Blogging is difficult when you don’t have your cable set up yet and you’re using the computer as the TV (thank you Hulu, Netflix, and the neighbor who’s providing the free internet at the moment). It’s even more difficult when there are two of us using the computer as the TV because if I decide I want to write a well-researched blog post, I must commandeer the sole form of entertainment in our home for an hour (or two, or three). This does not go over well with the natives. Rest assured, the cable man is scheduled to come next week so I’ll get the blogging back on track as soon as we have the Golf Channel to entertain Ed.
I stumbled across a great blog today: Know Thank You. It focuses on making a positive difference in the world. I thought this post was fantastic and wanted to share it here.
Why I’m Vegan by Know Thank You:
Being vegan means you’re walking the talk. You’re not just dreaming of a more compassionate world, of healthier people, and of a cleaner environment, you’re actually doing something to make a difference. Being vegan means you’re rejecting decades of mass marketing and deception, and you’re instead embracing truth, science, and compassion. Being vegan means you care more about impact than about balance sheets, and more about long-term vision than about short-term return. Being vegan means you understand that you are an animal too, and that only a very small percentage of your DNA differs from that of other animals. Being vegan means you understand that you are a part of nature rather than separated from it, and that you are in nature right now, no matter where you are at this moment. Being vegan means you see the beauty in the world around you and in the plants and other animals that we share it with, and feel that this beauty should be nurtured and protected rather than exploited. Being vegan sometimes means embracing that beauty in the face of insurmountable odds, and in the faces of people we were disappointed to find we couldn’t count on. Being vegan means knowing that no matter how different you may feel, every reason you need to carry on can be gained by looking into a cow’s eyes. Being vegan means you know that you are the cows’ advocate; you know that you are their voice; you know that you are their insider. All they ask is that you help enlighten humans, and help bring about changes that lead to the peace and beauty all animals enjoyed before we started interfering in their lives. Being vegan means you’re already a part of that enlightenment process, just because of your dietary choices. Being vegan means you are an active participant in the restoration of peace and beauty.
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Breakfast: Smoothie with frozen cherries, a banana, spinach, almond milk, and a scoop of protein powder
Lunch: A cashew butter sandwich and raw green beans with hummus
Dinner: Soy chorizo tocos with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and salsa verde – If you recall, I’m obsessed with Trader Joe’s soy chorizo. Since there aren’t any Trader Joe’s in Texas, I stocked up on it before leaving DC. I literally hauled an ice chest full of soy chorizo from DC to Texas. Yes, it’s that good.
And on a related note, the restaurant downstairs from us, Tacos and Tequila, has soy chorizo! The soy chorizo tacos there are delicioso and they can add the soy chorizo to their queso.
5 comments
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Molly says:
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:48 pm (UTC -5)
What a beautiful sentiment. Thank you for posting that. I had a conversation today with a work friend who is a former vegan. I finally asked her why she went back to eating meat. She said it was because she felt like her actions didn’t make any difference, especially living in Texas. That her veganism wasn’t directly saving any animals’ lives, so therefore “why bother?” She likened it to the “one vote counts” argument, when a voter feels that their one vote DOESN’T count.
I was really dismayed, but I didn’t know what to say. There is an article somewhere on the internet that talks about how one vegan cannot know if s/he is the ‘tipping point’ that makes the farm owner decide to slaughter fewer animals, and therefore ALL vegans are vital to the cause. I wish I could remember where I saw that article, because it’s the only factual defense I have. Everything else, though beautiful, like the post written above, is based in emotion, and may be less likely to convince someone. I don’t suppose you have any advice, do you?
When your internet is back up and running, of course. ;)
Rob says:
Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 3:45 pm (UTC -5)
Thanks for the nice comments about knowthankyou.com!
Hi Molly. Share this story with your friend about one person making a difference: http://www.mentoring-association.org/MembersOnly/ImpactOfOne.html Then remind her that choosing a meat-free diet saves dozens of animal lives every year, helps improve her health, and helps prevent further degradation of our environment.
Being “the only one” doesn’t make her useless, it makes her a leader.
Molly says:
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 1:18 am (UTC -5)
Thank you, Rob. That’s a great story in the link, and those are all excellent points. I appreciate all the help.
Powered By Produce says:
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 2:01 pm (UTC -5)
This is a fantastic topic – I’m working on a whole post about it! In the meantime… Molly, is this maybe the article you were looking for? http://www.veganoutreach.org/articles/saveanimals.html.
Molly says:
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 12:50 am (UTC -5)
YES! You’re a genius. :)