compassionategirl Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 vegan. I was in a health store in a mall, and I was inquiring about whether some essential oils were tested on animals. She then enthusiastically asked me, "I know, I hate that. Are you a vegetarian?" I said, uh, well, I dont eat meat, dairy products, egg products, or honey, so I guess I am vegan. She was very excited to be talking to a vegan, and told me how she detests animal exploitation and cruelty. I noticed she was reading "Becoming vegetarian." I loved her passion and enthusiasm. I knew she had the potential to immediately go vegan, once informed of how dairy cows and battery chickens suffer immensely, even more so than animals just raised for their flesh alone. So i proceeded to inform her. I gave her the meetyourmeat.com link as well (and veganbodybuilding of course) and encouraged her to see her vegetarianism through to its only logical conclusion. I returned a couple of weeks later to purchase some more oil. She proudly told me she was vegan, and had even purchased and was reading "becoming vegan" instead of reading her "Becoming vegetarian" book. jenn, if you are reading this, you have made the compassionate choice and the animals thank you for it. Why cant everybody have such a strong ethic and conscience like that, that they can just matter of factly go vegan, and all it would take is some information and awareness? If everybody was like jenn, activism would be a piece of chocolate vegan cake with blue frosting. Instead, it is more like taking on Everest in stilletos and a tank-top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashnburn Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 congratulations . I'm glad you are out and about and making stuff happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crash Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Good for you CG !!! Way to go ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarz Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Nice1 Natalie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finbarrio Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 WTG, CG and Jenn! a piece of chocolate vegan cake with blue frosting. As my wife says (like every day), "mmmm, vegan chocolate cake." Why cant everybody have such a strong ethic and conscience like thatGood question (unless of course someone's philosophy is that animals should be abused). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisaann Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Your story was nice, but I kinda resent the implication that if one is anything BUT a vegan they are evil !!! For me, vegitarianism is a PERSONAL choice. It's great that you all are vegans, but to suggest that I care for animals less because of what I do or do not eat, is a very judgemental way of thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollegeB Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 I think there are very decent arguments to just go vegan if ethics (and other areas) are something you are concerned about. I was once a vegetarian and even meat eater too, so I dont like to cast judgement, but I still encourage people to continue to make changes; to keep trying to do just a little more when possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flanders77 Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Well done Natalie!Some people really just need someone to show them where to go. After the seed is planted the plant will most properly grow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Good job, cg! Every person you wake up to the benefits of being vegan is a real victory. Feels good, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compassionategirl Posted March 23, 2007 Author Share Posted March 23, 2007 First off, in light of the emails and pm's I received welcoming me back with joy, I should point out that this is an OLD thread that has been resurrected. I am sorry to disappoint my friends here, but you all have my email address as it is posted in my profile and I'd be happy to correspond with you via email, because no, I am not back (and some of you know why). Unless, of course, a thread is brought to my attention in which there is a misinformed but well intentioned consumer, and wherein animals need a voice - in this case, it is the free range hens that need a voice as nobody has yet educated Lisaann on what free range really means. So, Lisaann, I will respond to your reply of "veganism isnt for everybody." This will be a one shot deal. If a debate ensues, others will have to carry it forward. Lisaann, while you are clearly a well-intentioned, kind hearted person, I regret to inform you that "cage free egg farming is, above all else, a business. Consequently, profit surpasses concern for the animals' comfort, welfare, or behavioral needs. Furthermore, even if cage free hens were treated with kindness and given all the space they could use (and it is by no means clear that cage free hens are treated kindly as the industry would have us believe), they would still be killed for meat when their egg production wanes, usually after one or two years, even though in her natural environment a hen could love about 15 years. And, like all animals raised for food, they will be subjected to the horrors and abuses of transportation, handling, and slaughter." It has been said by writers and commentators in the field of animal rights (Jim Mason off the top of my head), that if a person refuses to go vegan, then the animals are better off if that person boycotts just the egg and dairy industries instead of just the flesh industries. This is because animals in the egg and dairy industries suffer for a longer period of time than animals killed for their flesh. "An inherent problem with ALL egg production, whether cageless, or otherwise, is the disposal of unwanted male chicks at the hatchery. Because male chicks don't lay eggs and do not grow fast enough to be raised profitably for meat, they are deemed a financial liability, except for the few that are used as rooster studs. On average, one rooster is used to service ten hens. Hence, nine out of ten male chicks are considered virtually useless and will be killed by the cheapest means available, including suffocation and being ground up alive. No matter what words or systems are used to candy coat animal production, when we treat sentient beings as commodities, we invariably invite abuse." When you purchase your cage free eggs, THIS is what you are supporting, and that is a fact. And it is unfair to these animals, it is deny them the most basic rights, to assert that veganism is a "personal choice." In view of the immense and very real suffering caused by non-vegan choices, veganism is more accurately described as a moral imperative than a "personal choice." That ALL egg production, including so called "cage free" egg production, causes unspeakable suffering to innocent, defenseless birds, and that if you purchase their products you are supporting that suffering, Lisaan, is not a judgment - it is a fact. And what is to be "resented" is the suffering of sentient beings, and those informed individuals who needlessly cause it or needlessly contribute to it. I applaud your abstinance of flesh and your care for animals. I have no doubt that you are well intentioned. For that very reason, I hope that you will research the egg (and dairy?) industries further and then boycott the immense cruelty and suffering which they mass produce every hour. If you have any further questions or would like specific resources, email me. You will find my email address in my profile here. Be well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JW Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 I really miss those posts!!!!Great to hear from you CG!!! Reading a CG post always puts one back to reality.Very informative with a healthy dose of harsh reality! It's kind of like a respectful vegan kick in the pants! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Mmm. A delicious bite of CG wisdom. Glad you came back long enough to drop us a nibble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andgbr Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 that's awesome.. i turned a friend of mine into veganism, but after 2 days he went back to meat-eating.. Why cant everybody have such a strong ethic and conscience like that The real problem, is that sometimes people choose not to see things, because reality is not always easy.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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