Seeing footage from dairy farms and slaughter houses gets to me every time. I know I am not alone here, but it touches me deep down in my heart, knowing that there are these horrible atrocities going on in the world, while I feel as though there is nothing I can do about it. When my friends and family ask about my diet and I start to get into the ethical side of it and animal rights they will either laugh and call me a "hippie" or simply nod their head and continue to turn a blind eye. I feel so helpless, yet when I watch that footage I see that REAL pain and it makes me want to DO something!! How do the rest of you deal with these emotions? How have you been able to become proactive?
I just needed to vent to a group of people who understand... thanks for listening.
Permalink Reply by AJ on Oh man, I really hate when questions about my diet lead into a discussion of ethical veganism. People tend to mistake correlation for causation and assume that I eat vegan SOLELY for the animals and that the raw part is orthorexia. I've found the best defense is to know hard facts. Even when people don't like them, and even when it goes against what they were taught(but hey, weren't we all taught the same things growing up?), I've found that they can rarely counter my argument with facts of their own. Look up not just the information about animals saved on a vegan diet, but the PEOPLE who could benefit from a global shift to a plant-based diet, such as how we could deliver grains and the like to starving nations, and teach them how to forage instead of cutting down their forests/taking their land and depleting their resources so that we can sacrifice cows and malnourish those in need with powdered milk while rich nations take all the flesh. And sure, emotions tend to run high when a person is being faced with their own ignorance, but the bottom line is if you know and believe in what you are talking about you will walk away triumphant.
I've been having issues like this lately with a particular roommate of mine and certain family members. Some battles you can't win, I've learned to keep my mouth shut around the roommate for the sake of the house- But some people will listen! A different roommate who is an "ethical vegetarian" has started making the shift to vegan after I told her about The China Study- she bought a huge sack of potatoes and apples at the store instead of cheese! My father has struggled with weight-related health issues and depression his whole life and after a heated debate with me where I brought my knowledge and he brought nothin- he's started to incorporate fruit meals into his diet and has lost 10lbs! For every loss there is at least one win =] At the end of the day you know what you are doing is right and beneficial to others, so when faced with what seems like a losing battle, take solace in knowing that you are STILL WINNING!!
Permalink Reply by ORGANIC811LFRV on I read quite a few books on this subject and honestly it got me so sick to my stomach I went back to raw veganism the next week.
What am I doing about it? I am mentoring other people in my business to give up eating meat. I am turning people into educated and informed consumers. They in turn are educating and informing their friends and relatives. The wave is growing and it is effecting a huge change. It just takes one person like yourself to be strong enough to say THAT'S ENOUGH! That in itself is a loud message.
If you are led into other actions - take them please. Realize that resistance is the first thing you are going to get and be strong.
Be the change you want to be.
I'm with you sister on this and you also have many many others simply on this site.
Permalink Reply by Aly A on Wow, thank you for the words of encouragement everyone. It really does help.. Maybe I will pick up a copy of The China Study, I've heard a lot about it but you're right, knowing hard facts will definitely be help, since not everyone wants to feel sad for the animals. It's at least nice to know that there is a movement out there who is with me on this, that there are some individuals who are also strong enough to stand up for what they believe in, instead of mindlessly going along with the crowd. Thanks for the encouragement everyone.
Permalink Reply by ORGANIC811LFRV on Aly, you never know how you standing up for what you feel with heart and conviction effects others. Some state it openly to you and are grateful for what you've said. Others feel that way and spread the words of truth but you won't know.
Permalink Reply by AJ on "It's at least nice to know that there is a movement out there who is with me on this, that there are some individuals who are also strong enough to stand up for what they believe in, instead of mindlessly going along with the crowd."
Well put, that's exactly how I feel! They other night I got attacked by the problem roommate and since I knew my efforts against her were futile, I just zoned out and imagined living in Florida or Hawaii or even better, Australia in a fruit house full of friends I've made on this site living happy peaceful fruity lives together =] I want to make that happen sometime soon so thinking about that gets me through the worst ignorant criticism.
Also I want to randomly add that everyone who knows me off the internet calls me Aly (short for Alysa) and I've never met anyone else who spelled their name that way! So props to you, haha.
Permalink Reply by pradtf on greetings aly! and welcome to 30bad!
you shouldn't feel that you can do nothing about the atrocities - because you are obviously doing many things.
nor should you expect your efforts to produce the result you would like to have - because you still are having an effect.
it took a long time for the berlin wall to come down.
however, it happened because people chipped away at it in various ways and never quit.
take a look here:
http://www.30bananasaday.com/forum/topics/pradvertisement-animal-ri...
you'll see a lot of 'chipping away' taking place - and every now and then a demolition ball hits that wall and takes out a piece.
the numbers of our wrecking crew are growing and animal rights is been the fastest moving social justice movement in history!
so if you want a hardhat and a sledgehammer to get that wall to break a bit faster, just ask! ;)
in friendship,
prad
Permalink Reply by Onewordspoken on Coming from a SAD and knowing that I was at one point a part of all the "Demand" that these corportations use as some sort of excuse to treat these animals like garbage is something that I am not proud of. However, and I am not giving people an excuse here, but lots of people just simply don't know how awful it really is.
I have friends at work that eat SAD and they like to poke fun that they are going to have bacon ice cream or go in to detail about what they will be eating, they do it because they don't understand. When I first saw earthlings (the documentary) that was the first time i'd actually seen the horror. In your heart one knows that the animal has to be killed, but one just convinces themselves that it's "humane" and that lie is backed up by food inspectors and the like.
I've tried to get a few of them to watch the documentary again, but they all refuse, saying that they'd rather stay in ignorance so that they can continue to eat meat with no convictions. So i'm trying a new approach of leading by example. I'm hoping that I can get to a fit look and prove that it's possible to be healthy and not kill everything one eats.
I absolutely wish you peace, though.
Permalink Reply by pradtf on greetings! and welcome to 30bad!
nice post too!
I've tried to get a few of them to watch the documentary again, but they all refuse, saying that they'd rather stay in ignorance so that they can continue to eat meat with no convictions.
ya this is just it - avoid reality for as long as you can!
So i'm trying a new approach of leading by example. I'm hoping that I can get to a fit look and prove that it's possible to be healthy and not kill everything one eats.
well good for you! that's certainly one way to make an impact!
certainly a win-win!
keep up the great work, ows!
in friendship,
prad
Permalink Reply by Linzi on I believe that best way to help out is to plant as many fruit trees as possible.
Permalink Reply by Peter Csere on Yes! If everyone in the world went HCRV tomorrow, there wouldn't be enough fruit trees. Start planting, folks.
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