Having been a vegetarian for nearly 50 years, I certainly share many of the sentiments of the Animal Liberation Front that allegedly released birds from the Fullflight Game Farm with an act of vandalism as reported by the Recorder recently [“Animal rights group releases 500 birds,” Dec. 5]. However, I found that the tactics that the group used to be as repugnant and repulsive as those used by the January 6 seditionists who vandalized the nation’s Capitol.

Some advice for those who want to achieve a vegetarian society:

First: Put your mouth where your mind is … That is, if you are wanting people to not eat animals start by not stuffing your own mouth with flesh. Be a good example.

Second: Put your mouth where your mouth is ... That is, tell others about the benefits of vegetarianism with eloquent, thoughtful letters to the editor like this one you are reading. And by making posters or having peaceful demonstrations. Advocate with accurate information.

Third: Put your money where your mouth is … That is, give money to vegetarian causes, open a vegetarian food store, or buy the livestock from “Stalinist Animal Farms” and bring the rescued creatures to an animal sanctuary. Offer to pay the animal farmers more money to grow walnut trees or other plant-based foods than they could earn from raising animals.

Try to empathize with farmers who are struggling to make an economic living and preserve the land that they are entrusted with. They have to pay their bills and sometimes the only path that they see to survive financially involves the exploitation of animals. Don’t punish the farmers by destroying the only path to economic survival that they may perceive before them by destroying their property.

Violent acts of destruction are more likely to turn people away from the cause of animal rights. Instead turn your justified outrage at the mistreatment of animals towards an effort to help the animal farmers and the multitude of people who eat animals to visualize and create a more just and humane environment for all creatures.

Paul Voiland

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