Why not focus on human rights rather than animals being slaughtered?

A person wrote this to me: "A question. There's loads of people (humans...) that lives in very poor conditions, suffering from sickness, war e t c. Yet vegans tend to portrey veganism as the most important issue. Instead of putting all effort into not hurting animals and so forth, why not focus on problems that afflict the humanity?

I don't believe that veganism is the most important subject we're struggling with. This doesn't mean that I enjoy seeing pictures of animals being slaughtered. But rather the belief that a problem of more acute profile should be focused on more instense than animals.

Why not FOCUS on these problems, rather than animal being slaughtered?"

Thanks for your question!
What would you do if you saw someone abusing a dog or a cat on the street? Would you stop the abuse or would you think: ‘I don’t have time for this. I must go home and fight for human rights issues.”?

How can you say that the suffering of a dog is less important than the suffering of a human? Why would this be the case?
There is no moral difference between animal abuse and the exploitation of animals for food. There may be a psychological difference, but there is no moral difference. Exploitation is exploitation.

I truly believe that all injustices are interconnected. And consuming animal foods also exacerbates poverty, starvation and injustices in the world, destruction of the environment, enormous amount of health problems, etc. See e.g. this post and the provided links:
https://www.facebook.com/anders.branderud/posts/10202514031186660?stream_ref=10
Finally, I will end with a quote that I agree with:

“I don't believe in ranking evils. Indeed, I find it an absolutely absurd exercise. If someone asks me: "Is the slaughter of animals worse than the Holocaust?," I always reply: "Was Hitler's killing of Jews worse than his killing of non-Jewish Poles or Romanies?" If someone asks me: "Is racism worse than speciesism?," I always reply: "Is racism worse than sexism?" Anyway, I won't play the "ranking evils" game. I reject *all* forms of hatred, discrimination, and violence whether involving humans or nonhumans. Period.

I applaud the efforts of all those who devote themselves to the struggle for social justice and the rights of minorities, women, children, disabled people, the elderly, the poor, etc. The world is full of suffering and injustice. I support the efforts of anyone who seeks justice and who promotes peace and nonviolence.

I just ask them all to be vegans as they fight for justice in whatever context they do so. If, for example, you are working for children's rights, you still have to eat and wear clothes. So be vegan and consume non-animal foods and don't wear animal products. Encourage others to be vegan and practice nonviolence with respect to animals. You can do that whatever other rights movement you are involved in. I have made this point in my writing. For example, see”:
http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/human-rights-and-animal-rights-perfect-together/#.UQU4hPLnd8E