Stephen Kaufman, M.D., Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
Advocating for Animals, part 5
Abolitionists – who reject animal welfare reforms, advocating only the
abolition of animal exploitation – often argue that animal rightists and
animal liberationists should not promote animal welfare reforms. The
abolitionists argue that such programs confuse the public about what animal
rights and animal liberation mean.
I think this is a valid concern. Welfare reforms can reduce animal abuse,
but if the result is still abusive and involves killing young, healthy
animals, it is neither consistent with animal rights and liberation, nor is
it “humane.” Further, animal exploitation industries can effectively
undermine animal rights and animal liberation if they can quote animal
rights groups saying that reducing animal ill-fare is tantamount to animal
rights or animal liberation. But, no matter how unlikely animal liberation
might be, as God’s stewards we should never abandon the goal of seeing a
time when people find it as unconscionable to enslave nonhumans as they
currently regard the enslavement of humans.
A challenge is that, in our political system, legislation generally arises
from compromise. Those unwilling to compromise, in general, don’t get laws
passed. Some abolitionists have tried to avoid this conundrum by favoring
laws that abolish certain kinds of animal abuse, even if such laws leave
other kinds of abuse intact. There are difficulties with this approach, as I
will discuss next week.
Go on to: Advocating for
Animals, part 6
Return to:
Reflections on the Lectionary, Table of Contents