Mark Hawthorne (author)

Mark Franklyn Hawthorne (born 1962) is an American animal advocate and writer. He is the author of three books: Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism (2007), Bleating Hearts: The Hidden World of Animal Suffering (2013), and A Vegan Ethic: Embracing A Life Of Compassion Toward All (2016).

Mark Hawthorne in 2016

Quotes

• Vegans tell corny jokes, not cheesy ones.
  • "Vegans Tell Corny Jokes, Not Cheesy Ones", in Satya (April–May 2007)

• Far from being misanthropic, when an animal activist reaches out to a fellow human being, she or he is not only advocating on behalf of animals but helping another person realize the connection between our oppression of animals and the oppression of humans — and how liberating one group benefits the other.
  • "Animal Liberation Is Human Liberation", in OpEdNews.com (11 December 2007)

• Like most people, I spent my childhood eating meat, wearing leather, and loving the cats, dogs, and mice I grew up with — and not once recognizing that I was treating some animals with respect and others as faceless commodities. I was well into adulthood before I understood that such an inconsistency is as ridiculous as it is unjust. The truth is, we have an impoverished understanding of the animals we share this planet with, and that has led to more than a little hubris on our part. … Humanity's abuse of animals can be merciless in the extreme, and in trying to relate such cruelties faithfully, I have written about incidents and industry practices that may disgust you. But it is crucial that we see beyond the veil that hides this world of suffering from us. Equally important, we need to know that there is some optimism amid all the despair. And so we begin with a story of hope.
  • Bleating Hearts: The Hidden World of Animal Suffering (Changemakers Books, 2013), Introduction.