Using animals for food and clothing causes suffering, is bad for human health, is bad for the environment and is a huge public safety risk. Protecting other sentient creatures from humans is to protect the weak from the strong and to expand the definition of 'us'. So why isn't animal rights more frequently identified as a core progressive value? Why do so many sites that deal with progressive issues not include an animal rights category? - From Salon Table Talk

The moderator of that discussion proceeded to point her finger at us first, and then about 5 other progressive sites as example of unconcious organizations that do "not have an animal rights category". As a result, II feel warrented to tear her position to shreds. Normally, I would have settled the matter at her forum, but since Salon only allows "premiums" to chat, I'm forced to shout from here. (BTW, see the "add new subject" button to your top left?)

Lets start with suffering: As we speak, our brave soldiers, who've sworn to protect our lives, are getting their hands and legs blown off, only to be herded to some ship in the middle of the person gulf so no one can see what BUSH did to them. As Rumsfeld said, death and disfigurement have a tendency to give war a negative connotation. Sure, "our" president wears his cute little yellow ribbon, and waves a little flag for the cameras; but that is a photo-op. As to the extent our president supports our troops in action, he basically tells our soldiers to fuck off, take their 10 thousand dollars, and wheel themselves to the nearest homeless shelter within 5 years. Forgive me for forgetting about the horrible conditions that our cattle are suffering.

As I write this, there are thousands of people who are contemplating spending the rest of their lives in prison for a joint, or, even cheating on a driving test because of california's three strikes law. At the same time, there are poor souls living across the globe, who are working in a state of defacto slavery so that you can wear your hip urban outfitters "acitivist wear", Gotta look in style when protesting in front of slaughter houses, you know?

Meat is bad for human health? That's funny, I thought denying health insurance to the unemployed, and toxic chemicals that are being dumped into our watersheds and air were pretty serious stuff... oh, but I forgot that chickens have hormoes, and beef has saturated fat. Forgive me. Oh, speaking of pollution a lot of childern are dying of leukemia at the moment. Too bad they don't have health insurance.. But hey, at least we can rest assured that we used our energy saving farm animals.

So, soybean, it comes down to this: the slaves working in shoe factories might not be as cute as harp seals, the disfigured soldiers do not look as graceful as a dolphin, and its easy to forget the prisoners because we don't see them. So I understand why you think we should nstead concentrate on the unfair imprisonment of McDonalds chickens. However, forgive me for not giving a rats as about the rights of a cow, when people are left to die of cancer because McDonalds needs to cut costs. Forgive me for, not helping save some chicken, when I'm doing my best to not to scream in anger when I see pictures of 5 year old Iraqis who don't have any hands or feet. Most disturbingly, since they have brown skin, the fascists are calling me anti-american for suggesting they might be as human as you and I. Go save your farm animals; however, don't you dare criticize me for thinking there might be more important issues, than the lifes of fuzzy cute animals. I love my fellow man, even when they aren't as cute as puppies. My first duty is to them, so I hope you'll accept my most sarcastic apology.