I Believe.....

Lauralee Blanchard, Leilani Farm Sanctuary; Maui, and friend

I believe in Ahimsa and that we have no right to harm other animals. I believe in abolitionism and that we have no right to use and enslave any animal; whether human or not human. I believe in nonspeciesism and that we are unfair when we use irrelevant prejudice that's based on membership to a certain animal species in order to victimize someone. I believe in 'Reverence for Life' and that we have no right to disrespect others; as in exploiting, assaulting, and killing. And I believe in 'animal rights'; that we have no right to deny anyone sentient the fundamental right of bodily integrity from human harm or ownership - as we generally give to all human animals, but need to extend to all other species of feeling, breathing, conscious animals, too. 

I believe in picking fresh vegetables or tree-ripened-offered fruit, and that we have no right to steal our food by believing that barbaric slaughterhouse-sourced animal flesh and secretions are food fit for consumption. Animals are not food. I believe in Truth and that we have no right to wrong others or the planet that sustains all life. I believe in the Golden Rule and that we have no right to do to other animals that which we would not want done to us. 

I believe in Love and that we have no right to exemplify such a lack of love towards other creatures; especially those who would never think of harming us. Humans oppress the helpless – because they can - not because they have to. 

I believe in Evolution and that we have no right to hinder its progress of achieving a more civilized way of living on Earth. I believe in Peace and that we have no right to inflict violence on anyone who is feeling; animals - human and other. I believe in the Vegan Ideal and that we have no right to do anything but to try to live up to it as best we can.  I'm a believer.