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Enewsletter • March 19, 2008 | ||
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Notes from Vegan OutreachAdopt a College Smashing Records
As we have written in Activism and Veganism, "Given the number of non-human animals suffering in the US, the extent to which they are suffering, and the reason they are intentionally made to suffer, animal liberation must be seen as the moral imperative of our time. Our entire focus must be on ending the suffering as efficiently and quickly as possible." Because of those willing to do the hard, necessary work, more and more people are learning the truly horrific realities of modern agribusiness and the compassionate alternative. Thanks to everyone who makes this work possible! We will continue to focus on doing our absolute best for the animals, each and every day.
Double Your Team Vegan Donation!Team Vegan is training to run a half marathon on April 12th to raise funds for Vegan Outreach leafleters. We just hit two major high points: This past weekend, we all ran farther than ever before. (I’ve got the blisters to prove it.) The hill before the Golden Gate Bridge just about did us in, but remembering the animals in transport trucks and the Vegan Outreach leafleters spreading the word gave us the push we needed. 
The second and highest point comes from an amazing couple in Canada. John and Fany want the world to go veg and are doing something about it in a big way: They will match ANY amount that Team Vegan raises by race day, April 12th. Yes -- ANY amount!!!! If you donate $250 to Team Vegan today, it will turn into $500 because of John and Fany and their commitment to exposing and ending animal suffering. Please support Team Vegan’s efforts by donating on our behalf and John and Fany will double your contribution. Together, we can get more booklets into the hands of many more people! Thank you!!
Help Brian Grupe!Brian Grupe is relocating to Boston, MA in April to become the New England Outreach Coordinator. He's looking for places to stay as he crosses the country on I-80. Surrounding areas could be considered; e-mail him to discuss! April 10 - Thursday - Salt Lake
City, Utah If you are in the northeast, feel free to drop Brian a line -- brian (at) veganoutreach (dot) org.
Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal ActivismAnimal advocate Mark Hawthorne has written a new book, Striking at the Roots. Anyone looking for ideas about how to help animals or guidance about how to do things in the most effective way will find this book packed full of information. Hawthorne devotes the entire first chapter to effective leafleting. You can read more reviews and order the book here.
Product of the WeekThis week's pick comes directly from the VO office: Celebration Roast by Field Roast, and all we can say is, "WOW!" Jon Camp said, "This might be the best mock meat I've ever tasted!" We only wish more of their products were available here. Send your nominees for Product of the Week to product (at) veganoutreach (dot) org; previous products can be found here.
Notes from Our Members
Melanie Mauller leaflets at Northern Arizona U; photo by Jon Camp. At the University of
Colorado, Boulder,
I had a number of great interactions.
A longtime agitator from back in
my tabling days who used to rationalize
eating animals told me he looked
through the Even If You Like
Meat he got from me and hardly
eats any meat now. One woman who'd
gotten an Even If recently said
she used it for a critical thinking
presentation. I found your brochure
in the trash at CU Boulder. Bloody
awful! Please send me more information..."natural"
-- what a farce! Leafleting downtown
Portland, the people
who did accept the brochure were
very interested in the subject matter.
Many people sat down to read the
booklets cover to cover while waiting
for the train. Miranda was wearing
a portable DVD player. One man,
transfixed by the video, asked where
he could get several copies of the
movie to show all of his friends.
He already doesn't consume meat,
but after seeing the video and looking
through the Why Vegan,
he promised me that he is going
vegan. Also, he had been planning
to open a restaurant that is now
going to be a vegan restaurant. At Humboldt State University today, I had about 20 brief discussions. Highlights:
Last week at Folsom High, I had
one of my top 10 leafleting moments.
The very last group of guys I leafleted
at this suburban high school were
all decked out in expensive baggy
jeans, shoes, and Ts, with their
hats tilted in various directions.
They all wanted a booklet and stood
around me in a semicircle, immediately
opening them up and looking at them
in complete silence (this moment
was simply unbelievable). Each one
was really affected by the images
of cruelty. These kids were the
absolute last people I'd ever expect
to get this kind of reaction from
and it really made my day.
Sigmund Freud contemplates whether he really does like meat; photo by Eileen Botti. At MacCormac College,
one fellow told me that he went
veg after reading the PURPLE version
of Why Vegan. I haven't
seen one of those in years! Two
other students stopped by, one telling
me that he had received a WV
from me in the past, and that it
had completely traumatized him.
"I can't stop thinking about
it." He concluded our chat
by saying, "You know, in this
country, everyone likes to blame
someone else. People say it's Bush's
fault that we're in Iraq. It's the
corporations' fault that they're
poor. It's their culture's fault
that they beat dogs [we had talked
about Michael Vick] or their kids.
We need to stop blaming everyone
else, and start taking action."
Ann Swissdorf leaflets at Colorado State; photo by Jon Camp. At Cascadia Community
College, two students
each took a booklet and kept walking.
After they saw the title Why
Vegan, one said, "I love
meat," while the other kept
reading. The first student tore
his copy into small pieces and consigned
it to a trash can and kept walking.
After a few moments, the "reader"
brought the "tearer's"
attention to the inside pages of
the booklet and they both froze.
It was quite a sight to see them
reading the booklet so intently
for a few minutes.
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Vegan Outreach is a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization dedicated to
reducing the suffering of farmed animals
by promoting informed, ethical eating.
Vegan Outreach
POB 30865, Tucson, AZ 85751-0865
Visit our networking pages:
Last
week, 
I
just read "
At
Central Connecticut State U, the
first student I leafleted used to
work for Tyson. He was supportive
and agreed that what he saw in chicken
slaughtering was cruel and hated
going to work every day. One student
came back later expressing interest
in going vegan. Gave her a 
