What’s the Best Use of YOUR Time?
As you may know, Will Potter over at Green Is the New Red mentioned "On PeTA Versus Friends of Animals" and saw the situation through a different (though not surprising, for him) lens.
I wasn’t thinking of the situation from the point of view of the FBI, but when I read the following, I was forced to add another layer to my examination:
"So when I saw that Friends of Animals, an animal rights group, is protesting PETA, another animal rights group, I couldn’t help but think: Damn, the FBI couldn’t have dreamed this up."
Now my thought process includes the factor: Do I care about whether I’m targeted by the FBI (or care enough that I wouldn’t participate in a protest)?
I think it’s tough to make a judgment that an activity isn’t a good use of someone else’s time. Maybe you wouldn’t do it, but that’s not the point. As Deb wrote in yesterday’s comments:
"IS this the best use of an activists time? Maybe where Dave is, it really is the best use of his time."
One thing that’s clear as you read all of the comments on Will’s site and here, is that not everyone shares the frustration–or maybe it’s the level of frustration–that PeTA’s place on the world’s stage is front and center, and that not all animal rights activists agree with their campaigns or their tactics. When someone new finds out I’m a vegan, one of the first things they’ll talk about, I suppose because they’re trying to relate to me, is PeTA. And then I have to spend time explaining my beliefs in relation to "the norm–" what everyone knows about and accepts as representative of animal rights. And though I do that with a smile on my face, that doesn’t mean it isn’t maddening.
I understand the desire to get the world to understand that veganism and animal rights don’t equal PeTA. But would I hold up a sign at a demonstration? Probably not. It’s just not my style. But when you look at all of the discussion over a few days, you can’t say that the protest didn’t accomplish anything. People are talking, thinking, questioning, and maybe even changing their minds or seeing things differently. I like that.
Only you can decide what the best use of your time is. There are moments when I think the best use of my time would be to liberate animals from labs and farms and (of course) Greyhound farms and kennels. Then of course I’m forced to remember that I’d be destroying my life as I know it and I’d probably have to be heavily medicated for anxiety, and I’m not willing to do that. Oh, and I don’t know how to do any of that stuff anyway.
So I blog, I revise my book, I rescue animals, I support sanctuaries, I’m a vegan, I do my volunteer work, and I continue to feel like I should be doing more. Still, I don’t think I’d be too pleased with someone telling me that what I’m doing isn’t the best use of my time.
Mary,
Your comment that, 'When someone new finds out I'm a vegan, one of the first things they'll talk about, I suppose because they're trying to relate to me, is PeTA. And then I have to spend time explaining my beliefs in relation to "the norm–" what everyone knows about and accepts as representative of animal rights' is reason enough to oppose PeTA for their constant misrepresentation of animal rights theory and practice and reason enough not to see a demo against them as 'divisive'.
I see such things as part of the evolution and maturity of animal advocacy.
RY
Roger,
I agree, and I posted at Will's today, explaining that clarification and/or emphasis that animal rights doesn't equal PeTA is important.
Since there is so much to do, no clear path to animal liberation and the reality that everyone has their own particular area that interests them, I don't think anyone is in a position to judge what the best use of someone else's time is.
Do I spend my time trying to get other advocates to do things my way or worry about the "movement's" direction? No, because I think that would be a waste of my time, so I don't do it. And I've cut back on discussing the "rifts" because I find that activity also a waste of valuable time – it always comes back to the same unresolvable issues. But I know lots of advocates believe everyone needs to be on the same page, so they focus their energies trying to make that happen. I personally don't see only "one" page, or believe there should be one, so I won't spend my time there.
I think rescues aren't the best use of my time, that could be better spent advocating, so I don't do it. But I understand what motivates others to go that path.
Like everything that drives humans, it comes down to personal preferences – even regarding types of advocacy. And I don't see that changing.
I try not judge people for what they do or don't do interms of vegan advocacy. How can I? For many years after becoming vegan, I had neither the interest or the time. I believed that just being vegan counted for something; I wasn't ready to significantly alter my life in any way. At the time, I had other passions. I don't think it's fair of me/us to expect that every person who becomes a vegan is going to become an "activist." I also firmly believe that living one's veganism fully and intentionally serves as a beautiful example to others—and that in and of itself is activism. I know animal abuse is serious, it's everywhere and it's heartbreaking; I know we need as many people on our side as possible, doing as much they can. But not everyone is cut out to devote a lifetime to this. I know many vegans who fit this mold, and many of them I admire very much. A few of them I consider personal role models. Reading Will Potter's blog, for me, was sobering—the fact that the conversation turned into one of, "how much are YOU doing?". Certainly we can do better than making it all personal?
Mary, I'm not sure if you were making a different point with regards to the FBI, but Will's point in that context is that the gov't and the industries love activist movement in-fighting, because when they/we are spending time and resources fighting each other, it takes the pressure off them. They win.
I don't think it can be universally applied – for instance, having read Dave's comment on I think the post previous to this one, it was clear from his description of why they did it that there was likely real value to taking that action in their community. I don't think the same would be true in the DC metro area. So I don't think that counter protests are always in-fighting in a way that takes away from activism, but I do think that spinning our wheels on continuous in-fighting isn't likely leading to any real results. (of the kind that is the likely goal, at least)
Aside from clarifying something that likely didn't need clarification, it is very true, and has been for me for years, that I do think about the protests and the file that is likely growing thicker. I can't say that it has stopped me from going to a protest that I thought was important, but it does enter into the equation on some level.
Deb,
You're right that I didn't address Will's point about infighting. I did write about it her on June 8, though, so I do get what he's saying http://www.animalperson.net/animal_person/2008/06/on-nonviolence.html . I probably should have gone back and re-commented to clarify that.
I think it was Randall in the comments on Will's site who said or implied that this particular issue is more complex than infighting. It's easy to say: FoA was bashing PeTA, but that's not the only way to see it.
For me, educating and arguing against animal exploitation and any promotion of animal exploitation of any kind (e.g. “happy animal products”) is the best way to spend my time, and it does not matter at all whom I’m arguing against, whether it is pro-happy meat vegans in the “movement” or the Center for Consumer Freedom.
If vegans want to stop the so-called “infighting” [1], then they ought to stop promoting animal exploitation and defending people and organizations, including “vegans” and PETA, who support animal exploitation (e.g. “happy animal products” and Whole Foods’ “Animal Compassionate” label).
[1] “Infighting” is the wrong word. Whether you are vegan or not, if you are promoting animal products in any way, you are not “in” anything of which I’m a part or member.
I agree very much with Dan. New welfarists will commonly say, "Why can't we just get along? We want the same thing?" No, no we don't.
To say that our protest of P-TA in Victoria was a waste of time is a gross oversimplification of what happened. There is continual AR activity in Victoria. This P-TA protest didn't take away from any of that. It actually ignited some people into action because they are so disgusted with P-TA's tactics and goals. One night people got together and made posters. The next day some people protested for while. It is not a zero-sum situation, as anyone who takes a few seconds to think about it will realize.
We are animal rights activists. We will oppose anyone that furthers an animal abuse agenda. And that's exactly what we did.