Author: Joel Conn

Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic stands for equality.

Now, more than ever, I feel so fortunate to be able to live, work, and play on the beautiful Central Coast. I cannot imagine a better place to shelter-in-place and enjoy the incredible and diverse environment that we inhabit.  I feel, though, that I should preface this with the fact that I am lucky enough to have a psychologically and financially rewarding job and a supportive family. I was raised Jewish so I have some experience with intolerance, but as a white male I am able to “hide in plain sight.” I recognize that this is a huge privilege and has sheltered me from many, many challenges that others in our community face daily.

Though in many ways the Central Coast is idyllic, I think that it’s critical to acknowledge the ever-present undercurrent of racial, sexual/gender, religious, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparity and prejudice that exists in our community.

Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic exists, at its core, to help our clients and our patients live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. To this end, we feel that we cannot remain silent when insidious issues threaten the very livelihoods of so many of our friends, colleagues, and clients. We cannot stand idly by in the face of hate speech, ignorance, intolerance, and racism. We are greatly saddened to hear racial slurs pour from the mouths of locals and to see an image of a gallows and noose marring the wall of a local school.

Though I have always been involved in issues of tolerance and diversity in my personal life, I struggled with the appropriateness of involving my business. I have come to the conclusion that as local business owners and leaders we have an obligation to make our opinions heard and step beyond the bounds of day-to-day business. Only in this way can we hope to de-radicalize and de-politicize the ideals of racial justice and tolerance.

So, here goes…

At Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic, we believe that Black Lives Matter.  We believe in the equality of all people, regardless of race, religion, or sexual and gender identity.  We believe that all life has inherent value. We believe that science is real and fear the loss of trust in our scientific community.  We worry about a willingness from many to accept the concept of alternate truths and facts, treating statements from laypeople and pundits with equal weight to those of experts. We believe that we should be open to discussion, continuous education, and always be striving to learn (and teach). We believe that we, humankind, represent a huge threat to our environment and climate and that every day is an opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint. We believe that history is important and should be taught honestly and remembered but not necessarily celebrated. We believe that COVID-19 is a real threat, and we wear masks to show respect and to help keep community members safe.  We believe in the fallacy of false balance: not all issues have two sides and not all sides of an issue deserve equal treatment or are equally worthy of consideration.

At Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic, we believe that actions speak louder than words. We love our community and get involved whenever and wherever we can. Being active and giving our time to great local organizations like Rotary, the Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County, Stand Strong, and the YMCA of SLO County is more important now than ever.

At Pismo Beach Veterinary Clinic, we believe in love, tolerance, and understanding.  It’s a time for unity, not division. We believe that NOW is the time for kindness.

Joel Conn 
July 20, 2020