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A Guide to Being Politically Engaged

As advocates for the causes we care about — whether it’s racial justice, environmental sustainability, animal protection, reproductive rights, or all of the above — I know it can be difficult to decide where to spend your time, money, and energy, and I don’t believe there’s one answer. 

A good starting point is to ask: 

“What issues do I feel passionately about?” 

“How can my skills and attributes be used?”

“How can I measure my success?”

“What type of engagement will have a long and lasting impact?” 

My work, my advocacy has always focused on education, outreach, political engagement, public speaking, and writing — because they happen to be what I love, what I’m good at, and what I think will move the needle. I believe that when we know better, we do better and that awareness is key to solving problems. I believe that shifting the way we talk about, think about, and behave towards disenfranchised groups will have long-term impacts in terms of social norms. 

WHY?

But I also spend my time being politically engaged, because it’s not enough to change hearts and minds; we also have to change laws. We need laws and policies that protect people and animals from harm, from abuse, from exploitation, and from violence.

Another reason I think it’s important to be involved in the political system is because “politics” is not separate from who we are as citizens; we are all affected — everyone, all of us — by politics, whether we’re engaged or not.

The word “politics” comes from Greek politikos, meaning “of citizens, pertaining to public life.” We are public citizens, and we have little right to complain about how politics affects us — or animals — if we’re not actively engaged in making sure the laws reflect the values we care about.

To disengage means to disown your power. Because if you’re not talking to the people who represent you and the things you care about, someone else is talking to them about THEIR values and what THEY care about. Which would you prefer? 

And finally, I just can’t support taking Democracy for granted in any way. It’s a pretty amazing system that — as a human-made endeavor is also imperfect and fragile just as we are — and yet, it’s the best we’ve got. It’s the most successful, long-running experiment we’ve got as long as we, the people, participate. It’s been hard-fought and hard-won, and it means nothing if we, the people, don’t nurture it — we, the people, because the word democracy is built from the dēmos, meaning “people.”

From the moment the U.S. Civil War ended and for the century that followed, scores of men, women, and children were brutally beaten and viciously murdered to stop them from voting and having a political voice. The Southern rebel losers who never let go of their white supremacist worldview tried to silence the voices and votes of freed black men and women and their descendants because they knew that if the black population exercised their will through voting and the political system, white supremacy would have been drowned out by the call for peace, freedom, and protection under the law.

Similarly, how many men actively worked to deny women the right to vote? And how many humans make sure laws are passed to ensure animals are denied freedom, peace, and protection under the law?

People fought and died so that I and others would have the right to vote and be politically engaged. I don’t take that lightly and I don’t take it for granted.

HOW?

The way this whole democracy works is that we — as individual citizens — are represented by people WE elect to REPRESENT us. So, when we talk about our representatives, we’re talking about those at the local, state, and federal levels. Right now — at this date and time —, there’s a lot of focus on the federal government. People are calling and writing to their elected officials/their members of Congress, and that’s encouraging. So, let’s take a look at what it means to be politically engaged at the federal level. 

FEDERAL & STATE

  1. First and foremost: Know who your federal members of Congress are — both in the House of Representatives as well as in the Senate. 
  2. Add their phone numbers to your phone — for both their DC office and district office. 
  3. Add their email address and mailing address to your address book/contacts.
  4. Add their phone numbers to your phone — for both their DC office and district office.

BEST WAYS TO CONTACT REPRESENTATIVES: When it comes to contacting your members of Congress, here are tips from congressional staffers, who are the ones on the ground. In fact, if you’re interested in building relationships with members of Congress…start with the staffers. More on that in a bit, but here are the most effective ways to get your voice heard:

  • the two best ways are to call them on the phone and to write a letter or postcard. Buy a book of .34-cent stamps for postcards. They’re very effective ways to get your voice heard and have it counted, and I just find it a lot easier than writing a letter, finding an envelope, etc. Postcards are just fast and easy — and effective. 
  • leaving a comment on Twitter or Facebook is largely ineffective. 
  • write your letter or send you postcard to the district office rather than DC
  • when you call, call the district office; you can call the DC office, too, but it’s more effective to call them at their district office
  • emails are also virtually ineffective; staffers pretty much just group them using computer algorithms and send out form letters based on topic and position. 
  • but phone calls are a different story. Staffers pay attention when the office gets a number of calls about a particular issue. The district office will talk to the DC office to ask if they’re hearing about the same issue, and if so, they take notice. 

Do not underestimate the power of your call or letter. A recent article in the New York Times about politically engaged citizens ended with this little gem: “There is an adage on Capitol Hill that five letters from the district about a bill is cause for alarm, and 10 is a full-blown emergency.” 

TIP: Don’t only contact your representatives when you want something done — when you want them to vote “YES” on a bill or “NO” on a bill. Take the time to write or call when they’ve done something you appreciate. You can’t imagine how many negative comments members of Congress get. Believe me when I say your positive comment will stand out.

MEETING THEM IN PERSON: Now of course, it’s incredibly effective to meet your representative in person, and as their constituent, you have the right to request a meeting, but I won’t lie…it’s tough to get face time. You can keep trying to do so through their staffers, and you might also consider going to a town hall meeting held by many MoC when they return home from Washington to their home districts during government recesses. Go to these town hall meetings, and don’t go alone! Take a group with you of other animal advocates who have a common purpose and ASK QUESTIONS. Be heard. Make your voice heard. 

Another way to get your voice heard is if you run an advocacy group or PAC, invite local staffers to show up to your events. Let them talk to people you work with and set up meetings. Staffers love to get out of the office and meet with constituents and learn about different issues people care about. Take them out and show them what you care about. Invite them to see what you’re working on or what you’re concerned about. They take that all of that the office with them. Staffers have a lot of influence, and they’re worth spending time cultivating relationships with. Because, if the staff knows you, when they have a question about a piece of legislation or an issue, they’ll know who they can call. This is all about cultivating relationships. 

CONTRIBUTIONS: But one-on-one face time directly with your representative? It’s very difficult, BUT I will tell you this: being a donor…does help. It’s not a guarantee, but you’re more likely to get face to face time if you are a contributor, because they expect it means you’ll most likely be a contributor in the future. Like it or not, donors have more sway. And yes, the higher the contributions, the better the chances are that you and your cause will have a louder voice.

Legislators know that they could lose their job in two or four years, so they literally want you to help them keep their jobs. That’s all it’s about. But here’s where your dollars can have a real impact. Donate to campaigns when it’s clear they are animal-friendly. Talk to them about animal-unfriendly positions they may have. They might just need information you have. If they stick with animal-harmful positions, tell them that’s why you’re not supporting them. Support and vote for them when it’s clear they are animal-friendly. Tell them why you voted for them. Tell them you’d like to continue helping them make the most compassionate decisions about legislation. Give them (and their staffers) information about animal issues. Don’t assume they know the issues you do. Support them and let them know why you do. 

CREATE A RELATIONSHIP: Politics is all about relationships. Create a dialogue. Tell them what you care about. Encourage them to support animal-friendly legislation and oppose legislation that will harm animals. ASK THEM WHAT THEIR POSITION IS on a particular bill or policy. I think many individuals are intimidated to call, and if that’s the case, then write, but there’s nothing to be intimidated about, and you have every right to ask the staffer who answers what your representative’s position is on a particular issue.

BE KIND: And I shouldn’t have to say this, but I will: be kind, whether you’re talking to a staffer or talking directly to your representative, whether you’re writing a postcard, leaving a message, or talking to them in person. Be kind. Imagine for just a moment being on the receiving end of an angry constituent. As justified as your anger may be, your irascibility will not get you what you want, and your anger doesn’t get you extra votes. You still get only one vote — regardless of how angry you are. Persistence, clarity, articulateness, and passion are all appropriate, as is kindness

PACS, LOBBYISTS, AND LEGISLATIVE FUNDS

Political Action Committees (or PACs, for short) exist for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. They can serve business or labor interests or ideological interests. They can be formed to support/defeat federal or local candidates. The benefit of a PAC is that money can be pooled to support (or defeat) candidates. 

While there are national PACs for animals, there are regional and local ones, as well. Here in Oakland, I, along with fellow dedicated and engaged activists, formed our own political action committee called East Bay Animal PAC, which is dedicated to electing animal-friendly legislators, passing animal-friendly legislation, opposing anti-animal legislation, and educating legislators and the public on local animal issues.

(You can join our mailing list to stay abreast of the work we’re doing, and most importantly, a contribution to our PAC would be most appreciated. $5, $10, $100 — whatever you’re able to do goes directly towards us working with local officials to enact animal-friendly policies.)

Of course you can consider starting a PAC yourself. Some people create PACs around one particular issue; some — like ours — are in it for the long-haul based on a cause, but either way, it’s an option for you if you’re interested in upping your political game for animals, especially at the local level. 

LOCAL

Now, sticking with the local, as I said about national engagement applies to local politics:

  • add representatives’ contact info to your phone
  • call them
  • make connections
  • meet them in person
  • work with staffers

And at the local level, you’re almost guaranteed to connect with your city council members (or aldermen or commissioners — whatever they’re called in your area) directly. Either by showing up at city hall meetings or setting up a meeting with them at their office or participating in neighborhood events they organize. Remember…these are YOUR representatives. They represent YOU! They work for YOU

You should absolutely know the name of the city council person who represents you in your district. Get to know them. Develop a relationship with them. Work with them on issues you care about. 

At a time when so many people are focused on the national stage, it can become a distraction from all of the opportunities and potential to work in the local arena. It doesn’t mean it has to be black and white; of course you can engage with your federal representative, but truly, where I know I feel most empowered, is when I’m working locally. I have to say it’s a pretty awesome feeling to walk into a room and have my mayor know my name, and she associates me with animal protection because of the work we’ve done with her (and other city officials).

Not only because there is real work to be done and real accomplishments to be made but also because there is a real opportunity to prime local representatives to be mindful of animal issues whose ambitions may be greater than their own backyard.

In other words, imagine you being the one to help them be mindful about all the ways animals should be considered when they’re drafting legislation — as they work their way up the political chain of ambition. They may one day be state senator, governor, federal member of congress, or president. That’s how it works. And helping them look through the lens of animal protection now while they’re accessible increases the chances that they’ll continue to look through that lens (also with your support…) as they pursue their political ambitions. 

The ripple effects can be huge, as I tell in this story.

SHARE YOUR STORIES BELOW!

They Killed Him, and It Broke Us, and It Should Have

Our country has been a tinderbox for decades — and the last three-and-a-half years have been a slow, steady, daily burn of anxiety, dread, anger, and pain.

Adding severe strain to an already volatile situation and vulnerable population, a deadly pandemic came along and pressed us even more. Job loss. Fear. Insecurity. Isolation. Debt. Disparity. Disease. Death.⁠

Severing our already-tenuous connections — as fellow Americans, as fellow human beings — we chose divisiveness, disdain, denial, mockery, and blame. Mirroring a small, selfish Twitter troll, we became no better in our rhetoric, perspective, and actions. ⁠

And then…George Floyd. They killed him, and it broke us. And it should have.⁠

[Tweet “George Floyd. They killed him, and it broke us. And it should have.⁠”]

But it is precisely our shared shock, sadness, and outrage that have the potential to put us together again. We are not indifferent. We are not complacent. We are not apathetic. We witnessed. We saw. We snapped — understandably so. ⁠
⁠⁠
It is exactly because our vision, our expectation, our hope for a just and compassionate world has been thwarted that our anger is fueled. If we didn’t believe such a world was possible — and self-evident — we would be indifferent. ⁠

But we are not. And for that I am grateful. In that I am hopeful. ⁠

The question now is not “What have we done?” But “What will we do?” “What do we want?” and “Who do we want to be?”

The answers to these questions reflect our character and determine our destiny — both individually and collectively — and I’m both terrified and hopeful for the future. ⁠

It’s in our hands. And no one else’s. It always has been. And it always will be.  

How to Talk to Hunters (or anyone with whom you disagree)

WARNING: Radical ideas fill this episode — the most popular of Food for Thought episodes — centering around the suggestion that we try to have compassion for people with whom we disagree or who participate in behavior we find abhorrent. That’s the thing about compassion: it’s gotta be equal opportunity or it’s just inauthentic. It’s easy to be compassionate towards like-minded people; the challenge is choosing to have compassion towards those with whom we disagree. Check out this episode for tips and suggestions on communicating with compassion – but only if you want to create change in the world.

Political Action Guide for Animal Issues

[Tweet “Every minute we spend being outraged is a minute we could have spent being effective.”]

Something Wayne Pacelle (CEO of the Humane Society of the United States) said in a talk I saw him give many years ago stuck with me. And he’s said it many times since. About the political arm of his organization, he said he envisions “a National Rifle Association of the animal rights movement.” Here’s the gist (excerpted from an interview in Satya Magazine):

“The way things work in Washington and in state capitols across the country is that logic and humane sensibilities can only go so far. You need them in order to be effective, but you also need to amass political power and that comes from working the political system in a way that achieves results. There’s no substitute for being able to deliver votes and having an informed constituency.

I find the NRA’s views on hunting and other issues to be really at odds with my own, but I admire the fact that they train thousands of activists across the country to achieve so much working through the system. I do think that is a model for us, because we have the potential to activate many more people than the NRA does. There are a lot of people in this country who care about guns, but I think many more people are passionate about protecting animals. If we organize them, we can achieve enormous gains and victories for animals.”

As an activist myself and a politically engaged citizen, I couldn’t agree more. There is no question that conservatives are much better organizers / organized when it comes to the issues they care about—especially at the grassroots level. Don’t underestimate the ambition of your local representatives who can not only pass effective animal-friendly legislation in your town or county but who may one day be state senator, governor, federal representative, or president. That’s how it works. 

[Tweet “Don’t underestimate the ambition of local reps who may one day be governor or president. That’s how it works. “]

We need to act. Now. We need to organize. Now. We need to be a resounding voice for animals. Now. I recoil from the phrase “now more than ever,” because our voices and votes for animals are needed all the time—not just when we’re in crisis. But I do think Americans are eager, anxious, and desperate to have their voices heard—now more than ever, so let’s do it.

[Tweet “Our voices and votes for animals are needed all the time—not just when we’re in crisis.”]

Here’s how you—we—can get started, stay engaged, make a huge difference, and help our voice for animals be as strong as the NRA’s voice is for guns. 

GENERAL

  1. The Humane Legislative Fund is dedicated to “educating elected officials and the public on animal welfare issues and electing humane candidates to public office.” Get on their mailing list, contact your representatives about the issues they highlight, make a financial contribution to give animals a voice is congress. 
  2. Use their Humane Scorecard to help you decide who to vote for in elections based on their history of animal-friendly or animal-unfriendly legislation. 
  3. Fellow dedicated and engaged activists and I are in the process of forming a political action committee called East Bay Animal PAC that will be dedicated to electing animal-friendly legislators, passing animal-friendly legislation, opposing anti-animal legislation, and educating legislators and the public on local animal issues. Join our mailing list for more, and consider creating something similar in your own city/county!
  4.  Know who your representatives are—on the federal, state, and local level. I’ve provided a guide below to help you find yours. Take a few minutes to add their phone numbers to your phone!
  5. Don’t be afraid to contact your representatives. They represent YOU! They work for YOU
  6. Read Don’t Think of an Elephant to learn how to frame your issue effectively. 
  7. Follow the cues of the Indivisible folks. Former congressional staffers wrote this guide that is meant to empower compassionate people to effectively engage politically. (One of the things they remind us of is that representatives rely on making their constituents happy so they can keep their job; i.e. get reelected. If you don’t think your voice matters, YOU’RE WRONG!)
  8. Stay hopeful. Despair is paralyzing. Cynicism is ugly. One of my favorite take-aways from the book Hope in the Dark is that the darkness doesn’t mean the future is inevitably evil. The darkness means that the future is inscrutable because it’s not yet written. It’s up to us to WRITE THE FUTURE!  

So, go write it!

[Tweet “Attending town meetings changes public discourse & legislation.”]

LOCAL

  1. Type “find my local city council member” into a search engine. 
  2. Add their phone numbers to your phone and their address to your address book. 
  3. Call them. Write to them. Get to Know Them. Let Them Get to Know YOU. Find out their positions on animal-related legislation and policies. Educate them about issues they’re most likely unaware of. Thank them for passing animal-friendly legislation. 
  4. Show up at city council meetings. 
  5. Visit them at city hall. 
  6. Donate to their campaign when it’s clear they are animal-friendly. Talk to them about animal-unfriendly positions they may have. They might just need information you have! If they stick with animal-harmful positions, tell them that’s why you’re not supporting them. 
  7. Vote for them when it’s clear they are animal-friendly. Tell them why you voted for them. 

STATE

  1. Know who your state legislators are — both in the Senate and the Assembly. Find yours here
  2. Add their phone numbers to your phone and their address to your address book. 
  3. Call them. Write to them. Find out their positions on animal-related legislation and policies. Educate them about issues they’re most likely unaware of. Thank them for passing animal-friendly legislation. 
  4. Make a date to meet with them in their district office or state capitol.  
  5. Show up at the capitol when animal-related legislation is on the agenda. Let your voice for animals be heard. 
  6. Donate to their campaign when it’s clear they are animal-friendly. Talk to them about animal-unfriendly positions they may have. They might just need information you have! If they stick with animal-harmful positions, tell them that’s why you’re not supporting them. 
  7. Vote for them when it’s clear they are animal-friendly. Tell them why you voted for them. 

FEDERAL

  1. Know who your federal members of Congress are — both in the House of Representatives as well as in the Senate. Find yours here
  2. Add their phone numbers to your phone — for both their DC office and district office.
  3. Add their email address and mailing address to your address book. 
  4. The two best ways to contact your reps are to call and write a  postcard—not an email. Buy .34-cent stamps for your postcards.
  5. Tell them what you care about. Encourage them to support animal-friendly legislation and oppose legislation that will harm animals. ASK THEM WHAT THEIR POSITION IS on a particular bill or policy. 

The Past Gives Me Hope for the Future

When people ask who inspires me, I often say that my main inspirations are the animals — who can show grace and forgiveness after enduring trauma and abuse. And that’s true. Or I say that my inspiration is you — and everyone else who comes to my work with an open mind and heart. And that’s true, too. But I think people who ask are looking for something more specific. So, I’ll tell you.

The past. Nothing gives me more hope for the future than the past.

When facing the darkest times individually or collectively, one thing we can be certain of is that we’ve been here before and we’ve been through worse. In our collective consciousness or in our individual experience (or both), we’ve been through sadness, disappointment, war, upheaval, conflict, fear, grief, loss, uncertainty, dictatorship, bigotry, and divisiveness.

[Tweet “When facing dark times, we can be certain we’ve been here before and we’ve been through worse.”]

With each age that passes, we gain both wisdom and amnesia. We seem to learn a little and make some progress until myopia prevails, and then we forget that we’ve been here before. But just a glance at the past reveals the human condition in all its radiant splendor and darkest malevolence.

The resilience we possess to endure, weather, and learn from adversity is incredible (and it’s not unique to humans); it’s also something we can experience vicariously. Just knowing someone else has faced the same challenges, the same odds, the same mistakes can give us comfort. “You are not alone” can be the most healing words.

We are not alone. The ghosts of the past — yours, mine, theirs, recent, immediate, ancient — dwell among us and have wisdom to impart. So, yes, strangely, I embrace the fact that avaricious, megalomaniacal, narcissistic people have come before us, because if we disavow who we’ve been, we forget who we are. We. Humans.

[Tweet “If we disavow who we’ve been, we forget who we are.”]

Historians certainly give us the gift of hindsight; sages give us the gift of insight; together they work in harmony. Everyone needs a sage, and for several years now, mine has been Lao Tzu via his ancient text, the Tao Te Ching: A New English Version (Perennial Classics), written around 2,400 years ago. Thousands of years later, his book demonstrates, and our human experience is the same. Our needs, fears, flaws, and foibles remain the same. That doesn’t make me despair; it gives me comfort, it makes me humble (and it also makes me laugh).

For me, no other text or philosophy of living resonates more than the Tao Te Ching, summarized perfectly by poet Stephen Mitchell, the interpreter of my favorite translation:

“A classic manual on the art of living, written in a style of gemlike lucidity, radiant with humor and grace and large-heartedness and deep wisdom: one of the wonders of the world.”

[Tweet “Historians give us the gift of hindsight; sages give us the gift of insight.”]

May you find your sage, engage with the past, absorb, learn, and repeat. It’s true, as poet and philosopher George Santayana observed, that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” but the first part of that maxim is equally true and rarely quoted: “Progress…depends on retentiveness. When experience is not retained, infancy is perpetual.” 

Here’s to adulthood.