Punks. Queers. People of color. Working-class labor organizers and trans* prison abolitionists. Tree-sitting ecofeminists and dam-blocking anarchists. We all have reasons for being vegan that go beyond those of the so-called “mainstream.”
At VINE Sanctuary, we know that the “mainstream” is not the majority. And that means that we must amplify the voices of vegans from marginalized groups, not only as a matter of social justice but also as a practical method of building a broad-based, plant-powered movement for animal liberation and a more habitable planet for everybody.
Are you a plant-powered person whose perspective or standpoint isn’t reflected in “mainstream” vegan or animal advocacy? Then, we want you to contribute words, recipes, or artwork to our new zine, Plant-Powered People, which will feature poetry, prose, comix, drawings, recipes, and other contributions “from the Intersections.”
The deadline for the first issue (October 5) is fast approaching. Send submissions or contributions to VINE’s Community Engagement Coordinator, Brandie. The first issue will be free-form, but we’re planning special themed issues on controversial questions. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr (or subscribe to our newsletter or blog) to be notified of future deadlines.
We also need help in funding this new publishing project. As a sanctuary responsible for the care of more than 400 animals (including 40 cows with gargantuan appetites), VINE must devote almost all of its money to direct animal care as well as maintenance of sanctuary buildings and equipment.
Project like this tend to sit on the back burner for years. So, we’ve decided to crowdfund the publication and distribution of this zine. For every dollar you give, we can print one issue of the zine! Even if you can’t afford to give, you can help by sharing our Tilt page (or this blog post) with any friends or family members who might want to write for or help us print the zine.
Curious about the title of this post? The unofficial anthem of our zine is sung to the tune of “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone. Sing along with us, “I-I am plant-powered people!”
“Groundhogs” are Woodchucks. “Groundhog” Day occurs when Woodchucks, at least in the northern latitudes, are hibernating…something that can last for many months, less time in southern latitudes.
The urge to hibernate is predicated on the changing of the
length of day and on fat content from food for the hibernation period.
The forced awakening of Woodchucks is not analogous to rousing a human from a deep
sleep, or for that matter, a bear, which goes into a period of reduced
metabolism, but not true hibernation. The Woodchuck’s heart beat falls to around 4
or 5 beats per minute, from a normal of 80 to 100. So rousing them
prematurely places an enormous strain on them. It is not
necessarily fatal, but it certainly is not in the Woodchuck’s better interest to be prematurely
roused. The normal routine is for Woodchucks to come awake about the time
the frost starts to leave the ground, and to survive on remaining fat
content as new food (spring growth) becomes available. This sequence has evolved over thousands of years to allow the species to survive. Disrupting it by
interfering with such deeply ingrained patterns of hormonally-driven
development, while not necessarily fatal, cannot be good for the Woodchuck. Also, it is not kind.
I am always appalled by these things — what seems to me
to be a low form of humor, the tormenting and mocking of a vulnerable creature upon whose head is placed a top hat to add to the hilarity. Do humans really need to do
these things in order to assert our supposed superiority?
It misrepresents nature, and tends to glorify
our sense of hubris, of domination over other animals and nature. Being stronger does not give us the right to exploit and abuse other animals for our amusement and to their detriment.
I realize these words will probably sail over the heads
of folks who think it is funny to put a top hat on a Woodchuck
and declare if there will or will not be six weeks more of winter. The
length of winter is predetermined by demonstrable cosmic events, not by
the presence or absence of a shadow. And, to quote Gandhi, “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by its treatment of animals.”