Henry Spira: One of the Most Influential Animal Rights Activists
Defender of Ethics
Spira did not start out as a spokesperson for the vegetarian culture; rather, he first campaigned for human rights in the civil rights movement. According to Ethics into Action: Henry Spira and the Animal Rights Movement by Peter Singer, he ate meat until 1973. Spira's mind changed after a friend gave him a cat. Spira then read a book, Animal Liberation by Peter Singer, a fellow animal rights activist and philosopher. In 1974, Peter Singer held a class called "Animal Liberation" at New York University and Spira signed up. While in the class Spira became vegetarian. Spira, Singer, and other classmates began planning what they could do for the movement.
They worked to stop mutilation of animals in laboratories, inhumane living conditions of factory farm animals, torturing of animals in the fur industry, and Draize eye tests on rabbits at big companies and organizations. Non-human animals deserve consideration just as humans do. Spira helped make it okay for the people of the vegetarian culture to fight for animal rights-sometimes even when it seems they prefer animal rights over human rights. Throughout his career, however, Spira never succumbed to violence as a means of winning campaigns. Activists should focus on other activities like peaceful protests, donations, writing letters, signing petitions, and bumper stickers.
Spira was not the only person who started or led the animal rights movement, but he had a huge impact. The work he didn't finish has not been lost because there are countless people in the animal rights movement following his ideas. Henry Spira has personally impacted me because I have changed my ways of activism. Spira gave needed publicity to the animal rights movement and brought it into the spotlight many times. Someday we will have our victory and the animals will have theirs'.
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6 Comments
Post a CommentGreat article. Just been offended by some idiot on this site taking her daughter turkey shooting. More power to you. I'll put you in my favorites.
Now iam a straight up vegetarian. Iam a big fan of Henry Spira. He once said, that his dream is "That people look at eating animals as cannibalism" I love that saying. Iam the biggest animal lover. These poor little animals have no voice to say how they feel. I wish everyone would take that into consideration. And as far as animal testing goes, i think enough is enough. There using our tax money to do all this animal testing, and half the people in unites states dont even know that. OMG!!!!!!! this stuff kills me!!!!
Minee! They must not have realized that there are such animals as cats when they came up with the law that animals are not allowed off their owner's property. What are you supposed to do anyway? I mean fences don't hold cats in. Are they supposed to stay inside for their entire lives? Wow, what a great way to treat cats.
I know many meat eaters who are activists....most people in their right mind are against animal cruelty whether they eat bacon or tofu. Same here Baconator....why get an animal if he won't be treated like family? I just don't get it. Thanks for the comment :)
Okay.. I admit.. I am a meat eater too.. guess you would have never guessed that by my pen name, would yah? LOL! But I agree with what Justice Lives not said.. it sickens me when I see pets left unattended in poor conditions! I don't get why people bother to get pets if they are not going to treat them like part of the family.
Although not a vegan, I am an animal lover from the word go! I no longer hunt, either. I haven't heard of Henry Spira before your wonderfully-written article, but from your account, he seems like a great man. I am alot like him, in the fact that I think the strong among us have a duty to protect the weak and silent. Animals cannot speak for themselves, have no say-so in the treatment they receive, and do not understand why they're being hurt so badly. I have 3 beautiful kitties myself, and they will never leave the house unless its to go to the vet. This way, I can insure no one hurts them, because they don't deserve that! As for those who abuse animals, they are sick people who deserve the hottest place in hell. I am glad to meet you, and add you as a fave! Welcome to AC!!!!!