Not. One. Moment.

Anyone who says these pictures are the same is untruthful. It is that simple. We know in our hearts it is not the same. When we look we know it is not the same. If you are not vegan - please take personal responsibility for the suffering you are inflicting. We know this is not right. We know in a quick glance that the photo on the right is appalling.

We can blame the truck driver, or the slaughterhouse, or the *farmer* who profits from the suffering, but if you are not vegan then you are truly the one who is culpable. A direct supply your hard-earned money to the most vicious criminal activity and animal abuse – actions so horrific we would put you in jail if done to dogs or cats.

How deeply are you entrenched? Are you able to believe that they do not suffer the same or that your actions do not directly lead to this perpetration of violence? Do our morals REALLY allow this? Or are many people just so suffocated by this utterly contradictory societal thinking that would have them eating dogs if raised elsewhere? Have they completely lost their ability to determine right from wrong? Because I think it is obvious.

Do they not feel pain? Do they not suffer? Are they not suffering and in pain in this photo? I believe they are. Do you think there is suffering in the photo on the left?

I also believe they are terrified. I know they probably have not been offered food or water for some time. I know they are about to be violently assaulted. And I know they will never be shown one iota of mercy. Not just by the truck driver, or the *farmer*, or the slaughterhouse – we already know they will not show mercy – but also by the nonvegans...the ones who perpetuate the horror – the ones who pay them to abuse and exploit the most vulnerable among us.

I have been vegan a long time now. I will NEVER live one moment of my life again as a nonvegan again.
Not. One. Moment.

The Instinct to Help, We Have No Instinct to Harm

This butterfly drew my attention when s/he appeared to be stuck on a flower and was fluttering madly to break free. Immediately I jumped to action and headed over to help. Within a few seconds, and before I even got there, s/he had freed themselves and flew to another flower nearby.

First I looked at the flower s/he got caught on – wondering what was there that could have trapped such a large butterfly. Seeing nothing and still wondering what had happened, I headed over to check on the butterfly. That is when I noticed the injury (the picture isn’t great, s/he insisted on being against the sunlight no matter how much I tried to get a better angle).

I wondered if losing part of his/her wing hurt – like humans get phantom pain or something - is that crazy? - not sure of the science on butterfly CNS. I assume s/he knows of their injury, as undoubtedly it is affecting their flight - and is surely the reason s/he got caught on a flower - from the irregular tatters of the posterior wing.

I watched this fascinating and beautiful earthling for a little while and I was relieved to see this determined critter continue to do what all sentient beings seek to do – simply LIVE.

As I watched, entertaining unrealistic wishes such as surgically repairing my little butterfly buddy, I also thought about the reaction of people I know. I think everybody I know would have done the same – had they seen a beautiful butterfly struggling - they would try to help, and if unable to help they would feel a bit bad for their helplessness.

But these same people often have trouble grasping vegan ethics, never realizing it is the exact same thing. The human(e) feeling all decent people have - the protective feeling we get when faced with a vulnerable, innocent being - the feeling we were taught to ignore, at least when it came to *certain* earthlings. How we were BEFORE we were taught it was *normal* to cause the suffering and death of *some* but not others.

Vegans just stopped ignoring the obvious – every single sentient earthling is a beautiful *butterfly*…

…if you wouldn’t harm the butterfly…???

VEGAN FOR(EVER) LIFE AND LOVE.

SCIENTIFICALLY, FACTUALLY, AND MATHEMATICALLY A VEGAN?

SCIENTIFICALLY, FACTUALLY, AND MATHEMATICALLY A VEGAN?

I am vegan because the readily-available SCIENCE demonstrates that raising animals for food is incredibly harmful and destructive to the planet I live on. 

I am vegan because I have learned the evidence-based SCIENTIFIC DATA of human anatomy and what is the most optimal form of ‘fuel’ for my species. 

I am vegan because I understand MATH – how tons of edible food and hundreds of gallons of water are wasted to make very small amounts of ‘animal protein’ – it merely takes MATH to easily demonstrate how much eating (or drinking) ‘animal protein’ contributes to global famine.

I am vegan because I have researched the FACTS about the massive amount of drugs used in raising animals for food, including antibiotics and steroids, putting our antibiotics at risk for all of mankind and producing ever-more dangerous ‘superbugs’, along with introducing unnecessary chemicals into my body. 

I am vegan because of all the SCIENTIFICALLY identified pathogens – the E. Coli, the Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, the resistant forms of microbes found in ‘animal protein’ and I realized that simply “cooking it enough” was just not a good option.

I am vegan because I saw for myself the FACTS of what happens when manure lagoons flood - what happens when all the farm run-off gets into my soil and water, the massive pollution that has resulted from raising animals for food, and the contamination of our ‘clean’ food.

I am vegan because I have seen the SCIENTIFIC DATA of the effect on our nature and wildlife and of the massive amount of wildlife that is killed off on an ongoing basis to make room for more grazing land, cropland (meant to feed more farm animals), or to protect ‘food animals.’

I am vegan because I understand the known FACTS that animal agriculture is the number one cause for loss of biodiversity, species extinction, global pollution, climate change, and deforestation. 

I am vegan because anything less than living vegan would be to cause harm, fear, distress, suffering, pain, and/or death to another sentient being who I fully understand in SCIENTIFIC terms is able to feel the exact same emotions I am able to feel.

But MOST OF ALL – MOST IMPORTANTLY - I am vegan because determining ‘right’ from ‘wrong’ is easy. Even if ALL AVAILABLE SCIENCE wasn’t on my side (WHICH IT IS), I would still be vegan…because it is simply the right thing to do. I understand myself and my values extremely well - animal abuse, global devastation, and the devastating effects on other humans is simply not within any moral guideline I was ever taught, and I believe our morals are defined by our actions and not by empty words.
(Still…though…I can’t help but be in awe at how perfectly it all seems to line up…the science, the values, the body. It truly does amaze me.)

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"To me it is deeply moving that the same food choices that give us the best chance to eliminate world hunger are also those that take the least toll on the environment, contribute the most to our long-term health, are the safest, and are also, far and away, the most compassionate towards our fellow creatures."

~ John Robbins

Here’s a list of some of the BAZILLIONS of articles out there…veganism is morals…but veganism is also supported by SCIENCE AND FACTS.

The end of meat? Economics, the environment and changing tastes have top protein feeling the heat

http://business.financialpost.com/news/agriculture/the-end-of-meat-economics-the-environment-and-changing-tastes-have-top-protein-feeling-the-heat

Meat consumption is selfish and damaging to the environment

http://collegian.com/2016/10/stettner-meat-consumption-is-selfish-and-damaging-to-the-environment/

'Eat less meat, or no meat at all' - Mary Robinson suggests going vegan to reduce carbon footprint

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/climate-change-and-you/eat-less-meat-or-no-meat-at-all-mary-robinson-suggests-going-vegan-to-reduce-carbon-footprint-35088537.html

Why Eating Fish is Ecologically Irresponsible

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/why-eating-fish-is-ecologically-irresponsible/

The Evidence for a Vegan Diet

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/the-evidence-for-a-vegan-diet/251498/

10-Year Study Shows Plant-Based Diet Slashes Cancer Risk

http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=7390&catId=1

Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets

http://www.thepermanentejournal.org/issues/2013/spring/5117-nutrition.html

VIDEO: Eating you alive

https://www.facebook.com/eatingyoualivefilm/videos/1673708796202365/

7 Ways Milk and Dairy Products Are Making You Sick

http://www.forksoverknives.com/7-ways-milk-and-dairy-products-are-making-you-sick/

Meat, dairy may be as detrimental to your health as smoking cigarettes, study says

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meat-dairy-may-be-as-detrimental-to-your-health-as-smoking-cigarettes/

MRSA Superbugs in Meat

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/mrsa-superbugs-in-meat/

The Secret to Putting Your Cardiologist Out of Business

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2016-09-16/the-secret-to-putting-your-cardiologist-out-of-business

Why Even Grassfed and Local Beef Isn't Sustainable

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/vegan-challenge/2014/04/why-even-grassfed-and-local-beef-isnt-sustainable

The Triple Whopper Environmental Impact of Global Meat Production

http://science.time.com/2013/12/16/the-triple-whopper-environmental-impact-of-global-meat-production/

Pew Commission Says Industrial Scale Farm Animal Production Poses “Unacceptable” Risks to Public Health, Environment

http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases/2008/04/29/pew-commission-says-industrial-scale-farm-animal-production-poses-unacceptable-risks-to-public-health-environment

How Much Your Meat Addiction is Hurting the Planet

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/06/30/how-much-your-meat-addiction-is-hurting-the-planet/

Vegan diet makes the difference in reversing diabetes

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/02/16/vegan-diet-makes-the-difference-in-reversing-diabetes/

Advice From a Vegan Cardiologist

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/advice-from-a-vegan-cardiologist/?_r=1

Heart Diseases Of Vegans Drop by One Third According To The Oxford University

http://www.goingveganhealthbenefits.com/heart-diseases-of-vegans-drop-by-one-third-according-to-the-oxford-university/

Why I Abandoned Traditional Cardiology to Become the “Healthy Heart Doc”

http://www.forksoverknives.com/why-i-abandoned-traditional-cardiology-to-become-the-healthy-heart-doc/

Bacon And Sausages As Big A Cancer Threat As Cigarettes, Say World Health Organisation

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/bacon-sausages-big-cancer-threat-083910518.html

AAP: Animal Antibiotics Threaten Kids' Health

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/54718

Plant-based diet is solution to ending America’s health care crisis

http://www.mrt.com/news/health/article/Plant-based-diet-is-solution-to-ending-7414519.php

Top Italian oncologist says eliminate meat altogether

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2015/10/26/top-italian-oncologist-says-eliminate-meat-altogether_82191ead-d8b6-4a22-a1c2-5cb5391efb7c.html

How Big Meat and Dairy Fund Misleading Health Research to Fatten Their Wallets

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/how-big-meat-and-dairy-fund-misleading-health-research-to-fatten-their-wallets/

Absence of Meat Makes the Heart Grow Stronger

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2015/09/02/absence-of-meat-makes-the-heart-grow-stronger

Childhood Constipation and Cow’s Milk

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/childhood-constipation-and-cows-milk/

There Is Poop in Basically All Hamburger Meat

http://m.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2015/08/poop-ground-beef-superbugs-antibiotic-resistant

Superbugs Found in a Scary Percentage of Meat

http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/11/superbugs-in-meat.html#

How the U.S. Taxpayer Is Used to Promote Meat, Milk, and Sickness

http://www.forksoverknives.com/how-the-u-s-taxpayer-is-used-to-promote-meat-milk-and-sickness/

Doctor's shocking recommendation about drinking milk

https://www.facebook.com/darrengaudry/videos/10207858077514587/?hc_

Got a Prostate? Ditch the Dairy.

http://www.pcrm.org/nbBlog/index.php/got-a-prostate-ditch-the-dairy

Casein: The Disturbing Connection Between This Dairy Protein and Your Health

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/casein-dairy-protein-and-your-health/

'Living medicines': Doc prescribes plant-based diet for healing

http://www.today.com/health/plant-based-diet-helps-patients-heal-doctor-says-t23211

A Survey Was Given to 114 U.S. Doctors About Nutrition. These Results Are Pretty Scary

http://althealthworks.com/1868/do-american-doctors-really-take-enough-nutrition-courses-the-answer-may-surprise-you/

Plant-Based Diets: a Prescription for Optimal Health

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2015/01/28/plant-based-diets-a-prescription-for-optimal-health

"Water and Sunlight"

“She was going to live on water and sunlight"

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Much like the ‘Everest Vegan’ (lol) the media likes to make a big demonstration of any *sick vegans* to perpetuate corporate propaganda. And nonvegans ‘eat it up’ as they continue to attempt to justify the unjustifiable. I'm seeing headlines about this (and occasionally others) ‘vegan’ mom whose ‘vegan diet’ caused her child to be malnourished. I had initially let the article go by and ignored it - as I am well aware of the millions of happy vegan babies and children in the world - but then someone *used* it in a feeble justification, and curiosity got the better of me and I clicked on the article.

CAN WE ALL JUST READ THE LAST SENTENCE ON THE PICTURE PLEASE? Apparently the general public cannot differentiate between a vegan and someone with a severe eating disorder or psychiatric issue.

(Pssssttt…the sentence says: 

“She was going to live on water and sunlight,” Hawk’s sister-in-law Brandy Hawk recalled her saying, according to the news station.)

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“Just to point something out before anyone else does.... if you choose to feed your baby nothing but nuts and berries, and only periodically, and they become malnourished, that doesn't make you a vegan it makes you a stupid parent, just like it would if you chose to feed them only cheese and the same thing happened...”

~ Mark Hibbitts

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This reminds me of a few years ago when a vegan blogger “quit veganism” for “health reasons”

This excerpt is from her blog, her own words:

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"I also started fearing a LOT of things when it came to food. Having grown up with a notoriously sensitive stomach, I already avoided wheat, fried foods, sauces, oil, flour of any type, some legumes and many grains. Then I started reading about raw foods, digestion, food combining, the space at which meals should be eaten apart from each other, and the dangers of even all-natural fructose. (And let’s not forget my bout with 80/10/10 raw veganism.)

I started living in a bubble of restriction. Entirely vegan, entirely plant-based, entirely gluten-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, flour-free, dressing/sauce-free, etc. and lived my life based off of when I could and could not eat and what I could and could not combine. There is nothing wrong with any of those things (many of them are great, actually!!) but my body didn’t feel GOOD & I wasn’t listening to it. Does that sound crazy to you?"

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That person clearly also has an eating disorder. I am not trying to be offensive, but those words reflect someone who needs more guidance than what yet another diet book can provide.

So here is the obvious – eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes and across many varieties of people. A huge majority of people are misled on nutrition and not seeking or given reliable support and information. 

A huge number of babies and children are raised vegan (plant-based) without issue, but that story doesn’t serve well with a population who has persistent lust for flesh-feeding and secretion-sucking and is seeking ongoing justification for their barbarism. No, a sick vegan garners much more attention and joyous shrieking amongst the carnists for sure. People are only shown slivers of truth that leads to an overall continued gross ignorance.

A Simple Request?

It is our responsibility to put an end to this. It is our responsibility to tell people we will no longer allow this in our lives. To tell them to stop. We MUST stop the horror. We cannot allow such atrocity to continue.

Most vegans live with the knowledge of some pretty hurtful and harrowing truths. Most find a way to deal with it and actually live a happier and more fulfilled existence having become vegan. But being surrounded by the corpses and secretions of suffering animals can be very disturbing.

Many vegans will tolerate this often-distressing situation for valid reasons such as vegan outreach, the love of family, socialization, etc. While no one is saying there is anything wrong with that, it is unclear as to why my moral discomfort is less valid than their minor inconvenience? In thinking outside the realm of societal groupthink, why would asking someone to refrain from needlessly harming animals in my presence be considered anything but a totally reasonable request?

Even if those who say they love me claim to care about nothing else, shouldn’t they at least care about hurting me? And if they don’t, what does that say about what kind of person they are or about how much I really matter to them?

go vegan

Ignorance, Apathy, or Vegan?

The first time I ever recall hearing the word “vegan” I had one immediate thought…with no real information and little supporting evidence my immediate thought – No, my immediate KNOWLEDGE – was, “They are right.”

I knew it in an instant. It wasn’t “Maybe they are right,” or “I supposed it is possible they are right.” Nope. Immediately I knew. I seriously can’t believe others don’t. I hold my dog with love and recognize her uniqueness, I would never harm her any more than I would harm a human baby. I cannot believe I ever thought anyone else would be any different…Of course they aren’t!!!

I lived so long somehow easily omitting a blatant and obvious truth from myself because I went along with society blindly - while always believing I was of independent mind!

I was wrong. There was so much I didn’t understand, and so much I did that went unquestioned simply out of conformity.

Many people know me and think (in general) good things about me (not everyone of course, but IRL I think it safe to say most people like me ;) ). Some who know I am vegan surely think this is just a small *fault* in my thinking despite my acknowledged competence and overall-consistent happy outlook. They are so deeply entrenched in groupthink that it is never even contemplated that it is them who isn’t seeing the *whole picture.*

People intake their dead flesh or pus-filled breast milk and talk about health, their children, etc., often while feeling a bit righteous (“I’m gonna eat what I want”) sitting next to the vegan. The vegan sits there and wonders if they are ignorant or just apathetic. It is one or the other, because once you know the facts it is unjustifiable in every sense our being to not live vegan. People will go to great lengths to defend something they do not fully understand and insist that the well-informed vegan is the one who is not thinking correctly.

Nonviolence. Justice. Compassion. Helps ALL fellow earthlings. Immediate improvements for the environment. Sustainability. Health. Joy. Love. Ease suffering. Clean water, land, and air. A clear choice with only positive and beneficial results…while nonvegan choices lead to nothing but disease and death for all beings and even our planet.

There is no justifiable reason to not live vegan.

Yes, vegans know the truth. Nonvegans would know too if they only allowed themselves to wake up to the facts.

It boils down to 3 choices.

Ignorance, apathy, or vegan? I know which one I am.

I LOVE BEING VEGAN

#GoVeganandNobodyGetsHurt

#Vegan

Medicate to Death

TRUE STORY

“I am sorry to tell you, you have a disease.

We will put you on treatment, with no guarantees.”

“Radiation initially, we will do every day,

and then possibly chemo, if things go our way.”

The first few not so bad – “You are doing great!”

But skin burning a bit, area starting to ache.

“Go buy this lotion, and to help ease your pain,

we will give you some Oxy – we must be humane!”

Week number three – “You are feeling a mess?”

"Managing this? Yes, I’m under some stress.”

“Here’s a prescription for Ativan to help calm your mind,

and you should take these laxatives to ease your behind.”

“We need more blood work, we need a PET scan -

we must start chemo as soon as we possibly can.”

The Port is inserted and the cycles begun

Your body toxic from this *medication*

“Now you’re feeling depressed and stomach upset?

Prilosec you must take to avoid GI distress.”

“This prescription for Celexa will ease your depression,

and some as needed Zofran to use at your discretion.”

More time passes, not feeling much better

But following instructions, right down to the letter.

“Pervasive malaise, losing weight and dry heaves?

We can put you on steroids to ease the disease.”

“The assistant reported your BP was high,

we will give you metoprolol or else you may die.”

“And the lab has determined your cholesterol is elevated,

so you will also take Lipitor to help keep it abated.”

Hair falling out and often feeling quit ill

Try to cope daily and can’t pay the bills

“But you are alive - isn’t that all that matters?”

But such a life of poor quality - all that’s loved is in tatters?!?!?

“We have more medications to quell the effects,

symptom control is really all to expect.”

“I am concerned for your low Vitamin D,

you must take every day - get at pharmacy!”

“Also buy calcium to prevent bones too thin,

and just for good measure grab a multivitamin.”

“Such a good job doing all as advised!”

But inevitably, more problems arise

A fall, an infection, shortness of breath, or a cold

A slow downward path as disease keeps its hold

“What did you expect as your condition advanced?

Quality and comfort? There’s a very slim chance.”

“Prolonging your life is the best we can do

So here is your flu shot – you don’t want the flu!”

Dizzy and tired, more infections, depressed?

“We will write more prescriptions and get this addressed.”

“This med is called Meclizine, dizziness what it is for,

and we’ll increase your Celexa just a little bit more.”

“The infection you have Macrobid will correct,

and buy some B vitamins to pep up your step.”

“We’ll give you something for your shortness of breath,

Lasix every day may help prevent death.”

“You are having trouble sleeping again?

No problem at all, I’ll refill your Ambien.”

“Now feeling forgetful and a little confused?

We’ll get you on Aricept, we’ve got nothing to lose.”

Life centered on doctors, disease, medications to measure

Gone are the days when life was a pleasure

And slowly it goes, onward to death’s door

A life that was taken a VERY long time before

And then at the funeral – “Such a wonderful soul.”

“The disease too aggressive, we just could not control.”

(And BTW, she died faithfully taking her Lipitor every day, believing in the medical profession…until she couldn’t anymore.)

We will likely be known for our lack of responsibility in the understanding of nutrition; for our inability to teach others the choices available to potentially achieve true health and quality of life. Much like the ridicule of former health professionals who promoted smoking cigarettes based on propaganda, our lack of education in nutrition, our lack of knowledge on the agricultural and environmental effect on the health of all beings, and our dedication to - and promotion of - Big Pharma will all be an embarrassing *incident* in the future of medicine.

Medical professionals need to take responsibility for continuing and enhancing their sparse-in-some-areas education. We are culpable for the harm we cause.

My sincere "Thank You" to the many health care providers working so hard to bring change. Your influence is being felt in the industry daily.