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Sangita Iyer, filmmaker: Gods in Shackles
Gods in Shackles is an epic documentary that reveals the dark side of the southern Indian state of Kerala’s glamorous cultural festivals where temple elephants are exploited for profit under the guise of culture and religion. By exposing the abhorrent torture suffered by India’s heritage animal, Gods in Shackles offers hope to the thousands of endangered captive and wild elephants in India through heightened awareness. This film will inspire key stakeholders and policy makers to enhance the living conditions of these highly social and intelligent animals.
There are no religious scriptures that purports using elephants in festivals. In fact one of the most revered Hindu Priests of Kerala, Akkeramon Kalidasan Bhattathirippad, bluntly stated this, “In our belief … there is vahanam means vehicle for every God and Goddess, but nowhere we can see elephant is a vahanam for God or Goddess.”
Website: godsinshackles.com
Facebook: forthelove.elephants
Twitter: GodsinShackles
Indiegogo campaign: gods-in-shackles-a-film-to-end-elephant-slavery
National Geographic lead story
Film trailer: https://vimeo.com/156208028
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Clifton Roberts, 2016 U.S. Presidential candidate from the Humane Party.
From the Humane Party website:
The Humane Party is the U.S.A.’s first political party committed to:
- Rights for all animals—not just the human kind,
- Full realization of an ecosystem-neutral, sustainably prosperous economy, and
- Running and electing only candidates who have committed to humane values both personally and politically.
Humane Party chapters are forming in all states, and we need volunteers nationwide right now!
Clifton Roberts is a vegan of nearly twenty years, works as a senior manager in the Global Ethics and Compliance Office for the world’s largest semi=conductor producer, and is CEO of the Humane Party. He is the Party’s 2016 Presidential candidate, and his running mate is Breeze Harper, Ph.D, author of Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak Out on Food, Health, Identity and Society (Lantern Books). Roberts speaks eloquently on this episode about “compassionate literacy,” the democratic process, and justice for all beings.
Website: cliftonroberts.org
Twitter: cliftonroberts
Instagram: cliftonroberts
YouTube: cliftonroberts
Note: Showcasing the views of Mr. Roberts and the Humane Party, does not imply endorsement of any candidate or party by Unity Online Radio, its sponsors, hosts or personnel.
I mention on the show the Plant-Powered Telesummit, a major free event taking place online in September. Among the 44 video summit experts are T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D, Julieanna Hever, RD, Kathy Freston, John Robbins, Neal Barnard, MD, Lani Muelrath, Milton Mills, MD, John McDougall, MD, Miyoko Schinner, Baxter Montgomery, MD, Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD, Brenda Davis, RD, Michael Greger, MD, Michael Klaper, MD, Trayce Lynn McQuirter, MPH, Joel Kahn, MD, and myself. Check out this amazing event: http://bit.ly/summitvmoran
Blast from the past! Clifton Roberts mentions on today’s show that reading a book by Marilu Henner inspired him to go vegan. Grab some of that inspiration by listening to my interview with the healthy vegan actress and author back in 2013. In a curious coincidence, just as Mr. Roberts today shared the program with an animal rights documentarian, the other guest on the episode featuring Ms. Henner was Liz Marshall, creator and director of The Ghosts in Our Machine, a beautiful and moving film about animal rights photographer, Jo-Anne McArthur. Listen to this episode direct at: http://www.unity.fm/episode/MainStreetVegan_112013.