The Cure for Historical Amnesia
Since this is the closest I can come to shouting from the rooftops, here goes. I want to tell you about a book that I, personally, think is one of the most important books written - ever. The name of it is For the Prevention of Cruelty: The History and Legacy of Animal Rights Activism in the United States and I can't recommend it highly enough. When I first heard about it - by seeing the author, Diane Beers, speak at the Strength of Many Conference in L.A. last year (put on by Animals and Society Institute and the Culture and Animals Foundation), I was blown away. I could not believe this story hadn't been told before. How is it possible that this book hadn't been written until now?
I think it's so important for activists to know upon whose shoulders we stand. Otherwise, I think we risk what Diane calls "historical amnesia," which I think is detrimental to any social cause. Diane is a historian and scholar, and she cares deeply about this story, about its heroes (many of whom are women!), about the speciesism so rampant in our society, and about telling the story accurately and eloquently. She is a thorough researcher and dug through buried documents and photographs and left no stone uncovered. Her writing is beautiful and her respect for the subject is evident.
Having said that, THIS IS NOT A BOOK THAT WILL APPEAL ONLY TO ANIMAL ACTIVISTS! If you've ever had a dog or a cat, if you've ever donated to an SPCA, if you've ever wondered why activists do the work we do, if you've ever worked for any social justice cause, if you just want to read a fascinating, beautifully written, eloquently told story, PLEASE buy this book.
I promise you it's not full of disturbing accounts of animal abuse; it's a story about the bravery and courage and steadfastness and determination and dedication of the early activists, many of whom were women and most of whom were involved in other social causes, such as child abuse, abolition of slavery, and voting rights for women. It's also about the founding of organizations you most likely support today - the ASPCA, the AAVS, and the local SPCAs. You'll be fascinated to know the animal rights movement started out of concern for work horses and centered in Philadelphia. That Jack London was an outspoken advocate for circus animals and was the inspiration that caused Ringling Barnum and Bailey Circus to STOP having animal acts for five years. That Mark Twain was a staunch opponent to animal research and wrote a critically acclaimed and popular book about it.
Anyway, please buy the book - and after you do, write a review on Amazon.com. You can order it through my bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/compassiona02-20/detail/0804010870/002-1175387-3308023 (for which Compassionate Cooks earns a small commission). But whatever you do, buy the book!? OKAY? Nuff said.
P.S. My interview with Diane Beers will appear in the April issue of Satya Magazine (http://www.satyamag.com), so if you're not a subscriber yet, I encourage you to become one! :)
I think it's so important for activists to know upon whose shoulders we stand. Otherwise, I think we risk what Diane calls "historical amnesia," which I think is detrimental to any social cause. Diane is a historian and scholar, and she cares deeply about this story, about its heroes (many of whom are women!), about the speciesism so rampant in our society, and about telling the story accurately and eloquently. She is a thorough researcher and dug through buried documents and photographs and left no stone uncovered. Her writing is beautiful and her respect for the subject is evident.
Having said that, THIS IS NOT A BOOK THAT WILL APPEAL ONLY TO ANIMAL ACTIVISTS! If you've ever had a dog or a cat, if you've ever donated to an SPCA, if you've ever wondered why activists do the work we do, if you've ever worked for any social justice cause, if you just want to read a fascinating, beautifully written, eloquently told story, PLEASE buy this book.
I promise you it's not full of disturbing accounts of animal abuse; it's a story about the bravery and courage and steadfastness and determination and dedication of the early activists, many of whom were women and most of whom were involved in other social causes, such as child abuse, abolition of slavery, and voting rights for women. It's also about the founding of organizations you most likely support today - the ASPCA, the AAVS, and the local SPCAs. You'll be fascinated to know the animal rights movement started out of concern for work horses and centered in Philadelphia. That Jack London was an outspoken advocate for circus animals and was the inspiration that caused Ringling Barnum and Bailey Circus to STOP having animal acts for five years. That Mark Twain was a staunch opponent to animal research and wrote a critically acclaimed and popular book about it.
Anyway, please buy the book - and after you do, write a review on Amazon.com. You can order it through my bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/compassiona02-20/detail/0804010870/002-1175387-3308023 (for which Compassionate Cooks earns a small commission). But whatever you do, buy the book!? OKAY? Nuff said.
P.S. My interview with Diane Beers will appear in the April issue of Satya Magazine (http://www.satyamag.com), so if you're not a subscriber yet, I encourage you to become one! :)
Labels: aavs, advocacy, animal, anti-vivisection, aspca, beers, caroline earle white, circus, diane, history, jack london, justice, legacy, mark twain, ringling barnum bailey, social justice
posted by Compassionate Cook @ 8:59 AM
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