A troupe of about 15 vegans from the organization Mercy for Animals (MFA) brought their message to downtown Columbus yesterday. The focal point of the event was a television strapped to a group member’s chest that showed footage of some of the animal cruelty that has been occurring in factory farms. They also handed out about 500 leaflets at Broad and High.

Their message is that by becoming vegan, each of us can take action to end the horrors that large-scale agriculture inflicts on animals. Chickens, cows, and pigs are forced to live in frequently painful, unsanitary, and extremely confined conditions, when, as MFA director Nathan Runkle points out, “We do not need to eat any animal products to survive. Almost anything you eat contains protein, especially legumes and soy products.”

At MercyforAnimals.com, you can find diet tips, or you can order a vegan starter kit.

Runkle says that it is necessary to be repetitious when trying to reach people. “Often someone will hear about veganism, but it will just bounce off them until the twentieth time they hear about how feasible it is, or see the images of what happens to the animals. Then they will finally do something about it.”

The power of the television is that is confronts people with the reality of what is happening. The man who wore the TV- laden vest identified himself as Ryan and said that he was glad that he was not able to see the screen. “Those who stop and look,” said Runkle, “are almost always disturbed by what they see.”

For more information, you can visit vegohio.com, eggcruelty.com, or choosevegetarian.com. You can also call 1-866-MFAOHIO.

Appears in Issue: