I’ve been concerned in some other forums and have identified this site to have considerably more desirable articles, so it helps make sense to ultimately post!

BTW, what can I do to make myself have a cool title like some people here have?

I’m with D on this issue, though. While not offering a meat option might offend some people (cultures?) IF you publicize that they’re not being offered one, nobody is going to be offended if you serve a lovely snack or meal that is vegetarian or vegan — without calling their attention to it (veggie chili and cornbread, for example). I’ve never met anyone who died because they didn’t get their meat fix at an environmental event.

Let’s start normalizing eating less/no meat. Let’s just do the right thing for the Earth and the children of all species in a delicious and nutritious way. Besides, why aren’t all those “alienated” people just grateful that you’re serving refreshments at all?

I’m disappointed that RAN has decided to serve meat at their events. A vegan menu is not divisive because it is the lowest common denominator – everyone eats vegan food. But not everyone eats meat, dairy, etc. Even if you care nothing about animals, every environmental organization should understand that eating meat causes rainforest destruction because Brazil is slashing and burning rainforests to grow soy to sell to the US, to be used for livestock feed:
http://www.all-creatures.org/hope/gw/01_tropical.htm

With regard to allowing vegans of color into the animal rights movement, I did notice there were few people of color, but I wasn’t sure how to read your comment that the People of Color caucus was denied the opportunity to speak. It made FARM organizers appear prejudiced, or the caucus appear disorganized. I wish I knew more details as I was unable to find the caucus meeting. In any case, I think there is a need for more diverse representation in any movement. Unfortunately I think there are underlying societal factors that may create a disadvantage for equal participation, but it’s not the AR movement’s intention to block anyone out.

If I knew of a conference for “environmentalist” similar to the AR conference, I would definitely attend. The truth is that both movements share a common underlying value system, namely, ending oppression. The AR Movement strives to end the oppression of animal, the Environmental Movement strives to end the oppression of the environment. This shared theme of oppression is quickly apparent to everyone.

The unfortunate thing is that only a small micro-fraction of people “get it” that is is our consumerism, and our global economic and cultural system, that is itself the cause of this oppression. Our ever use of money perpetuates and reinforces this oppression. The concept that there could be a compassionate, sustainable, local cultures and economies seems to be outside the realm of most people’s thinking.

Thus, given this time of The Great Turning, the opportunity is to expose both the inneffectiveness of the global system in meeting our goals, but also in helping people to move towards sustainable, compassionate, local systems. This is a matter of helping to demonstrate how such a local system can better meet each person’s own needs.