August 6th, 2011 by Gary Smith

Holly Wilson MD is board certified in Emergency Medicine and practices in south Florida. In the Emergency Department, she educates her patients as well as staff members about the benefits of a vegan diet. She is an outspoken, dedicated activist, involved in multiple projects. She has established her own vegan education table which displays Mercy For Animals’ ‘Farm to Fridge’ and she distributes their literature. During sea turtle nesting season, she volunteers with Sea Turtle Oversight Protection (SeaTurtleOP.org) in Fort Lauderdale. When the rodeo and circus come to town, she protests in full costume and hands out leaflets. She also carries literature where ever she goes, and is always ready to discuss veganism.

animal rights, ethical vegan, health

February 7th, 2011 by Gary Smith

Welcome to The Thinking Vegan. You’re probably asking yourself if the world needs yet another vegan blog. The answer is obviously yes. At least I hope so.

The focus of the blog is on veganism as a social justice movement, as opposed to a dietary plan. Veganism is an ethical philosophy that encompasses the prohibition of animal use for food, clothing, entertainment, scientific “research,” labor and pets.

The blog’s philosophical bent is abolitionism and liberationism, which does not support any use of animals. I do not believe in reform measures or incremental ethics. There is no magical ladder that one climbs to become ethical. We all make real-world decisions and engage in behaviors that are either ethical or unethical. Veganism is the ethical choice.

If you have made the choice to move in that direction, I hope you will find support and encouragement on this blog. I will not, however, pat you on the head if you feel good about your choice to use animals. If you are looking for someone to validate your consumption of “organic” or “free range” or “grass fed” or “family farmed” animals, you may need to find another blog.

The Thinking Vegan will include articles and postings, short notes and ideas, interviews with thinkers and doers in the vegan/animal rights community, guest posts, and a thinking vegan’s take on newsworthy events.

Your comments are encouraged so please contribute to the discussion. I can guarantee that we won’t always agree. However my hope is that through this blog, with the feedback and participation of others, we can learn and grow as vegans and as animal rights activists.

abolition, abolitionism, animal liberation, animal rights, ethical vegan, liberation, liberationist, vegan, veganism