Welcome to Small Bites, Sound Bites, a midweek segment of food for thought podcast where I share short, succinct, thoughtful responses to typical questions, myths, and misconceptions related to plant-based eating, veganism, and animal protection.

You can get written transcripts of this podcast by going to joyfulvegan.com slash donate.

Some people, not everyone, makes the assumption that because animal advocates care about animals, they don't care about humans as if compassion for one species means lack of compassion for another.

Using animal advocates of being anti-human is odd to me because though we're reminded every day that humans steal, and lie, and cheat, and kill, and rape, and hurt one another, I've never heard any of these people labeled anti-human.

Ironically, those who commit the worst crimes against humans are derisively called animals. I don't think it gives humans enough credit to say that we can care only about one thing at a time.

We humans have an unlimited capacity for mercy, and kindness, and empathy. We're not going to run out. Not only do we not have to choose, it's precisely the idea that we should ration our compassion that prevents us from being the most compassionate people we can be.

My heart is large enough to care about everyone, human, and non-human simultaneously, and I bet yours is too.

For the animals, both human and non-human, this is Colleen Patrick Goodrow. You can find more at joyfulvegan.com. Thanks for listening.