‘If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them’: The revolution will not be purchased
Consumer choices leave little room for consideration of the far more consequential effects of institutions on animals and the planet. Empowering people to take targeted direct action is the most effective tactic we have to change the world.
TANIA CAMPOS SUAREZ: In June 2019, members of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), were taught a harsh lesson at a California factory duck farm with 600 other activists. Dozens of SWAT and riot police surrounded our group and multiple police helicopters circled overhead. DxE had gathered there to demand that our investigations of the industrial farm — which uncovered illegal and inhumane conditions — be recognized and acted upon by law enforcement after months of reporting the facility. We exercised our right, afforded to us under California statute 597e, to remove some of the animals suffering acutely. We rescued more than 20 ducklings, but instead of charging the farm with documented infractions, 80 activists were arrested and many were charged with multiple felonies that still await trial today…
Big money agriculture lobbyists have seen how effective community members can be at exposing the conditions on factory farms and subsequently passed backdoor legislation to repress us. The California Farm Bureau Federation paid off a state senator to slip pro-industry wording that functionally nullified 597e into an unrelated bill, thus limiting every Californian’s ability to act on their morals and save animals from extreme cruelty. Instead of making abuse in agriculture illegal, legislation made it illegal to rescue an animal suffering to death right in front of your eyes…
Despite claiming that the recent, worsening fires are “a climate damn emergency,” Gov. Gavin Newsom has consistently failed to address California’s factory farms as a major source of climate change. Newsom has also failed to address factory farming as a factor in California’s worsening drought. Millions of animals also languish and suffer to death on California’s factory farms… California still invests hundreds of millions of dollars into industrial animal agriculture… But DxE is not discouraged. We know that nothing can stop the momentum we have already created…
Consumer choice advocacy is not effective in creating systemic change. Hyperawareness of the personal choices we have as consumers leave little room for the consideration of the far more consequential effects of institutions on communities, animals and the planet. Consumers certainly have options at the store but often lack the ability to force the most impactful industries to actually cease their destruction. Instead, as illustrated by progressive movements throughout history, targeted direct action campaigns, including acts of civil disobedience, are the most effective choices that a movement can make… Empowering people to take targeted direct action against destructive institutions is the most effective tactic we have to change the world in the time we have left. We no longer have the luxury of politeness or convenience…
From Sept. 24 to 30, DxE is bringing hundreds of the most dedicated and talented activists from around the world to enact targeted campaigns against one of the most destructive and powerful industries today… ALC 2021 will escalate its actions against factory farming in direct response to government inaction on the climate crisis and animal cruelty… Hundreds of activists will march to demand that the state legislature take immediate, drastic action to curtail the effects that factory farms have on animals and the planet, just as we have done in the past… We must act swiftly and boldly and use the history of the most successful, most efficient progressive movements to guide us. It is only through the power of collective direct action can communities shut down the institutions that uphold industrial agriculture, before time runs out for the planet and for the animals. SOURCE…
[Note: Text from sourced article is at times edited for context to highlight specific content]
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