Americans love to pin hopes. We are a nation of dreamers. But we’ve learned from American history that waiting for our government to solve the crises of our time is analogous to leaving the runway lights on for Amelia Earhart.
With the election now decided, we can shut off the lights.
Take a tour of the U.S. Capitol, and you’ll start in a theater where you will watch a short film chronicling our government’s greatest accomplishments. Spoiler Alert: You probably weren’t alive for any of them.
If we can’t trust our immoral, bickering, self-serving government to fix our crumbling bridges, myopic education system, corrupt corporations, or national debt, why should we believe they will combat animal agriculture and the problems that result from it?
If you’re worried about animal agriculture getting worse, consider the depressing reality that it would be hard for it to get much worse. It’s already a daily holocaust.
More than 56 billion land animals and two trillion fishes are killed for food every year. These figures have remained constant or increased for years. Thus, the idea that the recent election will interrupt historic progress for farmed animals by our government doesn’t exactly compute. It’s not like we’re going to be transitioning from a vegan world to a new era of factory farming.
That’s not to say the new administration can’t make conditions worse–and we should expect they will and without remorse, because they are a ruthless pack–especially for aquatic and wildlife with their non-climate change believing, anti-health, anti-regulation, pro-Ag-Gag, anti-clean energy, pro-fossil fuel policies, but there also reaches a tipping point where abuse of power and transparent attempts to conceal the truth backfire and cause people to take a stand where they would otherwise be indifferent. Look no further than the public backlash over Ag-Gag laws as evidence.
But who are the real drivers of ingenuity and progress in American history, though? Did President Hayes invent the lightbulb, or was it Thomas Edison? Did President Nixon create Tofurky–saving millions of animals’ lives–or was it American hero Seth Tibbott? Did President Ford revolutionize technology, or was it Bill Gates and Steve Jobs? Did President Reagan start PETA , or was it Ingrid Newkirk? Did President Obama invent Just Egg, or was it Josh Balk and Josh Tetrick? (Props to Thomas Jefferson for inventing the swivel chair, though.)
And then there’s you. Has a president ever stopped you from advocating for a cause?
What would Franklin, Washington, Adams, and Jefferson say about this election result? They would be disheartened, but they would expect us to exercise the constitutional freedoms they guaranteed us and preserve our democracy. And that is what we must commit ourselves to do. Relentlessly.
The real agents of progress will be companies like Beyond Meat and Hampton Creek inspiring iconic competitors to enter the plant-based food market, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine putting a focus on health and compassion, the Animal Legal Defense Fund using the legal system to protect animals, organizations like Compassion Over Killing exposing the animal agriculture industry with their undercover investigations, and innovative farm sanctuaries and humane education programs like Blackberry Creek Farm Animal Sanctuary and the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, respectively.
The government doesn’t have the solution to every problem, nor should we rely on them for it. The Humane League doesn’t require government approval to negotiate a deal with animal agriculture companies to create more humane conditions for animals or end the cruel practice of culling baby chicks. Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary doesn’t need USDA approval to rescue farmed animals. And millions of advocates don’t need a president to approve their grassroots advocacy to inspire people to eat plant-based food. The greatness of America is most apparent in ordinary people’s acts of extraordinary genius and kindness. That is America.
Will more animals likely suffer and die as a result of this election? Probably. But the movement will continue to achieve historic victories too–and maybe public opinion will shift so significantly in the face of such disregard for the most defenseless among us and our planet that compassion will rise.
The path we’re on is unsustainable. People are going to get it because they’re going to have to get it. When their town is flooded, the economy is crippled, and our healthcare system can no longer support them, the move to plant-based food will become the obvious and necessary choice.
While I believe farmed animal rights advocates would be well served to keep their expectations realistic, the movement to save farmed animals, improve human health, and save our planet is unstoppable because people have the power to advance it despite our government. In the face of unprecedented challenges, it is time for us to unite, think strategically, focus on measurable outcomes that benefit animals, and work tirelessly to achieve them.
What will stop the animal rights movement? Nothing.
Kirschner's Korner 
We can’t and won’t be stopped…we all must support one another and remain optimistic. We have and are making progress…onward march!!!
Thank you for your activism Denise.
This is a timely, inspirational and necessary piece, Andrew. It is hard not to be disheartened about the recent election and what that means for animals. I do hope that it will galvanize more people to stand up for them. I stood outside of a polling station in Massachusetts to talk to voters about question 3 to eliminate cruel confinement. Despite the misleading advertising by oil tycoon, Forrest Lucas, and two ag businesses, that it would cause higher food bills, 78% voted to get rid of them. It’s THAT sort of action that bolsters my faith in humankind. Your message is clear that each one of us can do something that will make a difference. Thank you.
Thank you Pat. I appreciate your note and advocacy. If we all do a little, it adds up to a lot and makes a big difference.
Thank you Andrew. I totally agree and I have come to expect very little from our government. My main issue when selecting who to vote for is which candidate will lead to the fewest human and non human animal lives to be lost. In this election it was glaringly obvious. Didn’t go our way so we all need to roll up our sleeves and work harder. Long term we are an unstoppable karmic force.
Thank you Seth. I agree. Thank goodness for people like you in this world. You are such an inspiration.
We must excersize our constitutional freedom to make sure our rights as humans are preserved. To many are trying to take away our right to make a living, to feed our families, to choose what we want to buy, and from whom. We need to dramatically reduce the size and control of the government over the ordinary citizen, before we end up in russia, china, or Nazi Germany. Extreme government control has been tried over and over and it always fails. People don’t want to be oppressed and controlled. We need to take our freedoms back. We can start with our freedom to eat what we choose. Not force others to eat what we allow. You have the choice right now to eat meat or not. Don’t give that up. I choose to eat meat as God intended. I won’t give that up.