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Nov 29, 2006

Focus:Civil Rights
Action Request:Read
Location:United States

Vegan activist tours the country spreading his ‘gospel’

Gloria Stamat
Contributing Writer
http://thesouthend.typepad.com/tsenews/2006/11/vegan_activist_.html

For 25 years, nobody ate more meat than Gary Yourofsky. He wore leather shoes and even owned a goat fur coat.

But now, at age 36, Yourofsky is a vegan activist. He neither eats nor wears anything that once had a face, a mother or a bowel movement.




Yourofsky is the founder of the Royal Oak-based animal rights organization, ADAPTT (Animals Deserve Absolute Protection Today and Tomorrow). Lean, toned, and just a little bald, he delivers his litany to college classrooms around the country. Since ADAPTT’s 1996 inception, Yourofsky has given nearly 1,000 lectures — and on Nov. 14, he spoke at Wayne State University.
Yourofsky shows footage he took himself showing the gruesome inside of slaughterhouses. Cows are chopped up and baby chicks run through grinders. He uses “Even God Must Get the Blues” by Jo Dee Messina as background music, and as the line, “Rain falls down from heaven” plays, a goat’s blood sprays from its wounded neck on to the ground.

As people turned away from the footage, Yourofsky said, “If it’s not good enough for your eyes, then why your stomach?”

Yourofsky’s path to veganism began in his early 20s when he went behind the scenes at the Shrine Circus, where his stepfather is a clown. He saw three elephants chained to the floor, swaying neurotically from their imprisonment. He looked around and saw bears in yellow tutus and tights and other unnatural sights.

He said to his friend, “Let’s get the hell outta here.” Over the next few years he switched to a vegan lifestyle.

As a vegan, he is opposed to speciesism, which holds that humans have a right to do whatever they want to animals — whether to be eaten, or experimented on, or treated poorly. Yourofsky feels that animals have the right to live free; human enslavement of lower creatures, he said, is a form of social injustice.

On April 31, 1997, Yourofsky, with members of the Animal Liberation Front, released 1,542 minks from Ebert’s Fur Farm in Blenheim, Ontario. He spent 77 days in a Canadian prison for his efforts.

His contention is, why is it illegal to free tortured and enslaved animals, but legal to harvest animals for slaughter in the first place? Which is the greater crime? In Yourofsky’s mind, there is no question about this. Fighting for animal rights allows him to be able to look at himself in the mirror every day.

As for those who love a tasty piece of meat and are hooked, Yourofsky once loved meat as well. He thinks it is a murderous addiction, one based on cruelty for wanting a piece of flesh.

“But, sadly, heroin, cocaine and alcohol ain’t got shit on meat, cheese, milk and eggs,” said Yourofsky.

According to Yourofsky, 98-99 percent of all animal abuse occurs in the meat, dairy and egg industry. Also, it is an industry that uses up 70 percent of the U.S.’s crops that could be used to feed humans. Meat and dairy are subsidized by the government. Water is free to farmers, and cattle are allowed to graze on public land. It is about supply and demand. If people stop wanting these products, the cruelty would stop, too.

Yourofsky went on to say that humans find difficulty in digesting meat, and that it makes the blood acidic. To combat this, calcium is leached out of bones to correct the pH. Furthermore, many people are lactose intolerant. These are more reasons to veg it, and go whole grain, legumes, tofu and soy.

“How is soy gross? Blood, flesh, veins, muscles and tendons are gross,” said Yourofsky.

Yet at the heart of his argument, Yourofsky feels animals should be treated by the golden rule. Animals should be treated as humans are treated. He quoted clergyman William Inge as saying, “If animals formed a religion, humans would be depicted as the devil.”

Yourofsky sees hatred from every corner of society. This is his way to lift up those he sees as oppressed.

Visibility: Everyone
Posted: Wednesday November 29, 2006, 2:53 am
Tags: country the his activist vegan tours spreading ‘gospel’ [add/edit tags]

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Sarah Pl (82)
Wednesday November 29, 2006, 9:15 am
Thanks for this article Pel! Royal Oak is not too far from me...just across the river a bit and I've been to Blenheim where he released the minks!! This is all very close to home!!

Vasiliki B. (127)
Thursday November 30, 2006, 4:37 pm
Thank You Thank You Thank You! This man says everything I beleive in!
Thank You for sharing!

Emily MoonPeeker (341)
Thursday December 7, 2006, 8:59 pm
Thanks so much for posting this! I would love to hear him speak :)

Past Member (0)
Saturday December 16, 2006, 7:54 am
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Kimberly Watkins (3)
Friday January 19, 2007, 8:05 pm
Everyone is allowed to believe and practice as they like. Personally I could see myself going vegitarian not vegan. I believe there is life and some sense of awareness and self in everything, be it human, animal or plant. I believe no matter what we use, wear or eat, we do so by taking the life of SOMETHING, even if it is that of a single celled organism. Vegan or not, life is taken. Its not as if plants are delicately harvested for our use and consumption, nor do we walk around with microscopes, though we could, looking for small organisms in order to avoid harming them or their environment. For me, humans are not the top of the order and and animals aren't above plants. Its ALL life. Even if we live as naturally as possible we are constantly a part of the cycle of life and death willingly or not.

Natasha P. (0)
Tuesday January 23, 2007, 2:09 pm
This man is amazing.

pElAgUS vEgAn (551)
Sunday January 28, 2007, 11:27 am
hi kimberly,

i agree with you that there is life within everyone, would they be animal (human or non human) or plant or even rocks. Now the reason to not abuse someone is more about their sentience. A rock is not sentient. An animal is. It is still difficult to say plants have... but since i'm not sure, i do not eat them.
Being vegan is about respect of sentient animal beings. A vegetarian will not eat the flesh of a non human, but still, s/he contributes to the slavery, rape & murder of them.
Taking the life of SOMETHING is not that important, but taking & abusing the life of SOMEONE is! No one wants to die. Nobody wants to suffer.
Thanx for your comment.

Sean Preston (0)
Thursday February 15, 2007, 7:53 pm
Excellent Post. Ran across an interesting website. Looks like somone is trying to make a differnce. check it out.

http://www.IAmPlanetEarth.com

Cynthia S. (0)
Sunday February 18, 2007, 8:55 pm
I am limited on time. I just saw the end of a local news story (Raleigh NC) that someone/company somewhere (another state?) discovered a way to produce fuel from animal carcuses. Being a vegetarian I'm disturbed and can see potential problems. Like alternative food there is alternative fuel. I think the story was WRAL TV I just caught the end. Could someone more knowledgable check on this? Thank You. cindyswi@care2.com

pElAgUS vEgAn (551)
Monday February 19, 2007, 2:47 am
Fat Power: Researchers Plan to Make Fuel From Lard: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1202504/

Gina M. (18)
Sunday March 18, 2007, 2:13 pm
I recently turned Vegan and I'm glad there are others that feel the same way as I do. I also changed my ways and now I live pro-vegan lifestyl.e Keep up the good work!

Cecilia Coker (0)
Monday March 19, 2007, 5:00 am
Drugs & sex are doing more dammage than guns get real!

Alf I. (246)
Monday April 30, 2007, 11:16 am
This guy sounds great!! I wonder how many converts he gets at each lecture.

Roxanne Phillips (210)
Friday May 4, 2007, 3:51 pm
I would love to hear him speak, but I still can't watch those gruesome videos.. just the pictures make me cry. I am so glad to be vegan and not supporting that awful industry anymore. And I too, was a confirmed carnivore and didn't think I could give it up... It has been surprisingly easy!
And a surprise bonus us that cooking is fun again!! My daughter and I are now researching RAW and plan to try that soon.... Thank you for the great article!!

Athena E. (0)
Monday July 2, 2007, 5:00 pm
Wow - finally someone who agrees with me on the true meaning of equal rights for ALL. Thanks so much for letting us know.
I just started on care2 - I joined a few months ago and kind of forgot about it, but I checked it out again and it looks like something pretty awesome. Hopefully I'll be able to become more active on here ASAP. Once I figure out everything that's available to you on here. :-)

Athena E. (0)
Monday July 2, 2007, 5:03 pm
Wow - finally someone who agrees with me on the true meaning of equal rights for ALL. Thanks so much for letting us know.
I just started on care2 - I joined a few months ago and kind of forgot about it, but I checked it out again and it looks like something pretty awesome. Hopefully I'll be able to become more active on here ASAP. Once I figure out everything that's available to you on here. :-)

Athena E. (0)
Monday July 2, 2007, 5:06 pm
Actually, I might have to take back that last comment.... I just did a google search on him and it looks to me like he's one of those people who uses violence to get his point across. I never understood why people do that, because it doesn't even work. The whole point is to say that we should be treating each other with compassion - violence is not compasionate. No one is going to listen to you if you're trying to destroy their property or whatever - even if what they're doing is most definetly immoral. I've always said: You can't force someone to do what you want - you have to convince them that it's the right tihng to do.

Cynthia S. (0)
Sunday November 11, 2007, 8:50 pm
To "convince" is a form of mind changing. One may not agree with violence, yet any form of changing ones perspective, for instance can be perceived, or not, as violent and in cases can be perceived just as abusive as physical violence. I agree with "compassion" yet I do not agree with the violent form of covincing that exists when you use indirect communication to coax one into agreeing with you. Similarly, some forms of politeness are abusive of onesself especially when things are not OK with you, yet the other thinks it is OK. Also, it disturbs me if another is not completely aware they are being influenced. Another example, it is not necessarily good to simply convince one of an idea such that they do not agree anymore with their original belief or forget the opposing idea and lose some sense of neutrality. In otherwords being too subjective is dangerous. Being to one extreme or the other can be dangerous if one does not preserve the idea of the opposing side. So, it is good to preserve different view points in order not to be mislead, coaxed, or similarly coerced into being convinced of an idea you previously disagreed with. So, in short a "non-violent" form of convincing one of an action, inaction or idea can be just as harmful, and in cases, more harmful than violent forms of convincing. Violent may be yelling or intimidation and not physical. Of course such depends on the situation, beyond the scope of this comment. Regardless the point is, at least by using definite violent means, for example by yelling, one associates this with yelling and violence; therfore the other who you are trying to "convince" is aware of the opposition rather than being coerced into changing their position. Then, the person associates violence with changing ones mind. In short, they remember changing their idea with negativity and are aware they have been changed. Such association leaves room for the preservation of an opposition.

Cynthia S. (0)
Sunday November 11, 2007, 9:01 pm
To "convince" is a form of mind changing. One may not agree with violence, yet any form of changing ones perspective, for instance can be perceived, or not, as violent and in cases can be perceived just as abusive as physical violence. I agree with "compassion" yet I do not agree with the violent form of covincing that exists when you use indirect communication to coax one into agreeing with you. Similarly, some forms of politeness are abusive of onesself especially when things are not OK with you, yet the other thinks it is OK. Also, it disturbs me if another is not completely aware they are being influenced. Another example, it is not necessarily good to simply convince one of an idea such that they do not agree anymore with their original belief or forget the opposing idea and lose some sense of neutrality. In otherwords being too subjective is dangerous. Being to one extreme or the other can be dangerous if one does not preserve the idea of the opposing side. So, it is good to preserve different view points in order not to be mislead, coaxed, or similarly coerced into being convinced of an idea you previously disagreed with. So, in short a "non-violent" form of convincing one of an action, inaction or idea can be just as harmful, and in cases, more harmful than violent forms of convincing. Violent may be yelling or intimidation and not physical. Of course such depends on the situation, beyond the scope of this comment. Regardless the point is, at least by using definite violent means, for example by yelling, one associates this with yelling and violence; therfore the other who you are trying to "convince" is aware of the opposition rather than being coerced into changing their position. Then, the person associates violence with changing ones mind. In short, they remember changing their idea with negativity and are aware they have been changed. Such association leaves room for the preservation of an opposition.

Victor Oji (4)
Tuesday November 13, 2007, 10:59 am
For your attention.

Sequel to your non-response of my earlier letter to you, on behalf of the Trustees and Executors to the Will of my late client.

I wish to notify you that I listed you as beneficiary to the total sum of (Twelve Million Eight Hundred Thousand British Pounds) in the codicil,last testament of the deceased.

Until his death he was a privatecontractor and a great philanthropist during his lifetime, he died on 9th January 2006 at the age of 68.

He was buried on the 3rd of February and although he is a foreigner living and working here, he requested before his death that he be buried here in his words.

I therefore reckoned that you could receive this funds as you are qualified by your name identity, all your necessary informations will be passed to the bank which the funds are deposited on your
response.

In your acceptance of this deal, I request that you kindly forward these informations to me your direct telephone numbers and what you do for a living including your forwarding address to enable me process yourfile for the release of this sum of money

Yours In Service

Bea B. (248)
Saturday December 8, 2007, 3:18 pm
Hi Yourofsky, please come to Australia, write to me, you can stay in my house, you will love it here and get a bit of piece. Bea

Past Member (0)
Saturday May 31, 2008, 10:21 am
I recently started down my vegan path, and it's much more easy in most ways then I thought. Growing up in the dairy state I was raised on meat and dairy and the vegan alternatives are more healthy, good tasting and better ethically. Great article!

Clever Pseudonym (188)
Sunday July 13, 2008, 6:31 am
To obey an unjust law is both immoral and cowardice.

Veronique P. (62)
Saturday August 23, 2008, 1:17 am
Wonderfu article, thank you!!

Maggie Amaya (179)
Monday July 20, 2009, 10:51 pm
This is excellent! I am so glad I'm a vegetarian and transitioning towards veganism :-)

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