The Natural History of Ben :)
Went down to the Barnes and Noble on East Colonial tonight with Leigh to go see Ingrid Newkirk (PETA President). We were about 20 minutes late so we missed her speech but caught a bit of the Q&A session. We bought her new book, said hi and got it signed.
I think I should talk about the fact that I went vegan earlier this year. I haven't explained it to anyone and I think it took people by surprise since I had never really talked about animal rights or anything related to veganism. I think it is because it came to me so damn quickly... even I was slightly surprised (not really...).
For years I've been considering how absolutely disgusting eating dead animals really is. After all, it is a dead animal. I don't see incisors in my mouth, regardless of what some people say (not only do I not see them, they are not there). I had found eating meat to be quite unnatural for quite a long time. I had been limiting my consumption, and had always happily eaten vegetarian if a meal of the sort came my way. Leigh had talked to me about veganism... MAYBE 2 times. Whenever she'd bring it up I tended to dismiss the notion of vegetarianism simply because I had learned that animal rights was pointless, and vegetarians always seemed like a crazy bunch. I think false media attention has brought this sort of stigma about vegans to the general public, and it did the same thing to me. Anyhow, just for future reference, Leigh had nothing to do with my choice to become vegan.
Since about the time that school started, I started to come to the realization that all animals are equal to me. In the EXACT same way black people are the same as whites, and females are equal to males... I feel that if you truly believe in equality between humans then the equality of animals goes hand in hand with it. I came to this realization but still ate meat since I just simply did not make the connection that I was killing an animal simply to feed myself. I was also not aware that a perfectly healthy life (actually, MORE healthy) could be had without using animal products.
One night I was the designated driver and as my friend was having sexual relations in the other room, I was sitting on the couch watching a PBS program called "The Natural History of the Chicken". The program was not intended to create vegetarians out of carnivors... but when I saw a clip of how egg laying hens are treated, I literally cried. I saw 4 or 5 hens to a cage, unable to naturally flap their wings or raise their families or have a chance to live a life that was rightfully theirs. I could not imagine a life going through such pain and suffering for 36 hours in order for 1 egg on my breakfast table. I used to eat 2 or 3 a morning. That is not fair to me. When I see factory farming I see The Holocaust x1000.
If I hurt an animal, I would be doing so only for my own personal satistfaction, and to do so is simply wrong. When I can live a more than healthy life without taking the life of a defenseless animal, I cannot see the reasoning behind eating meat, drinking milk, or consuming or using any other type of product that comes from animals. But even if it does not hurt the animal, I would still want nothing to do with the product. Animals are not around us for us to use for any reason. They have their own lives to live.
I'm not preaching. I think this is a change in my life that my friends should be aware of, and I think knowing why I decided to do such a thing is important.
If anyone is interested in leafleting at UCF in the next week or so, please email me at benkees@gmail.com or wontbutyoumight on AIM. I don't expect any, since I don't think I have any vegan friends listed... but just checking :)
I think I should talk about the fact that I went vegan earlier this year. I haven't explained it to anyone and I think it took people by surprise since I had never really talked about animal rights or anything related to veganism. I think it is because it came to me so damn quickly... even I was slightly surprised (not really...).
For years I've been considering how absolutely disgusting eating dead animals really is. After all, it is a dead animal. I don't see incisors in my mouth, regardless of what some people say (not only do I not see them, they are not there). I had found eating meat to be quite unnatural for quite a long time. I had been limiting my consumption, and had always happily eaten vegetarian if a meal of the sort came my way. Leigh had talked to me about veganism... MAYBE 2 times. Whenever she'd bring it up I tended to dismiss the notion of vegetarianism simply because I had learned that animal rights was pointless, and vegetarians always seemed like a crazy bunch. I think false media attention has brought this sort of stigma about vegans to the general public, and it did the same thing to me. Anyhow, just for future reference, Leigh had nothing to do with my choice to become vegan.
Since about the time that school started, I started to come to the realization that all animals are equal to me. In the EXACT same way black people are the same as whites, and females are equal to males... I feel that if you truly believe in equality between humans then the equality of animals goes hand in hand with it. I came to this realization but still ate meat since I just simply did not make the connection that I was killing an animal simply to feed myself. I was also not aware that a perfectly healthy life (actually, MORE healthy) could be had without using animal products.
One night I was the designated driver and as my friend was having sexual relations in the other room, I was sitting on the couch watching a PBS program called "The Natural History of the Chicken". The program was not intended to create vegetarians out of carnivors... but when I saw a clip of how egg laying hens are treated, I literally cried. I saw 4 or 5 hens to a cage, unable to naturally flap their wings or raise their families or have a chance to live a life that was rightfully theirs. I could not imagine a life going through such pain and suffering for 36 hours in order for 1 egg on my breakfast table. I used to eat 2 or 3 a morning. That is not fair to me. When I see factory farming I see The Holocaust x1000.
If I hurt an animal, I would be doing so only for my own personal satistfaction, and to do so is simply wrong. When I can live a more than healthy life without taking the life of a defenseless animal, I cannot see the reasoning behind eating meat, drinking milk, or consuming or using any other type of product that comes from animals. But even if it does not hurt the animal, I would still want nothing to do with the product. Animals are not around us for us to use for any reason. They have their own lives to live.
I'm not preaching. I think this is a change in my life that my friends should be aware of, and I think knowing why I decided to do such a thing is important.
If anyone is interested in leafleting at UCF in the next week or so, please email me at benkees@gmail.com or wontbutyoumight on AIM. I don't expect any, since I don't think I have any vegan friends listed... but just checking :)