Thanks veggiepugs---sorry, haven't found your actual moniker yet!
It's interesting for me that we're having this ongoing discussion now as I just recently began getting involved with the Chicago vegan group.
I wonder how we start a separate list?
I would love (just to stir things up) to have a set of plates with the pic and caption you mention: >>>picture of a cat and a pig looking at each other
and underneath, the caption says "You call one a pet, and the other food....Why?<<<<
Actualy, I'd have a ballon from a smiling cat saying, I'm a cuddly pet, followed by one from a sad pig saying "And I'm food---why?"
Kerry
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of veggiepugs
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 11:06 PM
To: Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: Pills and Vegetarianism (separate topics...lol)
Warning...this is a LONG one and mostly about vegetarianism/animal activism. But first...
Thanks for that note on the Native American poem...I'm going to look for that.
Nina- That's my favorite veterinary resource Marvistavet! Thanks for that link. That's how I tried it but the problem
was, I couldn't restrain his feet with one hand while giving him the pill with the other and he reached up and
scratched me and while I was putting the pill in his mouth, he bit down on my hand. I just thought of something that
was recommended with my guinea pigs and wonder if it would work, but it is kind of mean, though any way you give
a pill is going to be to the cat...It was suggested that I wrap my guinea pig in a towel...Maybe if I wrap him in a towel
to hold his feet back, that might work. Then again, he'll probably figure out a way to get out. LOL. I'm calling the vet
tomorrow for liquid form and see about that.
Now...
Tonya (is that right?) about the whole vegan/vegetarian discussion...You put things very well. It is so true that people
turn a blind eye to satisfy a craving. Many of my friends who are of Christian Faith question me and test me about my
decisions not to eat meat. They disagree with me and believe that animals were put here for our use. Even though it's
no longer necessary. What strikes me is that one of the basic tenets of Christian religion is "thou shalt not give into
temptation" but somehow, where eating and using animals is concerned, that doesn't seem to apply. (I hope I'm not
offending anyone here...my apologies if I have). I think though, that animals are considered by many Christians, not
to have souls or be of importance in the kingdom of Heaven. But aren't all animals God's creatures? This, I struggle to
understand. My boyfriend is of pretty strong Protestant belief, but he doesn't give me a hard time about it. He really
and truly loves animals and he admires me for my decisions, and even tells everyone how cool I am about it because
I'm not a fanatic or pushing it in people's faces. But, he too, doesn't make the connection between the animals at
home and the animals on his plate. On one of my websites I have a picture of a cat and a pig looking at each other
and underneath, the caption says "You call one a pet, and the other food....Why?" Recently a friend of mine saw that,
and hasn't eaten meat for a week. For him, that made the connection. I don't know if he'll stick to it, but at least he is
trying and at least for him, something has clicked. As you said...any little bit makes a difference.
I know 2 people who actually worked in the animal industry and became vegan as a result of it. One, is the mad
cowboy, who i don't know personally...and the other is a man named Virgil Butler, who I've spoken to quite a few
times. He used to work for Tyson chicken and one day, something finally snapped and as he watched his fellow co-
workers mistreat the chickens and watched the process of how they come to be the food on our plates. He actually
went up against Tyson in court in a lawsuit. If you're interested in reading about him, he's known as the cyberactivist.
Just google that. It'll come up.
There is a book called "Dominion" by Matthew Scully and it's about animal exploitation and thoughts and
philosophies about it. He was a former speech writer for President Bush and a conservative Republican who is a
vegetarian/vegan and gets teased of course by his colleagues. But honestly, I think anyone who cares about animals
needs to read this book. It is life altering and really makes you think. Whether you're a veg or not. If you love
animals. Read this book. It is well written, intelligent, makes wonderful and logical points, gets you to think and can
change your life. It changed mine. It was the best book I have ever read. One of the points he made, which was blunt
as could be, was:
"...let us just call things what they are. When a man's love of finery clouds his moral judgement, that is vanity. When
he lets a demanding palate make his moral choices, that is gluttony. When he ascribes the divine will to his own
whims, that is pride. And when he gets angry at being reminded of animal suffering that his own daily choices might
help avoid, that is moral cowardice." ~Matthew Scully
Harsh as that may be, it does hold some merit. I think. But it's what many people have to do. I don't begrudge people
their decisions to follow what is a traditional and long standing way of life. To choose the route of vegetarianism or
veganism is life altering. But not as much, or in the way that one might think. It is very painful to recognize the actual
reality of the animal industry and to make the connection. It's not something many people can handle. God, I
remember when I first started venturing out into the world of vegetarianism and animal activism I was outraged,
disgusted, saddened and angry at what goes on. For a long time i was angry at anyone who couldn't see things my
way. So it was a long and gradual process for me to accept what is and do what I can on my own part. But it is
definitely not an easy conversion. I'll be the first to admit. Our brain is capable of amazing things. People
subconsciously block out painful experiences as if they don't exist, and it's like they never happened. Our brains are
able to mask, ignore and deny many things and make them non-existent or unreal. It's what humans have been doing
for years in terms of using animals for commodities. You'd have to, especially if you have a good heart. You have to
numb yourself to it. Yes, I would love if more people opened up to the realities, but I know it is a big step and as I
said, I have to be tolerant of other people's decisions if I wish for them to be tolerant of mine.
I'm the first to say that being vegan is not easy. I have known a lot of people who are or were vegans and fell off that
wagon. I have too. Eggs and cheese. But I just could never bring myself to ever ever eat any kind of meat at all. No
flesh of any kind whatsoever. I can honestly say that I remember meat tasting really good. I won't lie. It did. But now
there's a different association with it that just completely blocks me from ever putting a piece of meat into my mouth
again. For me, that association is more powerful than flavor. Especially when there are so many other
DELICIOUS things to eat that aren't animal!
Talking about this really helps me to have more conviction about things and bring things to the forefront that have
long been dormant in my mind. I'm so glad that there are people here who can relate to this and people who are so
receptive to talking about this topic. Thank you to all of you.
Thanks everyone really, for being so receptive to this discussion, esp. here on a list of other topics. Sorry for the long
post, I just get going on this stuff.
I should make a separate list for this stuff. I feel bad taking up space here about this and not about what this list is
for.
Thanks anyhow... :)
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