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(d-6)
Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society, Inc.
38 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, New York 12572 USA -
845-876-2626
Vegetarian - Vegan - Animal Rights - Health - Nutrition - Environment
The mission of the Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society, Inc. is to promote the vegetarian ethic in the Mid-Hudson (New York) region, educate the community and aid anyone in the pursuit of a totally vegetarian (vegan) cruelty-free and healthful lifestyle.
Newsletters
2003 SPECIAL SUMMER HEALING ISSUE
BOOK REVIEW
By Constance Young
How We Lie to Maintain Our Animal BiasThe book Animal Equality - Language and Liberation by Joan Dunayer, is a powerful presentation of how we maintain the status quo toward other species by using deceptive and biased language.
For example, hunters call animals they like to hunt "game"; people who raise animals for food call them "food animals" -
instead of what they truly are, "vertebrates" who are stalked, and "mammals" who are bred to be killed for food. Other animals have "vices," turkeys are "lazy" or "stupid" and pigs are "stubborn" or "unclean." Calves who are jumpy from severe confinement are "flakey," those too upset or ill to eat are "duds."Dunayer also relates animal anecdotes that show the true humanity of other species. She tells of two rats whom she adopted. (Note, I don't use the impersonal "that," which is reserved for "things.") The two rats, Vegan and Nori (who was blind), always snuggled together. Once her cat companion Chi appeared to be trying to enter their cage. Dunayer saw Vegan rush forward, pushing Nori behind him, positioning himself as a shield. Vegan then confronted Chi, who retreated. When Vegan died two years later, Nori's personality changed; he became listless and withdrawn, "visibly mourning" his companion.
Dunayer also tells other wonderful tales about crows, raccoons, spiders, and many other species of animals.
This is a wonderful book for people who care about animals - and language.
Return to 2003 SPECIAL SUMMER HEALING ISSUE
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