preferable to discuss thematter of veganism in a non-judgmentalway. Remember that to most people,eating flesh or dairy and using animalproducts such as leather, wool, andsilk, is as normal as breathing air ordrinking water. A person whoconsumes dairy or uses animalproducts is not necessarily or usuallywhat a recent and unpopular Americanpresident labeled an “evil doer.”

The most effective way to get someoneto “get” veganism is to demonstratehow it fits with what she already believes.You can do this in a number of ways.Here’s an actual example of an exchange,lightly edited, that I had recently on alive chat program:

“Do you agree with the notion that it iswrong to inflict unnecessary suffering ordeath on animals?”

“Yes, of course.”

“We could have an interestingdiscussion about the fine points of“necessity,” but would you agree that itis wrong to inflict suffering and deathon animals for reasons of pleasure,amusement, or convenience?”

“No brainer. Sure. I really objected whenit was revealed that [American footballplayer] Michael Vick was involved withfighting dogs. I think it’s barbaric to dothat.”

“Why?”

“It’s obvious. It’s wrong to make animalssuffer and die for our amusement.”

“Do you eat meat or cheese or drink milk?”

“Yes, I do not eat much beef because Iknow it’s bad for you but I eat pork,chicken, and fish. And I love cheeseand ice cream.”

“What is the difference between whatyou’re doing and what Michael Vick did?”

“What? I don’t understand.”

“Well, Michael Vick imposed sufferingand death on animals because he enjoyedthe results. Those of us who eat meatand dairy impose suffering and death onanimals because we enjoy the results.

We just pay someone else to do thedirty work.”

“But surely there’s a difference.”

“What is that difference? You don’tneed to eat animal products. Indeed,many mainstream health careprofessionals agree that animal productsare detrimental to human health. Andanimal agriculture is unquestionably anecological nightmare. The bestjustification that we have for inflictingpain, suffering, and death on more than56 billion animals annually, not countingfish, is that they taste good.”

“I never thought of it like that.”

We had another follow-up chat aboutthe treatment of cows in the productionof dairy. Three days later, the personinvolved in this exchange wrote to tellme that she had decided to becomevegan.

INCREMENTAL STEPS

I am often asked what to say to aperson who expresses agreement withthe moral theory of veganism but saysthat she cannot go vegan right away.

First of all, I always emphasize that it iseasy to go vegan. I very consciouslyreject the notion promoted by manyanimal advocates that veganism isdifficult. It’s easy. I have been a veganfor 27 years now. It was more difficultwhen I started but it was not thatdifficult, even in 1982. In 2009, it’s abreeze. And if you want to eat healthilyand avoid prepared foods, it’s eveneasier.

Second, I never encourage anyone toeat cage-free eggs or “happy meat” ororganic milk, etc. First of all, all of theseanimals are tortured. Although animalswho are supposedly raised in “free-range” circumstances, or whoseproducts are advertised as “organic,”are raised in conditions that may beslightly less brutal than the normalfactory farm, they are all still tortured. I will never portray these products asanything but what they are: gimmicksthat are intended to make humans feelmore comfortable about consumingnonhumans.

Third, I encourage those who really areunwilling to go vegan immediately tofollow the “Vegan 1-2-3” plan. Thisintroduces veganism in three stages.The person goes vegan for breakfast forsome period of time (a few weeks, amonth). She sees how easy it is andhow delicious and satisfying a veganbreakfast is. She then goes vegan forlunch for some period of time, and thenfor dinner, and then she’s vegan.

Although I think that the Vegan 1-2-3plan is preferable to eating “happy”meat or dairy, I never concede thateating animal products is ever morallyright. I always want to be clear thatveganism is the only position that makessense if you take animal interestsseriously. The other person is alwaysclear that even if she is not ready to govegan immediately, nothing short ofveganism will discharge the importantmoral obligation involved.

CONCLUSION

Donald Watson, who founded The VeganSociety in 1944 and who lived a healthy,active life until passing on in 2005,maintained that dairy products, such asmilk, eggs, and cheese, were every bitas cruel and exploitive of sentient animallife as was slaughtering animals for theirflesh: “The unquestionable crueltyassociated with the production of dairyproduce has made it clear that lacto-vegetarianism is but a half-way housebetween flesh-eating and a trulyhumane, civilised diet, and we think,therefore, that during our life on earthwe should try to evolve sufficiently tomake the ‘full journey.’” He alsoavoided wearing leather, wool or silkand used a fork, rather than a spade inhis gardening to avoid killing worms.

Let us instill in others the reverence forlife that Donald Watson had and that hepassed on to us.

His latest book, The AnimalRights Debate: Abolition orRegulation?, which will present adebate between ProfessorFrancione and Professor RobertGarner (University of Leicester),will be published by ColumbiaUniversity Press later this year.

The Vegan l Spring 2010 13