Nz Vegan Podcast

Listen HEREHere is the quote I was trying to say on the show"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret MeadThis is the Gandhi quote I have on my 'cubicle' wall at work:"Non-violence and truth are inseparable and presuppose one another." ~ GandhiHere are the posters I have on my cubicle wall at workHere is a link to the interview of Gary Francione by Erik Marcus: MP3 or listen on the Abolitionist Approach Audio page.Please read Gary Francione's booksHere is our Facebook Group that I talked about: Oz Vegan & NZ VeganHere is the link to Emmy James' new podcast that I mentioned: Activism and the Message We Want to Send

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LISTEN HEREHere is the link to the Shirtless Dancing Guy video I mentioned: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQThis is the link to the Coexisting With Nonhuman Animals episode about the Oprah Show that I mentioned: Episode 46 - Oprah Goes... Vegan, "Veg*n","veganish"...Here is the link to the latest Abolitionist Approach Commentary Number 24, an interview by Gary L. Francione with Rob Johnson creator of the blog Animal Rights UK and founding member of Grampion Animal Rights (which in typical me fashion I accidentally called Aberdeen Animal Rights, all my friends ought to be used to my getting things all mixed up by now, but I again apologise for mis-naming another organisation/website etc) and Vegan UK:Commentary 24: Vegan Advocacy in the UKThanks for listening!

Listen HERE"People say that being a vegan creates a social problem in that others may react negatively. But isn't that the case if you take a principled position on any issue, whether it's racism, sexism, heterosexism, violence as a general matter—or speciesism? The key is to educate others about *why* you take the position." ~ Gary L. FrancioneLinks and articles and other things I talk about:The Vegan Times  (website is http://vegan-times.com/) and also the Vegan Times Facebook page by  Maya ShlayanVegan Cupcake Cards by Emmy James - PLEASE NOTE: correct link address is: http://emmyjames.com/vegancards.pdfVegan Information Stall at School by Clare WuShame, Shame: Vegan Stereotypes by Mylène Ouellet"Please stop apologising for refusing to participate in violence" ~ Live Vegan"Wherever the truth is injured, defend it" ~ George Bernard Shaw (not Bertrand Russell - my apologies!)Gary Francione's Facebook PageAnimals, Property and the Law by Gary Francione - a must rea

Listen HEREThis episode I address some issues coming from a male point of view, and try to address one of the common misconceptions about all vegans being super skinny and I name a couple of famous female vegans. (I also want to mention that Martina Navratilova is a vegan and you can check out how buff she is). I will say that one thing you probably will never see is an OBESE vegan, which is different from full figured or large bodied. Obesity is very very unhealthy and I doubt very much you can get obese on a Vegan diet, but I think that is a good thing. I also talk about why I use the word vegan and not vegetarian.Thanks to Jordan Wyatt for his great input, and thanks to Daiseybitree for her kind review on the iTunes store!UPDATE 28 February 2009: I would like to update this note, to address the concerns of the comment left on this post. When I talk about obesity as mentioned above, I am specifically talking about the medical condition, which as I already said is different from a large-bodied person; e

Listen HEREThis week I added a little new age music to kick things off, it may not be everyone's cup of tea but at least I now have music on my podcast. I talk about the positive aspect of the total moral schizophrenia that we human beings have with regard to our treatment of animals, and try to look at one side of the thinking as being an opportunity to take advantage of.

Listen HEREThis episode I speak about the use of animals as entertainment, and also my reaction to a couple of pictures from a "cute" and "entertaining" email that appears to be making the rounds at the moment. As always I talk about how we must change the absolute fundamental way that people see all non-human animals, or we will never change anything.

Listen HEREIn this episode I address the comment left on my blog post Episode 6, and also an email I received (I think from the same person?) that had a similar reaction to my use of the word obese. It is my first negative reaction and it is very enlightening! I updated the blog description of Episode 6 also, to address the same. Thanks to everyone who has provided input, positive and negative, it is all very useful and helpful.Also in this episode I am very happy to relate a story that confirms my theory that you can never underestimate anyone as to their one day having the desire to learn about the issue of abolitionist veganism, no matter what first impression you give yourself about them. It is elitist to say only a certain type of person is open to the idea, I disagree entirely and that attitude is very limiting. I think every single person on this earth is just as able to embrace the idea of abolitionist veganism as the next.Even people who have blogs that are extremely anti-vegan (and that is actu

Listen HEREThis week I talk about what I eat in general, and about supplementing your vegan diet with either vitamin B12 supplements or vitamin B12 fortified foods. I read directly from four sources and I enclose the following links to those sources:http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/processed-food-retail-sale/fact-sheets/iodinelongqas.htmhttp://www.vegansociety.com/food/nutrition/b12/http://www.vegsoc.org/info/b12.htmlhttp://www.abolitionistapproach.com/?p=298In the episode I mention a nutrition chart that I purchased from an event I went to, and I promised I would put a link to how to buy it. The only place I could find to buy it from online is a UK site. So have a look:http://www.thevegancook.co.uk/nutrition-chart.phpBut don't panic. I am sure the NZ Vegetarian Society sells these charts locally. So if you want one and you don't want to order from England, give them a try. Just email them or call them and see if they have them in stock. They are the people who sold me my chart, so I am sure they still do that o

Listen HEREThis week I have a special guest on the show, Jordan Wyatt, who joins me from the South Island of New Zealand, from the city of Invercargill. We talk about protesting, activism and his experience as a young male vegan. We also talk about how it is to live in a small town or city where there are no resources for vegans for things like personal care products etc. Also a shout out to Nancy and Nick who are listeners who sent me emails all the way from America and Canada. Thanks so much for contacting me and for listening. And thanks to Jordan for coming on the show.Links to companies that make vegan personal care products:http://www.jason-natural.com/http://www.lush.com/and to groups that provide information about companies:http://www.uncaged.co.uk/crueltyfree.htmhttp://leapingbunny.org/indexcus.phpThis is link to an online store where you can buy Vegan products if you live in New Zealand, and you can go to the physical store in St. Kevins Arcade off Karangahape Road in Auckland. Note: I am not

Listen HEREThis week I want to clarify what I mean when I talk about being patient and tolerant. Unfortunately, at this point in time, we are fighting against something that is actually publicly defended as morally justified, unlike other causes such as fighting against racism or child abuse, and unlike those other causes we do not have the majority opinion, or even 20% or even 10% hell we don't even have 5% of public opinion on our side, so until we get enough of a percentage of people who truly believe we should not be exploiting animals in any way whatsoever, and who see why we are saying it is a question of morality, just like racism and child abuse etc are questions of morality, we have no real power to take action, and I believe the only way we can get that percentage of the population we need to have power, is to educate people with patience and tolerance. We must be careful not to turn people off from ever embracing the idea of veganism, which is simply the abolition of animal use, however at pres

Listen HEREThis week I have a very special guest on the show, Professor Gary Francione! Anyone who has listened to my podcast knows that I am a huge admirer of Professor Francione. His words and his philosophy of abolition are what inspired me to change my life, he is my favourite speaker on the issues, of course, and is an amazing person to have a discussion with. In Part 1 of the interview I ask Professor Francione to talk about his beginnings as an animal activist, how he developed his theory of abolition and why he does not support the animal welfare methods that are so widely promoted all over the world. I also ask for any advice for people like myself with regard to spreading this message of abolition in a non-violent, non-judgmental yet effective way. Enjoy!

Listen HEREPart 2 of my interview with Professor Gary Francione in which we continue the discussion of abolitionist veganism as a concept and as a method of activism. We also discuss the importance of the promotion of peace and non-violence in contrast to the troubling violence committed by some animal activists. We talk about the relationship between Human Rights and Animal Rights. We discuss capitalizing on peoples' empathy towards animals, and using that to expose them to the truth of the matter, and Professor Francione illustrates how every person can be a leader and an example in his or her own life. Enjoy! Thank you, Professor Francione.

Listen HEREThis week I say hi and thank you to people who listened to the Gary Francione interview and other episodes and got in touch with me to offer support and I have provided links to their fantastic websites in my list of links. I reinforce why I am only comfortable with peaceful, abolitionist vegan activism, because otherwise I would not be being true to myself. I talk about how animals, unlike women or human slaves, will never be able to start their own movement or create an agenda or a political party etc etc, obviously, so they will never have a way of helping themselves from this situation that we have placed them all in. It is only up to us to help them, right through to the end.

Listen HEREThis week I try to articulate my thoughts about abolition veganism as a movement, as a cause that is becoming reality, because I am starting to think that we are at the beginning of something that may one day, albeit perhaps long after we are gone, be called a movement. The more people I am finding out about who are promoting abolitionist veganism, the more I realize that something has really begun. Something that actually will make a difference, unlike the last 200 years. It's very probable it has begun purely because of one man, Gary Francione; that is often how great movements are begun, but they only get going when people finally pay attention, and get involved, and get behind that person, then it becomes two people, then three then hundreds until it becomes a real grass roots movement. Think of all the great movements in history... However, I am trying to remind myself that firstly, if this IS the beginning of a movement, of a grass roots abolitionist veganism movement, then it is the abso

Listen HEREThis Episode I mention how important it is to be in touch with reality no matter how painful it is. I think it is the best way to live, and it also allows us to embrace life, and only by being in touch with the reality of the world we are living in can we be effective in helping to better that world. I talk about the dreams I have which are not fantasies, but rather are about a future that I will probably never get to live long enough to see, which is however, a plausible future, a plausible reality. I wistfully imagine what it would be like being there to help solve the problems that will be need to be solved in a vegan or at least a more vegan world - how to undo the damage to the environment, how to help the surviving domestic animals and provide homes for them for the rest of their natural lives, how to sustain ourselves as ecologically as possible. These are my dreams; my reality is I am here in this utterly non-vegan world, and before we can solve the issues that will arise in a vegan worl

Listen HEREJust want to say I was never trying to hide my identity! I am proud of who I am. I just thought my nickname was unusual and unique and would draw attention, and there are so many Elizabeth Collins out there. I am NOT the Elizabeth Collins that writes/wrote articles for PETA!!!Anyway, my friends from New York have been calling me Knuckles for as long as I can remember, it is my nickname, but everyone knows my real name because that is how it is shown on Gary Francione's site for example - it was never about hiding my name. But if I ever deal with someone who is looking for a reason to judge or make snap decisions, using my nickname may work against me, and well, you never know. So there you go. You can still call me Knuckles if you like! I don't care either way. But officially, podcast-wise, I'm dropping the moniker.And I put a photo (another great suggestion from Doug) - it was taken by me on my camera phone in NYC in very early November 2007, only a couple of weeks after I saw Earthlings

Listen HEREHiI made an embarrassing mistake in my last episode. Please accept my apologies to Dan Cudahy and Roger Yates for messing up. Roger's website is On Human-Nonhuman Relations:http://human-nonhuman.blogspot.com/and Dan's website is called Unpopular Vegan Essays:http://unpopularveganessays.blogspot.com/I am so sorry for making that mistake. Please check out these great blogs. Forgive me Dan and Roger.

Listen HEREThis week I talk about my personal experiences trying to work and earn a living as a vegan in a non-vegan world. I also talk about an interesting reaction I had (the way I reacted not the other people) upon being given my very first opportunity ever to address a group of relative strangers about veganism. I also talk about Colleen Patrick-Goudreau with whom many people are already very familiar. So far I have not done any more than go to the iTunes Store and read a few of the 255 reviews, and listen to a couple of minutes of a show, all of which I just did now actually (although I am now of course a subscriber and will be listening to every single episode!). Even without listening any further and just by reading the reviews I know that this is someone I can learn from. I can't wait to hear all the podcasts. I have put a link in the link section to her podcast Food for Thought:http://www.compassionatecooks.com/podcast.htmand I also recommend going to the iTunes Store and reading some of the rev