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10 February 2010 Issue
1. Activist Feedback
2. Commentary: Scapegoating Animals, part 1
3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary Hoffman
1. Activist FeedbackDarina, who leafleted at Winter Jam 2010 in Champaign, IL on Jan. 23, writes:
It was great leafleting in all respects: a huge young crowd, no security issues, and a warm weather as a nice bonus. I arrived 1.5 hours in advance and three enormous lines of people had already formed on just my side of the venue. By getting in action promptly and working the lines fast, I was able to hit all three of them at least partially. The acceptance was very good, almost everyone was friendly, and a surprising number of people recognized the issue as soon as they saw the booklets. Easy and productive outreach; would have been perfect with more leaf-leters but still totally worth the trip.
Upcoming Activist Opportunities
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02/16 CT Uncasville FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert
02/17 PA University Park FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert 02/18 VA Roanoke FireFlight Christian Rock Concert 02/19 NJ Newark FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert 02/19 SC Columbia FireFlight Christian Rock Concert 02/19 IL Springfield Jeremy Camp & Natalie Grant Christian Rock 02/19 NY Rochester Casting Crowns wi Kutless Christian Rock 02/20 PA Reading FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert 02/20 VA Charlottesville FireFlight Christian Rock Concert 02/20 GA Columbus Jeremy Camp & Natalie Grant Christian Rock 02/20 NJ Newark Casting Crowns wi Kutless Christian Rock 02/21 TN Nashville Third Day Winter Jam 2010 02/21 TX San Antonio Seventh Day Slumber Christian Rock Concert 02/23 MA Cambridge Harvard: Food for Thought Program Series 02/23 OK Seiling Seventh Day Slumber Christian Rock Concert 02/23 GA Augusta FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert 02/24 TX Gatesville Seventh Day Slumber Christian Rock Concert 02/24 FL Jacksonville FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert 02/25 OK Tulsa FireFlight Winter Jam 02/26 FL Estero FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert 02/26 TX Dallas FireFlight Winter Jam 02/26 NE Lincoln Blaze Youth Conference 02/28 AZ Tuba City Seventh Day Slumber Christian Rock Concert 02/28 MO Kansas City FireFlight @ Winter Jam 02/27 FL Tampa FlyLeaf Christian Rock Concert 02/27 CA Temecula Seventh Day Slumber Christian Rock Concert 02/27 OK Oklahoma City FireFlight @ Winter Jam 02/27 IL Belleville O.L.Snows Rally & Retreat for Jr. High Youth 03/05 OK Tulsa Jeremy Camp & Natalie Grant Christian Rock 03/05 GA Warner Robins The Hoppers Gospel Concert 03/05-6 AZ Phoenix Blaze Youth Conference 03/06 TX Longview Point of Grace Christian Concert 03/06 FL Tampa Bay TABLE Bark in the Park 03/07 CA Monterey Jeremy Camp Christian Rock Concert 03/10 NB Omaha Bread of Stone Christian Rock 03/12-13 IL Normal Hearts at Home National Conference 03/13 SC Greenville Third Day Winter Jam 2010 03/16 CT Bridgeport Carrie Underwood Concert 03/21 FL Tamarac TABLE Great American MeatOut 03/26 FL Jacksonville TABLE Florida VegOut 2010 04/18 CA San Diego TABLE EarthWorks' EarthFair 2010 04/23-24 NY New York EarthFair TABLE at Grand Central Terminal 06/19 VA Richmond TABLE Richmond Vegetarian Festival International Events: 03/06 CAN Ontario Revelations Music Festival Concert 05/30 CAN Ontario TABLE Ottawa Veg Fest 2010 |
Contact Paris at christian_vegetarian@yahoo.com if you can to help. To find out about all upcoming leafleting and tabling opportunities in your area, join the CVA Calendar Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christian_vegetarian/
2. Commentary: Scapegoating Animals, part 1
Last week I defined scapegoating as the transfer of guilt of one or more people to other individuals, and unjust “punishment” often accompanies this process. Animals are convenient targets for scapegoating, because they are physically vulnerable and unable to verbalize their innocence. No doubt, animals continue to be victims of a massive amount of abuse at human hands. Is there a component of scapegoating going on? I think so, and this week and next I will offer some examples.
Humans have severely disrupted many ecosystems, and one of the most harmful activities has been the elimination of natural predators. Incentives for “predator control” programs include protection of sheep and cattle on open ranges and maintenance of high numbers of deer and other “game” for hunters. Though humans are by far the most dangerous creatures on the planet, predators are frequently vilified as “cunning,” “cruel,” or “evil.” In truth, predators are not “evil” – they are engaging in species-appropriate behavior needed for their survival.
Another example of a problem caused by humans for which animals are blamed is deer-car collisions. Frequently, media report on the number of people who are victims of “killer deer,” neglecting that far more deer die in deer-car collisions than humans and that those collisions that kill people are almost uniformly fatal for the deer as well. Humans are largely responsible for deer-car collisions, because humans have eliminated deer’s natural predators; humans shooting firearms cause deer to panic during hunting season; and humans choose to travel at unnatural speeds in cars, which makes collisions dangerous and render deer unable gauge when it is safe to cross streets. Nonetheless, many deer hunters defend their activities on the grounds that they are protecting drivers against “killer deer.”
Next week, I will further explore ways that humans transfer guilt to animals, and I will suggest how this puts humans at greater risk for becoming victims of scapegoating.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.
3. This Week’s Sermon from Rev. Frank and Mary
Hoffman
We Too Can Be transfigured
http://www.all-creatures.org/sermons97/s10feb91.html .
Your question and comments are welcome
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