Expanding the boundaries of justice

[Pulkit Parikh]

Hi All,

 

This email aims to bring to the fore a somewhat taboo-ed issue. Though we are genuinely opposed to racism, caste-ism and sexism, knowingly or unknowingly most of us practice an ideologically similar ill: species-ism, i.e., the victimization of one species by another. We find it reprehensible - and rightly so - of Brahmins to oppress Dalits, and men to dominate women. However, when 10s of billions of animals get brutally tortured and/or killed for milk, eggs, meat, leather, silk, honey and wool every year, we brush it aside as a matter of 'individual choice'. When we can not only survive, but become healthier by eating plant-based food, what could possibly justify the choice of consuming animal products? For two years now, this realization has prompted me to be vegan. Here's an FAQ-styled photo article, delving into the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the vegan lifestyle: Living well by letting live!. It encompasses a number of aspects: the shocking animal atrocities that vegans avert, the manifold health benefits, why vegan food is natural, how it saves plants too, and many more. 

 

To remove any suspicious of an ulterior motive, let me state that I am an atheist, with no ties to jainism or any other sect. I am not caste-biased either. I am as averse to chicken, pork, milk and eggs as I am to beef. I never advocate veganism amidst the poor, as I understand their predicament. I also know that it's beyond this group's mandate to work for animals. However, there's a difference between going out of your way to volunteer for animals and simply choosing cruelty-free in your daily life. As a group committed to being the change, I am sure we all agree that causing the least suffering possible through the way we live is our first and foremost responsibility. 

 

Avoiding animal products isn't about ethical consistency and enormous health benefits only; it is essential for environmental conservation too. It's simply not sustainable to spend humongous amounts of land (more than half the total agricultural land as per the UN), water and other resources on raising farm animals, who need to be fed and hydrated daily for as long as they live. Eating plants directly - as opposed to through milk, meat and eggs - is immensely more resource-efficient.   

 

Finally, being vegan has never been easier. From sweets, cakes, chocolates & ice-creams to curd, paneer, cheese, pizza and tea/coffee, almost all your favourite tastes can now be found/made without milk & eggs. Find all the where-to-find/how-to-make pointers and other transitioning tips on Vegan Pointers: Deserts, Eat-out options, Recipes, and more.

 

Please mull this over. Feel free to email or call (7893165919) me for any queries. Many thanks.  

 

PS: Quick links from the first article I shared above:

 

·         Milk: A source of immense pain & suffering

·         The animal atrocities caused by eggs and meat

·         “But, don’t plants feel pain too?”

·         Vegan for the environment and food security

·         Species-ism

·         Conditioned [milk, eggs & meat] vs natural [plants]

·         Plant-based food: The healthiest choice

·         Renowned vegan personalities

·         Would it harm employment? Not at all

·         Leather and fur are no cruelty-free byproducts

·         Agreed, but what about mosquitos and insects?

·         Be it ice-creams, tea, curd or cheese, it’s all there in vegan form!

--

Pulkit

 

The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans, just like black people were not made for whites, and women not for men. - Alice Walker

http://pulzinponderland.wordpress.com/who-is-this-blogger/living-well-by-letting-live