Lecture: Living Compassionately in an Industrialized Society
By Alexa Priddy, Nina Council, Ron Elterman & Lin Bernhardt
S.O.A.R.S.- Southern Oregon Animal Rights Society
All Tuesday evening events
at RVML are free admission.
Vegan refreshments will be served.
Presentation Description:
What is our relationship with the animal kingdom? We can live in a way that minimizes harm to all living beings and ecosystems, a way that is less anthropocentric and respects - even reveres - all life.
As American consumers, most of us are unaware of how animals are treated for our supposed benefit. Corporate profits accumulate at the expense of kindness and compassion, often with devastating consequences - for animals, people, and the planet. This interactive presentation will offer alternatives to help us meet the challenge of living in greater harmony with the natural world in our industrialized society.
Four SOARS members will share their personal stories of how they became animal rights activists and present Animal Rights, a groundbreaking 22-minute video in which activists tell why they do it and how our campaigns are bringing about a revolution that will end all animal abuse. It includes sections on the psychology of animal cruelty, do animals have feelings, methods and tactics, animal rights or animal welfare, Universal Declaration of Animal Rights, why animal rights activists are vegan, and how to get involved. The video features interviews with experienced and successful activists and undercover footage including circuses, zoos, vivisection and factory farming. (This is not a video with a lot of gore and disturbing images.) Digitally mastered with a gripping soundtrack..
Presenters' Biographies:
Alexa Priddy became vegetarian 10 years ago at the age of 14 after gaining understanding about where meat comes from. Just 2 years ago she became vegan. Alexa has been involved in various other issues of social activism and is currently an AmeriCorps Member at Rogue Community College doing community education on the issues of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Nina Council always felt animals to be her kindred spirits. Having lived in L.A. for 23 years and then Berkeley, CA for some 35 years, she had always lived near oceans. Her animal activism began with joining a number of Marine Mammal Societies after becoming certified as a Scuba Diver and observing the horrid pollution in our seas as well as the wanton genocide of our marine mammals. Next a major interest (now for some 16 years) became the production of Premarin (Estrogen Replacement) for Menopausal women, an abominable abuse of mares; and slaughter of some 60,000 colts per year takes place. She continues to become more and more involved now with the survival of Wolves and many other species of Wildlife, as well as the tortures of all of our Factory Farmed Animals, with each year, each month, and with each day. It's all a crisis.
Ron Elterman, who was born in 1950, decided in the mid-seventies that he wanted to be able to eat without animals dying to feed him. Over a period of a couple of years, he gradually eliminated flesh foods from his diet. Then, as he learned about the personal, philosophical, spiritual, political, ethical, environmental, and health benefits of veganism, he moved in that direction for another 2 ½ years. He completed the transition in 1980. He has been an animal rights activist for many years, working especially to ease the horrific suffering of the 10 billion farmed animals killed each year in the U.S. He shares his home with two vegan dogs.
Lin Bernhardt is an advocate of 'deep ecology,' is an environmental planner by profession, and is the proud guardian of a cat and two goats. As an advocate for animals, she has volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation center, founded a humane education organization, served on a committee to evaluate the practices of a local animal control shelter, and generally lobbies for more humane treatment of animals.
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