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Why I Save Animals | Jill Carnegie | TEDxHobokenWomen


[Music]
[Music] [Laughter]
if someone asked you for help you would
if someone asked you for help you would help them in any way you could yes
help them in any way you could yes
help them in any way you could yes regardless of what anybody else had to
regardless of what anybody else had to
regardless of what anybody else had to say of course you would let’s say you’re
say of course you would let’s say you’re
say of course you would let’s say you’re volunteering at a soup kitchen in Queens
volunteering at a soup kitchen in Queens
volunteering at a soup kitchen in Queens and that you dedicate yourself to this
and that you dedicate yourself to this
and that you dedicate yourself to this because it breaks your heart to see that
because it breaks your heart to see that
because it breaks your heart to see that the houseless are so often ignored then
the houseless are so often ignored then
the houseless are so often ignored then someone approaches you and tells you
someone approaches you and tells you
someone approaches you and tells you you’re wasting your time there are
you’re wasting your time there are
you’re wasting your time there are children in Syria who need you so much
children in Syria who need you so much
children in Syria who need you so much more than anyone here what do you do do
more than anyone here what do you do do
more than anyone here what do you do do you stop volunteering at the soup
you stop volunteering at the soup
you stop volunteering at the soup kitchen it sounds ludicrous but I hear
kitchen it sounds ludicrous but I hear
kitchen it sounds ludicrous but I hear statements like this multiple times
statements like this multiple times
statements like this multiple times every week as an animal rights activist
every week as an animal rights activist
every week as an animal rights activist I am proudly the runts of the litter of
I am proudly the runts of the litter of
I am proudly the runts of the litter of social justice advocates although I do
social justice advocates although I do
social justice advocates although I do have to tell you that animal rights is
have to tell you that animal rights is
have to tell you that animal rights is the fastest growing social justice
the fastest growing social justice
the fastest growing social justice movement at the moment when anyone tells
movement at the moment when anyone tells
movement at the moment when anyone tells me that I am wasting or misdirecting my
me that I am wasting or misdirecting my
me that I am wasting or misdirecting my energy I ask them who do you fight for
energy I ask them who do you fight for
energy I ask them who do you fight for and I ask this knowing full well that
and I ask this knowing full well that
and I ask this knowing full well that they’re not going to have a straight
they’re not going to have a straight
they’re not going to have a straight answer for me because if they did they
answer for me because if they did they
answer for me because if they did they would never have questioned the work in
would never have questioned the work in
would never have questioned the work in the first place Eve Ensler has said of
the first place Eve Ensler has said of
the first place Eve Ensler has said of activists that we are quote driven
activists that we are quote driven
activists that we are quote driven slightly mad by some injustice some
slightly mad by some injustice some
slightly mad by some injustice some cruelty some unfairness end quote when
cruelty some unfairness end quote when
cruelty some unfairness end quote when we think of madness one of the first
we think of madness one of the first
we think of madness one of the first images we might see is a of a person
images we might see is a of a person
images we might see is a of a person hearing voices yes well it’s not lost on
hearing voices yes well it’s not lost on
hearing voices yes well it’s not lost on me that animal advocates are often
me that animal advocates are often
me that animal advocates are often referred to as a voice for the voiceless
referred to as a voice for the voiceless
referred to as a voice for the voiceless but declaring anyone voiceless has
but declaring anyone voiceless has
but declaring anyone voiceless has always rubbed me the wrong way of course
always rubbed me the wrong way of course
always rubbed me the wrong way of course animals have a voice they cou when
animals have a voice they cou when
animals have a voice they cou when they’re affectionate and they shout when
they’re affectionate and they shout when
they’re affectionate and they shout when they are injured just like the rest of
they are injured just like the rest of
they are injured just like the rest of us human children are
us human children are
us human children are often regarded as voiceless as our
often regarded as voiceless as our
often regarded as voiceless as our members of marginalized groups and even
members of marginalized groups and even
members of marginalized groups and even our mother earth but every victim has
our mother earth but every victim has
our mother earth but every victim has their voice but the sad reality is that
their voice but the sad reality is that
their voice but the sad reality is that most humans don’t hear it rendering
most humans don’t hear it rendering
most humans don’t hear it rendering those suffering almost as good as
those suffering almost as good as
those suffering almost as good as voiceless when I’m running errands in my
voiceless when I’m running errands in my
voiceless when I’m running errands in my neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen the
neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen the
neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen the rumbling may of the overworked carriage
rumbling may of the overworked carriage
rumbling may of the overworked carriage horses mixed in with the clanking chains
horses mixed in with the clanking chains
horses mixed in with the clanking chains and those heavy metal bits in their
and those heavy metal bits in their
and those heavy metal bits in their mouths that sound causes my soul to
mouths that sound causes my soul to
mouths that sound causes my soul to vibrate with a deep and righteous anger
vibrate with a deep and righteous anger
vibrate with a deep and righteous anger as they plod through rush-hour traffic
as they plod through rush-hour traffic
as they plod through rush-hour traffic only to go line up on 59th Street the
only to go line up on 59th Street the
only to go line up on 59th Street the tourists who underwrite this business
tourists who underwrite this business
tourists who underwrite this business have little idea that they are paying
have little idea that they are paying
have little idea that they are paying for the torturous confinement abuse and
for the torturous confinement abuse and
for the torturous confinement abuse and neglect of these emotional creatures
neglect of these emotional creatures
neglect of these emotional creatures they don’t hear the horses calling for
they don’t hear the horses calling for
they don’t hear the horses calling for help but those of us who do we hear it
help but those of us who do we hear it
help but those of us who do we hear it loud and clear and that is why the issue
loud and clear and that is why the issue
loud and clear and that is why the issue of the carriage horses in New York City
of the carriage horses in New York City
of the carriage horses in New York City remains a highly charged one year after
remains a highly charged one year after
remains a highly charged one year after year when you choose to act on a call
year when you choose to act on a call
year when you choose to act on a call for help your own life changes the
for help your own life changes the
for help your own life changes the mundane day-to-day is no longer an
mundane day-to-day is no longer an
mundane day-to-day is no longer an option because suddenly you’re living in
option because suddenly you’re living in
option because suddenly you’re living in service of this desperate and urgent me
service of this desperate and urgent me
service of this desperate and urgent me that is bigger than yourself just last
that is bigger than yourself just last
that is bigger than yourself just last year one day I was arrested standing in
year one day I was arrested standing in
year one day I was arrested standing in the middle of a mass ritual slaughter in
the middle of a mass ritual slaughter in
the middle of a mass ritual slaughter in Brooklyn on another day I was sued by
Brooklyn on another day I was sued by
Brooklyn on another day I was sued by the horse carriage industry for
the horse carriage industry for
the horse carriage industry for successfully disrupting their business a
successfully disrupting their business a
successfully disrupting their business a few weeks ago I was topless in Soho
few weeks ago I was topless in Soho
few weeks ago I was topless in Soho protesting the cruelty of Canada goose
protesting the cruelty of Canada goose
protesting the cruelty of Canada goose outerwear these are just a few of the
outerwear these are just a few of the
outerwear these are just a few of the simple ways that we can reach within and
simple ways that we can reach within and
simple ways that we can reach within and show up for any victim is calling for to
show up for any victim is calling for to
show up for any victim is calling for to us for help I have stood in literal
us for help I have stood in literal
us for help I have stood in literal puddles of blood
puddles of blood
puddles of blood I have heard screams that echo in my
I have heard screams that echo in my
I have heard screams that echo in my mind every day and those screams drive
mind every day and those screams drive
mind every day and those screams drive me to
me to
me to use everything I have to fight for the
use everything I have to fight for the
use everything I have to fight for the billions of animals who are used abused
billions of animals who are used abused
billions of animals who are used abused and killed by the hands of humans but
and killed by the hands of humans but
and killed by the hands of humans but that also means engaging in
that also means engaging in
that also means engaging in entrepreneurship sitting across the desk
entrepreneurship sitting across the desk
entrepreneurship sitting across the desk from politicians and the simple act of
from politicians and the simple act of
from politicians and the simple act of sitting at my laptop you know not every
sitting at my laptop you know not every
sitting at my laptop you know not every act as high intensity but none of them
act as high intensity but none of them
act as high intensity but none of them are boring and every act is filled with
are boring and every act is filled with
are boring and every act is filled with energy and meaning because they’re all
energy and meaning because they’re all
energy and meaning because they’re all focused on making the world a kinder
focused on making the world a kinder
focused on making the world a kinder place for everyone the voice that I’m
place for everyone the voice that I’m
place for everyone the voice that I’m hearing most often these days well I’ll
hearing most often these days well I’ll
hearing most often these days well I’ll tell you one very late night very
tell you one very late night very
tell you one very late night very recently a baby Cornish crossed chicken
recently a baby Cornish crossed chicken
recently a baby Cornish crossed chicken was lying in my lap he was at slaughter
was lying in my lap he was at slaughter
was lying in my lap he was at slaughter age which is between five to seven weeks
age which is between five to seven weeks
age which is between five to seven weeks old but he’s exactly the chicken that
old but he’s exactly the chicken that
old but he’s exactly the chicken that ends up in a Caesar salad one hour
ends up in a Caesar salad one hour
ends up in a Caesar salad one hour before he was in my lap he had been
before he was in my lap he had been
before he was in my lap he had been crammed in an industrial crate with 20
crammed in an industrial crate with 20
crammed in an industrial crate with 20 others so tightly that he couldn’t
others so tightly that he couldn’t
others so tightly that he couldn’t stretch or even stand all the way up two
stretch or even stand all the way up two
stretch or even stand all the way up two hours earlier he had been in actual hell
hours earlier he had been in actual hell
hours earlier he had been in actual hell with what he had been through he had
with what he had been through he had
with what he had been through he had every reason to never trust a human but
every reason to never trust a human but
every reason to never trust a human but somehow only two hours out of hell and
somehow only two hours out of hell and
somehow only two hours out of hell and only one hour free from that filthy
only one hour free from that filthy
only one hour free from that filthy crate he rested his overgrown body on my
crate he rested his overgrown body on my
crate he rested his overgrown body on my lap relaxed his wings out a bit rested
lap relaxed his wings out a bit rested
lap relaxed his wings out a bit rested his face deliberately on my hand closed
his face deliberately on my hand closed
his face deliberately on my hand closed his eyes and started to purr with
his eyes and started to purr with
his eyes and started to purr with contentment as he was finally able to
contentment as he was finally able to
contentment as he was finally able to rest and feel safe most people don’t
rest and feel safe most people don’t
rest and feel safe most people don’t know that young chicken’s purr just like
know that young chicken’s purr just like
know that young chicken’s purr just like kittens but they do and that purr
kittens but they do and that purr
kittens but they do and that purr momentarily quiets the screams of all
momentarily quiets the screams of all
momentarily quiets the screams of all those who couldn’t be saved the screams
those who couldn’t be saved the screams
those who couldn’t be saved the screams that ring in my ears day in and day out
when you hear the call of a victim they
when you hear the call of a victim they are calling for all of you all of you
are calling for all of you all of you
are calling for all of you all of you literally in this room but also all of
literally in this room but also all of
literally in this room but also all of you as an individual a person with
you as an individual a person with
you as an individual a person with skills
skills
skills I’m creativity passion all available as
I’m creativity passion all available as
I’m creativity passion all available as tools in your own fight for justice and
tools in your own fight for justice and
tools in your own fight for justice and when you hear that voice that is an
when you hear that voice that is an
when you hear that voice that is an honor that means that you are strong
honor that means that you are strong
honor that means that you are strong enough and sensitive enough to hear the
enough and sensitive enough to hear the
enough and sensitive enough to hear the one that so many cannot I’m no one
one that so many cannot I’m no one
one that so many cannot I’m no one special my experiences are very much
special my experiences are very much
special my experiences are very much like the experiences of so many
like the experiences of so many
like the experiences of so many activists who I am proud to call my
activists who I am proud to call my
activists who I am proud to call my comrades people hear the voice of a
comrades people hear the voice of a
comrades people hear the voice of a victim and are driven slightly mad by
victim and are driven slightly mad by
victim and are driven slightly mad by some injustice every day people just
some injustice every day people just
some injustice every day people just like you choose to say I’ll show up for
like you choose to say I’ll show up for
like you choose to say I’ll show up for you in every way that I can I’d like to
you in every way that I can I’d like to
you in every way that I can I’d like to know whose voice is calling for you and
know whose voice is calling for you and
know whose voice is calling for you and more importantly what are you going to
more importantly what are you going to
more importantly what are you going to do about it thank you
do about it thank you
do about it thank you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
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