Vegan demonstration

[Guest guest]

Hello Hannah. I'm not sure if the subject of public demonstration or

protest is _about_ veganism, but it is certainly very relevant to us

as vegans and is worthwhile exploring further. We probably all find

that our being vegan (or the mindset that led us to become vegans)

means we end up reconsidering how we go about many aspects of our

lives (all sorts of aspects that we might not have anticipated). How

(or whether?) we protest is very much one of these. Our principles or

beliefs or habits or state of health or agriculture or economics (or

whatever brought us to veganism) will guide/influence how we behave.

 

In theory then, creatures watching our public demonstrations from the

comfort of the Moon might be able to distinguish a crowd of

demonstrating vegans -- tell them apart from a different group in

another street. What characteristics might they use to recognize us?

Would they only look at our feet to see if we were wearing leather?

Could they only tell we were vegans by what was written on the banners?

Or by spectral analysis of the contents of our lunch boxes?

Or would there be something about our behaviour?

 

Paul

--

Paul Philbrow

pp

http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/~pp

 

> " Hannah Biddle " <hannah

>Fri, 4 May 2001 10:04:19 +0100

>Re: hello

>

>I agree - there has to be a better way to protest - since the media & police

>have managed to change what was once a really effective way of

>demonstrating.

>Anyway - I shan't write any more on the subject as its not about veganism.

>Mail me directly if you want to chat about it.

>Hannah.

[Guest guest]

> What characteristics might they use to recognize us?

 

They might be able to distinguish us by the smell of vegan farts.

 

>Our principles or beliefs or habits ...will guide/influence how we behave.

 

Yes - but how (without forcing it down people's throats, or voting for

non-representative political parties, or turning up at demonstrations to get

your head kicked in by old bill or ridiculed for not managing to actually

get your say about what you believe when you do go to demonstrations-) do

you actually get the messages across to government, big businesses & the

general public that it really isn't sustainable or healthy for any of us to

exploit the animals, people & environment that we share this planet with?

Hannah

[Guest guest]

> " Hannah Biddle " <hannah

>Fri, 4 May 2001 11:27:17 +0100

>

>> What characteristics might they use to recognize us?

>They might be able to distinguish us by the smell of vegan farts.

 

It is not impossible that vegans really are only distinguishable

from others by their chemical inputs and outputs. Maybe it is the

one common factor. Sometimes I think this; mostly I don't.

 

>>Our principles or beliefs or habits ...will guide/influence how we behave.

>Yes - but how (without forcing it down people's throats, or voting for

>non-representative political parties, or turning up at demonstrations to get

>your head kicked in by old bill or ridiculed for not managing to actually

>get your say about what you believe when you do go to demonstrations-) do

>you actually get the messages across to government, big businesses & the

>general public that it really isn't sustainable or healthy for any of us to

>exploit the animals, people & environment that we share this planet with?

 

Your earlier mail spoke of times of " dancing and cake and people

sharing good will and support about common beliefs. "

 

There is a distinction between demonstration and protest. Protest

I think entails confrontation of some sort (peaceful or otherwise);

demonstration doesn't. Demonstration comes in all shapes and sizes.

One demonstrates how to bake a cake by baking a cake. The housing

work you are doing is a very strong demonstration and will be sending

a very strong message; the more insistent the message the more likely

it will get read sooner or later.

 

If it is the case that the rules have changed ( " media & police have

managed to change what was once a really effective way of

demonstrating " ) then, regardless of whether they did this consciously,

it will be wise to reconsider the implications for how to play the

game, what tactics and strategies to use. Dances evolve; cake recipes

are adapted to what you have in the cupboard.

 

You ask how to " get the messages across " . By what criteria was one

able to judge that the " really effective way of demonstrating " that

once existed really was effective? What was the mechanism by which it

worked? (It might, for instance, have worked by strengthening the

sense of solidarity amongst the demonstrators, thus giving them more

strength and resolve in their daily lives and thereby enabling them as

individuals or organizations to successfully convey the message.) If

one can see how something worked under one set of conditions then one

might more easily see what modifications are necessary for a different

set of conditions.

 

Paul

--

Paul Philbrow

pp

http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/~pp

[Guest guest]

You might fart but I don't . Too much protein seems to be the

problem....Angie

-

" Hannah Biddle " <hannah

<vegan-network >

Friday, May 04, 2001 11:27 AM

Re: Vegan demonstration

 

 

> > What characteristics might they use to recognize us?

>

> They might be able to distinguish us by the smell of vegan farts.

>

> >Our principles or beliefs or habits ...will guide/influence how we

behave.

>

> Yes - but how (without forcing it down people's throats, or voting for

> non-representative political parties, or turning up at demonstrations to

get

> your head kicked in by old bill or ridiculed for not managing to actually

> get your say about what you believe when you do go to demonstrations-) do

> you actually get the messages across to government, big businesses & the

> general public that it really isn't sustainable or healthy for any of us

to

> exploit the animals, people & environment that we share this planet with?

> Hannah

>

>

>