There’s no doubt that the news can be upsetting these days, and 2017 brought challenges in many different forms. But recently, we asked PETA Prime readers to respond to these words attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” We were inspired by the compassion and vision that are alive and well in our amazing PETA Prime community.

We want to share the inspiration, so here are a few of our favorite responses:

“Values are useless unless expressed in action. Compassion that includes animals is a lamp, signaling blanket respect for others. All matter.” —Angel B.

“We are all here breathing the same air, [so] we should enjoy the same benefits of being alive. Our animal friends deserve the respect of life that we have.” —Terri B.

“We cannot survive, let alone thrive, as one, when we act as though we are a superior species. We were all put here on this planet as one to live together in harmony and balance in a natural life cycle with all life. Every life matters.” —Jesse I.

“To be truly conscious of your existence, you must first respect animals. You cannot be a ‘great’ nation if you slaughter and enslave animals. This planet does not belong to humans but all inhabitants, so we must love all beings.” —Aimee T.

“Nations must care for each and every animal, small and large, with love, compassion, and respect. By doing so, they are an example of greatness for future generations to follow.” —Deborah R.

“Treating animals as feeling, sentient beings—so not eating, using, or exploiting them—is the benchmark of a compassionate, progressive society.” —Patti H.

It’s clear: There is hope for us yet! Compassionate people are speaking up, and caring for the animals with whom we share this planet is important to so many others in our community. Together, we can bring about significant, lasting change in the world. There is work to be done, but these PETA Prime readers show that we’re ready for the challenge.