I do not support "humane" animal products, and speak out as best I can against them ...

I do not support “humane” animal products, and speak out as best I can against them, both in writing, and in the lectures I give – there are invariably people who have a friend who has chickens as pets and want to know if it’s OK to eat their eggs,  for example. Even in these situations, I tell them I feel that there is institutionalized violence – it is a form of himsa (violence) to believe that one “owns” another living being.  If the friend “owns” the hen, she (the hen) is being confined against her will, and is not able to live her life as she did for millennia in the jungles of southeast Asia, and is in an artificial, manipulated, inherently abusive environment. Even the most apparently benign situation, if there’s ownership and money involved, are exploitive, in my opinion, and that’s the perspective I express. ~ Dr. Will Tuttle

I just remind other people that I'm no different than they are ...

I just remind [other people] that I'm no different than they are, and that they already carry the capacity for taking equality seriously within them. For example, they most likely would hate to see cats and dogs exploited. All they have to do is extend that same concern to all other sentient beings ~ Minku Sharma

A commitment to the well-being of all sentience has far-reaching implications for ..

A commitment to the well-being of all sentience has far-reaching implications for humans and non-humans alike - ranging from the abolition of factory-farming and closure of the death factories to compassionate – and systematic - intervention in the  living world. A commitment to the well-being of all sentience also – I’d argue - entails adopting a cruelty-free vegan lifestyle. ~ Dave Pearce

Asking someone to stop eating animals and animal products isn't simply asking for ...

Asking someone to stop eating animals and animal products isn’t simply asking for a change of behavior; if it were truly that simple we’d live in a very different world. It’s asking for a shift of consciousness. ~ Dr. Melanie Joy

Creating a better world for humans also creates the conditions where ...

Creating a better world for humans also creates the conditions where animal liberation can prosper. We fit into that struggle wherever we have the courage to join it, but it is also far past time that we see the politics of these other struggles brought into our own. I see a lot of my comrades having backwards attitudes and behaviors. We will become better animal liberationists by becoming better people in general.  Learn about the struggles of others, lose your own prejudices, and fight injustice wherever you see it. ~ Josh Harper

When I see some of the bitterness and judging and finger pointing among ...

When I see some of the bitterness and judging and finger pointing among animal activists, I think, “Man, the movement needs UNITY just as much as the world does” ~ Shaun Monson

I would like to say now that the rest of my life, I am absolutely committed to ...

I would like to say now that the rest of my life, I am absolutely committed to the fact that no animal has to die for me to live. It is the most heartwarming thing that has ever happened to me ~ Howard Lyman.

Personally I find the idea of in vitro meat revolting - even though ...

Personally I find the idea of in vitro meat revolting - even though its potential mass-production is cruelty-free. But I worry that moral argument and antispeciesist advocacy alone aren’t going to outlaw factory farming and the death factories. For you can’t argue effectively against moral apathy – and let’s face it, most people are morally apathetic most of the time. Fortunately, most people aren’t actively malevolent either. So when in vitro meat products are available at the price and tastiness of traditional products, I predict the majority of people will choose the cruelty-free option – and feel good about themselves for doing so. ~ David Pearce

I try to never believe that anyone is a "lost cause." Ten years ago ...

I try to never believe that anyone is a "lost cause." Ten years ago, I wasn't vegan. I said to my vegan friends that I am a lost cause. So, if I can go from that to where I am now, no one's a lost cause ~ Minku Sharma

Let it suffice to say that I regard any activity that harms other sentient beings ...

Let it suffice to say that I regard any activity that harms other sentient beings or that creates a risk of harm to other sentient beings as violence. ~ Gary Francione

I don't think the animals would appreciate one animal protector spending ...

I don't think the animals would appreciate one animal protector spending their time criticizing another animal protector ~ while animals are being mutilated each minute.  My bet is that the animals would prefer that animal protectors spend their time convincing non-activists, to become activists! ~ Alex Pacheco

Curiosity and confusion are rampant, as is fear of change, clinging to ...

Curiosity and confusion are rampant, as is fear of change, clinging to past habits, and a reactive pushing back against what I believe is an ongoing awakening of human consciousness. This is to be expected, and is natural, but the awakening is happening I feel, and it will bring us ever onward, at an accelerating pace, toward vegan living (or our extinction or utter enslavement if we continue the trajectory of conventional Western eating/living/thinking). ~ Dr. Will Tuttle

Expanding our politics to embrace the whole of the worlds oppressed would ...

[E]xpanding our politics to embrace the whole of the worlds oppressed would serve the animals well, and knowledge of the history and current practice of other movements will greatly strengthen our own. ~ Josh Harper

Maybe in the future political campaigning may be productive, but ...

Maybe in the future political campaigning may be productive but that time is way off as yet – politicians are followers, not leaders, animal abuse will have to be much weaker, and politicians much less connected with animal exploitation before we can influence parliament. ~ Dr. Roger Yates

Treat other activists well, even when you don't agree...

Treat other activists well, even when you don't agree, and try to encourage people with different tactical ideas to work towards the same goal. It's hard, but a true diversity of tactics and participants will get you far. ~ Josh Harper

If a practice causes animals to suffer it is morally illegitimate ...

If a practice causes animals to suffer it is morally illegitimate, whatever the benefit to humans. ~ Professor Rob Garner

My years of practicing law, and my years of studying how our legal system operates ...

My years of practicing law, and my years of studying how our legal system operates, have persuaded me that the system is quite stable, so I don't expend my energy trying to change it. Instead I struggle to make the case for the fundamental legal rights of nonhuman animals by using it. ~ Professor Steven Wise

There's something about the summary execution of newborn calves - the snuffing out ...

There’s something about the summary execution of newborn calves - the snuffing out of a life before it’s even begun - that deeply offends me. The dairy industry has not only managed to conceal this mass infanticide, it has conned the public with one of (if not the) most successful and cynical marketing campaigns in history. ~ Louise Wallis

Conceptual abilities are utterly irrelevant...

Conceptual abilities are utterly irrelevant; our kinship lies in our common striving for life and well-being. ~ Dan Cudahy.

Abolition means that all sentient beings deserve to belong to themselves and ...

Abolition means that all sentient beings deserve to belong to themselves and be free from exploitation by others. To be an abolitionist is to behave according to that, and at the very least, it means being a vegan. ~ Minku Sharma

After finding so many dead animals at the farms, we thought we could ...

After finding so many dead animals at the farms, we thought we could help people to empathize and stop consuming animals by showing those forgotten victims whose bodies ended up in the garbage containers ~ Jose Valle

When you start cutting people off, you start limiting your experiences ...

When you start cutting people off, you start limiting your experiences... it’s when you start making connections with people, when you start changing their minds. ~ Dino Sarma

Human suffering is a tragedy, and the suffering and dying of children is a despair. It is ...

Human suffering is a tragedy, and the suffering and dying of children is a despair. It is the failure of our time that in a world with unprecedented material wealth, the most innocent of humans are neglected and lost. We must do better. ~ Tim Gier

Were you to see a dog being beaten on the street outside your home ...

Were you to see a dog being beaten on the street outside your home right now, you wouldn't go hand the person beating the dog a Why Vegan pamphlet, you would intervene. And then you would give him a Why Vegan, of course. Point being: you can do both. ~ Peter Young

It is not the property status of animals as a legal construct that is preventing their ...

It is not the property status of animals as a legal construct that is preventing their better treatment, but rather a more general ideology that regards intervention to restrict what owners do to animals as illegitimate. It is not the case that animals are regarded in law as mere things. All animal welfare statutes in the Western world recognize the intrinsic value of animals. Insofar as these statutes aren’t enforced, the explanation doesn’t lie in the property status of animals per se but rather in the wider political, cultural and economic climate in which they operate. ~ Professor Rob Garner

Much of the global environmental problems we have today come from ...

Much of the global environmental problems we have today come from the decisions and actions of 'educated' humans. Until we have a learning process that values our relations with the other we will not progress on the topic of animals either. ~ Prof. Steve Garlick

I believe that until we awaken to the larger picture of interconnectedness we are going ...

I believe that until we awaken to the larger picture of interconnectedness we are going to continue to scatter our message to the wind and few people will get what veganism is about.  ~ Harold Brown

We currently live in a society where the violent exploitation of animals is considered ...

We currently live in a society where the violent exploitation of animals is considered as normal as drinking water and breathing air. In this context, even non-violent property destruction is viewed as absolutely crazy by the vast majority of people. Consequently, property destruction has the effect of making abolitionist vegan education (directed at the public) more difficult ~ Jeff Perz

You or I may not find the concept of vegetarianism "extreme" but to approximately ...

You or I may not find the concept of vegetarianism “extreme” but to approximately 98 percent of the U.S. population—the meat-eating majority—it certainly is. And you and I have an idea of what “animal rights” means that, I can assure you, is quite different from that of the average American. So if I want to reach people...I need to communicate in a way that they can hear. ~ Dr. Melanie Joy

What I do know is that consumption and capitalism are not going to create the kinds of ...

What I do know is that consumption and capitalism are not going to create the kinds of changes that we wish to see. Getting someone to stop consuming animal products doesn’t necessarily save lives. It stops the breeding of animals, which is wonderful. However, when we are talking about 10 billion land animals in the US (55 billion globally), getting a few people to go vegan is not going to make any significant damage, particularly when we factor in increases in animal consumption in China and India and population growth around the world. ~ Gary Smith

We still do not know if supplementation is needed (at the moment there are no ...

We still do not know if supplementation is needed (at the moment there are no such guidelines) and if you would rather not supplement, you should choose foods with ALA [Omega 3 fatty acid] regularly and avoid foods containing trans-fats (main sources: of those are processed foods) ~ Malgorzata Desmond

The public need to be taught how they, as consumers, can avoid giving support to ...

The public need to be taught how they, as consumers, can avoid giving support to animal abuse. Its fundamentally important that people are educated to be vegan, as if a person is vegan, they are highly unlikely to support other forms of animal abuse. ~ Ronnie Lee

There is no better thing ~ EVER ~ than getting someone to live as a vegan ...

There is no better thing ~EVER~ than getting someone to live as a vegan for animal rights reasons because vegans fight animal persecution 24/7. They don’t eat animals or drink their juices or watch them perform or buy them as pets. If we are looking to do something NOW, what better than to talk to people about veganism for the animals’ sake? ~ Dr. Roger Yates

I think Robert Garner is right that insider status is essential. But we need both ...

I think Robert Garner is right that insider status is essential. But we need both insider status and 'outsider' status! That is to say we need to hit our opponents really hard sometimes in terms of publicity and focusing public opinion against them ~ Prof. Richard Ryder

Cruelty IS cruelty whether it happens in Indonesia, America or Australia. A knife in the ...

Cruelty IS cruelty whether it happens in Indonesia, America or Australia. A knife in the throat of a cow in Indonesia is the same as a knife in the throat of a cow in America [...] For the record, Indonesian slaughterhouses are NO worse than Australian or American slaughterhouses. Muslims are NO worse to animals than Christians and Jews or atheists. We need to stop focusing on which person/culture is doing the killing and focus on eradicating ALL of the killing. ~ Gary Yourofsky

I say if you believe as a knowledgeable, moral and ethical person that there is injustice ...

I say if you believe as a knowledgeable, moral and ethical person that there is injustice in the law then you need to speak up. ~ Prof. Steve Garlick

Veganism MUST be the very first thing we promote, everything else ...

Veganism MUST be the very first thing that we promote, everything else is secondary ~ Cameron Blewett

We have a very linear assumption in the animal rights movement, i.e., someone famous will ...

We have a very linear assumption in the animal rights movement, i.e., someone famous will bring attention, attention will help the animals. Do we actually know that this is how change happens? Or are we feeding a machine, the machine of culture? ~ Carol Adams

Not everyone has the ability to cook a great meal. Let those that do, do so. Not everyone has ...

Not everyone has the ability to cook a great meal. Let those that do, do so. Not everyone has the ability to articulate herself or himself in such a way that gets a message across convincingly. Let those that do so, do so. At the end of the day, we’re all working towards the same goal: the understanding that using others for your own desires, regardless of the colour of their skin, the shape of their bodies, or the membership of their species, is wrong. ~ Dino Sarma

Being vegan now is a piece of cake ... but ...

Being vegan now is a piece of cake ... but I think there are factors that can still make the idea rather daunting for some individuals. These may be related to peer group pressure, social class, family relations, geographical location, and so on. I guess existing vegans need to be sensitive to such issues and I think it is a mistake for those who went vegan easily to simply assume that everyone can have the same trouble-free experience. ~ Dr. Roger Yates

The philosophy of animal rights demands only that logic be respected. For any argument that ...

The philosophy of animal rights demands only that logic be respected. For any argument that plausibly explains the independent value of human beings implies that other animals have this same value, and have it equally. And any argument that plausibly explains the right of humans to be treated with respect also implies that these other animals have this same right, and have it equally, too. ~ Professor Tom Regan

I think we will all be happier - and thus better examples, and thus better advocates for ...

I think we will all be happier – and thus better examples, and thus better advocates for the animals – if we accept that some people will just be jerks. (And let’s be honest – that’s true about vegans, too – there are vegans who will be loudly belligerent with anyone whose thoughts deviate ever-so-slightly from theirs) ~ Matt Ball

Fighting for bigger cages or "better" treatment of animals is ...

Fighting for bigger cages or "better" treatment of animals is contradictory and ridiculous. It will never lead to empty cages. ~ Gary Yourofsky

Veganism is nothing to be proud of ~ it is simply coming home to our true nature, and ...

Veganism is nothing to be proud of – it is simply coming home to our true nature, and looking with eyes that see beings rather than seeing things. It’s a huge shift, and I’ve found I need to practice it not just with animals, but with everyone I meet, either directly or indirectly through the media. It’s an ongoing spiritual commitment, and the real adversary is never other people, it is myself—the fears, delusions, and inner disconnections that keep me enslaved to the illusion of essential separateness. All life is fundamentally interconnected, and our welfare is interconnected with the welfare of others. We will awaken to this or perish as a culture, without ever knowing why. ~ Dr. Will Tuttle

Taking action is not something to be condemned, ridiculed or belittled. It is of more ...

Taking action is not something to be condemned, ridiculed or belittled. It is of more benefit to educate about why someone has acted to effect change rather than to side with the enemy and condemn it. ~ Keith Mann

I disagree with the notion that welfare reforms cause people to feel more comfortable about ...

I disagree with the notion that welfare reforms cause people to feel more comfortable about consuming animals. In fact, empirical evidence suggests the opposite. Welfare reforms lead to more awareness about the issues, which leads people to eat fewer animal products. ~ Gene Baur

For when an injustice is absolute, one must oppose it absolutely. It was not ...

For when an injustice is absolute, one must oppose it absolutely. It was not “reformed” slavery that justice demanded, not “reformed” child labor, not “reformed” subjugation of women. In each of these cases, abolition was the only moral answer. Merely to reform absolute injustice is to prolong injustice. ~ Prof. Tom Regan

I don't believe people wake up each morning trying to figure out how they can ...

I don’t believe people wake up each morning trying to figure out how they can be as cruel as possible. But I do believe people wake up every morning FORGETTING to focus on how they can be as compassionate as possible. ~ Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

It seems to be the whole dolphin issue is getting a disproportionately large amount of attention...

It seems to be the whole dolphin issue is getting a disproportionately large amount of attention. We are talking about some 20-30 dolphins? There are many more farm animals being slaughtered in the meantime. I feel the public needs to be re-calibrated. ~ Eugene Farberov.

I encourage anyone who is unsatisfied with organized activism...

I encourage anyone who is unsatisfied with organized activism in your area to start your own grassroots group ~ Brandon Becker.

What I felt was important about the book [Animal Equality: Language and Liberation ...

What I felt was important about the book [Animal Equality: Language and LIberation by Joan Dunayer] was the way it exposed the cruelty of the practices that the language was covering up ~ Carol Adams

Vegan educators need to help people to discover the vegan that lives within ...

Vegan educators need to help people to discover the vegan that lives within them. I’ve learned that people are more open to making change and listening to the vegan message if it comes dressed in a loving vibe. ~ M. Butterflies Katz

No lie can live forever. Injustice seems endless, but it's not. Even if the world doesn't change ...

No lie can live forever. Injustice seems endless, but it's not. Even if the world doesn't change, I will go down knowing that I tried EVERYTHING in my power - from direct action to education - to make the world a better place. ~ Gary Yourofsky

I consider myself a conservationist more than anything. It is not just about ...

I consider myself a conservationist more than anything. It is not just about whales. It is about our carbon footprint, our clothes, cars, transport, consumption, food, energy, houses – these all play a role ~ Pete Bethune

Vegan education is the only way ...

Vegan education is the only way I know to help liberate animals ~ Barbara DeGrande

Is this [the animal advocacy movement] a middle class movement and what sort of opportunities might exist for alliance politics with the labour movement etc

Is this [the animal advocacy movement] a middle class movement and what sort of opportunities might exist for alliance politics with the labour movement etc...I think we need to think outside the square a little bit and a bit more creatively and not make assumptions or just take the statistics at face value. We need to think about what the lived reality of workers' lives is like and how we might connect with them  ~  Helen Masterman-Smith.

There is no doubt that we're skating on very thin ice for the future of humans on ...

There is no doubt that we're skating on very thin ice for the future of humans on planet Earth. It is important to realize your job is not to save the world, your job is to save yourself, and in the process we may be able to save the world. ~ Howard Lyman

We are the best hope for the liberation of other animals. Each of us, right now ...

We are the best hope for the liberation of other animals. Each of us, right now. We don’t need any groups, organizations, conferences or anything else. Let’s shake things up a little bit and get more people talking and thinking. ~ Tim Gier

Humans who were enslaved favored the view of abolitionists over those who ...

Humans who were enslaved favored the view of abolitionists over those who advocated simply for reforms, and I’ve got to believe that if other animals could express a preference they would say the same thing. Reforms, always a problem in terms of significance and enforcement, are likely to undermine critique and activism ~ Prof. David Nibert

The way systems that are built on privilege and oppression maintain themselves is ...

The way systems that are built on privilege and oppression maintain themselves is to remain invisible - and over time, as activists raise consciousness they become more and more visible. ~ Dr. Melanie Joy

I would like to see a more developed movement in which ...

I would like to see a more developed movement in which all the organizations were quite focused on veganism and speciesism. ~ Professor Oscar Horta

I regard any activity that harms other sentient beings or that creates a risk of harm ...

I regard any activity that harms other sentient beings or that creates a risk of harm to other sentient beings as violence. ~ Gary Francione

The fact that people may be rather befuddled by the terms "animal rights" and ...

The fact that people may be rather befuddled by the terms “animals rights” and “animal rights violations” merely suggests to me that we have not used that language nearly enough, and we are failing in our “ripening” duties. ~ Dr. Roger Yates

I'm an abolitionist, but have a different view of how to get there than some others. We can ...

I'm an abolitionist, but have a different view of how to get there than some others. We can learn from each other. Different opinions are healthy, as long as everyone is willing to listen to others. ~ Gene Baur

We should be thinking of ways to help other sentient beings, not use them. Better still ...

We should be thinking of ways to help other sentient beings, not use them. Better still, we should aim to develop an inclusive sense of “we” that involves all sentient beings. ~ David Pearce

I know we all see a lot of opinionated people who think one style of activism is ...

I know we all see a lot of opinionated people who think one style of activism is the one style that "gets the goods" but every action matters, no matter how big or small. ~ Andy Stepanian

It is not larger, cleaner cages that justice demands in the case of animals used in ...

It is not larger, cleaner cages that justice demands in the case of animals used in science, for example, but empty cages; not “traditional” animal agriculture, but a complete end to all commerce in the flesh of dead animals; not “more humane” hunting and trapping, but the total eradication of these barbarous practices ~ Tom Regan

With the shape the planet is in environmentally, we don't have time to fool around and ...

With the shape the planet is in environmentally, we don't have time to fool around and just become a part time vegetarian. For me, the sooner folks become vegan, the happier I am. ~ Howard Lyman

What I want is a society where humans do not regard themselves as ...

What I want is a society where humans do not regard themselves as superior to other animals, so that other creatures are no longer exploited, persecuted, enslaved and killed by human beings. ~ Ronnie Lee

There's little doubt that what I'm proudest of, is what lies ahead of us ~ having a role in ...

There's little doubt that what I'm proudest of, is what lies ahead of us ~ having a role in ending, and SOLVING, the dog and cat overpopulation problems and suffering ~ suffering that has haunted me my entire life. It is going to take years, but what doesn't? ~ Alex Pacheco

No matter who we are talking with, no matter where they were born ...

No matter who we are talking with, no matter where they were born, or how they grew up, it's easy enough to promote Veganism. ~ Jordan Wyatt

I often say that a vegan world can support 10x more people than a ...

I often say that a vegan world can support 10x more people than a carnivorous world. This having been said, I'd add that being vegan is undoubtedly a background necessity for being an ARA, but to merely be vegan is not enough. ~ Anthony Marr

I want to help animals, but I also want to do the right thing, and keep questioning ...

I want to help animals, but I also want to do the right thing, and keep questioning my own ideas to test them for adequacy. I change far more by doing that than by people pointing out mistakes in my work, and I guess I’m somewhat proud of that. I hope I can continue to grow. ~ David Sztybel

I am not inspired by campaigns to regulate or improve the lives of enslaved animals, mainly because ...

I am not inspired by campaigns to regulate or improve the lives of enslaved animals, mainly because I believe those campaigns fail to strongly question the enslavement itself. However, I do not feel it is my place to criticize those who feel that it does lead to a greater awareness on the part of the public of the cruelties animals endure at our hands.  ~ Dr. Will Tuttle

Vegan education is all well and good, I've spent many hours handing out "Why Vegan?" pamphlets ...

Vegan education is all well and good; I've spent many hours handing out "Why Vegan?" pamphlets on college campuses, talking to gatherings and individuals about why a vegan diet is so important, for the animals, the future of the planet, and our own health. It’s a necessary and important part of animal activism. But it is only one tactic among the many necessary to combat animal exploitation by humans. If it was the only, and EFFECTIVE way then fewer and fewer animals would be suffering and dying. Unfortunately, that is not true. I wish it were. ~ Dr. Jerry Vlasak

Activists and scholars challenging racism have called into question the term "nonwhite" ...

Activists and scholars challenging racism have called into question the term “nonwhite,” as implicit in its use is the acceptance of “white” as the norm. I am uncomfortable using the term “nonhuman animal” for similar reasons. The expression “other animals” is an explicit recognition of the fact that humans also are animals and an attempt to unmask anthropocentric views that allow for the creation of so much social distance from those who are oppressed ~ Prof. David Nibert

I would ask other advocates how we can expect others to embrace veganism ...

I would ask other advocates how we can expect others to embrace veganism when we won’t even embrace the word? ~ Louise Wallis

Generally, the animal movement is apolitical and politically naive. This is ...

Generally, the animal movement is apolitical and politically naïve. This is a major problem and an impediment to us achieving the institutional change we want to see ~ Kim Stallwood

Having a breakfast of cheese melted on your eggs and a glass of milk does ...

Having a breakfast of cheese melted on your eggs and a glass of milk does nothing for one's health, the animals, or the environment. ~ Bob Linden

[W]e need more (and more and more and more) awareness. As more and ...

[W]e need more (and more and more and more) awareness. As more and more people learn that meat production causes climate change, air and water pollution, and other environmental problems, they will be more likely to choose vegan foods ~ Bruce Friedrich

The 3 most effective forms of activism in our era are ...

The 3 most effective forms of activism in our era are education, education, and education (both why and how to go vegan) online and offline ~ Dan Cudahy

The reason people separate [between species] is because they are speciesists. Some ...

The reason people separate [between species] is because they are speciesists. Some species they like. Others they don’t like. They have not made the total connection yet. So they have their preferences. We have a scene in UNITY where we show 6 little puppies on a porch, immediately followed by 6 lobsters going into a boiling pot. The point being: we would never, ever boil puppies, but lobsters? Sure, that’s fine. And yet both are expressions of life. So that is Speciesism. ~ Shaun Monson

Identifying the core values of our legal system and shaping legal arguments that ...

Identifying the core values of our legal system and shaping legal arguments that invoke these core values in the service of attaining the fundamental legal rights for nonhuman animals is, and has always been, at the center of what I do.  If the core values change, so will my arguments. ~ Prof. Steven Wise

What veganism is, in essence, is ahimsa, nonviolence, and it is a mentality of ...

What veganism is, in essence, is ahimsa, nonviolence, and it is a mentality of radical inclusion – of including all living beings within the sphere of our compassion, without exception ~ Will Tuttle

Many humans 'use' monkeys and other animals, for companionship and to ...

Many humans ‘use’ monkeys and other animals, for companionship and to fill a void, which doesn’t mean they do not ‘love’ them. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the monkeys grow up and become unpredictable and dangerous - the monkeys pay the ultimate price. Many pay with their lives! ~ Kari Bagnall  

One great side effect of the films that I make is that many people make the connection ...

One great side effect of the films that I make is that many people make the connection and go vegan without it being in their faces. For example, since Behind The Mask came out, I have received thousands of emails from people all over the world who went vegan after watching it! ~ Shannon Keith

I understand the personal pride that many vegans feel when "vegan" gets mentioned ...

I understand the personal pride that many vegans feel when “vegan” gets mentioned in the media, and when famous people endorse it. But VO doesn’t exist to promote the word “vegan,” to celebrate veganism, or to get media attention. Rather, our goal is to reduce as much suffering as possible. ~ Matt Ball

I recall having been particularly shocked by the argument that points out that if we think ...

I recall having been particularly shocked by the argument that points out that if we think we should be respected more than other animals because we are more intelligent, then humans who lack our level of intelligence should be also discriminated against. This was a big discovery for me, and strongly reinforced my veganism ~ Oscar Horta

I think that when activists use either intimidation or compromises with industry as ...

I think that when activists use either intimidation or compromises with industry as their systematic approach, they make it possible for government and industry to neutralize activism. ~ Lee Hall

Meat is a symbol of patriarchy and since patriarchy must be recalled at every meal ...

Meat is a symbol of patriarchy and since patriarchy must be recalled at every meal, meat as the centerpiece of the meal enacts that recall. To remove meat from the table not only threatens the notion of the individual meat eater as male but the culture’s commitment to and basis in patriarchy. ~ Carol Adams

It isn't inherently wrong to support a campaign designed to end the slaughter of ...

It isn’t inherently wrong to support a campaign designed to end the slaughter of one group or class of sentient beings. For example, would an abolitionist say it would be wrong to try to stop someone from killing a single dolphin? I would hope not ~ Tim Gier

No one likes being called out on our oppressive behaviour (and we're all guilty ...

No one likes being called out on our oppressive behaviour (and we’re all guilty in one way or another, none of us is perfect) and the knee-jerk reaction is to defend yourself and your lifestyle/actions etc. But things only change with cultural change and the media plays a huge part in shifting collective consciousness ~ Katrina Fox

Veganism is living in the most compassionate way possible, and ...

Veganism is living in the most compassionate way possible, and to me, it’s a moral imperative. ~ Gene Baur

Regulation typically 'rescues' an industry by consolidating the industry behind ...

Regulation typically 'rescues' an industry by consolidating the industry behind larger players, putting smaller, less effective rivals out of the market. ~ Vincent Guihan

I simply have no desire to get involved in intermovement arguments and ...

I simply have no desire to get involved in intermovement arguments and in-fighting. There is so much work to be done, and time is precious. I want to spend my time being as productive and effective as I can – not getting sidetracked by distractions. ~ Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

I don't think it matters whether or not people are the ALF and I don't think people should ...

I don't think it matters whether or not people are the ALF and I don't think people should necessarily think it's important to be the ALF. What's important is to act in a way that saves animals from slaughter and suffering. What name is given to that doesn't matter. ~ Ronnie Lee

According to the American Dietetic Association, British Dietetic Association ...

According to the American Dietetic Association, British Dietetic Association, American Academy of Paediatrics – all highly respected organizations dealing with human health and nutrition, well planned vegan diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle ~ Malgorzata Desmond

There is a real problem of cultishness in the movement. I say repeatedly ...

There is a real problem of cultishness in the movement. I say repeatedly and I believe sincerely that each of us has a moral responsibility to become a leader. The result of not doing this is disastrous. ~ Gary Francione

It's speciesist to consider differently the interests of humans and animals. So I won't ask for ...

It’s speciesist to consider differently the interests of humans and animals. So I won’t ask for animals anything less than what I’d want for myself. We may refuse to help animals because we like to see them living and dying with no help from us. But let’s not deceive ourselves: it’s not what the animals would choose [...] Refusing to help them would thus be doing something in accordance to OUR preferences, not theirs. ~ Professor Oscar Horta

Use all your talents and be creative (art, music, web sites, podcasts, videos ...

Use all your talents and be creative (art, music, web sites, pod casts, videos, demonstrations, lectures at libraries and other, write a book …) to get the word out and don’t let anyone tell you to be quiet about things that matter. ~ Dave Warwak

Some vegans are too reticent about asking for what they want, but ...

Some vegans are too reticent about asking for what they want, but restaurants won't know they have vegan customers if we don't open our mouths ~ Priscilla Feral

Clearly the biggest improvement would consist in not using animals ...

Clearly the biggest improvement would consist in not using animals at all as a source of food or as laboratory subjects ~ Professor Robert Garner

Through slaughter, we create a culture of violence that most people say ...

Through slaughter, we create a culture of violence that most people say they’re opposed to. And it’s on that very real point that we can find common ground with people – not on modern methods of cruelty but on the violence inherent in killing animals. ~ Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

In essence, my work turned me vegan. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to ...

In essence, my work turned me vegan. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that working on a farm animal and then going home and consuming one doesn't make sense! But what made going vegan stick was a spiritual conversation with a cow. Once I met this beautiful being on a soul level I could never eat meat again. Thanks to the universe for this experience. ~ Thomas Janak

Calling someONE an "it" or a "thing" is horrible, to see someone as having ...

Calling someONE an "it", or a "thing" is horrible, to see someone as having no rights, or *almost* no rights, as being property of another is about as low as you can go, I don't care how great you are at limbo dancing :-) ~ Jordan Wyatt

I believe that all forms of prejudice and oppression are connected and ...

I believe that all forms of prejudice and oppression are connected and really flow from the same root (that of making someone else an "other"). I've definitely been conditioned with the privileges I hold (species, class,/caste gender, and race, to name a few), and I've often said and done things that reinforce many types of "othering" ~ Minku Sharma

As more people make compassionate choices, others will emulate them ...

As more people make compassionate choices, others will emulate them. Humans are social animals and we are influenced by those around us, so it’s important for vegans to serve as positive role models. Compassion can be contagious. ~ Gene Baur

The other animals humans eat, use in science, hunt, trap and exploit in a variety of ways ...

The other animals humans eat, use in science, hunt, trap, and exploit in a variety of ways, have a life of their own that is of importance to them apart from their utility to us. They are not only in the world, they are aware of it. What happens to them matters to them. Each has a life that fares better or worse for the one whose life it is ~ Prof. Tom Regan

I envision a world where all beings are able to live on their own terms ...

I envision a world where all beings are able to live on their own terms, and it really isn't that hard. But as for farm animals they will most likely be ushered into extinction as the demand for them declines and disappears ~ Harold Brown

It's important to look at things from the perspective that animal use ...

It's important to look at things from the perspective that animal use is unjustified, while acknowledging that the world is far from vegan at this time so there are plenty of instances where we can't reasonably avoid things ~ Jo Charlebois

I see dolphins as a reference point in nature. But ...

I see dolphins as a reference point in nature. But you’re right, the dolphin is no more or less important than any other living being. They are all equally important. ~ Ric O'Barry

We all know people who can give up meat easily and never miss it. But...

We all know people who can give up meat easily and never miss it. But there are also others, who include tough and driving politicians, who seem to need meat every bit as much as they need sex! They crave it! This problem requires research if animals are ever to be fully freed ~ Prof. Richard Ryder.

When we're born into any dominant, entrenched system ...

When we’re born into any dominant, entrenched system, we inevitably absorb the system’s logic as our own. We learn to see the world through the eyes of the system. ~ Melanie Joy

It's a very human-centered, privileged thing to sit back and ...

It’s a very human-centered, privileged thing to sit back and debate the merits of certain tactics when hundreds of animals are being murdered every second. ~ Peter Young

For those people who do not believe in a rights-based approach ...

For those people who do not believe in a rights-based approach informed by animal rights theory, I respectfully suggest that they not use the term “animal rights” which is best used by people who actually believe that animals have rights. ~ Dr. Roger Yates.

Capitalism commodifies, alienates the individual from those things in which ...

Capitalism commodifies, alienates the individual from those things in which she has interests and then forces her to buy these things. It's an immoral system and ironically, it conflicts with the ethical/ spiritual beliefs that most of us claim to embrace. ~ Gary Francione

Steve Wise the human being is very concerned about moral consideration ..

Steve Wise the human being is very concerned about moral consideration. Steve Wise the animal rights lawyer is determined to require humans to respect the fundamental rights of nonhuman animals whether they want to or not. ~ Professor Steven Wise

I am not aware of any sort of "reform" that has negatively impacted on industry ...

I am not aware of any sort of 'reform' that has negatively impacted on industry in the long term ~ Cameron Blewett.

I feel that most people are compassionate and caring ...

I feel that most people are compassionate and caring and if they only knew what was happening, they would join forces with us to stop the horrific use of animals on the planet ~ Kari Bagnall.

It's [...] important that we realise what the media is ...

It’s [...] important that we realise what the media is. It is the voice of the enemy and it cannot be softened up to embrace our agenda. We must go directly to the people with the truth and not hope for the media to do it for us ~ Keith Mann.

Be the voice that gently talks about sentience and justice ...

Be the voice that gently and kindly talks about sentience and justice and the desire we all have to live our lives free of exploitation and cruelty and an untimely death at the hands of another.  Educate vegetarians on what’s involved in the production of their beloved eggs and cheese ~ Dr. Mary Martin.

The most rewarding part of running [our] group is that we are self-directed advocates ...

The most rewarding part of running [our] group is that we are self-directed advocates, able to do what we want, how we want to do it, and continually reflect on the effectiveness of our work and change course whenever necessary. ~ Brandon Becker.

I operate on my own terms, I say what I want to say ...

I operate on my own terms. I say what I want to say, when I want to say it, and where I want to say it. I work for the animals and the animals alone. I am not here to placate activists and win a popularity contest. ~ Gary Yourofsky

We are literally eating the oceans alive and if the oceans die, we all die.

We are literally eating the oceans alive and if the oceans die, we all die. ~ Paul Watson.

The last thing other animals need is another reason not to care about them ...

The last thing other animals need is another reason not to care about them. How we act towards other people can provide just such a reason ~ Tom Regan.

In my experience, promoting antispeciesism and veganism...

In my experience, promoting antispeciesism and veganism is the most efficient way to get rid of ALL animal products, including the free-range farms ~ Jose Valle.

[T]o make an authentic effort to minimize the cruelty we cause...

[T]o make an authentic effort to minimize the cruelty we cause other living beings is the essence of what veganism is, as defined by Donald Watson, who coined the word.  ~  Dr. Will Tuttle

Animal rights doesn’t only involve the absence of property …

Animal rights doesn’t only involve the absence of property; it’s about human beings gaining the integrity, stamina, and creativity to envision a world beyond human supremacy. It’s about people finally resolving to help each other understand we can interact with life on this planet based on respect.  ~  Lee Hall

I [...] talk about meat eaters as blocked vegetarians/vegans.

I [...] talk about meat eaters as blocked vegetarians/vegans. The idea being that somewhere within them they already have the feelings about what they are doing, they just haven’t figured out how to use the feelings in a positive way. ~ Carol J. Adams

[T]o move effectively towards ending the horrible treatment of other animals...

[T]o move effectively towards ending the horrible treatment of other animals we have to recognize the economic forces – and political support – that ultimately underlie the oppression. We are dealing with a social structural as well as a moral problem ~ David Nibert.