Enewsletter
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Enewsletter • November 21, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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For modern animal agriculture,
the less the consumer knows about what’s
happening before the meat hits the plate, the
better. Notes from Vegan OutreachGiving ThanksEvery day, we’re thankful to be working with all the amazing, dedicated people who have the vision and determination to strike at the root of animal exploitation. Every day, because of all of your contributions, the gruesome horrors of modern agribusiness are brought to light for thousands and thousands of new people. Every day, we are creating a generation for whom making compassionate choices isn’t outside the norm, but common and admired. Every day, every person we reach takes us closer to our goal: a kinder world for animals. And if you haven’t yet taken advantage of the Matching Opportunity, please take a minute today and help create a kinder world tomorrow!
Please consider a special Thanksgiving donation for the turkeys of the future. Your contribution will be doubled, dollar for dollar! You can use a credit card to make a secure, tax-deductible donation online, or send a check or money order to: Vegan Outreach We are deeply thankful to work with you for a better world for all, and will continue to do our best to make sure you get the biggest bang for your buck. Thank you!
Report from Jon CampAfter 55 days on the road doing college outreach throughout the South for Vegan Outreach, I’m home. Stats:
Thank you so much to all of you who housed me, leafleted with me, organized a talk for me, and to everyone who financially supports the work of Vegan Outreach; this tour wouldn’t have happened without you. This is a team effort, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to play my humble role over the last 55 days. Thanks again to all of you who see the value in our persistent and targeted outreach and help make these tours possible. This work matters so much, and I appreciate all that you do to bring about a more just and less violent world for animals! See also this local paper’s story on Jon.
From “Your Daily Dose of Vegan Outreach!” & Jack Norris RD Blogs
Notes from Our Members
Black
Hills State was my last school
in the Dakotas. Favorite quotes: Ron,
Jessica, and I popped over to
Portland State, where I noticed a large group
of what appeared to be middle school kids chaperoned
by a couple of adults. I decided not to approach
them (because of the adults), but when one of
them came near me, I automatically gave her
a booklet. She accepted it and took it back
to the group. Soon several more kids came to
me and asked for leaflets to read, and returned
again for more to share with their friends.
I watched them reading and discussing the leaflets
with each other and was reminded of how aware
and sensitive kids are to the vegan message.
When the adults rounded them up to leave, a
couple of them smiled and nodded and one gave
me a thumbs up as they walked past. It made
me feel good!
A
week ago, Kate and I took a quick
trip to Santa Fe Community College. Kate had
a student come up to her while she was leafleting
and say: “I got one of these booklets last
semester and it just changed my life.” It
was awesome to have Joe at Michigan
State, where we reached nearly 2,400 students.
Joe is truly inspiring, a workhorse. With the
drive, this was a 15-hour “day off”
from his full-time job. It can never be overstated
what a dedicated ally and educator the animals
have in Joe. At
the University of Maine, an older
man (perhaps a staff member?) said he got a
booklet from me last year; he called it a “good
publication.” He claimed he doesn’t care
about animals, because he’s a “hunter and
all that,” but didn’t realize how disgusting
conditions are on factory farms. He repeated
“disgusting” a couple times and said
the booklet moved him, and he and his wife have
been eating less meat since then. After he started
talking to someone else, he came back to me
to get a booklet to give to that person. He
told me, “He needs to read this,”
as he put the booklet in that person’s hand.
It’s interesting that even though he said he
doesn’t care about animals, he and his wife
were moved to change their diet because of the
booklet.
Ed
and Elaine and Johanna joined
me at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo – we reached
over 1,800 students! We met so many vegetarians
and vegans – we must be doing something right! Darina
and I reached over 2,000 Hawkeyes
at the University of Iowa – a great school
to leaflet! Met tons of vegetarians, and the
campus seems pretty progressive, especially
considering that it’s located in Iowa. Had lots
of great conversations, and very few negative
exchanges. It was a great way to start the semester! At
the Heart Walk, I met one woman who
had gotten a booklet from us at Valencia College
last week and is now interested in moving toward
vegetarianism. In general, offering “information
on vegetarianism” sparked quite a bit of
interest; many people turn around to get one
when they realized what it was. Another woman
commented that she needs to go back to being
a vegetarian. The
students were very receptive at
Valdosta State University! I met two students
who had changed their diets since getting a
booklet from Lana last semester. Several other
people were asking questions about what
they could do. They’ll surely be looking more
into it. One was interested in donating online
too! Kassy
and I had a marathon 13-hour day
at Santiago Canyon College, Golden West College,
and Saddleback College! It was my first time
back at Golden West since being arrested there;
I was surprised that one of the officers involved
recognized me immediately. He excitedly told
me that he quit eating meat since arresting
me! He was ecstatic to get a Guide and thanked
me PROFUSELY for doing outreach! WHAAAA??!?!?
We also chatted with NUMEROUS enthusiastic students
eager to help!
Went
back to Malcolm X College exactly
two weeks after being taken off campus in the
back seat of a police car. Happily, the First
Amendment is back in effect now!
Beautiful
and amazing day – Nathan and
I reached 1,300 students at Bronx Community
College. Nathan was also able to set up a humane
education class! Met
so many interesting people at
Butte College – a very fun day! I spoke with
one woman who had slipped from being veg after
5 years because her partner and their family
have been giving her a hard time. She is going
to bring home the pamphlets and tell them how
important it is to her with new resolve. I talked
with another student who has been thinking about
trying veg but didn’t know where to start.
Now she does! Met quite a few veg / vegan people
and LOTS of people thanked me for passing out
the info and helping to raise awareness about
the issue. Very nice to feel appreciated. Reached
over 2,000 students at East Carolina
University. Met many vegetarians and vegans.
One student said she went vegetarian after finding
a VO booklet on a cafeteria table nearly a year
ago: “This is the exact booklet that did
it.” She gladly took a Guide. Another student
said he was vegetarian and said the Guide was
“exactly what [he] needed.” A faculty
member said her daughter is trying to be vegetarian
and took a Why Vegan? and Guide
for her. I talked with one student who was moved
by the pictures into wanting to go vegetarian;
he got a Guide, and I also told him about the
ECU student group SOAR – he’s interested in
getting involved. I
met more vegans than vegetarians at
Oregon State today, which is not uncommon for
me. Many people responded to my “Help animals”
with “Sure!” or “I love animals.”
I had supportive comments such as, “Keep
fighting the good fight” and “I support
you.”
High
acceptance rate at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore,
and some enthusiastic responses. Then, at Salisbury
University, I had a productive chat with Tim,
a Christian. We discussed everything from matters
of faith; why I didn’t think it was feasible
to have a painless system of raising and killing
animals; my belief that animals aren’t our slaves
and that while their needs are simpler than
ours, they basically desire what we desire –
the ability to pursue the things that make them
happy and freedom from unnecessary suffering.
He seemed to get a lot out of the conversation,
and left with a Guide. At the College
of the Holy Cross, one student looked at the booklet
I handed her and shouted, “Oh god…this is ruining my morning!” I
replied, “Just try to imagine how eating them ruins their lives!” Amazing conversations with a string of students at Quinsigamond Community
College. Jenny, the program assistant in the student center told
me that the booklet influenced her to go back to being a vegetarian.
A student informed me that everyone was arriving at class with the
pamphlets, so they had a whole class discussion about it! Another
student stopped to tell me the booklet was the best that he has seen
on the subject! Real results every single day! Please have
your donation doubled today –
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