I found this article, “Eating only what grows around you”, a couple of days ago, and noticed the reference to an Episcopal priest. Below is a video of the garden at her church:

I really liked what she said toward the end, since I was hoping we could do something similar here. But, especially, with the tomato recall (which might be over now), and the monumental number of farm fields under flood waters, and increased food costs in general, this year would be a good time to plant something. And even if it’s too late to plant some things from seed, hardware stores, home improvement stores, garden shops, etc., are still selling veggie and fruit plants in flats or in small pots. It isn’t too late for this year. And, it is a sacramental act — even a prayer-in-action.

Powerful American Animal Rights Book–Eternal Treblinka–Attracting Attention Around the World

Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust by American author Charles Patterson is fast becoming an international sensation. The book has now been translated and published in Israel, Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Poland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Serbia, and soon it will be published in Spain and Latin America as well. Russian, Slovenian, and Arabic translations are also underway.

New York (PRWEB) June 12, 2008 — Eternal Treblinka (ISBN 1-930051-99-9) continues to attract international attention. After it was rejected by 83 American publishers (some of them said it was “too strong”), it was published in 2002 by Lantern Books in New York. Now in its third printing, it will soon be in 14 languages.

The book’s title comes from the Yiddish writer and Nobel Laureate, Isaac Bashevis Singer, to whom the book is dedicated. He was the first major modern author to describe the exploitation and slaughter of animals in terms of the Holocaust. “In relation to them, all people are Nazis,” he wrote, “for animals it is an eternal Treblinka.” (Treblinka was the Nazi death camp north of Warsaw.)

Eternal Treblinka examines the common roots of animal and human oppression and the similarities between how the Nazis treated their victims and how modern society treats the animals it slaughters for food.

The first part of the book describes the emergence of humans as the “master species” and how we came to dominate the earth and its other inhabitants. The second part examines the industrialization of slaughter of both animals and humans in modern times. The last part of the book profiles Jewish and German animal advocates on both sides of the Holocaust, including Isaac Bashevis Singer himself.

In February, 2005 a jury of 30 of the Germany’s leading scholars and media figures chose “Für die Tiere ist jeden Tag Treblinka” (ISBN 3-86150-649-1), the German edition of Eternal Treblinka, as one of the country’s ten most important non-fiction books. It was honored alongside books about Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and World War I.

http://www.EternalTreblinka.com

Praise From Around The World –

“I urge you to read Eternal Treblinka and think deeply about its important message.” — Dr. Jane Goodall, UK

“The moral challenge posed by Eternal Treblinka turns it into a must for anyone who seeks to delve into the universal lesson of the Holocaust.” — Maariv (Israeli newspaper)

“I believe, along with many others, that your book is one of the most important books of the century.” — Tanja Tuma, publisher, Ljubljana, Slovenia

“A thought-provoking masterpiece meticulously and brilliantly articulated.” — Dr. Ndubuisi Eke, Head, Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

“Important and timely…written with great sensitivity and compassion. I hope that Eternal Treblinka will be widely read.” — Martyrdom and Resistance (Holocaust publication), New York, USA

“A great book that catches the reader’s attention right from the beginning. Charles Patterson has found the right balance to make his book perfect.” — Dr. Guido P. Lombardi, anthropologist, historian, Lima, Peru.

“Eternal Treblinka disturbs us because (inevitably though tactfully) it holds up to us, its readers, a clear mirror to look at ourselves anew….Kafka would have applauded Eternal Treblinka. It grips like a thriller.” — The Freethinker, UK

“Sure to provoke, stir the emotions, incite debate and perhaps after the soul-searching is done lead to a more humane world.” — Sukanya Datta, journalist, India

“Eternal Treblinka should be on every list of essential reading for an informed citizenry…for the compelling comprehensiveness of the life-and-death story it tells.” — National Jewish Post & Opinion, USA

“The book does a perfect and professional job of showing the similarity between the mistreatment of people and of animals. It’s written with great sensitivity. Will no doubt be a valuable addition to everyone’s collection.” — Dr. Vugar Huseynov, Baku, Azerbaijan Republic.

“A very important achievement for animals and humans alike. Most probably your work will only be truly appreciated in years to come, but this is the fate of nearly all original and independent authors.” — Christa Blanke, Freiburg, Germany

“It’s one of the few books which totally grabs the reader, not only while reading it, but afterwards also, and probably forever…it profoundly disturbs, shocks and destroys.” — Croatian philosopher Hrvoje Juric, Zagreb, Croatia

“Very well researched and written with great sensitivity…a compelling, useful and informative book, which I strongly recommend to others in sub-Saharan Africa.” — Professor P S Igbigbi, Head, Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Malawi

“I have rarely read a book that made me cry. This one did. It truly is one of those books that you cannot put down. The message is haunting. The book is life changing. It has certainly changed my life. I have not stopped talking about this book. It is truly a superb work!” — John Williamson, UK

“You must read this carefully documented book.” — La Stampa (Italian national newspaper)

“It is seldom that such a comprehensive work of scholarship springs from a heart of compassion in the service of a noble and necessary idea. All the ingredients of your thesis — that the oppression of animals serves as the model for all other forms of oppression–have been available to thinking people for generations, but it remained for you to pull them together.” — Helen Weaver, author of The Daisy Sutra, USA

“The book that breaks all taboos. The book that fires up controversies all over the world.” — Prijatelji Zivotinja (Animal Friends Croatia), Zagreb

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Every Creature a Word of God

By Annika Spalde & Pelle Strindlund

160 pp., $18 postpaid (check to Vegetarian Advocates Press, PO Box 201791, Cleveland, OH 44120)

What does a spirituality that affirms God’s love for all creatures look like? Although there are many books on animal rights philosophy and theology, none has focused on Christian spirituality as the basis for an ethic of compassion for animals. Borrowing from a breadth of sources, including the Bible and Christian monks, mystics, sages, and saints, Annika Spalde and Pelle Strindlund have written a unique and compelling book. Christian authorities often emphasize doctrinal orthodoxy and obedience, but Spalde and Strindlund appeal to the many lay Christians who have a sense that God’s compassion is the core Christian message. However, Spalde and Strindlund show that many Christians so far have not applied this principal to nonhuman creation.

Perhaps the book’s most compelling argument resides in Spalde’s and Strindlund’s personal testimonies. They have been animal activists in a complete sense, frequently exchanging imprisonment for an opportunity to inform the public about the tragic plight of animals on modern factory farms. On several occasions, they and their companions have openly liberated animals — raiding factory farms and transferring animals to safe homes — and then accepting the legal consequences of what the law regards as theft. Their nonviolent actions, inspired by the nonviolent activism of Mohandas Gandhi in India, has resulted in their being physically and psychologically abused, but they believe that their own plight has been mild compared to the miserable lives of animals confined their entire lives on factory farms..

This book will inform, inspire, and challenge a broad range of readers, from those dedicated to animal protectionism to those who have not yet made the connection between “loving animals” and choosing not to eat them. On behalf of Vegetarian Advocates Press, I respectfully request that your publication will review this unique and important book.

Praise for the book:

“Gracefully combining balanced scholarship with personal witness, animal activists Annika Spalde and Pelle Strindlund have written a book that will enable Christians of all denominations to rediscover the powerful tradition of creaturely compassion that runs throughout their religious history.”
– Reverend Gary Kowalski, author of The Souls of Animals and The Bible According to Noah: Theology as if Animals Mattered

“Many books about animals, diet, and Christianity have been written for a general audience, but this one is now the best. The authors mix personal stories with Biblical insight and passionate argument to produce a book that is as creative as it is earnest and focused. This book is beautifully written and carefully argued. It would be the perfect book for a Bible study or church study group. Warning: it is an enjoyable read, but it might change your life.”
– Stephen H. Webb, Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Wabash College, author of Good Eating and On God and Dogs: A Christian Theology of Compassion for Animals

“In Every Creature a Word of God, Spalde and Strindlund have produced a remarkable volume on the appropriate Christian attitudes to the other animals with whom we share this planet. The book reflects wide learning in theology and the human-animal relationship; yet it remains entirely accessible to those interested in the subject matter but who lack the breadth of learning of the authors. I have no doubt this volume will prove to be extermely popular not only with Christians seeking a deeper understanding of the moral and scriptural implications of their own faith but also with those of more secular bent who want to understand the historical and ethical implications of Christianity toward animals.”
– Rod Preece, Professor Emeritus, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada, author of Animal Welfare and Human Values and Animals and Nature: Cultural Myths, Cultural Realities

I’m going to see if I can find this on You Tube, because it might be easier to view than this CNN link. Nevertheless, I was happy to see this on CNN:
“Simmons is vehemently vegan”
I found this via CVA’s website under “What’s new…”. Lots of interesting stuff in that section.

Back to the Russell Simmons video. He mentioned that the HSUS has endorsed Barack Obama. I was trying to Google for information about that. I haven’t found it yet, but was happy to see this post about the HSUS’ undercover investigation, and questions on the Barack Obama campaign website’s blog. Maybe USDA reform will be part of the Change We Can Believe In.

Here’s the video on You Tube:

With rising food costs, and rising demand, and with 1/3 of this country’s corn crop under flooded fields, it isn’t too late for anyone with a yard, or some large flower pots, to grow a little food (either from seedlings available at garden shops, hardware stores, home improvement stores, or even in some cases, from seed). It may be a good year to grow a few tomato plants, because the recent salmonella-related tomato recall. I have a garden. I’m thinking of planting more, due to the storm damage. (More as a symbolic act, than that thinking it will actually be enough to feed me, or that it will make a difference in the world. But if lots of other people did it, too, especially this year, it could make a difference.) Even though we’ve had a lot of rain where I live, I don’t have any flooding in my yard. So my garden seems to be doing well with no effort on my part. The biggest effort is carrying my digital camera out there once in a while to take pictures of its progress. There’s really nothing to do. I don’t even have to water it. Or if I do, it takes about a minute.

Here’s a video of a volunteer farm that donates its produce to area food banks and soup kitchens in Virginia:

My food bills haven’t gone up noticeably, because I tend to buy organic or specialty foods, like soy or rice milk which tend to cost more than conventional food anyway. And I tend to buy only what I need — except at work where I’m tempted by impulse junk food availability. I also bring my lunch to work instead of buying it in the cafeteria. So I’m not feeling the pain, except when I hear the news. Even the high gas prices are (for me as an individual) more of a psychological blow, since a 10 cent increase only adds a dollar to my weekly 10 gallon fill-up. I can eat less store-bought cookies to make up for that, if that extra dollar to get to work bothers me enough. Or, I could start taking the train. Maybe I will when gas hits $4.50. But my main frustration with gas prices is that with road construction, everyone sits on the tollway during Rush Hour. So I probably waste half a tank just sitting in traffic.

This may also be a good year for people in this country to finally decide to “eat less meat”…
“Flooded farms in nation’s breadbasket pressure prices”

And higher feed prices will eventually drive up meat prices because many livestock farmers are likely to slaughter some of their livestock, reducing meat supplies, said Darrel Good, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of Illinois.

“Rather than holding back some animals to expand the herd, they’ll just send them to slaughter. Nobody wants to panic, but everybody’s concerned,” said Good. He added that it was too soon to know the effect on retail prices.

If the farmers don’t expand their herds, and if they start farming fields they’re paid not to farm by the government, which would make groups like Ducks Unlimited unhappy, there could be a reduction in “livestock”, and a reduction of habitat for animals that hunters like to kill. It sounds like a win/win for everyone except the conservationists, and anyone concerned about commodities prices….

“As Prices Rise, Farmers Spurn Conservation Program”

That is just the beginning, warns Ducks Unlimited, a politically potent organization with more than half a million members in the United States. Ducks Unlimited is concerned about the three-quarters of a million acres of grassland that were removed from the program last year in the so-called duck factory in the Upper Midwest.

“We foresee a dramatic reduction,” said Mr. Ringelman, a conservation director for the association.

I’m all in favor of wildlife habitat, as a safe place for the wildlife. I’m just not in favor of preserving it for the benefit of the hunters.

I just found this short article on growing oats in the house for pets.

While searching for information on oats, I found a site that makes (vegan) Oatscreme. Somehow, while searching where I could buy it, I found this site, which answers the question, “What do vegans eat?!” Check out the pictures of food. Doesn’t it make you hungry?

I just emailed some priests and friends the following:

Keeping my commentary short but sweet….

I was going to rant to you about an article from Episcopal Life:
CANADA: Historic apology to residential schools students seen as a beginning, http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_97783_ENG_HTM.htm
and decided just to copy what I put in their “Respond to this article” comment page (which won’t be published):

This article leaves out the complicity of the Churches who ran the residential schools. 

Here are just a few older articles that don’t:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/04/09/60II/main505725.shtml
http://www.amnestyusa.org/amnestynow/soulwound.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsMaps/idUSN1143866420080611
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MKY/is_7_27/ai_111026116

I wouldn’t make a big deal over the article, except that it was printed in two widely-read Anglican/Episcopal publications, and seemed to leave out anything that would make the Church look bad (or that could be extremely damaging in a court of law)….. 

I don’t know how to make live links on this site. So I’ll try to turn those URL’s into hyper-links.

Here’s the one that was reprinted in Episcopal Life today (from the Anglican Journal):
“CANADA: Historic apology to residential schools students seen as a beginning”

Here are the others mentioned above:
60 Minutes’ “Killing the Indian” (2002)

Amnesty International USA’s “Soul Wound: The Legacy of Native American Schools”

Reuters’ “FACTBOX: Canada’s residential schools, native population (from yesterday)

“Repentance and the residential schools: Canada’s Anglicans stay the course” (2003)

I just heard about this on the news: Fight the Smears

My veganic garden, as of 6/8/08

Links to this article & video from the BBC were sent to one of the listservs I subscribe to.

Check this out. It is worth taking time to sign up and put your comments.
“Is it time to turn vegetarian?”

Video: “Ethical Man Goes Vegan”

(Ethical Man is a meat eater who decided to go vegan for a month, to see how it might impact his health and his global footprint.  This isn’t the kind of news story I’d expect to see in the USA, although I suppose it could be compared in some way with what Oprah Winfrey is doing with her documented 21 day vegan cleansing diet experience