(Opening Photo: PolkadotsAndPuppies)
For my family and friends.
The vegan movement is not a belief system.
It is not a fad or a diet.
It is not something to be tried.
Being vegan is aligning action with knowledge.
Being vegan is simply living the values taught — by you.
It is, at its core, an acceptance that all animals matter morally,
regardless of where the line is drawn
between our species and others.
It is acceptance that not just humans have a capacity to suffer,
many by our hands and actions, regardless of what we see or believe.
An unwillingness to accept that we are responsible
is only thing that separates me from you.
Let this be your call to action.
♥
(All photos are not mine, borrowed from the Internet.)
Don’t Harm Others Unnecessarily
Our parents taught us that intentionally killing or torturing another living thing for pleasure is sick and perverse, and that it’s just as wrong to dare or hire another to do our bidding to the same. As little kids loving animals innately, we didn’t really need to be taught this.
Similar to removing the tips of your fingers
Necessary for mayonnaise, scrambled eggs, quiche
Have Mercy When You Kill Another
We were taught by the men in our lives that killing another to be eaten as food should be done swiftly and with mercy, hunted with respect for both the species and the land alike. When domesticating an animal, it was to be done with care and kindness to its fully lived life — never with intended brutality or thoughtlessness.
Turkeys genetically manipulated to grow large and fast
Necessary for American Thanksgiving
Don’t Be A Bully
We learned at church or synagogue or mosque that all life is precious and sacred and amazing — not just our own. The world is bigger than ourselves. Our faith leaders told us that as people of God, we have a duty to protect and care for those who are weak or could be easily harmed or manipulated by the more powerful.
Foxes and rabbits caged, electrocuted, skinned
Necessary for fur coats, pet food
Males And Females Are Necessary
We learned from teachers and with our families that males and females have equal worth, no matter the apparent differences between us. Neither is better than the other, and neither wants to be made less or meaningless due to an accidental gender flip-of-a-coin. Both sexes are equally required in order for a species to continue, and both sexes value his/her life equally.
Millions of dairy males don’t make milk
Infant death, sperm, or veal is his purpose
Billions of egg-laying males don’t lay eggs
Ground up or suffocated alive days-old
Necessary for mayonnaise, urban yard ‘hens’
Babies — All Babies — Need A Mother’s Love
The women in our lives taught us the powerful strength in the bond between a mother and her infant. Even as we grew older, Mom hurt when we hurt and if we were separated unexpectedly or — worse — upon our death, she might wish for her own death to ease the horrible pain in her heart. The mammalian maternal connection cannot be denied; it is no longer thought to be reserved for humans. It is real and it is eternal, and it encompasses thousands of different species.
Calves separated from cows at birth
Necessary for sour cream, iced cream, cheese
Rape And Enslavement Is As Violent As Murder
We are taught by society that the oppression or enslaving of others by those more powerful is something to be condemned, and that taking from others (rape, kidnapping, murder, theft) without consent comes with consequences. Rape cannot be made to be ‘more kind,’ murder ‘more compassionate’ or kidnapping ‘more merciful.’ Every living thing values its life in its own way. To be a civilized society, these must not be allowed as a general means of doing business with others.
Pig ‘production,’ includes rape, kidnapping,
and premature death
Necessary for bacon, lard, gelatin
Related Posts and Pages:
- Get V-educated
- Vegan Holy Grail! Chcolate Cake and FAQ
- Easy recipes, right here and growing at DirtNKids
- Why Greens?
♥
Bless you…you are all vegan in your hearts already!
So what’s stopping you from becoming action vegans like us?
Clue me in. Maybe I can help.
DirtNKids Blog 
Most people don’t care where the food they put in their mouths comes from as long as it tastes good, just as most people don’t care where their urine and feces goes as long as it’s convenient to pee and poop. As long as it doesn’t look like an animal, I am told, it is easy to enjoy the flavor and ignore where dinner came from. By the way, I recently learned that, in many states, it is perfectly legal to murder a dog or cat as long as you eat it. Anytime I say this, people are appalled. And yet they have no mercy on pigs, chickens and cows. I’m also tired of being called “rude” when I point out the gory carnivorous habits of Americans. As I am the only vegan in my family, I am also tired of going into restaurants with them and finding nothing that I can eat other than (if I’m lucky) a plain salad or some steamed broccoli (no, I don’t want butter on that!). I am tired of fighting an uphill battle, Shannon, so I pretty much keep it to myself these days.
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I disagree. I think that people DO care, they just think that being vegan is synonymous with becoming a Buddhist monk — a life of deprivation due to some ‘belief.’ Once they know the truths behind our industries involving living beings, they can’t help but feel a responsibility to think before they buy. They should.
Sure, some will cling to willful ignorance, and for those people I turn and walk away. Time and change will take care of them for me. But if they are to be around me in any capacity, they WILL know the facts whether they like it or not! It is our duty to fellow beings — to our planet — to do things in a different way. Exploitation and cruelty should not be the norm for the way we do business in America. Helping people to connect the dots is the best I can do aside from living the values myself (which I do).
Thanks for stopping by to comment, Uncle Guac, and for what you do for the animals. If we all can live happy, healthy productive lives without harming others, why wouldn’t we?
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If you’ve not read Colb’s book ‘Mind If I Order The Cheeseburger?’ it may help you better manage the non-vegans in your life. I like to think of it as the Vegan Bible! I re-visit my copy often.
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Poignancy be this post’s name; very inspiring comrade!
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Well, thank you, Christy. In the blog world, it’s mostly preaching to the choir. But here in Texas, with my family and true friends, much of this falls on blind eyes. ‘Willful ignorance’ is strong. People don’t like to change, even when they know their actions cause such suffering.
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Reblogged this on Small Spaces and the good life with Roz and Phil Hill.
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Thank you for the Re-blog. Farmed animals will appreciate the extra eyes on the cause. They lack a voice of their own.
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We bought four acres and became newbie farmers six years ago, an amazing learning curve and lesson in animal welfare. We eat meat producing our own, but we care for our animals allowing them to raise their young as nature intended.
I imagine most people are familiar with intensive farming but chose to ignore it.
We produce free range eggs and buy free range chickens, but for me you have highlighted the production of mayonnaise and I will think again when buying from supermarket. I will be looking for a good recipe using our eggs. Our chicks are raised by their mums on worms and corn. We do not use laying pellets. Thank you for your post. 🐣👒🐣
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Thank you Roz, for your thoughts. Yes, most choose to ignore the consequences of intensive farming, and the industries who profit are banking on that to continue. Most are surprised to discover that their mail-order chicks are products of the same hatcheries that do the culling. I’m delighted that all your roosters and hens are given the opportunity to mix naturally and that the eggs result in chicks and not sales. Cheers!
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A moving, eye-opening post. Thank you for sharing that.
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I am glad for that! Thanks for the comment. 😀
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