11.24.09
Free-Range: Not Free Enough
Partly as a result of the eagerness of animal welfare advocates and even vegans to promote supposedly ‘humane’ animal products, many people have been deceived into believing that these labels indicate vastly improved conditions for animals. However, the truth is that these labels were invented as part of a carefully-planned PR strategy to whitewash animal cruelty, and stem the tide of increasing public opposition to the injustice that underlies the production of all animal foods.
11.17.09
Sarah Palin … Right to Life??
I understand that the ‘pro-life’ position is only concerned with the rights of human beings, and in that regard, Sarah Palin is no different to the rest of the movement. It also seems important to point out that, in her disregard for the inherent value of nonhuman life, Palin is simply an extreme example of the attitude of our entire society. Yet somehow, I can’t ignore the twisted irony of the ‘pro-life’ cause being championed by a woman who actually takes pride in her reputation as a predatory killer.
Being Vegan in a Speciesist World
Image: In Defense of Animals
Not only is extreme violence against animals sanctioned by the legal structure of society and accepted almost without question by most people, but in some kind of bizarre confusion, it is actually promoted, encouraged, and even celebrated. This is true to such a degree that, when an individual chooses to reject violence against animals, and makes a personal commitment to provide for themselves without participating in this carnage, that individual does so at the risk of being criticized, insulted, ridiculed, and perhaps even accused of committing some sort of offense against society.
11.09.09
Vegan 1-2-3: Health & Nutrition
Because the dietary culture of our society revolves around meat, eggs and dairy milk, and because animal food industry lobbyists have been influential over the educational resources that many rely on for information about nutrition, it’s understandable that people are uncertain about whether a vegan diet is nutritionally adequate, especially for those who have specific health concerns, food allergies or unusual dietary requirements.
11.04.09
Vegan 1-2-3: What Do Vegans Eat?
Image: Tempeh Teriyaki, www.GentleWorld.org
What do vegans eat? It’s a common concern, and a question that has become something of a joke amongst vegans, for the simple reasons that a) we’ve all heard it at one time or another, and b) the opportunities are endless for delicious, exciting food made of totally vegan (plant-based, cholesterol-free) ingredients.
10.29.09
Fecal Matters
As a result of our desire for animal products, we have the waste management problem of a population 130 times the size of what our population actually is. Here in the US, we might as well be managing the waste of 39 billion people.
Vegan 1-2-3 – Introduction
In an attempt to provide some guidance for those who are genuinely attracted to the values of veganism, but are not sure of how to go about making what might appear on the surface to be a quantum leap in behavior, I would like to try and shine a light on some of the myths that contribute to the common misconception that being vegan is too difficult, or even impossible for certain individuals.
10.18.09
This Little Piggie…
Image: Wanda Embar, www.VeganPeace.org
Perhaps, in some bizarre irony, the manipulation and exploitation of these micro pigs will turn out to be the way that people learn to see pigs as they really are; not as bacon, or ham, or pork chops, or sausages, but as warm, intelligent, affectionate beings who, just like the family dog or cat, also have love in their hearts to give, and also have a will that burns inside them, driving them against all odds to survive, driving them against all odds to live.
10.15.09
A Call to Environmentalists
No matter how strong the current opposition, it will soon have to be accepted that the vegan solution is our hope for the future, as it contains the power to address, all at once, the many different yet interconnected issues – from the environmental devastation we are causing, to the global pandemic of violence. These crises are crippling our civilization and threaten not only our survival, but the survival of the many other species that populate the planet.
The Vegan Evolution: A New Era for Humanity
The vegan ideal embodies the highest of ethical aspirations – non-violence, justice and compassion toward the innocent. Yet this deep and powerful value system continues to be marginalized by society. The example set by those who embrace these principles is too often vehemently opposed, trivialized or simply ignored. But the effects of this paradigm shift in perception are far-reaching, and the rewards beyond measure.
