Why isn't AA promoting veganism?

Hi again Steve,

Firstly, as an animal protection organisation, you will never see Animals Australia endorse animal products. That is why all the products, and recipe we DO endorse, are naturally vegan. At the heart of what Animals Australia advocates to individuals, is a cruelty-free lifestyle. You'll find this link on our homepage: www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/compassionate_living.php

While most people in Australia aren't vegan at this point in time, or interested in veganism, or have idea why they might choose to become vegan, one thing they ARE is concerned about animal cruelty. We know that the vast majority of people are upset by animal abuse, and if given the choice, will choose to not make animals suffer.

We don't believe we can tell anyone what to do or think, but we CAN provide people with the information they need in order to align their actions with their values. This is why much of our campaign efforts on behalf of farmed animals in Australia is centered around education and public awareness initiatives. It is the reason why we have placed factory farming ads on television; it is the reason we have run national newspaper ad campaigns to alert people to the cruelty of dairy; and it is the reason why throughout the Unleashed website you will find ample reasons to choose kinder, animal-friendly, vegan alternatives for clothes, entertainment, makeup and more...

Most people do care about animals, but at the same time, most people are completely unaware that many of the day to day products people consume are products of animal cruelty. They do not have the ability to make cruelty-free choices because they do not have the information they need to do so. If we fail to realise this in our haste to change the world; if we were to judge and attack people for being raised by their parents a certain way, the most likely outcome would be that they would become defensive. This leads to a complete breakdown in communication and makes someone much less open or likely to listen or learn. They will probably also think that all animal advocates and vegans are nasty and judgemental. And if they think that, they will probably be even less likely to ever want to consider becoming vegan or make any life choices to help animals. In effect, this type of attitude does a great disservice to animals.

Instead, if we can show patience, respect, and understanding, we are much more likely to leave a positive impact. Part of that respect is acknowledging that peoples' choices are their own, and that everyone's path of understanding and action is unique. Some people naturally want to become vegan overnight after learning about the cruelty inherent in the meat, dairy and egg industries. I was one of these people. But others make different choices. Some people's transition is much, much slower. Some people, despite learning everything there is to learn, will never choose to become vegan. Some people will choose to reduce the amount of animal products they eat. Some start by refusing to purchase factory farmed products. Whatever the choice, however big or small, if it helps animals we believe it is worthy of support and encouragement while at the same time we will always point out that the best way anyone can help save animals from harm is simply not to eat them or their products. This approach has led countless thousands of people to reconsider what they eat, wear and purchase, and make kinder everyday choices for animals.

I hope this helps to explain why you will never see language like "Animals are suffering because YOU aren't vegan. YOU are the cause" on our websites, and why this type of language isn't helpful for animals, and why these types of comments are discouraged on our forum.

It is a tough balancing act, I think the underlying message should always be that Veganism is what is the right and moral thing to do and what everyone should be striving for.

But for some reason most people see Veganism as "extreme" (as if eating corpses and secretions isn't extreme) so Animals Australia probably doesn't want to be dismissed as nothing but an extremist Vegan organisation.

But I think Animals Australia could certainly be doing more in terms of promoting Veganism. It's all well and good to be campaigning against individual cases of cruelty (live export, factory farms, circus animals etc) but the underlying problem in 99% of cruelty cases is that people see animals as nothing but things that are to be used and abused by them for their own selfish needs (that is what they have been taught).

So the only way to make lasting change is to not regulate animal use but to abolish it. And the only way to do that is by promoting the Vegan message. Otherwise if we just campaign to stop this specific type of cruelty here and there a new case of cruelty will always be popping up until the message gets through that animals are not here on this earth simply for humans to use and abuse.

Is this the same Steve who just spilled all the hate in the last post about muslims causing all the problems? Steve you are NOT welcome here with the attitude like that. AA needs to approach a wide range of people thats why its not a 'vegan club'. If you want a vegan club maybe try bleat or Vegans Online.

Thanks.

Personally I believe Animals Australia are doing a outstanding job, they have brought to light the digusting practices that are happening to our live export, they deserve all the support we can give them.  

Veganism is I believe something to be tackled down the track, let's stop the adhorant cruelty firstly and if we can change people's eating choices at the same time all the better, but it's not the fore most important issue realistically right now.  

Afer all seeing the footage that Animals Australia captured in other countries made me turn vegetarian and hopefully at some point solely vegan.  But like others have said if you confront people with veganism initially it can scare them off, people will come to that conclusion themselves.

As people live in their own comfort zones & realities.

If I just went up to you and said your living wrong it threatens that reality. No one likes to be wrong. It takes a journey of self discovery for most.
Like if I was to walk up to you and say if you aren't in single digits for Body Fat percentage your unhealthy, I doubt you will take it the right way.
You can't throw these kind of topics in people's faces, you have to slowly show them.

I am 99.999% sure anything Animals Austrralia promote is vegan regardless.

This is the same guy who ran his mouth off with racist hate speech. The guys needs band, he's just trying to stir people up. Anyone with a half a brain cell knows that you can't ram "go vegan" down people's throats or you would get the opposite reaction, hence why animals australia does not do that. He's just looking to start arguments that's all. After all the racist remarks he should of been banned, people like that in his world are dangerous to have on here when there any many young influential teenagers reading.

http://www.humanemyth.org/terrycummings.htm

"We explain that the best thing people can do to help animals is to stop eating them."

So why isn't AA doing just that as well, on its home page? Why isn't the home page filled with vegan recipes, and a list of vegan foods that you can buy today, at your local supermarket?

AA aims to affect a wider audience, the whole of Australia. While it would be wonderful to educate about veganism and convert everyone, that simply isn't possible. AA aims to reach all Australians with practical advice on how to be kinder to animals in their everyday life. Campaigning only for veganism would have no effect on people other than to turn them away and to view vegans as "crazy."

This isn't to say that veganism isn't the end goal, because it is. Just that we need to work with what we can achieve, not ony with idealism. Trust me, if it were possible to turn everyone vegan with campaigns, AA would be doing it in a heartbeat.

They do many things supporting veganism without scaring people away. They have created newspaper ads about the cruelty of dairy, put "go veg" instead of "go vegetarian/vegan", and every product or recipe they endorse is 100% vegan. They work on what they can achieve, not what they wish they could.

AA campaigns aim to appeal to the fact that all Australians are against cruelty to animals. They may have been taught to ignore or justify many aspects of this cruelty, but the baseline is still there. Working from that belief and building upon it with kinder actions is where real change will come from. I don't think anybody on this forum, before becoming aware of the cruelty, would have gone vegan if confronted by a campaign about it. I'm now vegan, but once I was the person only buying free-range chicken and eggs. It's a process. Ideally it wouldn't be, but that's how it is.

AA has a dedicated website to do just what you request:
www.whyveg.com
Regarding one's local supermarket foods, there are other organisations listing all the vegan foods such as VegVic, etc.