[PAA-Discuss] statement on animal rights written by Dennis Kucinich

Mon Sep 24 09:03:02 EDT 2007

I wanted to share this from another list;

Dear Friends and  Colleagues:  

Attached is a statement on animal rights  written by Dennis Kucinich. Please 
read it  closely.

I  find Mr. Kucinich's statement to be a powerful and  insightful 
contribution to the national debate about  animals. I have chosen to share it with as 
many friends and  colleagues as possible, and urge you to do the  same.

For  the animals,
Chris DeRose  

Animal Rights

As a  necessary component of the living world, we must extend  compassion to 
one another and to every living thing. Our  mission as human beings can truly 
be to elevate this world  from a condition of suffering and cruelty to the 
planet's  creatures, and towards a condition of compassion and  inherent respect. 
Through elevating the cause of every  creature, we elevate our own humanity.

We  lift up the cause of humanity by reaching out and connecting  with all 
things living. It is our sense of interconnection  with all living things that 
brings us to respect the rights  of animals; to understand that animals are not 
to be "lower  than"; that animals should not have less of a claim to  
existence, less of a claim to the possibility of survival,  less of a claim to 
dignity.

Every  one of us knows a story of animal cruelty; every one of us  knows how 
in one way or another official policies have  sanctioned cruelty to animals. I 
am working to put  compassion into action in our policies with respect to  
animals in this country and to have America set a higher  standard, not only for 
this country, but for the world; to  make sure that all of God's creatures, 
that all animals are  given a chance to have dignity in our society and are 
given  a chance to experience the appreciation they should have as  living beings.

I  would include advocacy of animal rights in the Department of  Peace, which 
I have already proposed to Congress. This  cabinet-level department would 
work with, and offer an  alternative to, the Defense Department. There have been  
numerous studies that have suggested a link between animal  cruelty and 
domestic violence. The Department of Peace would  not only seek to resolve 
international conflicts with  nonviolent means, but also seek to instill a peaceful  
paradigm into the hearts of all the people of the world, so  that one day war 
will be an archaic relic of a time that has  passed.

My  farm policy favors independent and family-owned farms. I  support a 
national ban on packer ownership of livestock, and  numerous new incentives for 
farmers to convert to  sustainable and organic farming and ranching techniques. 
The  vision of the meat that we consume coming from happy and  healthy 
free-range animals can become more of a reality, as  opposed to the inhumane 
conditions that the often mutated  chickens and cows and pigs are forced to sustain in 
our  current system.

As a  member of Congress, I have cosponsored every piece of major  animal 
protection legislation. In addition, I hold the  distinction of being the only 
vegan in Congress. I made this  lifestyle change many years ago, because I 
consider all life  on our Earth to be sacred. As a vegan, I choose not to eat  any 
animals or animal products. I strive to live my life in  accordance with my 
convictions, and any other choice of diet  would defy my ideals and, in my 
judgment, be  hypocritical.

- Dennis Kucinich  11/16/2006

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"A human being is a part  of the whole called by us universe. Our task must 
be to widen our circle of  compassion to embrace all living creatures and the 
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