I wondered what vegans views were on war, capital punishment, abortion and gun control. Here are various vegans and their points of view on these issues.
Katia Luto - I am opposed to the death penalty, and thankful to live in a country where it is not practised. I am also opposed to the availability of weapons, guns or whatever - plus I don't support war or the military. As for abortion - I believe it is a woman's right to choose, she has the right to control her own fertility and make choices that fit her own beliefs and life circumstances. Here in the UK, abortion is readily available on the NHS. Feminists, including myself, campaigned mightily in the 1970's to achieve this, and I celebrate the victory, even though personally my choice was to have my baby.
Flavia LotusBlossom - This is what I wrote on another person's thread today, about gun control: "See the problem I have with allowing citizens to have firearms is that most people cannot be trusted with them, would abuse that privilege, and don't have training in how to handle them. Most people would just freeze in fear with a firearm in their hands, and it would get taken from them, and used against them. Everyone cannot be effectively trained to handle a firearm responsibly - that's a fantasy - and we'd have all sorts of people who can barely be trusted to tie their own shoelaces, running around with firearms, and lots of mayhem ensuing. Also, kids get hold of them all the time, and all sorts of tragedies occur. I don't ever want to be anywhere near any firearm, and hope I never have to be. I couldn't live in a house where one was kept." I could never be "for" the death penalty, I think that's absolutely crazy, no matter how horrific the crime, no one has the right to decide when another's life ought to end. I don't see how someone could be vegan and say they are "for" the death penalty. Decline to comment on abortion, except to say it's a profoundly sad decision for any girl or woman to have to make, and that way too many men comment on it, when they cannot ever know, or imagine, what it would feel like to be a pregnant woman. It seems that most of the most vociferous "pro-life" people are men, which is also crazy to me. How can they imagine what it's like to have a uterus? They can't. And most of these people who call themselves "pro-life" sit down to meals of the remains of murdered animals, and wear the furs and skins of murdered animals to these "pro-life" marches. Absolute insanity, and terribly sad.
Charlie Schliebs - Gun laws--since I knew a couple killed in a home invasion, and at least they would have had a chance with a gun, I am clearly for the right to own guns. However, there have to be better controls and registration, and stiff penalties for violating. Gun shows avoid all gun laws, and no one seems to care. Death penalty--used to be all for it, but there are far too many errors made (actually one is too many), so I believe it should not stand. Abortion--hardest one. Absolutely against it personally, but when I was young I knew a teen girl who died getting one when it was illegal, and how do you stop a person who was raped from getting one? So, I take no view on balance, supporting the status quo but hating it. War--Oh, if the US had just taken up the cause in 1939, rather than wait over two years, how many lives would have been saved. That being said, I opposed the Vietnamese Conflict and just about everything since then.
Deb Bechaz - Absolutely NO to death penalty, there are no circumstances that I would ever agree to it. Wars are just too easily justified these days and there always seem to be ulterior motives, so war only in dire circumstances of self defence. Guns absolutely should be controlled, and there are too many variables in the abortion debate, so I will continue to say womans choice and not judge their decision. I suppose it's like everything else, I follow the vegan philosophy of non violence, but there seem to be gray areas everywhere.
Bridget V Smith - Killing is NO GOOD. Death penalty, abortion, war - FORGET IT. Gun control is fine, I don't own a gun, I don't care really....I think it would help but I think the craaazies will just find other ways to have fun, at least here in the USA.
Angie Wright - I am happy guns are not easily available here (UK) and rarely seen. I have only seen plastic toy guns. I am against the death penalty as mistakes can and have been made. I am against abortion unless mother's life is at risk or if baby is very severely handicapped and unlikely to have any sort of life, or if the woman was raped (but she should have been given the morning after pill in case).
B B Hope LaVida - No death penalty. Gun control - when will the US get the message? Generally no to war, but on the other hand, cannot fault my grandparents for having fought Nazis. Conflicted. Definitely no to landmines, nukes, anything that targets civilians. No to arms trade. You're going to get more argument about abortion than the other stuff. I can tell you that for nothing!
Elle Durow - They are all evil.
Melissa Viau - I'm staying out of the abortion argument. Not up to being harassed and verbally attacked today. But I'm against war (except in the case of true self-defense with no alternatives) and the death penalty. I support some form of gun control.
Sharron Woodward - Gun laws - tighten them, tighten them, tighten them. Death penalty - anti- death penalty. Abortion - a woman's right to choose. War - On the fence here.
Kathryn Bulver - GUN LAWS: should be stricter. Extensive background checks and long waiting periods. No carry permits. DEATH PENALTY: that's a tough one. In my opinion, some humans have, through their own actions, given up their right to live since they commited such heinous crimes against other humans and/or animals that they do not deserve to exist. The ideal would be some kind of immediate divine justice (or a completely objective robot, like Gort from "The Day the Earth Stood Still" --oriiginal film--who would dispense justice. ABORTION: I am pro-choice, but wish abortion to be the last choice, after birth control. WAR: the last war that the U.S. has fought in that was justified is World War II.
Amy Lobenthal - Too many people use abortion as birth control, should be a last resort. Why in this day and age birth control is not used properly is beyond me. I personally would not have an abortion, but this is such a personal issue and it is not right for me to judge ANYONE at all. However, I cannot reconcile crying over a rat in a lab yet silently or publicly condone the murder of millions of human fetuses every year because people are too stupid or lazy to get birth control.
Florence Martin - I would like to see all guns banned (including by military) and just not made any more. I am against the death penalty (but prison sentences should be longer and harder, especially for murder and animal cruelty or murder). I cannot see that killing an unborn child can be painless for the baby and I think most women would regret killing their baby. In any case, that baby had the right to life. I am a total pacifist and against all war. These are all interrelated as one cannot be non-violent about some things and not about others. Veganism is non-violence and is a total way of life. It put me off the Olympics when I heard soldiers would be part of the Security. Guns are dangerous, even in the hands of soldiers and police. No guns, no shootings. No soldiers, no wars. No violence, much less suffering, for all species.
Steam India - As a vegan, I dislike guns, to the extent we don't get them in toy versions for our kids. Death penalty may be reserved for the rarest of rare crimes, rest of the convicts should be compulsorily made to do social service type of things or say work as labour in costructing roads, gas pipes, etc. Abortion may be done in rare cases and this only during the extremely initial stage, eg., first few days of conception. War shouldn't be indulged in.
Lesley StoptheDeercull Dove - I was kicked out of one facebook vegan group for being too forthright about being against abortion, but on the Vegans against Abortion group someone has just left because so many of them there support guns! Whatever it is vegans always seem to have a knack of finding something to divide us!
Tasha McCracken - I'm anti all of it!
Amanda Beatty - I have never agreed on the use of any weapon. I often hear people with guns say how they only have one for protection but then surely they wouldn't need one if others didn't have one in the first place. I, myself, wouldn't have an abortion but I know when people choose to that is it a very hard decision to make, most of the time and it isn't my right to judge on that. I find the death penalty a hard one though... I understand the life for a life thing but if I couldn't kill someone that killed someone else then it would be wrong of me to expect someone else to do it. Also I have never wanted anyone dead, it just feels wrong. Those have always been my views even before being vegan. Those are my views anyway.
Vasco Fernandes - against death penalty, in favor of abortion, and guns are very much controlled where I live and I hope it stays like that.
Andrea V Kratz - Abortion: pro choice because a woman should not be forced to have a baby she does not want; especially not after being raped. But I wouldn´t want to have an abortion myself. Against death penalty, gun laws are pretty good here in Germany but when I lived in the USA I was shocked when I heard a commercial "Buy an ATV get a gun for free". I think the U.S. really needs stricter gun laws. There are so many people dying through guns. Instead of "Pro Life" protests demanding to make abortion illegal there should be "Pro Life" protests demanding stricter gun laws.
Lisa Ara Qualls - In a perfect world I would prefer no guns at all, but as long as the government uses them I want the right to have mine. There are some countries where the lack of guns makes life much nicer, and I would like to be able to live that way. I am very, very opposed to the death penalty because prison should be a place to rehabilitate those who can be, and to safely house those who can't be. AND no one has the right to decide when someone else dies. I am in favor of choice, because it is the lesser of the many evils in this constant debate. I wish that people did not get pregant very often, but when they do I would prefer they not kill the baby. Most women who have to face that horrible decision do not take it lightly. I do think that when the baby develops the ability to perceive pain it should take extraordinary circumstances to permit an abortion, but before that, there should be no legal limitations. And most certainly, the law should keep fantasy mythological characters out of the decision!
Diane V Gandee Sorbi - I'm anti-gun, anti-death penalty, and pro-choice.
Arnold TheVegan Freeman - I am in favor of gun control, very much against the death penalty for so many reasons and will leave it at that. I am very much against war, but I do not have all the answers.
Liisa Pulkki Henry - I do think that most of these issues are related to being vegan, though. Non violence and a right to life are pretty fundamental aspects, although even then, there are always shades of gray, in my humble opinion.
Maureen Hurly - There would be a very wide range of responses. I even know vegans who are in favour of the death penalty. Can't lump animal rights people together on other issues, even though most are "liberal" on most issues, there's a big range.
Kortnie Sloat - I really don't like any sort of firearm/weapon - I think they should all be destroyed . . .They are used for violence so nothing good comes from them. War is also pointless . . . I most definitely reject it. Death penalty - I don't think anyone deserves to have their life taken from them . . . there are other options like jail time or community service and things like that.
Diane Freed - No one can truly be "pro-life" and eat dead animals!!!
Alex Strain - I am Pro-Choice but also Pro-Education and Pro-programs like Planned Parenthood. I think with greater access to care and education we could lessen the incidents of abortion, but Pro-Lifers in this country seem intent on pushing abstinence. It's unrealistic and does not help those who were raped seeking an abortion. I am opposed to the death penalty because if murder is a crime then it's hypocritical of the state to do it. Also, it is not worth it as long as innocent people are put to death. I think there should be restrictions when owning guns and certain fire arms should be banned. No one needs an assault rifle.
Zarby Frupnic - The gun laws don't exist to inspire killing; they exist to encourage protection. Laws or no laws, criminals will have guns. You will stand a better chance not being a sitting duck. The government has far too much power, and the second amendment exists for us to ensure we will have equal footing, to keep the government in check. We do not have equal footing. I'm against the death penalty and against abortion as well. No human being has the right to determine the fate of another human being, regardless of their crimes. And if we didn't have so much excessive legislation and the government breathing down our necks, maybe there would be less crime, no? That being said, I'm also against war. The only reason war exists is to make money. Re: "eye for an eye," war, abortion, and "assisted suicide:" please remember that all of these scenarios are choices determined by human beings. Therefore, you might have this pie in the sky idea in your head that the justice system is 100% fair and that war is an unnecessary evil, or that assisted suicide helps ease the suffering. Well what about those situations where the justice system screwed up, someone framed someone, war is waged on false pretenses, or the person getting 'assisted' doesn't actually want to die, but can't say it? Maybe they have a lot of cash to leave behind? All I'm saying is that humans should not be INVOLVED in the choice of life vs death. It's conceited to think that we have a RIGHT to control these things. And remember that guns are an inanimate object. The intent comes from the owner, not the object. Guns can be used as a defense as much as they can be used as an offense. You may think this contradicts the 'anti-choice' belief, but it's self-defense/survival.
Hayley Evans - Many people in the US seem to be pissy about sex education being taught in schools. If one third of pregnancies are unintended, maybe that's something they need to look into and understand that sex education is not sex promotion. Here in Australia there are time length cut off points and people generally would not be showing (certainly not enough for anyone to notice) prior to having a 'procedure'. I'm totally pro choice. I don't think people using it over and over in place of contraception it is a big problem here.
