They Need Our Help: A Message from Steve and Lindsay

My husband encouraged me to share the video below, however difficult I know it may be to watch. 

The following message is from Steve to everyone in the KMIV! community:

It's so easy to look at the positive things in life.  Something showing happiness.  Something showing success, prosperity, kindness.  It's easy to look at these things and get inspired, or smile, or want to spread the positive message around to others.  You are, in effect, starting a chain of positivity.   Something that will hopefully help and benefit those around you.  

Unfortunately, there are many things in this world that do not hold that message of positivity.  But that does not mean they should be ignored.  That does not mean that they should be hidden from sight for fear of bringing others down.  These things should be flipped on their heads - we should take something negative and turn it into something positive.  

This following video is one that needs to be seen.  It is not pleasant to watch; it does not promote happiness or kindness; it is not positive.  However, great good can come from this.  The good comes from you.  It comes from you when you watch videos like these and discover the cruelty that takes place behind closed doors.  It comes from you when you acknowledge that these practices are inhumane and that no living creature should ever be exposed to them.  It comes from you when you spread the word to others, letting them know that ignoring them or turning a blind eye will not make a problem or evil in this world go away.  It comes from you when you act, consciously and responsibly - by signing a petition, by calling your local representative and telling them "This is not right," by choosing compassion when you choose what you wear, what you eat, and whatever else you buy.  Remember, an activist is not an extremist.  An activist is someone who cares about something, who sees something that is not right and makes a choice.  A choice that says "No more."

Some of you won't want to watch this video because of its graphic images.  But I strongly urge you: Watch.  By watching, you set the chain in motion to stop the negative things that happen in the world.  If you believe that what you see should never happen anywhere to any living creature, then act.  Say "No more." 

Every time we make a choice in life we either help or hurt.  We can't expect every choice we make to support the greater good, nor do we do so all the time.  But we can try.  We really can try our hardest. Be smart.  Be brave.  Discover, acknowledge, spread the word, and act.  Help make this world a better place for every living creature on it.

If, for whatever reason, you cannot handle viewing these images, please at least acknowledge that what is happening in these videos needs to stop. Please act as if you did watch the horrific actions taking place. Please follow the steps below to help stop this abuse from continuing.

And thank you for reading. Thank you for watching. Thank you for acting on your conscience and helping to be a part of the solution, rather than the problem. 


Thank you.




Whether you watched this video or not, I know how you may be feeling right now. It's the way I felt after I watched the entire thing, eyes drenched with tears and so much anger in my heart towards the violent perpetrators in this video. I felt absolutely, profoundly, overwhelmingly helpless.

I posted this today because my husband and I felt a deep responsibility to share this and encourage everyone to work to stop this madness from continuing. I encourage you to fight the helpless feeling I know you may be experiencing right now after viewing this. Please know that by taking the time out of your busy day to make room for this, you are already helping. And that is huge. That is something to feel positive about!

For those who want to take this to the next level - to do something about what you witnessed above - here are a few steps you can take:

- Post this video onto your own facebook wall, twitter page, blog webpage, or email this video and story to your friends and family.

- Call the Union County's Prosecutor's Office in Ohio today and ask that the farm owners be criminally charged for their actions. Say that you saw the Mercy for Animals undercover video when you call. Make sure to speak kindly and compassionately when you call - this will be much more effective than asking angrily or aggressively. Their number is 937-645-4190. It takes about twenty seconds, and they are very nice, so don't be afraid to take this step.

- Learn about what Farm Sanctuary is doing in Ohio to help: http://www.farmsanctuary.org/ohio/. Make a vital donation to Farm Sanctuary to help them carry on this important work.

- Go to the Ohio Humane website, www.ohiohumane.com, and see what you can do to help.

- Visit the Mercy for Animals website, the original source of this video, to learn more. 

- If you haven't yet, take a 30-day vegan pledge and try going vegan. This is the best thing you can do to help these animals. Email me at kissmyvegan@gmail.com if you need help going vegan, and I will point you in all the right directions.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much. Your support is what keeps "Kiss Me, I'm Vegan!" going, and I am endlessly thankful to know and connect with such amazingly compassionate individuals. 

Love always,

Lindsay and Steve at the "Kiss Me, I'm Vegan!" family

Comments

naomi chokr said…
thank you i just saw portions of the video. it was tough to see and im in tears right now. i just called the number you gave me. i hope this helps. i will post this on my blog as well.

this is so unfortunate.

I've been a vegan since 3/22/10 and this is exactly why I'm doing this.

thank you again
Anonymous said…
It's appalling. The good thing is that it's been circulating.

Thank you for your great work. I mentioned in another comment that you are an essential part of my morning "vegan communion," i.e. checking in spiritually and intellectually with essential vegan blogs. SD
Plate+Simple said…
I watched. I cried. I called.

Thank you for all you do, Linds. From the bottom of my heart.
Unknown said…
What?! I could only watch 5 seconds. I ran to the bathroom started crying. Shadow knew something was wrong. I couldn't watch further. Thank you for making us aware.

By the time I saw this the offices were closed. I've put the number in my phone and have set my calender to remind me to call tomorrow.

I couldn't imagine this happening to Shadow. Although he was abused. He's safe with us now.

Don't stop sharing your message Lindsay. I gotta go wipe my face...Love you much girl.
maryellen said…
i am so sick to my stomach right now - i am so angry.

i just called and left a message -( i was very polite on the phone though but clearly emotional)
i'll call back tomorrow too. i posted it to my facebook wall as well.

thanks for getting this circulated...
MET
Bethany said…
Lindsay, thank you so much for sharing this. I'm so glad it's being passed around(also saw it on the Kind Life forums which I know we both inhabit!) and I also posted it on my facebook page, hoping someone will have the courage to watch it.

I also wanted to say a big Thank You to Steve for his opening message... this is the exact same message that I try to get across to people every day, that negativity and positivity form a circle and if we act, change will come... thanks Steve, you worded that beautifully. And thanks to both of you for everything you do.
Myra Wolf said…
Office of the Union County (Ohio) Prosecuting Attorney Bond: was set at $100,000 for Billy Joe Gregg this morning by Marysville Municipal Court Judge Michael Grigsby on the 12 counts of Cruelty to Animals.

love you to the moon Lindsay xoxo.
Britt said…
I've been seeing links to and conversation about this going on around Twitter, but I hadn't watched the video until just now. It breaks my heart that people can be so cruel and irresponsible. It's hard to watch and even harder to comprehend.

I think it's also important for people to know that, while the majority of dairy farm conditions are awful, there are exceptions to the rule. There are people out there making a strong effort to do this in a sustainable, non-abusive way. Videos like this are important, though, so thank you for sharing--and thanks to you and Steve for your words. This all helps people become motivated to do what they can by either giving things up altogether or doing their research and seeking out reliable sources.

Your heart is immense and your dedication is admirable. Thanks for putting it all out there.
Lindsay Wolf said…
Thank you Britt for sharing and your support! I admire the work you are doing on your blog too, as far as finding ways to incorporate vegetarian elements into your life.

It's one of those things that is so tough for me, because as caring as I'm sure that a select few are being while handling animals for food, I can't in my heart consciously agree with it in any way, shape, or form anymore. It's taken a long time for me to come to this conclusion, and I know it is not the view of the majority. But I am certainly thankful that people are taking more careful and compassionate steps. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I am glad that this video moved you enough to comment about this!
Unknown said…
i posted about this this morning. it is beyond sad. i couldn't even watch the video and i still cried all morning just from reading the story :(
Myra Wolf said…
The Farm Santuary has offered refuge and rescue to these abused animals...it just takes alittle work by alot of people to get major things done right :) xoxo

http://www.farmsanctuary.org/mediacenter/2010/pr_ohio_refuge.html
Curry St John said…
I wasn't going to watch, but I've posted the video already - I'm reading back through the news feed on Facebook and the video is posted over and over again! I saw your post (I have "liked" your page on FB), and came hear to read your take, and felt obligated to at least try to watch. I made it 8 seconds. That first stomp on the calf's head? That was it for me. How in the world could anyone do this to a defenseless creature?

I've been vegetarian for four years, vegan for two, but even if I were a meat eater, a dairy consumer, I still could not condone anything that this video no doubt portrays.

I saw a video once of a man taking a chainsaw to a pig, sawing off its head as it lay on the floor of a barn, writhing in post-death muscle spasms, the man gleeful and sadistically laughing all the while. It was previously the most horrifying thing I had ever seen. 8 seconds here may top it.

What do we do? Just what you're doing, we share it like a virus, we show it to everyone we can, whether they watch 8 seconds or the whole thing, or none of it at all. And we trust that justice will be served, and fight until it is.

Thank you.
Myra Wolf said…
That was well said Curry.

"Share it like a virus"
Lindsay Wolf said…
What a beautiful response, Curry. Thank you so much. :)
Prairie + Sky said…
Is this the same guy!? You probably already saw this.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100526/ap_on_bi_ge/us_cow_beating_video