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Notes from Vegan Outreach

Changing Lives, Changing the World

Most of you have probably seen the undercover investigation by Mercy For Animals; if not, you can start with Jack’s write-up. Please note, the footage is as bad as it gets; one long-time member wrote: “Reading the article, I was thinking, ‘Yea, yea, I’ve seen it all before.’ I was wrong. These images are going to make me insane. I just can’t believe we are that evil.”

As discussed at VO’s blog, there is very little to say that would be even remotely appropriate – just that this is why Vegan Outreach focuses on creating as much real change as possible. This is why we’re working every day to let as many people as possible know the truth. These – and all the unseen atrocities – emphasize the urgency of getting as many people as we can to start making real, fundamental, lasting change.

Some links that might be useful:

• Anger, Humor, and Advocacy
• Why Not Change the Laws?
• One Possible Future: A Roadmap to Animal Liberation
• A New World, Piece by Piece

What You Can Do, Today

Of course, we wish there was some “big” step we could take to end such obvious (and already illegal) barbarism. But as written here, it is naïve, at best, to believe that any system will really take good care of the animals we pay them to slaughter. If you say an individual is just meat, they will be treated as such.

As outlined in the links above, Vegan Outreach seeks to bring about – as quickly as possible – a new world where animals are respected as individuals.

You can join with the thousands of others who share this goal and are part of this work.

Right now, the Team Vegan fundraiser is underway. As discussed last week, every contribution you make to someone on Team Vegan will be immediately doubled, dollar for dollar, by an anonymous donor! And then doubled at the end of July by John and Fany!

If you want to increase the number of people rejecting the status quo; if you want to hasten the day when animals are respected, please consider contributing to a member of Team Vegan.

Your dollars will change lives and change the world.

Thanks so much!

PS – please note that today is the last day for the double doubling!!
So please, make whatever contribution you can to a Team member!

More from “Your Daily Dose of Vegan Outreach!” Blog

• Be a Part of the Critical Mass
• Mercy of the Fallen, a song by Dar Williams, coauthor of The Tofu Tollbooth

Notes from Our Members

Chuente Castañeda exposes the animals’ plight to another University of Southern California student.

Cassandra (Callaghan) and I set yet another new record, this time at St. John’s University, even though it was so windy and cold we were almost blown off the campus. We received a number of positive responses, and saw many students reading leaflets as they were walking around campus. A professor who teaches a class on social change asked for some extras to give to his class today, and we heard a student say, “We were just talking about this in my philosophy class.” Another: “This is so sad, I cried when I read it.”
—Eileen Botti, 4/28/10

At the University of Nebraska, one woman said she got a flier two years ago and still had it. She said: "It made a lasting impression. To this day, my husband still won’t look at it again."”
     At North Dakota State, one woman said, “I can’t look at that, it will make me cry.” She was happy to get a Guide. I heard her tell her friend, “That is why I don’t eat pork.” I talked with one farmer from Wyoming. When, in answer to a question, I said there was no purity as far as being vegan went, he was visibly shocked. He said I was the first AR person he had heard admit that. We talked a bit about VO’s approach. We parted on friendly terms; I think he left with a new idea about what an AR activist could be.
—Fred Tyler, 4/26/10

Robert Greene makes the animals’ case at Cosumnes River College. Below, a student at American River College gives Brian Grupe his opinion on the Even If You Like Meat message.

Really great conversation at El Camino College – I could see the light bulb go on over the guys’ heads! A young lady ran up saying, “Yes! I’m going vegan!” Met a couple other vegans, and they all got hugs – and Guides.
     At Antelope Valley College, students were very receptive – had swell conversations with them, and overheard more discussions. A few sounded interested in starting their own leafleting adventures. I also met one of the people Brianne changed in 2009. Re-converted a former veggie at Los Angeles Pierce College, and convinced at least one new person!
—Nikki Benoit, 4/27/10

Many students at Arizona State said they had already received a booklet, which is surprising, given how big the school is. I also had a couple of other short conversations with students that seemed genuinely interested. One student said she had been recently thinking about going back to eating meat, so she thanked me for giving her a reminder.
—Jeff Boghosian, 4/27/10

Leafleting Governor Crist’s local event, I handed him a leaflet. He took it, looked at the cover, then handed it to his aide. I introduced myself to her and she said she would be sure to give him the leaflet.
     I gave more leaflets to official-looking people and media people. The acceptance rate was surprisingly good. There seemed to be an awareness and an interest when they saw the cover of Even If You Like Meat. A few mentioned seeing Food, Inc. A woman walking her dog said, “I just read Skinny Bitch and I’m all over this.”
—Lana Smithson, 4/29/10

I was on the road at 11pm Monday night to make it to Western Kentucky University in time for the first Tuesday class change. Despite the rain, 1,112 students learned about how they can help stop violence. Many students were very interested in the issue; I heard from 15 vegetarians and four vegans. One of the vegetarians let me know that getting the booklet from us in the past is what moved her to stop eating meat. She had not gotten a Guide, so I gave her one.
     I used my last vacation day at the University of Kentucky, where I had my second-best school leafleting day ever – 1,560 students reached! I heard from 14 vegetarians and five vegans.
—Joe Espinosa, 4/28/10

	Vegan Outreach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the suffering of farmed animals by promoting informed, ethical eating. All donations are tax-deductible. Vegan Outreach POB 30865, Tucson, AZ 85751-0865