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Mark Hawthorne is the author of Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism (www.strikingattheroots.com). Mark adopted a vegetarian lifestyle soon after an encounter with one of India's many cows in 1992 and went vegan a decade later. He was a contributing writer for Satya from 2004 until the magazine ceased publishing in June of 2007, and his articles, book reviews, essays and opinion pieces have also appeared in Herbivore, VegNews, Vegan Voice, Hinduism Today and many daily newspapers across the United States. He recently worked with thousands of other activists to help pass California's Proposition 2, an historic ballot measure that will phase out the use of battery cages, gestation crates and veal crates in the state by 2015.
Mark is a volunteer for Animal Place, a vegan education center and sanctuary for farmed animals in northern California, where he serves on the outreach advisory council. He is also involved in rabbit rescue and shares his vegetable crisper with five rescued rabbits. He maintains an activism blog at http://strikingattheroots.wordpress.com/.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 California Rejects Animal Confinement: Will Other States Follow? (6 comments)
California's Prop 2 will phase out the cruelest confinement devices used in factory farming. Why did it win, and what does this historic ballot initiative mean for the rest of the country?
Friday, September 12, 2008 California Anti-Cruelty Measure Has National Impact
California has long been a proving ground for progressive issues. Prop 2, a measure on the state's November ballot, is attracting support and opposition from around the country. How could one state ballot initiative affect the nation?
Friday, July 11, 2008 Attack of the Vegan Molecule! (3 comments)
Will science have an impact on the world's diet? A recent article in the Daily Telegraph explores how our inability to produce a chemical present in the animals we eat may be linked to a series of chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Although this news might not affect the habits of most meat-eaters, there are still plenty of great reasons to become vegetarian.
Monday, June 23, 2008 Compassion Is Patriotic: Go Veggie (2 comments)
One of the most popular ways to celebrate July 4th is a big barbecue. Ironically, the animals most people cook on Independence Day have been denied life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Why not choose kindness instead of cruelty? Commemorate our nation's birth by enjoying a meat-free day it's good for the animals, good for our bodies and good for the country.
Friday, March 7, 2008 No Rabbits for Easter, Please
Yes, rabbits are cute, but please do not buy one on impulse this Easter! They are NOT toys, and they are not perfect for every family.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Spoiler Alert: 10 Things Animal Exploiters Do Not Want You to Know
By exposing the truth of what animal profiteers endeavor to make invisible, we reveal a means to end abuse that is nearly as senseless as it is reprehensible. To that end, following are ten facts animal exploiters hate the public knowing about -- and what you can do about them.
Thursday, January 3, 2008 I Think; Therefore, I Don't Eat Meat
Activists in the animal-rights movement frequently discuss cognitive dissonance, musing about people who insist they love animals yet eat pigs, cows, chickens, fish, turkeys and sheep as if these beings somehow don't qualify as animals. What role does cognitive dissonance play in someone deciding to give up meat, eggs and dairy foods?
Tuesday, December 11, 2007 Animal Liberation Is Human Liberation
Animal activists are often faced with the criticism that human oppression is so vast that to divert efforts and resources to injustices against animals is irresponsible at best and misanthropic at worst. In truth, animal liberation and human liberation are closely connected.
