Photo credit: Mickey Z.
"(Being vegan) is part of a revolutionary perspective -- how we not only discover more compassionate relations with human beings but how we develop compassionate relations with the other creatures with whom we share this planet. That would mean challenging the whole capitalist industrial form of food production."
- Angela Davis
Everywhere I look, our dominant culture is soaked in the blood of non-humans but almost all my fellow activists are seemingly happy to participate in, support, and even laugh about the carnage.
In fact, most of them reserve whatever anger they might feel on this issue for accusing people like me of "pushing" a "lifestyle" on them.
Recently, I decided to take a walk and contemplate this lethal combination of denial and hypocrisy.
Speciesism: 24/7
As I made my way down 30th Avenue in Astoria, wondering if indeed I was too forward with my veganism, I crossed paths with a butcher in front of his shop -- chatting amiably with passersby -- his white frock stained deep red.
He was casually standing there -- as he is every day -- drenched in the blood of murdered sentient beings that very much wanted to live" but essentially nobody chose to notice the crimson splatter. Those who did notice, well, they didn't even flinch.
Behind the butcher, sheep carcasses hung from large hooks in the window... their bulging lifeless eyes seemed to stare accusingly at the butcher's back. He didn't appear to notice. Essentially nobody noticed, and those that did, well, they didn't even flinch.
As I pondered the concept of being called a "militant vegan," the next block brought me in contact with a fish store. Wet cardboard boxes filled with marine corpses piled in front... the entire area reeking of death. Beyond the stench, essentially nobody noticed, and those that did, well, they didn't even flinch.
Looking into the fish store window, I saw a tiny aquarium tank. At least a dozen doomed lobsters were piled atop one another... their claws taped shut as they awaited their execution simply because they "taste good." Essentially nobody noticed, and those who did, well, they didn't even flinch.
But what happens when someone points any of this out, refuses to participate, and urges others to join them? You can be damn fuckin' sure plenty of folks will notice and, yeah" the flinching will begin in earnest.
Such flinching, however, will go a little something like this: "You vegans are always pushing your lifestyle on everyone else!"
After my walk, I came home to write a Facebook post about such misguided hypocrisy but was first greeted by a bunch of bacon jokes (sic) scattered throughout my news feed. Apparently, the activist community (sic) finds endless amusement in playing the role of willing accomplice and financial contributor to ecocide.
Below is a glimpse at how/where your bacon humor (sic) commences. Let me know, "activists," if you find this worthy of your oh-so-clever celebrations:
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
2
2
1
