"We know now, as we have always known instinctively, that animals can suffer as much as human beings. Their emotions and their sensitivity are often stronger than those of a human being. Various philosophers and religious leaders tried to convince their disciples and followers that animals are nothing more than machines without a soul, without feelings. However, anyone who has ever lived with an animal - be it a dog, a bird or even a mouse - knows that this theory is a brazen lie, invented to justify cruelty.
Once you have met a cow (insert any animal here), looked into their sweet peaceful eyes, and acknowledged their spirit and desire of a happy, long life, you cannot do anything to harm them.
I have hope that you will go against the current, and become a voice for them!
"We can see quite plainly that our present civilization is built on the exploitation of animals, just as past civilisations were built on the exploitation of slaves."
"For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love."
It’s true: You can eat a few animal foods now and then without raising risk for chronic disease. That’s not a reason to consume foods that are not required in the diet, have no unique health benefits, and can never fit into a lifestyle built on principles of compassion.
From Gary L Francione, The Abolitionist Approach:
“Never seek to be part of the mainstream. It is polluted with the very worst toxin: indifference.”
From : D. Raza
My food is grown on fields and trees, NOT in wombs and cages.
From the child next door:
Animals are my friends... I don't want to hurt them.
From the complex to the simple. From the ancient to contemporary. From now till all the cages are empty:
"Thou shalt not kill" does not apply to murder of one's own kind only, but to all living beings; and this Commandment was inscribed in the human breast long before it was proclaimed from Sinai. ~Leo Tolstoy
Free on line viewing of Earthlings. Make the connection.
“Never seek to be part of the mainstream. It is polluted with the very worst toxin: indifference.”
My food is grown on fields and trees, NOT in wombs and cages.
Animals are my friends... I don't want to hurt them.
"Thou shalt not kill" does not apply to murder of one's own kind only, but to all living beings; and this Commandment was inscribed in the human breast long before it was proclaimed from Sinai. ~Leo Tolstoy
12 comments:
Hi Bea,
I've been reinstated at the TU, but this will be more of a group effort with 3 or 4 different writers (much better for me). Anyway, would you be interested in being a contributor?
Pat (sorry, the email address didn't go through)
Excellent post, I think the child next door sums everything up wonderfully.
Thou shal not kill not only applies to ones own kind, but to all kinds, er make that just animals, since apperently plants are clearly not living things...
Hi Pat... Sorry about the email mix-up I was in the process of changing my address - apparently some things got lost in the cyber shuffle. Try emailing me again about contributing to TU.
And thanks veganelder... "Out of the mouths of babes" right? ;)
Aaron - "Thou shall not kill" referring to all *beings* to whom *killing* would matter. But if you continue to feel so badly about "plant sentience" you are free to follow your conscious and restrict your diet to rocks, gravel and sand. Now give it up already - (PLEASE).
You're the one who should be getting your nutrients from rocks, gravel and sand because its the only way to get nutrients without killing anything. My point is that meat eaters, who are more mature, realize that that isn't possible to eat without killing, and therefore the argument that its better to eat plants is completely flawed.
The argument about eating meat making people savage is why Pythagoras was known for his math and not his philosophy...
Since you like quoting 5 yr. olds, heres one of my own:
"I love meat because it tastes good. Vegetables are yucky."
Ah, yes, that someone so young can understand this so easily is truely inspiring.
I'm sure a hungry bear will feel the same way about your 5 year old neighbor.
Here's a much longer, well thought out quote from Benjamin Franklin; try to keep up.
"I believe I have omitted mentioning that, in my first voyage from Boston, being becalm'd off Block Island, our people set about catching cod, and hauled up a great many. Hitherto I had stuck to my resolution of not eating animal food, and on this occasion consider'd, with my master Tryon, the taking every fish as a kind of unprovoked murder, since none of them had, or ever could do us any injury that might justify the slaughter. All this seemed very reasonable. But I had formerly been a great lover of fish, and, when this came hot out of the frying-pan, it smelt admirably well. I balanced some time between principle and inclination, till I recollected that, when the fish were opened, I saw smaller fish taken out of their stomachs; then thought I, "If you eat one another, I don't see why we mayn't eat you." So I din'd upon cod very heartily, and continued to eat with other people, returning only now and then occasionally to a vegetable diet. So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do."
Every animal has a place on the food chain, and it's not your place to declair where humans are. It is in our nature to eat meat (according to all the evidence) pending millions of years of evolution, and it's time for you to realize it. From whenever it started, to now, to whenever evolution "decides" to chang it, humans have, and will continue to eat meat, and nothing you do can whange the fact that it is a part of who we are.
Aaron I've read your response. The only thing I wish to comment on is what you say about "it's not your place to declair where humans are." Of course you're wrong. It IS my place, and yours and everyone else who is a member of civilization to advance our species to our full potential. This would include evolving ourselves away from needless harm to innocent beings. It would be in alignment with our desire for justice and our wish for harmony. Your archaic pattern of "might over right" however, keeps us in the prehistoric "goo" that we all wish to rise above. If for nothing else but the love of my own species - I desire a vegan world.
Well... I'm pretty neutral, though I mostly agree with Aaron. Whats the point of eating vegetarian? You're just stealing the animal's food, and the food chain still breaks. There isn't any use to it. All we need to do is keep balanced. If you don't find some nutrients then eat vitamins daily. Eating vegetarian? I love veggies and meat but then don't eat too much or you'll have bloaty belly. Also, vegetation is also a living thing. It's a "Kill or be killed world", don't you realize? Would you rather kill bacteria or be killed by it? It's your choice. Many people kill the bacteria, so your actions isn't going to make any difference except losing your life. But then, Other that four main meats, Chicken, Beef, Fish and Pork, I don't eat turtle soup (China(DISGUSTING)), Dogs and Cats(China again), Mouse, and other. It's just disgusting. I'd stick to those four. I just feel it's disgusting, even though it doesn't really help the animals.
Hello Anonymous - There's no "stealing" animal's food if these beings weren't brought into existence in the first place... Besides, how do you feel about "competing" with livestock for food? We all do. The grains and vegetable matter they are being "fattened" with make the cost of human food that much more expensive.
You are right... vegetation is a living "thing". Animals - like us... like cows, chickens, dogs, cats and pigs are beings. A carrot doesn't care if you kill it. To all of us animals it certainly does.
Bacteria? That (to me) is a matter of self defense. Your "kill or be killed" summation of the world doesn't apply to billions of docile beings raised to be slaughtered. There's no "self defense" on our part - Just gluttony for their flesh and skin.
You know the way you feel about turtle soup? When you realize you don't "need" to eat any being... "pork", chickens and "beef" become just as vile to consider as a "food". Nothing is disgusting in the plant world -
Thanks for dropping by.
Anti hunters and Vegetariens will never survive in this world when the times get tough. Eat or starve when that Bunny rabbit hops by. I've learned most vegetariens are gay for some reason, that may be why they like the animals so well huh. I do love Animals, They're Delicious Lol
Hello Eric - But I don't believe a word you say! In the first instance we are hardly in a state of "survival" - I think you've been playing too many end-of-days games. For now... And for a long, long time I will do just fine eschewing eating the rabbits or the chickens...
But when and if it comes down to a matter of me or someOne else? It's all fair game --- I figure the meat-eaters will always be a little on the slow and dumpy side anyway... They will be the first to fall - into the pot or not... And not a one of you could beg enough for me to spare your life over the one of the little bunny who you'd so quickly harm when there was another choice.
I'd pray if I were you... That turn about never comes your way.
Thanks for your ever (yawn) enlightening (yawn) view (yawn). You're about as original as a pair of cheap China-made shoes. Please go bore someone else with your homo-eccentric rhetoric... You're much too mentally young to spar with the big boys here. Run along now son - ;)
Well said Bea, well said.
It's funny how meat eaters seem to always revert to the "it's primal/natural/we would survive in a post-apocalyptic world" argument, conveniently forgetting that they were not born with claws and fangs and the agility required to hunt, and that it will be those of us who can tell the difference between a nutritious root and a poisonous berry who will be thriving come doomsday.
Just because it's something we've always done doesn't make it right - by that logic we should be enslaving the black and raping our women and withholding all of their civil liberties.
It's also a sad reflection of our mental evolution as a species that most of its members will remain apathetic and indifferent towards the suffering and torture of millions of animals, as well as consume the tortured, infected dead flesh, all because "it tastes good". Such a shallow and pathetic justification - I really hope everyone else in our species catches up soon.
Hello! And so sorry Kendall... You're comment landed in spam notices. Glad I caught it though!
I agree with your conclusions. Just yesterday I responded to someone on youtube who insisted that because we have done such and such (animal killing & animal eating) since the beginning of time - That it must mean it's okay to do so. Well that's total nonsense that it justifies anything! By that logic we'd all be beating each other over the head with clubs and spears.
I don't know either why people see it as so "natural" to walk around with an ipod, iphone, laptop and a dozen other electronic gizmos... Yet, when it comes to the idea of evolving away from bloodshed they cling to the caveman mentality.
You're so right that it is a pathetic attempt at rationalizing what habits they don't wish to change. So sad for the victims who are actually penalized for the cowardice of their oppressors. :(
Thanks so much for your contribution. Always grateful to hear from someone who makes compassionate sense.
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