Progressives kowtowed to the Pope after he commented on climate change and homosexuality. But one liberal activist in the entertainment industry thought he left an important cause unplowed: cow poop.
Russell Simmons, the so-called “godfather of hip-hop” and CEO of Rush Communications, urged the Pope to speak out against animal agriculture, in part, because cow manure produced greenhouse gas emissions.
In his April 25, letter titled “Cow Poop: An Open Letter to Pope Francis” published at The Huffington Post, Simmons lauded the Pope’s defense of the environment, but said it was “bewildering” that the Catholic leader hadn’t admonished people for eating animal products.
Simmons argued animal agriculture results in environmental destruction and food contamination. He also said the Pope could “literally save the planet” by telling the world to mooove on from meat consumption.
“Animal agriculture is responsible for most greenhouse emissions which is believed to be almost double than the combined exhaust from all planes, trains and automobiles combined,” Simmons wrote. Huffington Post made a similar argument on Nov 24, 2015, when it advocated for a meat tax to fight climate change.
Simmons’ reference to emissions from animal agriculture amounting to “almost double” those from from transportation may be exaggerated. The United Nations reported in the last few years that the transportation and livestock industries made up 14 and 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, respectively.
As a self-described “yogi,” Simmons also made a spiritual appeal to the Pope, claiming that putting an end to animal suffering was part of the love inherent in all religion.
“I believe that love is the basis of all religion,” Simmons wrote, “Love for all beings, regardless if they have skin, scales, fur or fins.” He added that the world’s treatment of animals constituted “the worst Karmic disaster in the history of the world.”
Animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) honored Simmons for his activism in 2001 and 2011. Simmons reportedly took out a full page ad in Kentucky Fried Chicken’s hometown newspaper in 2003, calling for a boycott of the fast food chain.
Simmons, who became a vegan in 1999, told PR.com that animal agriculture was the “greatest cause” of global warming, and even connected it to war.
“The greatest cause of global warming, [meat] and dairy uses more oil than anybody but the army. You go to war over meat because it is the second largest use of oil. It also drains our resources, like our water, more than anything,” Simmons said.
