In this Commentary, Prof. Gary L. Francione discusses the virtual billboard campaign, which focuses on empowering advocates with a positive message that change is possible and that we have the responsibility to effect that change. It is time to reject the vegan bashing that has become the central focus of the welfarist movement.

The second segment of the BBC’s One Planet: Animals and Us, hosted by Victor Schonfeld (who did the influential The Animals Film in 1982), focused on vivisection. Schonfeld ended the program by agreeing that the animal rights movement needs crystal clear guidelines and he explored veganism as a possible way to deal with the problem of animal exploitation.
The BBC World Service is the most widely-listened to radio program in the world. It is exciting that veganism was discussed on the program.
In this Commentary, sociology instructor Roger Yates and NZ Podcast Producer Elizabeth Collins join Prof. Gary L. Francione for a commentary on the second segment of “Animals and Us.”

In this Commentary, Prof. Gary L. Francione addresses questions concerning single-issue campaigns as well as the issue about why many of those who promote violence are opposed to the abolitionist approach.

In this Commentary, Prof. Francione discusses several topics.
First, the announcement by the new welfarist Mercy for Animals that the retail giant Costco has taken a “step forward” by agreeing to market “humane” veal. Prof. Francione maintains that having animal advocates praise this as a “step forward” and characterizing the issue of eating veal (as opposed to all animal products) as an important issue is a step backward.
Second, he addresses the argument made by certain large organizations that because we cannot avoid animal products altogether, any baseline moral principle that we should adhere to veganism is just artificial “personal purity.”
Finally, he talks about the misuse of “abolition” by those who advocate welfare reform and violence.
He also talks about his book. The Animal Rights Debate: Abolition or Regulation