Veganism = Refusing To Kill
Humane Myth has some great commentary about veganism:
“Veganism was born in the cataclysmic aftermath of World War II, a time, like this one, when many people wondered if humanity had the wisdom necessary to to avoid self-annihilation. As if in answer to the overwhelming dilemmas posed by a world war and the frightful power of the atomic bomb, [Donald] Watson and his contemporaries offered a humble path to peace that began with each person’s ability to refuse to participate in the exploitation and killing of others, be they human or non-human animals.
“It is important to remember that Watson’s rejection of animal exploitation did not occur in response to industrialized farming, but in response to what he saw going on at his uncle’s small scale farm, where he observed, ‘The idyllic scene was nothing more than death row, where every creature’s days were numbered by the point at which it was no longer of service to human beings.’”
To watch a video and read the rest of this article, click here >>
There is a good Judeo-Christian argument against eating meat that follows from this line of reasoning. However, the belief is in non-violence (not killing as the article argues), or as Francione say’s, “Jesus was violently opposed to non-violence” and therefore, it follows, that our violence against so many billions of sentient beings ought to stop.
~ Recent blog post: That’s a lot of miles per pound. at http://www.not-quiteright.net/tvg ~
By the way…
Though the word “vegan” was born after WWII, there is a long history of vegan-like life:
1. the practice of eating a plant-based diet has historical roots and is utilized all over the world,
2. animal liberation principles and theories have a long history,
3. a belief in non-violence and/or a refusal to kill is not exclusive to veganism. In fact, it’s a basic tenant of many religions and philosophies.
For more, take a look at The Longest Struggle as well as Steven Best’s review of aforementioned book.