Written by Michelle Kretzer
It's fitting that Rosa Parks' birthday, February 4, has been designated the Day of Courage. Parks is, of course, famous for her work to end segregation and racism, beginning with her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger and continuing with her leadership during the bus boycotts that followed. But Parks soon broadened her base to include others who needed to be freed from the yoke of oppression: animals. She was a vegetarian for more than 40 years.
In fact, many civil rights leaders, past and present, have maintained that as long as one form of prejudice exists, no form of prejudice can be completely eradicated, and thus, civil rights and animal rights are inextricably linked:
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him that it is right."
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Alice Walker: "If I'm eating food I know was a creature in a cage, it brings up memories of segregation and the stories from my ancestors, of being in captivity and denied their personalities, their true beings. Animals were not made for us, or our use. They have their own use, which is just being who they are."
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Cesar Chavez: "Kindness and compassion towards all living beings is a mark of a civilized society. Racism, economic deprival, dog fighting and cock fighting, bullfighting and rodeos are all cut from the same defective fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves."
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The Rev. Al Sharpton: "So I say if KFC wants to take [African-Americans'] money, and use it to pay for sloppy practices that hurt animals, I say we send them a message that this is not going to happen. I'm calling on people to boycott KFC until they adopt animal welfare systems recommended by PETA."
Russell Simmons: "The more I opened myself up to the idea of the full scope of exactly what non-violence translates to, the less interested I became in consuming the energy associated with the flesh of an animal that only knew suffering in his/her life and pain and terror in its death. "
Rosa Parks did not just refuse to give up her seat on the bus. She refused to give up her humanity. She refused to accept oppression as "how things are." In honor of her, please encourage your friends and family to do away with the last of their personal prejudices by sharing the quotation above that speaks to you the most on your social-networking sites.
Rosa Parks is remembered as one of the most fearless civil rights activists in history. So it's fitting that her birthday, February 4, has been deemed the National Day of Courage, when we are all encouraged to raise our voices against injustice.
The Henry Ford Museum in the Detroit area, where Parks spent the latter half of her life, plans to pay tribute to her with a day of special events. But the museum overlooked an important detail: Parks didn't harm animals for food. She was a vegetarian. And a celebration of her life and her legacy should be, too. So PETA raised our voices and asked the museum to honor all of Parks' convictions by serving vegetarian food.
Parks is, of course, best known for her work to end segregation and racism. But like her friend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Parks soon broadened her base to advocate for all socially disadvantaged people. And she, like Dr. King's widow, Coretta Scott King, and his son, Dexter Scott King, went on to embrace other disadvantaged species. Believing that animals should also be free from being subjugated and abused, Parks became a vegetarian and King's widow and son both went vegan.
Not only did Rosa Parks refuse to give up her seat on the bus, she also refused to go along with the idea that it's OK to inflict suffering on others for her own ends. In honoring her legacy, we should do the same.
Written by Amy Skylark Elizabeth
Taken aback by the revelation that Ozzy Osbourne is dabbling with a vegan diet? Keep reading. The following list of famous vegetarians from the past and present is filled with more surprises than a paternity test on Maury:
As a comedian, actor, author, and musician, Steve Martin has a lot on his plate. But one thing you won't find on this "wild and crazy guy's" plate is meat. Which, of course, is the secret to having happy feet.
A pioneering feminist and suffragist who supported the 19th century animal welfare movement, Susan B. Anthony toasted both vegetarianism and women's rights at a banquet held by the first American Vegetarian Society. Anthony was also the first woman and only vegetarian to be immortalized on American currency.
For the love of Pete (Campbell), we wish that everyone would follow in the low-carbon footsteps of Mad Men's Vincent Kartheiser and ditch meat to help the environment.
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It's not only mad men who shun meat—wise guys fuhgeddabout flesh too. When asked about his favorite restaurant in Detroit, where he was filming a TV show, former Sopranos star Michael Imperioli named veggie hotspot Inn Season Café. "I'm a vegetarian, so [it's] like culinary nirvana for me."
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Fred Rogers was the man. Not only did the devout vegetarian teach kids about the joys of soy on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, he also took Burger King to task for parodying him in a commercial. After he criticized the ads for being "very confusing for children," Burger King apologized and pulled the commercial. Can you say "coolest neighbor ever"? I knew you could.
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Rosa Parks was the woman. The civil rights leader, whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger ignited the end of segregation, advocated vegetarianism. Active in promoting peace and justice well into her 80s, Parks credited her vegetarian diet with helping her to maintain her health and stamina.
We hate to gossip, but a little bird who likes to tweet told us that Harvey Levin, the executive producer and host of hot celebrity gossip news show TMZ on TV is a vegetarian!
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And finally … stop, collaborate, and listen. Vanilla Ice is back with healthy intentions. High cholesterol grabbed a hold of him tightly. Now he feasts on veggies daily and nightly. Word to your mother (and to anyone who hasn't gone vegan yet).
Written by PETA
Back in the 1950s, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to move to the back of the bus in the segregated South. After learning of Parks' arrest, an African-American resident in Montgomery declared, "They've messed with the wrong one now."
Let's fast-forward to Virginia Beach, Virginia, 2009: Longtime PETA member and ardent animal defender Sheila Rybak was arrested outside a fur store where she'd been peacefully protesting. She was accused of causing an illegal ruckus by Maria Folch, who had "happened by" this off-road site in a full-length mink coat.
Unfortunately for Folch, Rybak doesn't take any injustice lying down. After Folch failed to show up at the first court hearing, Rybak sued for malicious prosecution. Makes sense right? Protests aren't illegal, and Rybak was only trying to spread the word about the hideously cruel fur industry.
Earlier this week, a jury found in Rybak's favor, and the court has ordered the defendant to pay $12,500 in damages. Here's the kicker: Rybak has declared that if Folch will hand over her full-length mink coat for use in PETA anti-fur displays and events, she'll call it even!
Talk about inspiring. What do you think?
Written by Karin Bennett
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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