Animal Rights Explored, and Veganism Enjoyed, at Friends of Animals’ Book Discussions
Friends of Animals, locally hosted by Irene Rindos, President of NC State’s Students Protecting Animals, Responsibly and Compassionately (SPARC), just brought two unique book discussion events to the Raleigh-Durham area.
In the first, held 17 October at Durham’s Regulator Bookshop, author Lee Hall discussed and signed copies of Capers in the Churchyard: Animal Rights Advocacy in the Age of Terror. This new book explores the rationale behind popular animal-advocacy strategies and the risks facing all dissenters in the age of a “war on terror.”
“I honestly think,” said Rindos, “that Capers in the Churchyard holds the key to the future of the movement.”
The next day, cookbook authors Priscilla Feral and Lee Hall offered delectable commentary and a culinary tour of Dining With Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine.
Brian and Irene of SPARC, joined by the gracious community at Raleigh’s Quail Ridge Books and Music, prepared a really beautiful setting. The hors d’oeuvre selection included Spinach Dip for Raw Vegetables (Dining With Friends, page 19) served on 365 Organic Everyday Value™ Water Crackers along with fresh, raw celery, carrots, and broccoli florets. Other samplings included Guacamole (page 39), and Bruschetta (page 112).
The Guacamole was served with tortilla crisps. To do this at home, choose an avocado that has give to it. Peel and seed the avocado and mash it with a fork.
Transfer the mashed avocado to a bowl and combine with 1 scallion, finely chopped; ½ red onion, diced; 2 cloves freshly minced garlic; 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced; 1 freshly juiced lime; ½ tomato, diced;
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, and sea salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, told of dreams of going into the catering business before working with Friends of Animals. One day, Priscilla saw cows on the horizon in California. That night, Priscilla had planned to serve beef. It was not to be. Something clicked; the rest is culinary history…
Priscilla discussed the way in which the “political” message of the cookbook — its commitment to animal rights, to be exact — caused a publishing house to withdraw its support, and how, rather than concede defeat, this chef-author became a publisher as well, founding Nectar Bat Press in 2005.
Lee Hall experienced veganism as a form of advocacy before starting work as legal director for Friends of Animals. Lee told of working for the airline sector as a member of the machinists’ union, and how a workplace culture changed as a result of vegan outreach. One participant asked Lee to describe the main ideas in Capers in the Churchyard and a discussion about veganism as direct action followed. Lee sees two major ways the animal users are able to manage activists. One — the primary one — is to negotiate welfare concessions; the other is to portray activists as capable of using violence. These are two sides of a coin, as militant campaigns tend to be based on worst-treatment scenarios, just as humane-oriented campaigns are.
Surprise guests were long-time advocates Nancy Regan and Tom Regan. Prof. Regan’s most recent book, Empty Cages, describes the campaign led by Friends of Animals against the use of dogs by the U.S. Surgical Corporation, and the way the company president tried to get rid of dissent by manipulating an emotionally vulnerable “activist” whom they set up to perform harrowing and illegal activities in order to be able to portray animal advocates in general as dangerous.
Tom will be trying out some new recipes from Dining With Friends and Nancy looks forward to tasting them.
Thanks to all of the participants. We hope to hear from you and receive the recipes for kale, arugula (rocket), and mustard greens that you described…
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1 Comments
On October 20, 2006, Judy Brydon wrote:
Dear friend of animals I have enjoyed my first mag. I look forward to getting more. My love for animals has been a life long story, I thank my parents for this, as a child I wanted to save baby birds, little fishes in ponds and cats I found homeless ones and brought them home. I found out that the fish do not survive in fesh water and that birds do not live on bread alone without it`s mother, i was very sad and it broke my heart to see a dead bird in the morning when I went out with great expectations to think they were still alive. whatClair Connelly wrote about ` The Angels weep, the Heavens rage, to see a bird put in a cage`
I stopped eating meat when I was 15 yrs. and what stopped me was that one day I was eating our Sunday Lunch with my family and I looked at the meat that I was eating and thought that might be human flesh that I am eating how would I know the difference? When I was younger I was willing to go to great lengths to help our furry friends in need. What my father always said was `that if people were half as good as animals it would be a better world` He was right!
Bye Jude