where science and ethics intersect with politics
Have you ever thought, “If only I were President of the United States”? Imagine all the possibilities, the changes that could be made. To end suffering as much as humanely possible. To see liberation and equality for all. How about bringing these thoughts to fruition? The Humane Party is holding for the first time in its existence a Presidential Primary for the 2020 Presidential election.
Peace on earth for bulls and greyhounds
Despite the effort to combat exhibitionist violence, for more than twenty years now, the U.S.’s carnist political parties have carried on an annual celebration of the suffering and death of millions of innocent birds, known as the Presidential “turkey pardoning.”
A descriptive list of older and more recent titles of thought-provoking books for all ages.
As a human people we were once a community. Life was difficult, with few resources. So, people banded together for the common good—for themselves and for those in their immediate vicinity. After World War II, intentional communities were created as one answer to the dis-connection, or de-evolution of our human society. But do they take the intention far enough?
Earth Day 2018 (Sunday, April 22) will mark the 9th anniversary of the launch of the Humane Party. As per tradition, the HP will also release its bi-annual party platform on Earth Day. The 2018-19 platform includes two new sections and several significant updates.
A new poem by guest contributor Heather Leughmyer, on the harmful complicity of silence and the beneficial effects of breaking this silence.
The Humane Party’s Economic Transition Team has completed its report on live animal trade in the United States. The purpose of this report is to put together for the first time in one place the vast United States live animal trade industry data. It is meant to highlight the number of animals from all species who are both exported from and imported to the United States. The report also seeks to document the more than $3.5 billion U.S. industry that is the live animal export and import trade and to draw attention to the countries in which this trade is occurring.
While subjection to speciesism may be required by physical and political forces in the real world, no such necessity holds in imaginary worlds. The author, editor, and publisher of a story, a play, a novel, a poem, a song, a movie script, a video game, or some other piece of literature wield plenary power over the manufactured universe in which that piece is set. If we want readers and viewers to escape from speciesism, even just for a little while and even just in their imaginations, we can enable that escape by keeping speciesism and animal exploitation out of literature altogether. This end can be achieved both (i) by writing new works that are, from the outset, free from anthropocentric and speciesist content and (ii) by editing existing works to meet that criterion.
About 6 million vertebrate animals are dissected every year in high schools across the United States. This figure does not include elementary schools, middle schools, or colleges and universities. A similar number of invertebrate animals are also dissected in schools. Some of these animals are experimented upon while still alive. About 170 types of animals are used, the most common being frogs, fetal pigs, and cats.
The European Parliament voted on January 16, 2018 for a ban on the controversial fishing practice of electric pulse fishing, in which electrically charged lines are dragged just above the sea floor, stunning marine life up into trawling nets. The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), the only directly elected body to represent the European Union (EU), voted 402 to 232 in favor of the ban.
The newly formed coalition government of Norway, led by Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg, announced on January 14, 2018 a pledge to end all fur farming in Norway, with the phase-out complete by 2024/2025. Norway is the 14th European nation to phase out fur farming. Belgium, Germany, and Luxembourg are also considering legislation to ban fur farming. The United Kingdom was the first to institute a ban in 2000, followed by Austria in 2004.
According to the socially conscious Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR) investor initiative, global meat consumption increased five-fold between 1992 and 2016. This rise has worldwide implications for human health as well as the environment. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that the average American consumer will eat a record-breaking 222.2 pounds of red meat and poultry in 2018.
In a split decision on Idaho’s 2012 “ag-gag” law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on January 4, 2018 that audio and visual recordings in animal agricultural facilities could not be prohibited by the state, upholding an earlier ruling that invalidated the Idaho law for violating free speech. The January 4th ruling is a partial victory for animal activists.
The report of the Humane Party’s Economic Transition Team, “Animal based Agriculture vs. Plant-based Agriculture: A Multi Product Comparison,” has been named one of the most important research articles of 2017 by Faunalytics. The 27-page report analyzes products of animals and plants from the perspectives of land use, yield, income, expenses, and profitability.
Fashion industry icon Michael Kors has joined the list of designers who will no longer use fur in their fashion lines. Kors follows on the recent announcement by the Italian industry giant Gucci that they will begin phasing out fur starting in the spring of 2018. Unfortunately, fur products are sometimes mislabeled as fur-free.
