I felt a bit like Red this morning, confrontations and convictions are a part of his daily work. Every day, one sheep or another takes him on, every day he makes a stand, stands up for himself, combines confrontation with exhilaration. There are people in the world who believe it is cruel and abusive for working animals like Red to work for humans like me. I am going to New York today to stand up to them and to stand with the New York Carriage Drivers.
Sadly, they must spend their Christmas holidays fighting for their work, their sustenance, their traditions and way of life, their families and their future. I feel a mix of sadness and exhilaration this morning. Sadness because confrontation seems such an elemental part of human nature, and I would much prefer a world in which honest and hard-working people – the carriage drivers are that, at least the ones I know – were free to live their lives peacefully and freely.
In New York, we will most likely be shouting over the heads with the people on the other side. People who live with animals and love them and seek a particular and ancient way of life know the stakes are big in New York, this is our big stage, the whole world is watching. The animal rights people and the carriage trade people will not speak to one another, everyone will shout over the heads of the other, hoping to reach the people beyond.
In a sane world, we could all sit down at some warm restaurant and slug it out, but this issue has gone way beyond that, good people of faith, heart and reason are beginning to speak out. The carriage drives are my brothers and sisters, I am not in their labor union, but I am in the larger union, the one in which people and partners share the joys and travails of the earth together. I am so happy to be going to New York to stand up for the carriage drivers, I am so sorry it necessary. I wish them a better Christmas than this one of conflict and uncertainty.
My best wish is that the arrogance, ignorance and cruelty of human beings is challenged and defeated here, that would be a great Christmas gift for everyone. Off to the train. I’m leaving my best camera behind, I just couldn’t risk it, but I have a good one and will capture what I can of an event that I really believe is historic. We are undertaking a new social order, fighting for our rights and the true rights of animals, launching a movement that treats humans and animals with love, and respect and leaves both their dignity and purpose.