Yesterday I went to the city with a friend to pick something up. He is one of/maybe my best friend(s). We had someone come along with us who we have known for around a month. Neither of them are vegetarian and both know I am vegan. My friend is very respectful, and we are close enough for me to give home some stick about not being veg*n given his progressive and green minded philosophies/ideologies. He recently broached the issue with me and commented that he cannot challenge the arguments for being veg*n and maybe he will change one day. I knew Green Gourmet was not open t…

The notion of sentience is somewhat widely adopted by some as the definitive factor in affording consideration and/or status to individual species. This is prevalent, to varying degrees amongst both ‘mainstream’ groups and those who specifically promote the well-being of animals (in whatever form that may take). Whether this is viewed as a problematic criterion depends on whom you ask. I consider that it is and a recent ‘mainstream’ film that is completely un-related to such issues, at least explicitly, provides for an interesting analogy and potential future situation where consideration may …

The ‘race riot’ in Sydney on Sunday November 11 and the continuing aftermath is something I am sure many people have an awareness of. I was horrified though perhaps I should not have been given the promotion of race baiting that has essentially been government ‘policy’ since the ‘boarding’ of the Tampa by the Australian navy in September 2001 and the negative portrayal and stereotyping of refugees that intensified and continues to this day. As I hear more detail from friends and relatives who are witnessing first hand, or have friends suffering at the hand of the apparently…

#racism #whiteness