Welfare reforms and the whole โhappyโ exploitation movement are not โbaby steps.โ They are big stepsโin a seriously backward direction.
Gary L. FrancioneWe cannot justify treating any sentient nonhuman as our property, as a resource, as a thing that we an use and kill for our purposes.
Gary L. Francione...eating animals involves an intentional decision to participate in the suffering and death of nonhumans where there is no plausible moral justification.
Gary L. FrancioneI maintain that we ought to abolish the institution and stop causing or facilitating the existence of more 'companion' animals.
Gary L. FrancioneWe proclaim human intelligence to be morally valuable per se because we are human. If we were birds, we would proclaim the ability to fly as morally valuable per se. If we were fish, we would proclaim the ability to live underwater as morally valuable per se. But apart from our obviously self-interested proclamations, there is nothing morally valuable per se about human intelligence.
Gary L. FrancioneBeing vegan is easy. Are there social pressures that encourage you to continue to eat, wear, and use animal products? Of course there are. But in a patriarchal, racist, homophobic, and ableist society, there are social pressures to participate and engage in sexism, racism, homophobia, and ableism. At some point, you have to decide who you are and what matters morally to you. And once you decide that you regard victimizing vulnerable nonhumans is not morally acceptable, it is easy to go and stay vegan
Gary L. Francione