John Robbins Passed Away, and I Don't Know What to Feel

As Israeli occupation soldiers in Gaza report that they have been ordered to “shoot deliberately at unarmed Gazans waiting for humanitarian aid”, and the number of our brothers and sisters murdered by the US-Israeli Genocide in Palestine likely exceeds 500,000, I have tasked myself with the responsibility of writing a few words on the passing of John Robbins.

I was sorry to hear the news that John Robbins passed away due to complications from post-polio syndrome. Even though Mr. Robbins turned out to be a complete disappointment, with regard to his SILENCE on the US-Israeli Genocide in Palestine, he did write a couple of game changing books, Diet for a New America, and The Food Revolution, which altered the trajectory of my life, and no doubt the lives of millions of others too. And for that, I am forever humbled, and grateful. John Robbins, along with his son Ocean, also created the once wonderful, Food Revolution Summits (FRS), which are annual online events, where the elder Robbins conducted dozens of interviews each year that focused on food, human health, animal welfare, and the environment. I once wrote a blurb for FRS saying that “I have learned more from the Food Revolution Summits than I ever did in high school!” I never found out if they used it or not, but it was true. I used to love signing up for FRS’s “early bird special” at $67, because I knew that what I would gain in knowledge would be priceless. And it was. John Robbins was a fantastic interviewer, who could make anyone interesting, and it showed in his preparation. Oftentimes, I would learn as much from his questions, as I would from his guests’ responses! Years later, I had the honor, and opportunity (albeit briefly), to conduct interviews for a leading Plant-Based nutrition organization, and my biggest goal was to reach the level of excellence achieved by John Robbins (I don’t think that I ever succeeded, but that was my intention). In other words, he was the best. After Mr. Robbins’ health began to fail, his son, Ocean, took over the interviewing responsibilities, and the summits were never the same again. This is not a knock on the younger Robbins, but rather a credit to his Dad for being such an exceptional writer, and communicator. Unsurprisingly, The Food Revolution Network has over one million members, and a social media presence with a combined reach that exceeds 9 million viewers! Clearly, John Robbins was a leading voice of compassion, and an inspiration to people everywhere, which made his deliberate SILENCE, and indirect support of Israel’s US backed Genocide In Gaza, all the more heartbreaking.

Scenes from the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza

Images: Mondoweiss

As I have shared before, the US-Israeli Genocidal war on Palestinians has changed my views on nearly everything, and everyone, including John Robbins. In December, 2023, when it was clear to many of us that Israel and the United States were committing a genocide in Gaza, I wrote a piece called, “Our Struggle for Moral Consistency”, where I pointed out the hypocrisy, and moral inconsistency of nearly every social justice campaign, including those in the vegan, human health, climate, and peace movements. A few months later, I wrote another blog titled, “Israel’s US Backed Genocide in Gaza Exposes the Vegan Movement’s True Colors”, where I literally reached out to 10-15 of the leading vegan influencers, and organizations, and asked for a comment on the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza. Every single organization ignored my emails, except for the Food Revolution Network. Unfortunately, as you will see, that is where the good will ended.

Here are a few excerpts from the 3/24 post, Israel’s US Backed Genocide in Gaza Exposes the Vegan Movement’s True Colors:

…Until recently, these organizations have indeed done wonderful work, but now they have become a part of the problem. One of the main pillars of Veganism is COMPASSION for all beings. Why are ALL of these vegan organizations silent on Israel’s US backed Genocide in Gaza?

*Update: I sent the following message to each one of the “silent or worse” vegan organizations mentioned above, and not a single one responded. I have been both a moral and financial supporter of most of these vegan organizations for many years, but obviously, none of that matters.

Here is a copy of my email:
“Hello, Israel’s US backed Genocide in Gaza has been ignored by the vegan movement. In fact, the vast majority of vegan organizations have remained neutral, silent, or worse, during Israel’s relentless bombing of defenseless civilians, and siege of Gaza. What is your organization’s official stance on Israel’s US backed Genocide in Gaza? Also, would you care to comment on the piece below, which references 10 vegan organizations, including (their name), that have remained silent, or worse, during Israel’s Genocide in Gaza? (a link to this post was added here) Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.”

I also sent the message and a link to this post to John Robbins at the Food Revolution Network, Dr. Will Tuttle (author of the World Peace Diet), Damien Mander (founder of Akashinga.org), and animal rights champion and philanthropist Philip Wollen, thinking that they might be more spiritually and morally connected. Wanh, Wanh! Boy was I wrong. Not a peep. There is no excuse at this point to be ignorant on Israel’s US backed GENOCIDE in Gaza. So, again, knowing that Silence is Complicity, what is the motivation for these game changing individuals to remain mum, or worse, and not speak out against a Genocide?

The Food Revolution Network’s Ocean Robbins (son of John Robbins), did respond through his customer support team in a look the other way, Genocide enabling, mass murdering approving, politically correct if you have no soul kind of manner, but at least it was a response.

Here is the reply from the Food Revolution Network (FRN): “Hello Mike, Thank you for your message. Ocean prefers not to share his political views or engage in political discussions. His primary goal is centered around helping individuals adopt healthier eating habits and live fulfilling lives. We are committed to assisting everyone on their journey towards better health and well-being, irrespective of their political beliefs. By maintaining this approach, we aim to ensure inclusivity and avoid alienating anyone based on political differences. Thank you for being part of our community.”

So, Ocean Robbins tried to reduce Israel’s US backed GENOCIDE in Gaza, to a simple matter of “political beliefs” where nobody is to blame, especially those, God forbid, who may feel alienated for being genocide supporters, and might think twice about swiping their credit card$ for the next Food Revolution Summit! I can easily imagine how so many people with this type of mindset would have embraced the Nazis, and justified their genocidal actions during the Holocaust, as being a simple matter of “political beliefs”. I don’t mean to pick on Ocean Robbins for living in a bubble, but where do we draw the line? John & Ocean Robbins’ 2024 Food Revolution Summit will feature 45 “Trusted Authorities”, mostly from the vegan movement, where everyone will smile, pat themselves on the back, and pretend that the United States and Israel are NOT committing a GENOCIDE in real time. Are they all mentally ill?

Here is my response to the FRN team:
“Silence is complicity. Your response speaks volumes. Were you able to forward the email to John Robbins? Mr. Robbins describes himself as a “social activist” and “humanitarian”. Is John Robbins also choosing to be silent on Israel’s US backed Genocide in Gaza?”

After receiving a no response, response, I sent this note as well:
Is that it? For the record, I am not a member of your community. I would be ashamed to be a member of any community that refused to speak out against GENOCIDE. I am perhaps most disappointed in John Robbins. Social activist? Humanitarian? Really?

Like many others, I admired John Robbins, and regarded him as a man of wisdom, and integrity. In fact, I once wrote that I learned more from his books, and the Food Revolution Summit interviews (10+ years worth), than I ever learned in high school. Mr. Robbins taught me a lot, and was a true inspiration. I love the man. As Kurt Vonnegut might have quipped, he was a decent man in an indecent world. So, what happens when even John Robbins, in addition to the entire vegan movement, and much of Western society, are exposed for being morally broken, or worse?

Until these vegan organizations of “compassion” fully embrace the values of truth and justice, and work towards moral consistency, we should stop supporting them (financially, or otherwise). They are complicit in Israel’s US backed Genocide in Gaza, and don’t deserve our trust…

John Robbins was Worse than SILENT on the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza

Image: American Muslims for Palestine

The most recent John Robbins’ Food Revolution Summits, were actually worse than just being SILENT on the Genocide, as they knowingly promoted Jewish supremacists, like Dr. Joel Kahn, on their event pages. The Food Revolution Network also celebrated the War Criminal, NJ Senator Cory Booker as well. If you are unfamiliar, Senator Booker has been an unabashed supporter of Israel’s mass murder campaigns for many years. A vegan since 2014, Cory Booker has also been a staunch supporter of Israel’s US backed Genocide in Gaza. As mentioned previously, Cory Booker reminds us all that being VEGAN doesn’t mean that you still can’t be a mass-murdering, soulless twat. Senator Booker has received $750,669 from AIPAC. According to Jewish Voice for Peace, “The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, known as AIPAC, uses millions of dollars and racist smear campaigns to ensure Congressional complicity in the Israeli’s government’s genocide of Palestinians.” We must never forget.
Click here to learn more from the always excellent Lee Camp.
Click here to learn about the awfulness of Cory Booker from CODEPINK.
Click here to learn more about the criminality of AIPAC from Jewish Voice for Peace.

Regarding the little turd monster, and friend of the Food Revolution Network, Dr. Joel Kahn: Kahn is an outspoken Zionist, who has posted on social media that “the killing of Palestinian civilians is justified.” Apparently, this was okay with John Robbins, and the Food Revolution Network team, as Khan still appeared as a guest on one of their recent summits. Dr. Joel Kahn has been promoting the LIES, and propaganda of Israel, and supporting the US-Israeli GENOCIDE in Palestine, since the beginning of the Genocide. Can you imagine paying someone like Joel Kahn for advice?

Here is an example of the Jewish supremacist, Joel Kahn, trying to PinkWash the Genocide in Gaza:
“Did you know. Israel. The vegan capital of the world. The pro-gay capital of the world. A very tolerant democratic nation. Warning. Do not try these in Gaza. The #queersforpalestine posts are a joke. Sorry.” – drjkahn (Dr. Joel Kahn)

More images from the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza

Image: Common Dreams

Image: Ayub Saber Abu Al-Hussein
(29 years old, died of severe malnutrition due to the US-Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid)

As per Alice Wairimu Nderitu, Special Advisor of the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, “We’ve learned that we must be alert because the risk of recurrence of genocide is always there. One of the reasons I speak so strongly about denial of genocide, is that we know that denial of genocide actually constitutes preparation for another genocide. We have also learned that no society is free of risk, and no country is immune to genocide, especially where these crimes have occurred in the past.”

I now see organizations like The Food Revolution Network, PETA and CODEPINK as being one, and the same. As I have mentioned in a previous post, they all lack moral consistency. PETA is great on animal rights, but atrocious on human rights (e.g., PETA has also been worse than SILENT on the Genocide in Gaza, as it’s doubled down on its Jewish supremacist leanings, by hiring the smug, and moronic talk show host, Bill Maher). Likewise, CODEPINK has done great work for the anti-war movement, but remains awful on issues surrounding animal rights, climate justice, and human health. PETA, of course, published a glowing tribute to John Robbins, largely I suspect, due to both his alignment with PETA on its views that Palestinians are less than “worthy” of our love and support, and his refusal to speak out against one of the worst crimes in human history, the GENOCIDE in Gaza.

I have been a peace activist for over 20 years, and like millions of people, I was radicalized by the likes of Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Thich Nhat Hanh, Dr. King, and others. This is one of the reasons that I feel so disgusted by the vegan movement’s continued silence on the genocide in Gaza. As Dr. King once said, “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere…the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people”. In other words, SILENCE is complicity. I never thought of myself as an activist until 5-10 years ago, when I realized that most people I knew, didn’t care about most issues surrounding truth and justice. Hell, even a high number of activists that I meet can’t think critically outside of their lane, and draw bigger connections. Trust me, I have tried to understand, and help. Too often, it is like talking to defiant high school students, who think they know everything. Regardless, the continued silence and complicity of the vegan movement is stunning, and unforgivable.

The bottom line? As much as I once loved John Robbins, a self described “humanitarian” and “social activist”, when push came to shove, and the horrors of the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza were in full bloom (clearly, one of the worst crimes in human history), he chose SILENCE. In fact, he was worse than silent. He also promoted known Jewish Supremacists, and Genocide supporters, like Joel Kahn, and Cory Booker on his Food Revolution Summits (Mr. Robbins seemed to melt from the adulation of war criminal Cory Booker). Was John Robbins a true “humanitarian”, and “social activist”, as he apparently liked to call himself? I don’t think so. How could he be? I am reminded of Thich Nhat Hanh, and Dr. King, who talked about the need for us to love everyone, even our enemies. Was John Robbins an enemy? If you believe that we are all brothers and sisters, and that all children are our children, then yes, in some respects, John Robbins qualifies. I know that if I was born in Palestine, that is how I would see him. John Robbins was a smart, and flawed man, who did some great things, and cared about those he considered to be “worthy”. However, “unworthy” types, like our Brothers, Sisters, and CHILDREN in Palestine, never stood a chance.

The heading for the Food Revolution Network’s tribute to John Robbins reads as follows:
“Honoring John Robbins: A Life Dedicated to Compassion and to Love”
It should instead read this way:
“Honoring John Robbins: A Life Dedicated to Compassion and to Love, except for Palestinians, and any opponents of Israel, and the US-Israeli Genocide in Gaza.”

You may disagree, but this is how I will remember him.

Until next time…

FREE PALESTINE!

Artist: Carlos Latuff