I totally applaud you and am thankful for what you do for animals. I admire how you rescue so many animals.

I am frustrated with the idea that it is the right of each person to choose to eat animal flesh. why do we who are vegetarian and vegan agree that it is the right of others to participate in the horror and barbaric practice of raising and slaughtering animals?

For centuries slavery (which was as barbaric and inhumane as raising animals for food) was accepted and even considered necessary. Society said it was ok, and most people in the south owned slaves. It took a few abolitionists to start the fight to outlaw and stop slavery. it is going to take more than trying to get people to choice to become veg/vegan. it is going to take veg/vegans getting aggressive and getting laws passed to stop this horror.

Why are there no TV or radio or magazines ads showing the cruelty of raising animals for food? Why are there no ads running teaching people the lies of the agriculture businesses and showing that eating veg/vegan is more humane, better for the environment and healthier? Why are we trying to change people one by one to stop using animals for food? there are billions of people on earth. We will never stop this horror if we don't start getting aggressive and reaching millions of people at once.

We spend millions of dollars on internet sites promoting veg/vegan lifestyles. But unless a person is interested in becoming veg/vegan they never see those sites. Until we get aggressive and start reaching millions of people through the media we will never stop the horrors of using animals for food. We will never change the way society thinks about using animals for food. It has to become as disgusting and unacceptable to eat animal flesh as it is smoke, rape, murder or molest a child.

Julie Ann

Reply from Frank and Mary Hoffman

Dear Julie Ann:

Thank you very much for writing and for your enthusiasm.

We're not so sure that most vegetarians and vegans say that people have a moral right to choose to eat an animal's flesh and bodily secretions. What they may be acknowledging is that they presently have a legal right to do so. And we agree with you that we need to get more laws passed, but our main struggle in doing so is to over come the huge money machine of the animal agriculture and pharmaceutical lobby.

The same problem answers why there is so little media coverage and advertising exposing the horrors and effects of animal exploitation. Furthermore, one national TV ad costs more that our entire annual internet budget, and even them, stations may refuse to run it because they are afraid of losing the animal ag and pharma advertising dollars. It would take billions of dollars to overcome this problem and at the resent time, AR does not have such a bank account.

This is why we have been concentrating on the grass roots approach to making changes, and we've seen a lot of positive changes over the past two decades.

And every day, we are looking for new ways to reach the public with the truth, and would love to have you work with us as a volunteer.

In the Love of the Lord,

Frank and Mary