A good start (more from Wolfgang Puck)

[flvegan]

"I Want Animals to Be Happy"

"I'm not going soft, or, heaven forbid, vegan. I'm just trying to be more accountable to myself, my customers and to those who are farming responsibly. And if it means being nicer to animals along the way, well, that's a big bonus. Why shouldn't cows and pigs feel sunlight on their backs, grass under their feet? Fish shouldn't be jammed into tanks too full for them to even think about swimming. They should be able to exercise their muscles and feel a current. Yes, they'll be killed for food—but until then, they should have a nice stay on Earth.

You might say this is ridiculous. Why does it matter how an animal is reared, since you know from the start that it's going to be slaughtered? But I have had a change of heart. I want to be more outspoken about the treatment of animals. I care that a veal calf—yes, even one that's destined to become wiener schnitzel at one of my Spago restaurants—doesn't live out his days in a crate that's too small for him to stand. As for foie gras, my customers and I can easily live without it."

Lots more:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18367502/site/newsweek/

Nice things about this:

1. He's a famous and (allegedly) brilliant chef, and he's a good spokesperson for this;
2. It's Newsweek, so a lot of folks will read it and maybe think about it;
3. More fine restaurants will hopefully heed the same call to "keep up with the Joneses";
4. I get to don the "welfarist" label so eagerly tossed out by the no compromise regime. Always a fave of mine.

[LeftyMom]

1. Translation:

I can sell more food at a higher price if I can assuage my customers' guilt about eating veal or whatever.

[flvegan]

2. He doesn't intend to raise prices

it seems:
"If I can get my foods from responsible ranchers and farmers and feed millions of people each year—and not raise prices—then chefs who cook for smaller audiences can do this, too. And one by one, we'll all benefit. The way I see it, our future will be filled with more chefs and fewer doctors."

[LeftyMom]

3. But of course, he's a businessman.

If the decision to sell "humane meat" or whatever the marketing catchphrase is this week increases demand, he'll raise prices to what the market will allow.

[flvegan]

4. If the decision increases demand

meaning, more folks opt for a more humane meal as opposed to a factory farmed one, then I say that's a damn good thing. An increase in demand means an opening of the conscious towards what's on the plate by folks that would likely have never cared. If he gets paid for that, fine with me.

Every bite counts. Until it's outlawed, folks will eat veal and baby cows will be killed for it. I'd rather they didn't live in crates. If they could speak, they'd probably agree regardless of who's making a dime off of them.

[LeftyMom]

5. But are people who might otherwise go veg buying the "humane meat" * instead?

That's my worry.

*Of course, we all know down here that there's no such thing.

[flvegan]

6. I don't think so.

Going veg usually happens in stages. It's a VERY rare case that someone gets a "Why Vegan?" and dumps it all. Folks usually think it through, cut this out, cut that out, mull it over, do research, etc. I think that it's very doubtful that anyone that would otherwise go veg would not do so because the "humane" meat commodity was available. If they were considering veg*ism because of the animal issue, sooner or later, the actual slaughter becomes a big issue, regardless of the treatment beforehand.

[LeftyMom]

7. I think that's why we see this one differently,

since you were one of those gradual progression to veganism people, and I had a much more sudden epiphany, followed by a change in behavior from SAD omni to ovo lacto immediately to vegan within a few months.

[flvegan]

8. Yeah, but

reality dictates that for every 1 of you, there's 200 of me. I love those that get their info up front, process it and right away give the middle finger to their future consumption. I think that demographic will grow.

I've got a really good friend, one of the best activists I know, that stumbled over the Farm Sanctuary website and went vegan that day. Never looked back. However, I've got a mailing list of thousands that are in various stages of "giving-a-crap-ism" which shows that other side. I've also got friends that wouldn't go to a dog race protest because folks there might wear leather. I told them that if we wanted to wait for the vegan police to change the world, then we might as well pack up and go home. They called me a welfarist. It's a term I love and wear proudly, considering. I told them to dump their personal egos and to become the dog. Sit in that tiny cage, live the life of a racer. If that were you, what would YOU want?

Here's a funny story that I haven't told anyone publicly before. You, love, know that I'm friendly with the Baustons and the Farm Sanctuary folks. I love them dearly, some of my favorite people. ANYway, I had this one person talking about progression and rights v. welfare, blah blah blah. During the gestation crate initiative here in Florida (which passed, thanks to HSUS and Farm Sanctuary) this guy ripped into me about "not bigger cages, no cages" and that usual shit. "You welfarist poseur" and yada yada. So, I took out my cell phone and pulled up Gene's number, showed it to him, and said, "I'm going to dial this, and you fucking tell him that he's a welfarist with the bigger cages not the no cages shit." Of course, he was all about how that wasn't the case, and this and that.

I asked him, point blank..."Does Farm Sanctuary have fences? Cuz fences ain't nothing but a bigger fucking cage, right?"

At that point, he had to sit down. But he got it.

I have a unique perspective as I straddle the dog/cat rescue fence. Dogs and cats matter, but it's okay to sell hotdogs at a fundraiser.

[LeftyMom]

9. I know dear.

We're on the same side. I just don't want to see any of us carrying water for people who can't even do something kinda good for animals without being shits about it and protesting that they haven't lost their minds and gone vegan or anything. It'd be one thing if they itty bitty step people were saying "it's a start" but most of them are the first ones to say "haven't I done enough already?" when all they did is switch to cage free eggs or a different brand of milk. At least that's my experience.

[flvegan]

10. Let 'em be shits

I'll carry water for a shit talking about not being crazy enough to go vegan, or whatever. Why? Because we need to give high praise to "it's a start" and those that say that. It's not the same as "haven't I done enough" by switching to cage free eggs, etc. That's two different statements and reactions. Puck could step up and call vegans the anti-christ and I'll laugh. I won't take his words personally.

Never say "when all they did..." because what they did might have been a HUGE step for them, for the future of how they think and for the animals. Again, what they did might be a reaction to an enlightenment. One that leads to another of our great activist leaders.

I love you, dear, and I know we're on the same side. I call our differences here "generational activism issues" which, by the way, is GAI.

*snicker*

[LeftyMom]

12. I love you too.

Remind me to send pics of my tomato patch later. :D

PS I think the "vegans are the antichrist" thing already got done by Anthony Bourdain.

[flvegan]

11. Here's my Amen post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x6469277