Raffaela Raab appears as “the Militant Vegan” as an activist, influencer, and Twitch streamer. On July 13th, she was seen and heard on ServusTV in a talk show about “Climate Killer Cutlet: Can We Save the World Without Meat?” She polarized with her theses. In the eyes of her critics, she trivializes the suffering of people by equating animals with victims of historical atrocities.
What did the Militant Vegan say that is so controversial?
- The Militant Vegan asserts that animals must be treated the same as humans. Therefore, one should not do anything to animals that one would not do to humans.
- In the eyes of her critics, she trivializes the atrocities that have happened to humans by equating animals with slaves or victims of the Holocaust.
In the talk show on July 13th, she said, for example:
We all grow up with the thought that there is a hierarchy between species. Just as some cultures grow up with the belief that black people can be treated as property. Yes, they are just women, they are just black people, they are just gay people, they are just animals. […]
If we are in the middle of a fascist system – and unfortunately we are, because we deem animals as inferior, because you don’t say Woof-Woof, but Oink-Oink, and therefore I can put 40 million pigs in gas chambers per year.
Activist compares animal husbandry with slavery and the Holocaust
For which statement was she most criticized? At one point, she explains how she came to her convictions. She recounted that during a debate, someone told her: People have always eaten that way. “They are just animals.” That was an awakening experience for her:
When he said these words, “they are just animals”: You know what, that was also said about human slavery, during the Holocaust. They are just Jews. […] If these were just people in these concentration camps, in these extermination camps, where we actually have gas chambers.
“You should be ashamed”
What was she accused of? The controversial publicist Roland Tichy also participated in the discussion. He became the most outspoken critic of the activist during the show. Tichy had to audibly catch his breath during the comparison to the Holocaust. He stated:
So I really must disagree, comparing the murder of 6 million Jews, gay people, Sinti and Roma, and other groups, this horrific murder with a butcher is simply indecent. You trivialize National Socialism. I have never experienced anything like this. I am appalled that a human can be so cruel. You should be ashamed.
The Militant Vegan defended herself against the accusation of trivializing the Holocaust. She never said that the Holocaust was not serious.
At another point, Tichy accused her of “infantile” behavior after she had used animal puppets that made noises during her argumentation.
Please do not be angry with me. You brought puppets from your childhood and are talking about the world as if one should talk to the wolf and that it should no longer prey on animals. I believe: You are probably a bit stuck in your childhood. […] And then you go on and justify the death of 6 million people.
According to Tichy, we must utilize all food resources to feed humanity. With 9 billion people, we must include meat and fish as protein sources. One cannot “act like a child” in this regard.
The show ended with the moderator’s realization that on such ideologically charged topics, it seems impossible to find common ground.
The activist is also controversial among her supporters for some actions:
