Bernard Jan's Blog - Posts Tagged "peta"

The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble by Ingrid Newkirk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The review for the book The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble by Ingrid Newkirk I first wrote on December 28, 2009 and posted on Animal Friends Croatia web page. But there is never enough exposure for good readings and remarkable people, so I decided to repost it here as well.

When I first opened a copy of the latest book by Ingrid Newkirk, The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble, after receiving it by mail, a colleague of mine stood behind me and gazed at it intently. I did not know what he was thinking, I just felt his presence and waited for him to speak his mind or tell me what he needed from me. A few more seconds drifted by before he stated, "I do not know where she finds time to write a book."

I didn't think when I replied to him, "Discipline," like it was self-understanding. But on second thought, I do not think I said something wrong. It takes lots of discipline to be a full-time active advocate for animals and also to find time to do something besides it – like writing a book.

Maybe it won't make much sense to many, but if we are speaking in terms of advocating for animals, discipline for me equals to commitment, dedication, empathy, compassion, kindness, love, perseverance, and patience.

This is what one needs to be a good animal advocate. These are qualities we must treasure if we want to successfully finish our marathon race. And these are features I find in Ingrid Newkirk.

Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of meeting Ingrid personally. Exchanging emails with her from time to time is always such a pleasant and encouraging experience though. Whether they carry a concise message as praise in their subject or explain something in length, I always look forward to them. And if I have to say something about Ingrid's latest book, I cannot do that without saying something about Ingrid, too.

Each book, each story, each line reflects the personality of its author. The same is with Ingrid and her books. During the last couple of years I read three of her books: 250 Things You Can Do to Make Your Cat Adore You, Kids Can Save the Animals: 101 Easy Things to Do and Free the Animals. Meanwhile, I read plenty of other books about animals and animal rights. However, Free the Animals along with Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust by Charles Patterson are probably the two books that left the deepest impact on me.

The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble closely follows their footsteps, disarming me with its simplicity, practicality and outstanding message.

I've been an animal advocate for eight years already, after I dropped out of environmental protection. Throughout these years I learned a lot about animals, animal advocacy, and animal rights in general, but also about myself. Most of that knowledge I as a person and my group as a whole owe to PETA and Ingrid Newkirk. Animal Friends Croatia realized many successful campaigns and actions studying PETA's strategy and the way of reasoning, while Ingrid Newkirk proved herself to be more than just a good adviser: she was a real trooper, a helping hand that guided us and brought us into safety when our heads were below the water. Truly, lots of credits for our achievements and victories surely go to Ingrid Newkirk and PETA.

This is why The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble is such an important book. It gives the reader an ocean full of practical advice on how to advocate for animals and how to treat them in everyday life, but it also talks to us. It communicates with us, page after page, sharing with us the rich experience of its author in saving animals and fighting for their rights.

On some 300 pages Ingrid guides us as gently as possible through all imaginable aspects of animal exploitation and abuse. Without holding back anything, she teaches us who are animals and why we should respect them and treat them as our equals. Yes, there are moments when she mercilessly tightens her grip around our hearts when she narrates the true stories of animals who suffered through the worst possible ordeals humans bestowed upon them. Remember the story about Makara the rhino; a downer cow at a stockyard in Kentucky; a polar bear named Gus housed in New York's Central Park Zoo; the Berosini orangutans; a seagull tangled up in fishing line in a Virginia park; Billy, a timid little Silver Spring monkey; a stray dog named Aurora; a hound dog named Cindy; and Hannah, the sheep, to name just a few? Yes, this is Ingrid's way: she shakes us out of our boots, she brings tears to our eyes and makes our hearts bleed. But once we compose ourselves again, we realize that we are not so helpless as we thought we were. There is hope for us, which means there is hope for animals, too. In the "What You Can Do" sections, Ingrid takes enormous efforts in going into the tiniest detail in order to show us that we can make a difference – a huge difference with little effort. And maybe here lies the greatest value of this book. "What You Can Do" is simply priceless if we really set our heart in doing something for animals

Yes, we can make a change, even with the smallest thing. We do not have to be in the front lines of animal rights advocacy doing demos, protests, vegan tastings, holding public speeches, lectures, or going nude for the animals' sake. No, we can sit comfortably in the warmth of our home, pick up the phone and dial our favorite radio station, call the TV news and leave a comment about something we just saw, write a letter to the newspaper editor or browse the Internet posting our comments, or maybe even create an animal rights blog or web page.

True, it is easy to be an animal advocate nowadays. The best thing is that whatever we do, each action we take, every bit of information we share with someone else, everything counts. Nothing's in vain. But the easier it is for us to become an animal advocate, the greater the obligation we have to really become one. There is no excuse for being passive, there is no excuse for doing nothing while animals suffer and are killed. There is no excuse for closing our eyes before the truth and ingenuity of Ingrid's advice. There is no excuse for closing our hearts after closing the cover of The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble, shutting out and denying the cries of those who seek our help.

It is very simple: compassion and kindness are the keys to both human and animal liberation. When we liberate ourselves from the chains of tradition and old-fashioned views, the light that will shine up within us will liberate others, too. Let us light up our hearts and carry our torches in lighting up the hearts and lives of our fellow creatures.

Please, let this remarkable book written by a remarkable woman touch you with its kind message. Let it guide you into a world where there shall be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. For anyone.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com



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Bernard Jan

Before he found himself on a devastating path of hurricane Maria and got cut off from the rest of the world, Angel Ramon Medina was a lucky survivor of hurricane Irma raising funds from his books sales for the victims of hurricane Irma and working on his new book.

Before the first hurricane Irma hit his island, Angel was an indie author of six books, with Angel's Nightmare Adventure gaining the title of a #1 Amazon Best Seller horror short story.

Angel is also the founder and the leader of The Hybrid Nation, whose aim is to help with the promotion of indie authors, the future face of Puerto Rican LitRPG, my friend and a person responsible for my transformation from a traditionally published author in Croatian into an indie author writing and publishing in English.

Angel's heart is big and unselfish and I can speak of it from personal experience. His willingness to help me and guide me throughout my whole becoming and growing up as an indie author is as big as his readiness to help his fellow Puerto Ricans in need. But now Angel is also one of them. One of 3,5 million Puerto Ricans trapped in this "rich port" with no electricity and with shortage of water and food now.

No man is an island and certainly it shouldn't be the whole nation of 3,5 million suffered souls left with devastated homes and ruined lives. Their reality is everyday struggle for survival on the island flooded with water and lit only by the shine of stars and the moon left in the wake of raging monster hurricane Maria.

The leading man of the United States said it is a big big ocean around that island and it's difficult to deliver help the people of Puerto Rico need so badly. But one thing we know better. Where government officials fail is where ordinary people take over. No ocean is big big enough not to be bridged over by the solidarity of common people united in their will to help from all corners of the world.

Please, help my friend Angel Ramon Medina. Buy one, more or all of his books or give a monthly donation at his Patreon profile and help him get on his feet once he is able again to start something even remotely what we call a normal life. This is an act of a direct help to the author in need. I urge members of The Hybrid Nation, everyone who has ever tweeted, texted, talked or shared posts and thoughts with Angel to rise up and support him. Pin your tweets for him for a few days or a week, tweet about him, share posts about him. Invite others to buy, read and review his books. This is the best we can do under these circumstances and it takes so little of our time. Helping one man is like helping the whole nation because Angel would do the same if he was in a position to do so.

The last time I've heard from Angel was on September 19, 2017. The last few words he said to me were: "I'm afraid so." Then silence. Loud and clear.

I know we authors have to write, promote and sell our books because they depend on us. But right now it is a moment to look beyond that because even while taking care of our businesses and minding our own affairs we still have time to help the fellow author in need. This is the time of solidarity, the time to show the world and each other our support.

Please help Angel's fellow Puerto Ricans. Give up on your coffee today, skip one meal or donate just one dollar to The Ricky Martin Foundation. The Ricky Martin Foundation team on the ground is already working to provide most urgently needed supplies and has partnered with Music For Relief and We Care Solar to bring light & hope to the communities which are literally in the dark.

Please help animals in Puerto Rico. If your circle of compassion extends even further than encompassing only your own species and you wish to help animals who also suffer greatly in this huge tragedy on the island of Puerto Rico, please make an urgent gift to PETA's Animal Emergency Fund. Do it today because PETA's rescue team is helping animals in Puerto Rico now and they also need us.

Please follow the links provided here to make the much needed donations. Act For Puerto Rico now!

Angel Ramon Medina #ActForPuertoRico

Angel Medina Amazon Author Page
The Thousand Years War by Angel Ramon
Framed by Angel Ramon
Revenge of the Gloobas by Angel Ramon
Janus: The Devil's Election by Angel Ramon
Angel's Nightmare Adventure by Angel Ramon
Angel's Nightmare Adventure 2: The Nightmare Continues by Angel Ramon
Angel Ramon Medina on Patreon

The Ricky Martin Foundation #ActForPuertoRico

Hurricane Relief for People of Puerto Rico

PETA – People for Ethical Treatment of Animals #ActForPuertoRico

PETA's Animal Emergency Fund – Help Animals In Times of Crisis

Thank you, good people. Thank you for acting for Puerto Rico! #ActForPuertoRico

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

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Bernard Jan

Angel Ramon Medina

“What is man, Mom?”
“Man’s a great mystery. We know not where he comes from, nor where he’s going . . .”
“This . . . man, is he dangerous?”
“Very dangerous, son. You must try never to meet one . . .”
“But how can I not meet a man? How do I avoid him?”
“You’ll sense him coming close. You know, son, man has a special smell. The scent of fear, misfortune and pain. He feeds on it. You’ll recognize him by this scent.”

My novella, Look for Me Under the Rainbow, about a curious harp seal pup Danny and Helen, an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors whose mission is to save animals, has got another international recognition.

In March this year, PETA Germany added it in the resources they recommend for activists and organizations in Eastern Europe! That way, Look for Me Under the Rainbow has found itself in the esteemed company of other animal rights books and authors such as The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights: Simple Acts of Kindness to Help Animals in Trouble by Ingrid Newkirk, Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism by Melanie Joy, The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy—and Why They Matter by Marc Bekoff, and Change of Heart: What Psychology Can Teach Us About Spreading Social Change by Nick Cooney, to name just a few.

PETA Germany was founded at the end of 1993 and is a partner organization of PETA USA, the world’s largest animal rights organization with over six and a half million supporters. Their goal is to help every animal have a better life. They are committed to uncovering animal cruelty, educating the public and teaching them a mindful and respectful way of life. PETA acts in the tradition of social liberation movements and campaigns for the end of speciesism. They stand for the abolition of mistreatment, discrimination and exploitation of all animals and fight for the establishment of their rights.

Thank you, PETA Germany, for this honor and recognition!

Click here for PETA Germany's Activist Network in Eastern Europe Resources.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

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Bernard Jan