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| Note: I don't KICK anyone! I'm a nonviolent vegan. |
When I stopped eating animals in 1970 – every teacher, doctor, parent and peer disagreed; and said 'where will you get your protein? - you will die!'. Even though I stood totally alone, I still somehow knew that I was right... and they were wrong. That's a fairly incredible place to be in life....and particularly at the age of 12. When I became vegan in 1979, again, I had never met another vegan and had only heard of The American Vegan Society. Standing alone is one thing, but also knowing you are in the right - which translates to all of society is in the wrong – is a burden I've been bearing much of my life.
I am growing sad and impatient for humanity to wake up to the simple obvious “Great Truth” that we should not be violent to animals. We activists try to speak every which we can. We get creative with our advocacy, trying to get nonvegans to become vegans. I hope my public story serves as living proof that we should rewrite societal norms and laws if they are unjust, and help justice be served.
I would say it made me a better person to live vegan. I read about vegan nutrition to ensure I get what I need – and according to blood tests, I am getting all the necessary nutrients. I'm no super athlete (though you can be as a vegan), and I have minor flaws and pains as all humans do. But I feel certain that I am better than I would have been if I had not been vegan all these decades. So there you have it; we can live healthy, happy, harming-less lives.
So ... I'm still kicking after 37 years of non participation in animal exploitation. I hope I can stay here on Earth long enough to see humans realizing and embracing this notion that humans do not have the right to violently assault, breed and sexually violate, kidnap newborn infants from, make slaves of, torture and murder (and in holocaust proportions) – other animals. They are other species of the same 'animal kingdom' of which we belong. It is time that we take our next step and 'let go' of the very passe 'predator' mentality. We now have concoctions and formulations from plants to beautifully feed, dress, and care for ourselves and our rescued animal friends. Make your best effort to only support products and practices that are not derived from using animals.
The Truth of Veganism is so easy to see that a child can grasp it...often easier than brain-dirtied adults who believe the “greatest lie ever told”. Nonveganism (abusing and using animals for human financial gain) is a lie. Violating and exploiting the reproductive system of a cow (exploited for dairy), killing her newborn calf so humans can steal the sustenance that is ~ by nature ~ meant for her own calf; a bovine; not a human – is a lie. This is not living in Truth; for those who consider themselves Truth seekers. Especially since we don't need to – we should not have the legal or religious right to torture, enslave, exploit, objectify and be violent to animals. The Truth is - we all, in our better selves - would like to live and enjoy life without making life “hell on Earth” for other animals. Remember when you were a kid and you liked animals; they were your friends. Well...they really are. The only thing that has changed is that you bought the lie that society was selling you. Understandable, it's a lie that has permeated every corner of the globe for a very long time...yet it is still … a lie. It is an obvious Truth if humans can live great lives without intentionally harming innocent animals, that this is the more civilized and better way. I'm living proof that we can. Living as a vegan has not harmed me – nor other sentient beings. And according to unbiased science - unbiased science - and unbiased science - a vegan's diet is the best thing we can do to help save the planet we all share, and has many benefits to humans and society. The heart and soul of veganism is that of HARMING LESS and HELPING MORE.
In another 37 years, I will be 95....hope I will be here and able to write the sequel to this post; a blog thanking humanity for rejecting “the greatest lie ever told” and becoming a vegan humanity.
Thank you so much for being who you are, truly inspirational! And for the work you have been doing. Vegan hugs <3
ReplyDeleteI can completely relate to your post. I became vegetarian aged 11 and then vegan 8 years later. I have been vegan now for 25 years and growing up amongst people who just don't see or care about the cruelty that humans inflict on other animals is very hard. I work for an animal charity yet only a handful of staff are vegetarian and none are vegan. It can be very disheartening but I also hope to live long enough to see real change. Thank you for your blog.
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