Short Title: Violence To Animals Must End Now

Floor manager / Shepard: Joshua Gerloff, joshuagerloff [dot] gmail [dot] com

Co-sponsor: Danny Factor

Committees from which you are requesting review and feedback: Adcom, Platform, Chapters.

Explanatory Background and Proposal Summary:

What does this proposal call for?
This proposal calls for the GRP to do three things: 1) Amend our Party Agenda to say that the GRP opposes unnecessary violence to animals, and endorses and calls for the promotion of veganism 2) Issue a press release stating the same. 3) Cease spending any GRP funds on products derived from animals.

Why is this proposal consistent with our 10 Key Values and the GPUS Platform?

The GRP values nonviolence. Veganism is all about nonviolence! The unnecessary use of animals for food, clothing, entertainment or any other purpose is unjustifiable. By endorsing and promoting veganism, the GRP will fully embrace nonviolence and extend a policy of mutual respect to every animal species.

GPUS Platform Part III K,  entitled “Ethical Treatment of Animals” states at the outset that “Cruelty to animals is repugnant and criminal. The mark of a humane and civilized society lies in how we treat the least protected among us. To extend rights to other sentient, living beings is our responsibility and a mark of our place among all of creation. We call for an intelligent, compassionate approach to the treatment of animals. We reject the belief that our species is the center of creation, and that other life forms exist only for our use and enjoyment. Our species does not have the right to exploit and inflict violence on other creatures simply because we have the desire and power to do so. Our ethic upholds not only the value of biological diversity and the integrity and continuity of species, but also the value of individual lives and the interest of individual animals.” Our GPUS Platform then goes on to call for the end to a number of violent acts on animals, including but not limited to animal experimentation, animal testing and animal classroom demonstrations. As an affiliate of the GPUS, the GRP is grounded by the same principles: that animals are sentient beings and have rights, violence to animals is  repugnant and cruel, and our species has no right to inflict this harm purely for our pleasure when alternatives exist. We feel then, especially at a time when consumption of animals is linked to the cataclysm of climate change, that it is time that a state affiliate of the Green Party specifies more explicitly and consistently that the only way to end violence toward animals is to endorse and promote veganism. With recognition of the need for animal rights/veganism growing around the world, and within our party (for example the establishment of the GP Animal Rights Committee in 2016), and the history of our party taking bold no-nonsense, zero-tolerance action when it comes to violence, we believe that only veganism is the consistent position of a Green who truly supports nonviolence and sustainability.

How would this proposal make the GRP more consistent in its advocacy of nonviolence and sustainability

Right now, the Green-Rainbow Party is committed to nonviolence, but fails to condemn violence to animals. The GRP supports the idea of healthy ecosystems and biodiversity, so in an abstract sense, animals matter in that they comprise part of nature. But what about unnecessary violence to animals?

It is wrong to hurt an animal unnecessarily, including for pleasure, amusement or convenience. Most of the ways that animals are used by human beings are unnecessary. In this era of abundance, the use of animals for food, clothing or entertainment when alternatives exist is wrong.

In 2009, the American Dietetic Association stated that:

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864/)

If an appropriately planned vegan diet is healthy and safe for humans of every age, it follows then that the consumption of animal products is unnecessary.

The availability of alternative textiles also makes the use of animals for clothing unnecessary. Those concerned with plastic pollution and “fast fashion”, there are natural fibers, such as hemp or bamboo, that can be used to make our clothing, bedding, etc.

Greens are certainly aware of how resource intensive and environmentally destructive animal agriculture is. Animal products represent large scale destruction of forests and ecosystems, a major strain on the world’s grain supply, topsoil runoff, dead-zones in our rivers and oceans, etc. Biodiversity continues to decline.

Veganism is the most important personal action one can take to halt climate change. Because of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by animal agriculture, veganism is by far the largest personal step that a person can do on their own to halt climate change. Studies have shown that embracing veganism curbs more greenhouse gasses than installing solar panels on one’s home, buying an electric car or any other conceivable personal act.

Knowing all of this, humanity is free to live in harmony with nature and cease further unnecessary violence to animals.

The GRP will take the lead in promoting veganism, a gentle lifestyle that seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

Proposal Wording:

The GRP will take the following actions:

1) By November 1, 2019 the GRP Party Agenda on our website will be amended from:

Preamble

To counter the exploitation of people and the planet, the GRP seeks to strengthen and revitalize our communities so every person can be a creative contributor, have a decent life, and be free from fear, discrimination, and hopelessness. To that end, we seek to reclaim and rework the economic and political activities of our Commonwealth.

Part  1 - Healthy Communities 

Healthy communities are places where people thrive and find meaning in their lives. Communities where all find a place and a livelihood are more stable and better able to deal with physical and social crises and disasters. Growing income inequality and the continuing transfer of wealth from the less to the more affluent undermine our society and the shared understandings on which it is based. We propose measures to strengthen the vitality of Massachusetts communities, funded with savings from superseded programs and shifts in sources of local and state revenue.

Basic Needs: To enable all to participate in their communities, we will prioritize measures to meet basic needs, adding community based programs to the standard safety net. We will act to facilitate local food production and make healthful, affordable food available in all communities, assure adequate and affordable housing for all, and provide universal health care. We will fund services which strengthen communities, including, but not limited to, early childhood education, day care, after-school and outreach programs, adult education, special needs and arts programs.

Part 2 - Sustainable Economies

Common Good: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was formed to work for the common good. To protect the commons, including land, water, air, and ecosystems, in the face of catastrophic threats posed by accelerating climate change, the Commonwealth must aggressively promote the transition to local, sustainable economies. Such economies are based on energy conservation and efficiency, distributed clean energy production, local organic agriculture, and public transportation with safe walking and bike paths between transportation hubs. Towards this end, we must generously fund environmental research, programs, and education, as well as regional planning and public transportation. The highest standards for environmental and public health protection must be applied to new and old technologies. Reducing use of energy from fossil fuels and developing alternative energy sources need persistent attention and funding.

To (Changes are in bold italics):

Preamble

To counter the exploitation of humans, non-humans and the Earth, the GRP seeks to strengthen and revitalize our communities so every person can be a creative contributor, have a decent life, and be free from fear, discrimination, and hopelessness. To that end, we seek to reclaim and rework the economic and political activities of our Commonwealth.

Part  1 - Healthy Communities
Healthy communities are places where people thrive, find meaning in their lives, live in harmony with nature, and respect all sentient beings. Communities where all find a place and a livelihood are more stable and better able to deal with physical and social crises and disasters. Growing income inequality and the continuing transfer of wealth from the less to the more affluent undermine our society and the shared understandings on which it is based. We propose measures to strengthen the vitality of Massachusetts communities, funded with savings from superseded programs and shifts in sources of local and state revenue.

Basic Needs: To enable all to participate in their communities, we will prioritize measures to meet basic needs, adding community-based programs to the standard safety net. We will act to facilitate local veganic food production, make healthful, affordable whole food plant-based living available in all communities, assure adequate and affordable housing for all and provide universal health care. We will fund services which strengthen communities, including, but not limited to, early childhood education, daycare, after-school and outreach programs, adult education, special needs, and arts programs. Because it is a basic need for all sentient living beings to be free from violence, we oppose violence to all animals and endorse and call for the promotion of veganism.

Nurturing Connections to Non-humans: Humans share this planet with a rich diversity of species. We recognize that communities that value the principles of peace and nonviolence cannot exploit anyone, whether human or non-human. By promoting veganism, we halt animal agriculture’s destruction of ecosystems and habitat that wildlife require to thrive; we also halt the unnecessary exploitation of domesticated animals.

Part 2 - Sustainable Economies

Common Good: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was formed to work for the common good. To protect the commons, including land, water, air, and ecosystems, in the face of catastrophic threats posed by accelerating climate change, the Commonwealth must aggressively promote the transition to local, sustainable economies. Such economies are based on energy conservation and efficiency, distributed clean energy production, local vegan organic agriculture, and public transportation with safe walking and bike paths between transportation hubs. Towards this end, we must generously fund vegan educational programs, environmental research, regional planning and public transportation.  The highest standards for environmental and public health protection must be applied to new and old technologies. Reducing use of energy from fossil fuels and developing alternative energy sources need persistent attention and funding. Given that animal agriculture is the primary driving force behind climate change, we must provide economic incentives for vegan organic farming and provide nutrition educational resources on whole food plant-based eating. By promoting a whole food plant-based diet, we directly promote public health by preventing and reversing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and greatly reduce risks for cancer.

2) By January 1, 2020 the GRP will issue a press release (sent by email to the GRP Press List, ‘supporters’ email list and ,’members’ email list) announcing the above amending of our Party Agenda, explaining the reasons that we have enacted a policy to oppose violence to all animals, and endorse and call for the promotion of veganism.

3) The GRP shall not purchase products (e.g. food or clothing materials) that are derived from animals.

Financial Impact: It is expected that donations to the GRP will increase, in particular from the many people who support nonviolence, animal rights and veganism and also those who find that the GRP now has more credibility due to the GRP’s more consistent stance.

Implementation:

1. Comm Comm shall be charged with the clerical responsibility to ensure that the wording of the Party Agenda on the GRP Website is changed, pursuant to the amendment that State Com has authorized by adopting this proposal.

2. The Treasurer shall be charged with ensuring that party funds are not spent on animal products.