Halo, and welcome to
Supreme Master
Television.
We’re here in London
in the UK with
Mr. Paul Blanchard.
Mr Blanchard
is a councilor of
York City Council.
On today’s
Vegetarian Elite program,
we are joined by one of
the most promising allies
for animals on
the United Kingdom’s
political stage.
Well supported by his
peers and public citizens,
Mr. Blanchard was
re-elected for a second
four-year term as
a councilor in 2007 with
greatly increased votes.
In a sit-down with
Supreme Master
Television, we find out
why Councilor
Paul Blanchard is
truly an example of
kind-heartedness
with a vision of
the world to come,
one that is free from
animal abuse and cruelty.
You are a vegan,
you are a member
of the Vegan Society.
Indeed.
Could you tell us
why you went vegan?
I went vegan because
initially I was vegetarian
and frankly I didn’t know
enough about veganism.
So I thought, like
many vegetarians do,
I thought that was enough.
I didn’t realize
the intrinsic cruelty
involved in dairy and egg
production and so on.
When I met a few vegans,
I was listening
and interested to
what they had to say.
I realized that
vegetarianism kind of
wasn’t enough and
that’s why I went vegan.
Have you noticed
any health benefits since
changing your diet?
Very much so.
I mean, when I went
vegan it wasn’t for
my own health reasons,
it was because of
what had been brought
to my attention,
the cruelty involved in
dairy and egg production.
But yes, an amazing kind
of side benefit of going
vegan of course was
the weight fell off me.
I feel a lot more healthy,
I have more energy,
and yes, things are
absolutely great.
Inspired by another’s act,
Paul Blanchard’s
determination and
compassion succeeded in
restricting the sale of
the unbelievably cruel
animal product, foie gras,
in the City of York.
This gained enormous
press attention, including
a special feature
on Sky News.
Since then, at least
five other councils
have followed suit.
I’m a member of
“Compassion
in World Farming,” and
have been for many years,
and I get their
supporters newsletter.
And I was on a train
two or three years ago,
and I just happened to be
reading their newsletter.
And it mentioned
a campaign from a chap
called Joe Moore,
who’s a city councilman
in Chicago, and he’d
actually successfully
banned the sale and
production of foie gras
within the city of Chicago,
which I thought was an
absolutely fantastic idea.
There was my equivalent,
the local council
in Chicago that had done
something extremely
progressive in terms of
animal welfare.
And my first thought was,
“That’s an excellent idea,
let’s copy it.”
I’m very proud of it
because we had
seven restaurants in York
that were selling it
and now you can’t buy
foie gras in
any restaurants in York.
So that’s important.
But secondly, a very big
aspect of the campaign
was frankly, was raising
awareness of foie gras
And that was a very,
very important part of
the campaign because
we had a web site at
and we used the fact that
there was a campaign
in the council to
raise awareness of this.
We got great coverage
in the national and
international media,
and it drove almost
40,000 people to the site
to actually see for
themselves the evidence.
We weren’t just saying
please ban foie gras—
we say it’s cruel.
We were saying, “Here’s
the evidence about it,
look at
the horrible gavage,
the steel pipe that is
forced down
the poor bird’s neck and
see for yourself, and then
if you don’t, if you’re
disgusted by that,
A) stop eating it, and
B) can you write
to your local MP and
so on and so forth.”
In recognition for his
campaign to ban foie gras,
People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals
(PETA) honored
Councilor Blanchard
with the “Most
Progressive Politician
Award” in 2008.
We will return
in just a moment
after this brief message.
You are watching
Vegetarian Elite
on Supreme Master
Television.
Welcome back to
Vegetarian Elite
on Supreme Master
Television.
As a councilor,
Mr. Paul Blanchard
keeps himself very much
informed and is aware of
the “Livestock’s
Long Shadow” report
by the United Nations
Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) that
assesses the full impact
of the livestock sector
on the environment.
Well, in fact
the key conclusion of
that report was that
people’s dietary habits
contribute more toward
climate change than all
forms of transportation
combined.
And I think that that is
a huge message that
the kind of great British
public and beyond
need to hear because I
don’t think that hits home.
People still think of it
in terms of,
“I want chicken
three times a week,”
but they don’t realize that
in order to have
the factory farming
processes to deliver
cheap, cost-effective
chicken to the plate
three times a week,
is costing a huge amount
to the environment.
And in terms of
water resources, damage
to the environment, and
indeed all the soya that
we’re growing that’s
effectively just being fed
to pigs and cows
and so on so that
we can eat them.
It’s a terrible waste of
the Earth’s resources.
And I don’t think again
that people realize that;
it does need to be
brought to their attention
as strongly as possible.
Because there are people
of good conscience
out there; I think
the majority of people
have a conscience.
And I think once
they actually realize
the damage that
factory farming in particular
is doing to the planet,
I think naturally
there will be a reduction
in consumption of meat.
Councilor Blanchard
comments on
the growing trend in
ethical consumerism.
We can already see that
consumers are looking
for more ethically
sourced products,
in terms of fair-trade,
in terms of animal welfare,
and so on and so forth,
so the demand is there.
I think the supply just
needs to change to
react to that demand,
and indeed take a lead.
People didn’t realize
the fact that if you want
a whole chicken for £1.99,
it’s going to have lived
an absolutely terrible life.
And I think that again
it’s awareness raising,
the more that people
are aware of that,
the more that will go to
higher welfare standards.
I think the governments
all around the world are
becoming increasingly
more driven by an
animal welfare agenda.
So I think that we do
need a global solution
to this,
but there’s nothing
wrong whatsoever
in Western governments
showing a lead on this.
As a councilor,
Mr. Blanchard believes
that in order to foster
peace and progression
for humankind,
one must include care
and consideration for
our animal constituents.
I have a variety of issues
that I campaign on,
one of which is
animal welfare.
I think it’s rapidly
becoming much more
topical, given the impact
on the environment.
People are starting to
realize that their diet
has a huge impact
on the environment,
so I think it’s going to
become increasingly
more topical over the
next 10, 20 years even,
or possibly
even sooner than that.
But I’d like to see many
more vegan councilors,
I’d like to see many more
vegan MP’s.
I put a Viva! DVD
in each one of the
councilors’ pigeon holes
yesterday.
So in their green bags
tonight when they get
their kind of weekly
delivery of council
business and papers,
they’ll have a Viva! DVD.
Fantastic.
Telling, you know,
so they can see
for them selves
the cruelty involved
in factory farming.
There’s a few people
I have spoken to who
eat meat, for example,
who say, “Oh I wouldn’t
want to watch a DVD
like that because then
I’d never eat meat,
I’m sure it’s terrible.”
And I can’t see
the consistency in that,
because if you’re going
to actually eat meat, then
you should at least know
where your food
is coming from.
And I think that’s a luxury
you shouldn’t have really
is to deliberately
choose ignorance.
In a civilized society we
shouldn’t have products
of torture on the menu
in the first place anyway.
Is there a message
you’d like to give viewers
that are watching now?
I speak to a lot of
meat eaters who say,
“Well if I went vegetarian,
it’s hardly likely to
make a difference.”
And over the course,
over your lifetime, if you
were even to cut out meat
it would make
a huge difference.
We need thousands
of people to
stop eating meat.
If we’re going to
have real change,
it boils down to individuals
making the decision
not to eat meat.
I would welcome any
attempt of any meat eater
to either stop buying
factory farm produce,
or cut out meat entirely,
or even just reduce their
consumption of meat.
And the second message
I would say is
to vegetarians is,
veganism is
not that big of a leap.
And in fact,
I’ve been vegan for
nearly two years now
and I can go anywhere,
into any restaurant
without any notice, and
I can have a lovely meal.
And it’s not that difficult
to go vegan.
In fact, it’s
much more healthier,
it’s much better
for the environment,
and your conscience
is clearer because
vegetarians do need to
know the huge cruelty
that’s involved
in dairy and eggs.
And I think once they do
and they realize that
actually veganism is
a positive life choice,
and it’s not going to be
as difficult as they think,
I think it will become
a lot easier for them.
There are nutritious
alternatives available
to us that, in our diet, so
we don’t have to eat meat.
Effectively, we’re causing
cruelty to animals
just for taste, just so that
we can have some
chunks in a pie.
Look at the rapid growth
in obesity,
in Type 2 diabetes,
it’s all driven by
unbelievably unhealthy
diets, largely around
meat and cheese.
Though he acknowledges
this reality, Mr. Blanchard
has a hopeful vision
of the future, one that
he is prepared and
willing to work
diligently towards
every day of his life.
I look forward to the day
maybe, as soon as
it can come really, but
maybe 10 years from now,
where people look back
and think, “Well,
why were we so judgmental
of vegans
and vegetarians?”
And yes,
but it needs people
like us to speak out.
And that’s the thing,
that’s one of the reasons
why I get out of bed
in the morning because it
does need more and more
people speaking up
for this cause.
I think it’s the next thing
that’s going to change
in terms of the evolution
of consciousness
of humanity.
In closing our discussion,
Councilor Blanchard
thanked
Supreme Master Ching Hai
for all her tireless efforts
in creating
a compassionate world.
Well, I’d like to
obviously thank you
for what you’re doing.
Keep up the great work,
and I’d hopefully like
to meet you one day.
Councilor Paul Blanchard
continues to make
a difference in the lives
of people and animals
around the world.
He is truly a blessing to
have in the political arena.
With Heaven’s blessings,
may he go far
with his noble work and
inspire others to take the
issue of animal welfare
to new heights
locally and globally.
Thank you very much
for joining us today
on Vegetarian Elite
with Councilor
Paul Blanchard here
on Supreme Master
Television.
And now,
charming viewers,
please stay with us for
Between Master
and Disciples.
We wish you
a comforting weekend
in the warmth
of loved ones.
You can learn more
about Councilor
Paul Blanchard
and contact him at
Paul-Blanchard.info
SupremeMasterTV(f):
Halo, and welcome to Supreme Master Television. We’re here in London in
the UK with Mr. Paul Blanchard. Mr Blanchard is a councilor of York
City Council. HOST: On today’s Vegetarian Elite program, we
are joined by one of the most promising allies for animals on the
United Kingdom’s political stage. Well supported by his peers and
public citizens, Mr. Blanchard was re-elected for a second four-year
term as a councilor in 2007 with greatly increased votes. In a
sit-down with Supreme Master Television, we find out why Councilor Paul
Blanchard is truly an example of kind-heartedness with a vision of the
world to come, one that is free from animal abuse and cruelty. SupremeMasterTV(f): You are a vegan, you are a member of the Vegan Society. Paul(m): Indeed. SupremeMasterTV(f): Could you tell us why you went vegan? Paul(m):
I went vegan because initially I was vegetarian and frankly I didn’t
know enough about veganism. So I thought, like many vegetarians do, I
thought that was enough. I didn’t realize the intrinsic cruelty
involved in dairy and egg production and so on. When I met a few
vegans, I was listening and interested to what they had to say. I
realized that vegetarianism kind of wasn’t enough and that’s why I went
vegan. SupremeMasterTV(f): Have you noticed any health benefits since changing your diet? Paul(m): Very
much so. I mean, when I went vegan it wasn’t for kind of my own health
reasons, it was because of what had been brought to my attention, the
cruelty involved in dairy and egg production. But yes, an amazing
kind of side benefit of going vegan of course was the weight fell off
me. I feel a lot more healthy, I have more energy, and yes, things are
absolutely great. HOST: Inspired by another’s act, Paul
Blanchard’s determination and compassion succeeded in restricting the
sale of the unbelievably cruel animal product, foie gras, in the City
of York. This gained enormous press attention, including a
special feature on Sky News. Since then, at least five other councils
have followed suit. You can learn more about Councilor Paul Blanchard and contact him at Paul-Blanchard.info
|