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21 June 2001 Issue
The Poor Activist

by [email protected] 

Do not be deterred by the title of this article. When I say poor, I do not mean "oh poor me." I'm talking about the animal activists out there that want to give millions to charities or buy the best equipment to produce exceptional protest materials or even send mass amounts of letters to

companies and organisations, but can't because they lack the monetary funds.

In other words, the activists who are broke.

Not having money can seem to put a damper on the spirits of an activist. Trust me, I have first hand experience at this. I have $34 in my bank account and $1.25 in my pocket as we speak. A few years ago, I had to play my guitar in a subway station so I could buy food to survive.

Not having money limits the animal activist. So what to do?

Here are a few things the poor animal activist can do to help their cause:

* Educate -- this is the biggest, most important contribution an activist can do for their cause. Educate people. Teach them the horrors of fur farms, laboratories, and the meat industry. Lots of people don't know what really goes on in the world, but you can teach them.

* Volunteer -- Give time instead of money to your local animal organizations. I'm not talking about giving them 40 hours a week. Giving yourself for just an hour a week can really make a difference.

* Spread the Word -- Know of a charity auction that you would like to attend, but can't afford it? Is there a car wash collecting proceeds for an animal rights fundraiser but don't have a car? Tell your friends and co-workers. They might be interested, and they never would have gone if you hadn't told them.

* Drop a Card -- Several organisations, like PETA, give out free information cards (the size of business cards) for activists to hand out. Collect them and carry them with you everywhere. Leave them in ATM's, put them in books at the bookstore, place them on tables at the mall food court.

* Clickable Donations -- Many sites like igive.com and saveastray.com donate money to charities when you click on links at their site. Clicks add up quickly. And so does the money.

* Be an Example -- Practice what you preach. Become vegetarian/vegan, shop cruelty free, dress fur- and leather-free. Your views come across better if you show other people that you are willing to do what you want them to do.

It might not seem like much, but everything you do helps animals a lot. Nothing you do is too little. Even us impoverished activists can make a difference.

Go on to AR2001 Final Program Published
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