Dumb Shit People Say

When I went vegan my biggest surprise,
was the reaction of others - their preference for lies!

The overwhelming majority unwilling to grow,
to move past their bias and into the ‘know’

Upset sometimes when being asked to see,
but not upset at ‘content’ - upset with me!

The irrational statements and ridiculous claims
to justify and rationalize rather than change.

Always dumb questions like, “Don’t plants feel pain?”
Kill puppies/mow the lawn – do they believe them the same?

They express a desire to be like a caveman?
Or seek *local* death and destruction whenever they can?

No matter how *local*, there is nothing humane
about the exploitation of others and causing undue pain.

Bias and discrimination - a lack of deliberate thought -
but a “personal choice” it most certainly is NOT.

They call veganism “extreme” and insist God approves…
Violence and apathy are acceptable views?

Innocent victims involved, basic decency forsaken,
but the most some can reply is how much they “love bacon…?”

Nonvegans fraught with disease, claim vegan unhealthy…
or that being vegan is elitist and only for wealthy?

Vegans not deficient in protein or iron,
and no, your teeth do NOT look like a lion!

They could ask rational questions or present a thoughtful take…
But instead often asked about a zombie outbreak.

Or a deserted island – “Then what would you do?”
“You have a bug on your windshield, you kill animals too!”

Desperate defense to keep dissonance disease.
When views and actions conflict it causes unease.

No, farmers DO NOT love their animals, they breed them only to slay,
and they will keep torturing them, as long as we pay.

And then there’s the question – “But don’t you miss cheese?”
No - I do not miss consuming secretions nor killing babies.

I’m not missing anything, of that I assure.
Nonvegan is toxic, veganism the cure.

Another frequent comment, though utterly wrong,
is to pull the ‘cult card’ and say we joined along.

But here is the fact, no matter what nonvegans perceive…
Their *cult* is what vegans have managed to leave!

The nonvegan *cult* requires bloodshed, violence, unkind…
So no wonder the pressure to justify such conflict of mind.

I used to be them, I have lived on each side,
but I prefer to think for myself and let my morals guide.

All these silly excuses, on their ‘journey’ they’re crawling…
While the truth - any delay is completely appalling.

Easy alternatives in the palm of the hand,
To go on ignoring – this I just can’t understand!

Animals exploited and tortured…planetary pollution,
Vegan an immediate way to be a part of solution.

But very deep is their program, they just don’t recognize.
Most people are decent, but they are mired in lies.

Only a world that accepts fantasy,
could call nonviolence “extreme” and defend travesty.

Claiming to “love” as they destroy everything.
Words that are empty while great harm actions bring.

So - the hardest of ‘vegan’? Those making stupid excuses.
Irrational nonsense to justify horrific abuses.

Yet no matter what dumb shit some people might say,
there is NO rational reason to not be vegan TODAY.

~ POEM BY KARYN SWANEY
©Karyn Swaney


be vegan

Helping not Harming

My [awesome vegan 😊] husband works at a truck shop along a very busy truck route and there are many trucks in the yard in various stages of repair. A few times the 'guys' have found cats, we would assume who were *dumped* there, desperately seeking shelter and safety in one of the trucks.
Last week and through this week temperatures have been below zero here and we are in quite the cold spell...when suddenly 2 very small cats - almost kittens - are spotted trying to get some shelter in one of the repair trucks. Of course the minute anyone tries to get near them they run away, so hubby hauls out our Havahart trap and another guy at work also brings one in, and we set about trapping these babies.
The first one was relatively easy, by Saturday we got her, but that just made all of us more desperate - now the other was alone, in below freeing temperatures!
We drove back and forth numerous times Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to check the trap (since it was a holiday weekend and no one else was at the shop)...no kitty. But one of the other guys did the Monday afternoon run, and to our shock, we got 'Momma'!!!!! (we assume it is 'Momma' anyways, the resemblance is strong).
They had never seen her and didn't know she was out there!
So, last night, with good covers and warm bedding, 'Momma' was left inside the truck cab with a second trap set right next to her, and we went to bed desperately hoping to get the other kitty before they got crushed on the busy road or froze to death...
As soon as he got to work this morning my [awesome vegan 😊] husband called, admittedly close to tears...WE GOT THE OTHER BABY!!!
We got them out of this terrible cold and they will now know warmth and love. They 'guys' are all dickering about who will ultimately take them home after being seen by a vet and such, they are in love! There it a lot of talk of keeping the babies together, if not all three. I don't know what will happen as I have my hands full with my crew and have not 'thrown my hat in the ring' as a potential home unless the situation was dire, which it is not. We have done our part of this rescue for now.
At the moment we have left a trap set, in case there happen to be others, and we will keep checking it. 'Momma' was a surprise and we don't want to assume we got them all just yet.
The feeling of relief when you can secure a safe life for a precious being is close to indescribable, but it basically the way I feel about life every moment of every day as a vegan. I love animals. I do not want to hurt any of them...NOT. ONE. SINGLE. BIT.
I want to help them. Living vegan is a relief and a joy. I am grateful for 'vegan'.
Live in alignment. Celebrate peace. Live vegan

Vegan is Rational

Everyone would be vegan if they’d let themselves *see*
if they’d let go of their bias and just think rationally.
That is not said flippant, it’s a dead serious truth,
A look ‘round society offers much proof.
Think of the books, all the movies enjoyed
Where we root for the animal…we don’t want their lives destroyed!
On the edge of our seats when from their killers they flee…
But before I went vegan, that killer was ME.
We hope Babe and Wilbur stay away from their knives.
Yet we don’t connect we’re the ones actually taking their lives.
When we look at the world through when we begin,
we see without question of a love from within.
And were one to ask…we already know what we'd say,
“Do you want to hurt animals?” would get an emphatic "NO WAY!"
Taught some to kill, some to sleep with at night.
We do harm to most while we hold our pets tight.
A man abuses his dog – “How could he dare?”
Public outcry for hanging in the mid of town square.
A man kills a lion - and the world has a fit,
Kill billions of others? So few give a shit.
Seen on the news “A cow made an escape,
he was destined for slaughter until he made his big break.”
A great clamor arises as many hope for rescue,
But millions of others like him needing YOU.
Cognitive dissonance is what it is called,
when we treat some one way but don’t apply our morals to all.
We don’t even recognize this strange contradiction,
abuse of some fine, but of a dog gets a conviction.
It’s pretty concerning thinking your mind is legit
and then you see differently – a complete hypocrite!
I’m completely perplexed why this obvious fact,
makes so many defensive and on the attack.
But as I said already - all vegans we’d be,
if we used common sense and we thought rationally.

What's *Hard* about Being Vegan?

I had always “loved animals”, or at least so I thought,
Then I found out that in fact I did not.
My “love” included violence, slavery, and their *use*.
I thought that I cared - while I supported abuse.
When going vegan I had no doubt it was right,
I found out all my ignorance and went vegan overnight.
Initially I found out about *factory farms*
But soon I woke up to even small ‘local’ harms.
Before going vegan we think it will be tough
to change out our habits and even some of our stuff.
After going vegan not long to realize,
‘Vegan’ not hard once we open our eyes.
A short matter of time before most vegans will say
“I wish I’d gone vegan a much earlier day!”
Before I was vegan I was blind, deaf, and dumb…
I thought I “loved animals” but I only loved SOME.
I was thoughtless and brainwashed, not making sense,
Ingrained with bad habits, drowned with dissonance.
Then something woke in my brain, cleared in my mind,
I found ‘vegan’ AMAZING - no longer deaf, dumb, or blind!
One *hard* thing of ‘vegan’ was an honest assess of myself,
annoyed how long consciousness sat unused on a shelf.
I had to accept my own bias, lack of thought.
A *personal choice* it most certainly is NOT.
There are *victims* involved and mercy forsaken
But the most some can reply is how much they “love bacon?”
When you’ve seen all the lies, this terrible hoax,
It is utterly appalling how some can make jokes.
Animals exploited and tortured…planetary pollution,
People claim to care but avoid being part of solution.
So - the hardest of ‘vegan’? - people making excuses
For their active part in these ongoing abuses.
Saying they care but so much harm that they bring.
Claiming to “love” as they destroy everything.
There are such easy alternatives in the palm of their hand,
but they insist on ignoring – this I just can’t understand!
Once I was ‘woke’ I never once looked behind
I am vegan forever, a life with morals in line.
I love being vegan – so many reasons nonvegan is wrong,
My only regret is that it took me so long.
We can make different choices, we can change our way…
If you are not vegan please go vegan TODAY.