Page for Former Commissioner Roger Wolfson

27/03/2024

Joe Lieberman was my first best friends' dad. My mom's law partner. My carpool driver to elementary school. My first campaign boss (me and Matt handed out fliers during his first State Senate campaign, my first legal boss (Lieberman, Segelof, and Wolfson), and my first political boss (US Senate Governmental Affairs Committee).

He had a profound impact on my life. He was like a father to me, many, many times. I last connected to him on his birthday last month, and still cherish his last words to me.

He was, many times, more conservative than I hoped. But he was one of the last truly bipartisan politicians in American history. His loss in 2000, which would have made him the first Jewish Vice President and likely and eventually the first Jewish Presidential Nominee, was tragic and helped bend the path of my life away from politics.

But I never saw him angry. I never saw him less than thoughtful and respectful. Even when I disagreed with him, I never saw him be unkind. He raised four amazing kids. Matt and Becca are two the funniest, smartest people I know, and still dear friends to this day. My heart goes out to Haddassa, and Betty, and so many members of his huge and loving family.

He was often around when I was a child - he was my jogging partner. He was friendly and happy. He was ticklish. He was wonderful. And he was always there if I needed him.

I will miss him terribly. Tomorrow I'll fly to CT to be there for his funeral in Stamford. I hope to see many old friends there, and family. If you'll be around, please let me know.

Thank you for your love and support and guidance and for your example, Joe. With thanks, pride, and every best wish to you, too --

04/03/2024

Reach out to me directly if you'd like to join! Event is almost full.

18/02/2024

Steve Wise, the first Animal law professor in the US, the founder of the Nonhuman Rights Project (along with Jane Goodall), perhaps the greatest legal advocate animals have ever known - has passed away.

He was my boss for four years. He was my friend for life. And he was my inspiration forever.

He changed the world, and set us on a path to save the world. Thanks to him, I and so many others share his beautiful vision - that intelligent, autonomous animals (like Whales, Dolphins, Apes, and Elephants) be considered people in the eyes of the law - just like corporations.

Take part in remembering Steven M. Wise. Read his obituary, share your own memories, and learn about any funeral details on Ever Loved.

15/01/2024

MLK's final speech makes it perfectly clear that he KNEW there were credible threats against his life. That he knew the likelihood that he might be killed tomorrow. Perhaps the most crushing use of the word "but" that has ever been spoken was when MLK said: "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But..." He should never have had to use that word, "But."

That he could face his impending death with such dignity, power, commitment, and love - that he could offer this as his final public words - is almost beyond comprehension.

That there ever was a man of this caliber. Of such inspirational spirit. Of such dedication and devotion. There must be hope for humanity, that there ever was a Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King was assassinated 50 years ago. This is the powerful, prophetic speech he made to a packed church in Memphis, Tennessee, on 3 April 1968, j...

27/11/2023

And on a lighter note. I've recently flown around the world, and posted about my trip to Germany - a beautiful and hopeful experience for a Jew to take these days. I then flew to Japan - an enemy of America within my parent's lifetime - and couldn't have had a more wonderful time.

Things get better. :)

18/10/2022

Beaming with pride for my friend Wayne Hsiung. Please read...

The acquittal of animal rights activists in Utah suggests attitudes may be changing about factory farming.

23/05/2022

Thank you for your leadership, James Cromwell. Please read this if you can...

It's time to end the upcharge for vegan milks.

14/02/2022

An important read!!!

The global plant-based alternatives market will go from a novelty to a new normal within the next decade. Explore three trends why.

24/01/2022

This may be one of the greatest videos I've ever seen. Plus, one of the most effective arguments for the intelligence of animals, a testament to how even suburbia has beautiful wildlife -- and the joy and creativity that can come from a playful, engineering mind.

I dare you not to be thoroughly entertained.

Enjoy!

Squirrels were stealing my bird seed so I solved the problem with mechanical engineering :)Here is an explanation of the illusion dish thing!- https://demos....

07/01/2022

Yes!

A new test of cephalopod smarts has reinforced how important it is for us humans to not underestimate animal intelligence.

17/11/2021

I adore the Non-Human Rights project (NhRP).

The NhRP got a big win this week with this article in the Atlantic - a 38 page breakdown of one of our biggest cases. In it, they call the NhRP the "Animal ACLU” and characterize its Happy the Elephant's habeas corpus case as "the most important animal-rights case of the 21st century.”

Really proud of this group, and I wanted to share…

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/happy-elephant-bronx-zoo-nhrp-lawsuit/620672/?utm_source=feed

The most important animal-rights case of the 21st century revolves around an unlikely subject.

21/10/2021

Unbelievably exciting. Possibly the dawning of a new age in civil rights, animal rights, human rights, and environmental rights...

Animal activists say Happy the elephant deserves more than the Bronx Zoo gives her, and the appellate court of New York state has agreed to hear the case

29/08/2021

Ed Asner and Valerie Harper were two of the first "celebrities" that I met when I moved to LA. Both were huge activists, and because I came from the political world, we became compatriots, then friendly, then true friends.

The two represented to me what was best in Hollywood. Talent, combined with principle, purpose, and profound human decency. Never once in the years that I knew them did they ever behave like "stars." They were always interested and engaged and kind and respectful. They asked me far more questions than I ever got the chance to ask them.

They represented, to me, what was best about being in the public eye. What you can do when you care. What you can do when you have a voice. I hope that now that the two are up there, holding hands as rejoined friends, that they can look down upon a world where other people of prominence follow their lead.

Knowing and loving both of them (and appreciating their off-camera saltiness), I'm certain that a suitable epitaph for them both would be:

I gave a s**t.

21/08/2021

This is in the New York Times - a call to break up Big Chicken. My friends, we are getting there...

Silicon Valley is in the spotlight, but harmful concentrations of corporate power are mostly found in older and less glamorous industries.

10/08/2021

It's a step in the right direction for the LA Times Editorial Board to make points like this. Let's applaud it...

Instead of complaining about a coming law giving gestating sows more space, pork producers should have been working on complying with it.

29/07/2021

My friend Marvee Turk rescued this kitten, and my friend JeriLynn Burks helped take care of her. Lil' Turk still needs help - I hope you'll consider contributing!

Lil Turk was found alone in a parking lot. His back legs dangled behind him. Lil Turk deserves a second chance at life Lil Turk was found by a concerned citizen in a parking lot, all alone. We think he was dumped by someone, because he could not have survived on his own very long with his existing i...

25/07/2021

Wonderful example of Civil Disobedience - maybe we should all try this at home.

I'm in Hawaii, exploring some of the most beautiful land and seascapes in the world. This spot, below, is a refuge for sea turtles, some over 100 years old. They are protected by Hawaii Law. And yet - people have still littered the area with cemented PVC "sleeves" to hold fishing poles, so people can fish here.
Despite the fact that fishing kills turtles and despite the fact that fishing is destroying the very ecosystem that protects humans.

Someone, however, took it upon themselves to jam these fishing pole sleeves with stones and rotting pieces of wood, so that the sleeves can't hold fishing poles anymore. In fact, someone stuck a thick stick into one and pulled so hard that one of the PVC sleeves broke off entirely. Given that these sleeves belong to no one, are on public property, serve no public service, and are actually in opposition to the public good - whoever did this performed a righteous act of civil disobedience.

It's almost like that person read the Ezra Klein article (below) that asks: given that our survival is at stake, why aren't more people angry about what is happening to the environment, and doing something about it wherever they can?

When the number one cause of greenhouse gas emissions is NOT fossil fuels, but emissions from the meat and dairy industry; when fishing kills the ecosystem that keeps us alive - there is simply no way to eat meat, fish, and dairy, and still claim you care about stopping climate change. And there is no way to cast a line and hook into the sea without destroying something every one of us needs in order to survive.

Please join whoever did this, and explore safe examples of civil disobedience wherever you can.

Ezra Klein Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/15/opinion/climate-change-energy-infrastructure.html

24/06/2021

The only appropriate response to seeing that ad on my feed.

18/05/2021

Take note, please

Vegetarians are superior to meat-lovers when it comes to their health, according to a new study.

10/05/2021

Finally these issues are breaking into the mainstream. Everyone I know in the animal rights community already knows this. But the rest of the world is starting to find out.

A first-of-its-kind study shows that lung-irritating particles from fertilizer, feed lots and manure cause thousands of premature deaths -- even more than coal power plants. But using more sustainable farming practices and eating less meat could save lives.

08/05/2021

Yes. This.

World champion triathlete Kate Strong says professional athletes can 'not only survive on a vegan diet but truly thrive'

28/04/2021

Unbelievable. Unconscionable. Unacceptable.

The NRA’s ethics code for hunters states, “I will do my best to acquire those marksmanship and hunting skills, which insure clean, sportsmanlike kills.”