Fast food junkie Donald Trump just publicly announced that he is “not into the vaigan stuff”:
To get an endorsement from a vegan restaurant owner at his rally, he added: “When we come here in a short period of time, into Milwaukee, we’re gonna come and try that vaigan food.”
Not only is Trump unable to pronounce the simple word “vegan”. He also doesn’t sound convincing, and his anti-vegan position is clear.
His stance already surfaced a few years ago when he declined to participate in a vegan challenge that would have resulted in $1 million being donated to a veterans’ charity. He justified his refusal with “bizarre” and “completely misinformed” claims about veganism.
A HUGE surprise!
Trump is anti-vegan? Who would have ever expected that from a heartless and staunchly anti-science moron who …
has dictated migrant children to be separated from their parents in what has been labeled “cruelty in the highest form”,
has wasted billions of US taxpayer money to subsidize cruel and climate-destroying factory farms, while cutting subsidies in crucial areas such as affordable care,
has called global warming a “hoax” and disgracefully mocked sixteen-year-old climate activist Great Thunberg (only to get humiliated by her response),
has caused generational damage by rolling back more than 100 vital measures for environmental protection and made the US the first nation in the world to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement,
has been identified by researchers as the “nation's single largest spreader of disinformation” from COVID-19 to voting with tens of thousands of lies told during his term as president, and
has put his own ego over democracy and human rights by leading a deadly insurrection against his own country.
Trump’s baseless stance on veganism has the potential to cause great harm
By promoting anti-vegan sentiment among his following, Trump supports the livestock sector — an industry that causes animal suffering of unimaginable proportions and heavily contributes to rainforest destruction, climate change, ocean dead zones, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, water and air pollution, deterioration of public health, displacement of indigenous people, human trafficking, modern slavery, antibiotic resistance, and world hunger.
Opposing the violence and destruction caused by the livestock sector shouldn’t be a partisan issue — it should be common sense
When a racist, incompetent, and egotistical liar like Trump advocates for an industry — whether it is Big Oil, the National Rifle Association or the livestock sector — that’s just another compelling reason for all people with a conscience to vehemently reject these forces of destruction.
If there is one positive impact Trump has on the world, it lies in his ability to stir up and politically mobilize people on the other end of the political spectrum — by showing them the true face of corporate and political greed, the true face of power-hungry ruthlessness.
The animal industry is the biggest source of suffering on this planet. Any attempt to downplay the immense harm this industry is causing for animals, climate, the environment, and humanity is deeply irresponsible.
Together, let's ensure that every deceitful move made by the corrupt and lying animal industry and its lackeys blows up in their own face!
Here’s the good news
We don’t need to win over Trump and his cognitively challenged supporters to achieve a vegan world. Social science research shows that nonviolent protest movements that engaged a threshold of just 3.5% of the population have never failed to bring about change.
Veganism is already the fastest-growing lifestyle movement in history. Emerging economic and technological trends are set to massively boost the vegan cause over the next years.
Once the vortex of change has taken hold of all levels of society, even people like Trump will eventually have to accept it.
The mission ahead
Just like we need courageous defenders of democracy more than ever, we urgently need more people to be consistent and active on veganism. Reaching 3.5% of the population may be enough — but only if we see real and sustained participation.
I’m determined to do my part. Through this newsletter, I will encourage vegans to get active — and provide them with ideas and inspirations on how to be as effective as possible.
I have just started my vegan blogging journey. With YOUR support, I will be able to pour all my passion and energy into this project.
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"Social science research shows that nonviolent protest movements that engaged a threshold of just 3.5% of the population have never failed to bring about change." That's a fascinating point, and thank you for linking the BBC article discussing the research in more detail. The most hopeful thing I've read all week. It seems some countries are close to that tipping point or already over it. :)
I wonder if the 3.5% rule is why veganism evokes such strong reactions (unlike vegetarianism). Somehow, vegetarianism never developed the cultural force of veganism, and I think it's because only veganism is an internally consistent nonviolent protest movement.