My Letter to New York Times Columnist Thomas Friedman

Dear Mr. Friedman,

In your October 27, 2012 Op-Ed “Why I Am Pro-Life,” you present a well-reasoned argument why people can’t call themselves pro-life and oppose common-sense gun control or support shutting down the Environmental Protection Agency or Head Start. Your contention that “pro-life” must include respect for how “life is lived, enhanced and protected — not only at the moment of conception but afterward, in the course of that life” contains merit.

You make a compelling case for redefining “pro-life” with one glaring omission — respect for the lives of animals. How can anyone be called pro-life if they support animal agriculture and eat confined, abused, and slaughtered animals when they don’t need to eat them to survive? How can anyone be called pro-life when they support an animal farming industry that wrecks havoc on our environment and causes millions of people to die from diseases? Please consider expanding your definition of pro-life to include the most defenseless among us.

On behalf of the animals,

Andrew Kirschner

Andrew Kirschner, Ed.D., is a grassroots vegan animal rights activist and radio talk show host. He also writes a zero-profit blog, Kirschner’s Korner, to help raise awareness about issues affecting the global community to make the world a more humane place. To receive new articles via email, enter your email in the “Follow Blog Via Email” link at the top right of the blog.