--- title: "European Vegetarian Union News - \"Humans First\" - IVU - International Vegetarian Union" description: "European Vegetarian Union News - \"Humans First\": International Vegetarian Union (IVU) \"Humans come first!\" Helmut F. Kaplan Español - Italiano - from EVU News, Issue 4 / 1996 - Deutsch One of the most common and stupid reproaches to animal rights activists is: \"As long as there is so much" url: "https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/interviews/5618-news-evu-news964-first.html" date: "2026-11-06T00:07:47+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # European Vegetarian Union News - "Humans First" **International Vegetarian Union (IVU)** | ![IVU logo](https://ivu.org/images/legacy/history/members/pics/ivu-con4.gif) | | |---|---| | **"Humans come first!"** *Helmut F. Kaplan* [*Español*](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/interviews/5930-spanish-news-evu-news964-first.html) - [*Italiano*](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/interviews/6035-italian-news-evu-news964-first.html) - [from EVU News, Issue 4 / 1996](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/interviews/5621-news-evu-news964-index.html) - *Deutsch* ![[photo: Helmut Kaplan]](https://ivu.org/images/legacy/history/news/evu/news964/kaplan.jpg) One of the most common and stupid reproaches to animal rights activists is: "As long as there is so much human suffering on earth, it is irresponsible to waste time and energy on animals. "Humans come first!" Whoever makes this claim, proves two things: First of all, he does not know what he is talking about, and secondly, he is not one of those who really cares about people: Who really cares about people, cares about animals, too, and who really cares about animals, is also concerned about people. Ethics are not divisible. Humans come first is a cheap and mean pretext for doing nothing, either for animals or for people. In reality, animal- and human-rights movements are one unity. You cannot free slaves or emancipate women or accept homosexuals or protect animals. We simply have to realise: The interests of a creature must not count less, just because it is a creature of a different group. In real life a division of tasks is reasonable and obvious, as in the whole sector of non-profitmaking activities. That is why there is nothing wrong if some people concentrate on the interests of animals. As Gotthard M. Teutsch righty states, you cannot reproach a museum society by saying, that they are concerned about ancient art but not about elderly people! In many fields love for humans and for animals can in any case go together very well. For example, no one is affected in his commitent to people by not killing and eating animals! Furthermore, this absolute establishing of priorities such as "Humans come first!" is foolish and irresponsible. Let us look at the claim: "For our fellow-creatures we are more responsible than for foreigners." Maybe we can accept that as a behavioural rule in case of conflict. But would it not, as Teutsch states, be completely absurd to help foreigners only, if all our fellow-creatures’ needs are fully met! It also would be absurd to say:"I will give money for starving children in Africa only when all my children have their own TV." Or let us take the really sensible priority: "Surviving is more important than equality." Even here, an absolute claim would be irresponsible. You will realise immediately, that reproaches like this are untenable: "How can we fight for the equality of women, as long as people in Africa mutually slaughter each other!" Absolute priorities are foolish and inhuman as you will easily notice. Nor is It a question of abstract priorities but one where we personally are directly confronted with suffering and injustice. Arriving at the scene of an accident it would be out of place to say: "Unfortunately I cannot help, because elsewhere there are far more terrible accidents!" Obviously we have to act and help where we are confronted with suffering and injustice. And: With injustice towards animals we are confronted daily - on our plates. *Dr. Helmut Kaplan* is philosopher, author of several books: "Philosophie des Vegetarismus" (1988), "Warum Vegetarier?" (1989), "Sind wir Kannibalen?"(1991), "Leichenschmaus" (1993) and "Warum ich Vegetarier bin" (1995) translated by C. Reiter - [Vegetarian or Vegan](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/interviews/5578-news-evu-news95-veg-n.html) by Dr. Kaplan A note on this archive. The history section of this website is drawn from a body of legacy content originally compiled by John Davis, former manager of the International Vegetarian Union. It represents his curation of historical material, and in places includes passages written by him directly. Over the years, the IVU website has migrated between several different hosting servers. In the course of these migrations, a number of PDF files were unfortunately lost, and **some links to PDF documents may no longer function**. Where this is the case, we have chosen to leave the original link text in place, as it may itself carry information of historical value. - Hits: 850 ### Vegan Recipes - [![VEGAN MIXED NOODLES](https://ivu.org/media/zoo/images/mon%2099_bd8c88d1415638417ba3d51243229249.jpg "VEGAN MIXED NOODLES")](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/vegan-mixed-noodles.html "VEGAN MIXED NOODLES") #### [VEGAN MIXED NOODLES](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/vegan-mixed-noodles.html "VEGAN MIXED NOODLES") [Main course](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/main-course-for-lunch-and-dinner.html) [Noodles](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/noodles.html) [Vietnam](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/vietnam.html) [Stir Fry](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/fake-meats-tofu-etc-2.html) - [![VEGAN MANGOSTEEN SALAD](https://ivu.org/media/zoo/images/th10%20295_eff17aa9c2a8997f5a9dcad5c2dd41fb.jpg "VEGAN MANGOSTEEN SALAD")](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/vegan-mangosteen-salad.html "VEGAN MANGOSTEEN SALAD") #### [VEGAN MANGOSTEEN SALAD](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/vegan-mangosteen-salad.html "VEGAN MANGOSTEEN SALAD") [Breakfast and brunch](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/breakfast-and-brunch.html) [Vietnam](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/vietnam.html) [salads](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/salads.html) - [![Tunisian Beetroot Salad](https://ivu.org/media/zoo/images/tunisian-beetroot-salad-1775445216_76f54a84ffb819ef4715a6da3dfa5981.jpg "Tunisian Beetroot Salad")](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/tunisian-beetroot-salad.html "Tunisian Beetroot Salad") #### [Tunisian Beetroot Salad](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/tunisian-beetroot-salad.html "Tunisian Beetroot Salad") [salads](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/salads.html) [Starters & side dishes](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/snack-side-dishes.html) [African](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/african.html) [Tunisia](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/tunisia.html) ### VFA Blog - 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[ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/250-2024-the-omniveg-study-health-outcomes-of-shifting-from-a-traditional-to-a-vegan-mediterranean-diet-in-healthy-men-a-controlled-crossover-trial.html) [ 2024 The OMNIVEG STUDY Health outcomes of shifting from a traditional to a vegan Mediterranean diet in healthy men A controlled crossover trial](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/250-2024-the-omniveg-study-health-outcomes-of-shifting-from-a-traditional-to-a-vegan-mediterranean-diet-in-healthy-men-a-controlled-crossover-trial.html) Popular 2782 downloads - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/205-plant-based-nutrition-exploring-health-benefits-for-atherosclerosis-chronic-diseases-and-metabolic-syndrome-a-comprehensive-review.html) [ Plant Based Nutrition Exploring Health Benefits for Atherosclerosis, Chronic Diseases, and Metabolic Syndrome—A Comprehensive Review](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/205-plant-based-nutrition-exploring-health-benefits-for-atherosclerosis-chronic-diseases-and-metabolic-syndrome-a-comprehensive-review.html) Popular 3834 downloads - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/204-2024-plant-and-animal-fat-intake-and-overall-and-cardiovascular-disease-mortality-main-folder-all-cause-mortality.html) [ 2024 Plant and Animal Fat Intake and Overall and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Main Folder All Cause Mortality](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/204-2024-plant-and-animal-fat-intake-and-overall-and-cardiovascular-disease-mortality-main-folder-all-cause-mortality.html) Popular 4052 downloads ![](https://ivu.org/media/yootheme/cache/02/adult-guide-029d8cad.png)### The International Vegetarian Union’s Vegan Nutrition Guide for Adults In 2 versions: - [For healthcare professionals](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutritional-guide/the-international-vegetarian-union-s-vegan-nutrition-guide-for-adults-healthcare-professionals.html) - [General Public Edition](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutritional-guide/guide-for-non-healthcare-professionals.html) [Get it now](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutritional-guide.html) ![](https://ivu.org/images/banners/booklet2.jpg)### Vegetarian Nutrition Booklet A Dietary Approach to Vegetarianism for Kids and Adolescents The intention of this booklet is present to kids and adolescents a healthy vegan diet [Read more](https://ivu.org/nutrition/vegetarian-nutrition-book-for-kids-and-adolescents.html) Vegan Nutrition ![](https://ivu.org/media/yootheme/cache/a6/logo_IVU_01_SLOGAN-a678b962.png) ### Presidents, Chair and Council - 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