A few months ago 3 of my little cousins (all under 13) were eating meat and I was lurking in the kitchen.
''Nicola, why's this got red stuff in?''
''It's blood''
*Puzzled expressions*
''Because it's a dead chicken's leg''
*Horrified expressions*
Cue the rest of my family furiously telling the girls to ignore their lunatic cousin. Fast forward 3 months to the announcement one of them made that she's now vegetarian - I'm beyond proud of her!
I'm constantly thinking about the results of my actions and whether something I say will piss people off so much that they use it as ammunition against our cause. But in cases like this when I see a real opportunity for my message to be heard, I'm obliged to speak out.
A conversation with my Dad afterwards went something like this:
Dad: *Frowning* ''Come on Nic, you know you shouldn't have said that''
Me: ''Why?''
''You know why'' *looks at me as if I'm just being ridiculous*
''No I don't. Why shouldn't they know the truth?''
''Because they're too young, they should be shielded from stuff like that''
''Why, because if they knew the truth they wouldn't want to eat meat? If they're being forced to eat it, they deserve to know where it's come from. Either stop force feeding them the dead animals which you know they would choose not to eat if they were given the option, or tell them the truth. And if their parents are sure that they're doing the right thing by feeding them meat, then they should be fine with them knowing the truth.''
He agreed in principle but still felt uneasy about me saying things like that to the kids. Ellie is a bright little girl and I'm not suggesting my one statement turned her veggie (she read Charlotte's Web too) but children are just less indoctrinated, less brainwashed into the idea of gorging on flesh, they're so close to making the connection that all they need is to know the truth. Before they reach a certain age they don't defend their actions with pathetic excuses, they just get it. They agree and they're disgusted and I'll be damned if I'm supposed to let parents force feed our friends to compassionate little people without saying anything.
Monday, 31 October 2011
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Cecil Says #2
Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.''
~ Cecil Beaton
Friday, 21 October 2011
Vegan Meetings
I have had such a brilliant past few days! Until Wednesday, would you believe it - I had never met another real life vegan, apart from Dan, my boyfriend, but we went vegan together so he has nothing new to offer me, in the nicest way possible - haha!
So after being inspired by people like Veganelder to get off my ass and do more for our furry friends, I got in contact with a few fellow vegans on Facebook who told me about a public meeting that was being held on Wednesday to discuss plans for a Beagle breeding facility (for use in medical testing) which is planning to open near where I live.
I arrived and noticed there was tea and coffee on offer, I couldn't see any milk and then I spied a carton of non dairy stuff and instantly I knew I'd found myself a bunch of like minded people.
The speakers were absolutely brilliant, so inspiring and full of amazing information that really opened my eyes about vivisection. I've started to write another post to summarise what I've learned, and I'll share that soon. What I loved most was that they were extremely intelligent intellectuals, ex doctors and surgeons, don't you just love having those people on our side?! They relied on facts and while they also felt passionately and some of them clearly were very emotional about the plight of our beloved animals, (a few tears were shed) they reminded us all to focus on the evidence that we can prove is not based on opinion as a way to get our message heard and make real change. Very enlightening. I know if I want to spread our message this is exactly what I have to do. There's no point ranting to people about how cute animals are and how against speciesism I am, that's just my opinion. The way to get them to listen is to provide facts. And now I'm starting to gather quite the collection of them to support my views.
Two of my favourite 'speakers' took pride of place at the front of the room, and sat patiently as a reminder to us all who we are fighting for. It was so cute, I noticed that they made noises at some very opportune moments during the speeches, it was as if they knew we were talking about helping their friends :-)
At the end of the meeting some people stuck around and I had the fortune of meeting this wonderful group of activists.
It's so exciting and motivating to be around people who care. We're all keeping in touch and will be getting involved in various protests and outreach. In fact, Paris and I actually stopped at a butchers and fishmongers on the way home and stuck some PETA stickers on their doors, teehee. Sshh, don't tell anyone.
Then last night I went to an event ran by the local vegan group, which I've only just discovered too! We all went to the local vegetarian restaurant and ate a feast of Persian vegan food. The food was fabulous and I scoffed the best chocolate cake known to man. I tried to get a picture but it was too dark, booo.
While there we noticed one of the ladies at the table was also at the meeting the previous night so we exchanged emails and she is very active with animal rights so hopefully she has some things I can help out with too.
Thank you so much to those of you who suggest I join a vegan group, it is absolutely the best thing I could have done, and I'm just delighted to have met such wonderful people. I had no idea there were so many of us hiding in my little city!
I'm literally fizzing with excitement at the people I've met and the things they've taught me that already I could fill a book! Don't worry this manic post is almost over and I won't bombard you with it all at once, but expect lots of excited future posts!
Yayyy! Happy happy happy :-)
So after being inspired by people like Veganelder to get off my ass and do more for our furry friends, I got in contact with a few fellow vegans on Facebook who told me about a public meeting that was being held on Wednesday to discuss plans for a Beagle breeding facility (for use in medical testing) which is planning to open near where I live.
I arrived and noticed there was tea and coffee on offer, I couldn't see any milk and then I spied a carton of non dairy stuff and instantly I knew I'd found myself a bunch of like minded people.
The speakers were absolutely brilliant, so inspiring and full of amazing information that really opened my eyes about vivisection. I've started to write another post to summarise what I've learned, and I'll share that soon. What I loved most was that they were extremely intelligent intellectuals, ex doctors and surgeons, don't you just love having those people on our side?! They relied on facts and while they also felt passionately and some of them clearly were very emotional about the plight of our beloved animals, (a few tears were shed) they reminded us all to focus on the evidence that we can prove is not based on opinion as a way to get our message heard and make real change. Very enlightening. I know if I want to spread our message this is exactly what I have to do. There's no point ranting to people about how cute animals are and how against speciesism I am, that's just my opinion. The way to get them to listen is to provide facts. And now I'm starting to gather quite the collection of them to support my views.
Two of my favourite 'speakers' took pride of place at the front of the room, and sat patiently as a reminder to us all who we are fighting for. It was so cute, I noticed that they made noises at some very opportune moments during the speeches, it was as if they knew we were talking about helping their friends :-)
What snooty little posers :-)
At the end of the meeting some people stuck around and I had the fortune of meeting this wonderful group of activists.
It's so exciting and motivating to be around people who care. We're all keeping in touch and will be getting involved in various protests and outreach. In fact, Paris and I actually stopped at a butchers and fishmongers on the way home and stuck some PETA stickers on their doors, teehee. Sshh, don't tell anyone.
Then last night I went to an event ran by the local vegan group, which I've only just discovered too! We all went to the local vegetarian restaurant and ate a feast of Persian vegan food. The food was fabulous and I scoffed the best chocolate cake known to man. I tried to get a picture but it was too dark, booo.
While there we noticed one of the ladies at the table was also at the meeting the previous night so we exchanged emails and she is very active with animal rights so hopefully she has some things I can help out with too.
Thank you so much to those of you who suggest I join a vegan group, it is absolutely the best thing I could have done, and I'm just delighted to have met such wonderful people. I had no idea there were so many of us hiding in my little city!
I'm literally fizzing with excitement at the people I've met and the things they've taught me that already I could fill a book! Don't worry this manic post is almost over and I won't bombard you with it all at once, but expect lots of excited future posts!
Yayyy! Happy happy happy :-)
Monday, 17 October 2011
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Is The World a Better Place For Having You in It?
When I first watched Schindler's List about 6 months ago I was completely unprepared for the effect it would have on my life. If you haven't seen it, you must watch it. To summarise:
''Oskar Schindler is a vainglorious and greedy German businessman who becomes unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews.'' (Source)
The true story of a self confessed ''profiteer of slave labour'' ended with him breaking down in front of everyone he had saved from the Nazis. Distraught, he has a realisation that he could have done more, saved more people, had he not wasted so much money. The part that really struck a chord with me was where he points out his car and says ''why did I keep this car? Ten people, right there'', and goes on to realise that each of his prized material possessions equalled human lives that he could have saved.
It forced me to see that when I choose to say, spend my money on an expensive pair of shoes, I am also choosing to not send that money to Africa to a starving child. I am choosing shoes over life. And it just highlights the emptiness of material things. They just don't matter, and I can continue to convince myself that they do, or I can wake up.
Saying that this affected me just doesn't do justice to the profound impact it had on my life. Everything material just suddenly seemed so unimportant and worthless. It made me question the direction my life had been heading and I literally couldn't get out of bed for a week, because I was so despairing.
All my life I have been driven by the idea of wealth and success. I opened a clothing shop and factory last year and all I cared about was expanding, and making as much money as I could. I dreamed of fancy houses, one in London, one in New York, a nice little holiday home in India, perhaps one in Vegas too. I imagined how fabulous it would feel to be the richest person any of my friends had ever known. Attaining these goals was the most important thing to me, and suddenly I realised the vulgarity of what I was wishing for. Everything I had ever wanted repulsed me. I felt so conflicted and didn't know how to deal with it.
I got over the inital shock and got back to work, but the thoughts kept creeping back in; my life had no real meaning and I didn't want to ignore it forever. I wondered if I needed a religion? I read books on spirituality and then Buddhism, hoping to find a place for me. They certainly helped, and I forget where now, but I read something that resonated and became my motto for life:
I want the world to be a better place for having me in it, to give back more than I take out.
And that's it, that became my guiding light. It was the final push that led me to being vegan. How can I say that I have given more than I've taken while I exploit animals and take things from them that they have been forced to give? Well, I can't.
My emphasis is on animals, it's what I'm passionate about. Now I feel like I'm heading in the right direction, all I can do is strive to be good and do better, and help their cause, and that idea leaves me full and hopeful, and the emptiness has disappeared. It's the only thing that drives me any more. I'm now more motivated than ever when I work, but it's because I know that the money I make is to help them.
I spoke about my plans to open a farmed animal sanctuary which I can use to educate people about veganism in a recent post, and since then I've started to look at land I can buy to get the ball rolling. I am firmly focussed on that goal and it drives me more than anything. It's the reason to get out of bed and go to work. Making money for myself just isn't enough.
So now, when I choose to say, stay in bed and not do any work I know that I am choosing my own laziness over the lives of animals. I'm not saying I manage it all the time, I often slip into denial but it's soon replaced by a feeling of emptiness and I get off my ass and try to make my life count.
Every day there are times when I become aware that I'm not doing enough, and I am overwhelmed at the size of the task, but then I think about that final scene where Oskar Schindler realises that each decision he has made really matters and it reminds me that I can change things, that each person is powerful and can do things that matter, every single day.
''Oskar Schindler is a vainglorious and greedy German businessman who becomes unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews.'' (Source)
The true story of a self confessed ''profiteer of slave labour'' ended with him breaking down in front of everyone he had saved from the Nazis. Distraught, he has a realisation that he could have done more, saved more people, had he not wasted so much money. The part that really struck a chord with me was where he points out his car and says ''why did I keep this car? Ten people, right there'', and goes on to realise that each of his prized material possessions equalled human lives that he could have saved.
It forced me to see that when I choose to say, spend my money on an expensive pair of shoes, I am also choosing to not send that money to Africa to a starving child. I am choosing shoes over life. And it just highlights the emptiness of material things. They just don't matter, and I can continue to convince myself that they do, or I can wake up.
Saying that this affected me just doesn't do justice to the profound impact it had on my life. Everything material just suddenly seemed so unimportant and worthless. It made me question the direction my life had been heading and I literally couldn't get out of bed for a week, because I was so despairing.
All my life I have been driven by the idea of wealth and success. I opened a clothing shop and factory last year and all I cared about was expanding, and making as much money as I could. I dreamed of fancy houses, one in London, one in New York, a nice little holiday home in India, perhaps one in Vegas too. I imagined how fabulous it would feel to be the richest person any of my friends had ever known. Attaining these goals was the most important thing to me, and suddenly I realised the vulgarity of what I was wishing for. Everything I had ever wanted repulsed me. I felt so conflicted and didn't know how to deal with it.
I got over the inital shock and got back to work, but the thoughts kept creeping back in; my life had no real meaning and I didn't want to ignore it forever. I wondered if I needed a religion? I read books on spirituality and then Buddhism, hoping to find a place for me. They certainly helped, and I forget where now, but I read something that resonated and became my motto for life:
I want the world to be a better place for having me in it, to give back more than I take out.
And that's it, that became my guiding light. It was the final push that led me to being vegan. How can I say that I have given more than I've taken while I exploit animals and take things from them that they have been forced to give? Well, I can't.
My emphasis is on animals, it's what I'm passionate about. Now I feel like I'm heading in the right direction, all I can do is strive to be good and do better, and help their cause, and that idea leaves me full and hopeful, and the emptiness has disappeared. It's the only thing that drives me any more. I'm now more motivated than ever when I work, but it's because I know that the money I make is to help them.
I spoke about my plans to open a farmed animal sanctuary which I can use to educate people about veganism in a recent post, and since then I've started to look at land I can buy to get the ball rolling. I am firmly focussed on that goal and it drives me more than anything. It's the reason to get out of bed and go to work. Making money for myself just isn't enough.
So now, when I choose to say, stay in bed and not do any work I know that I am choosing my own laziness over the lives of animals. I'm not saying I manage it all the time, I often slip into denial but it's soon replaced by a feeling of emptiness and I get off my ass and try to make my life count.
Every day there are times when I become aware that I'm not doing enough, and I am overwhelmed at the size of the task, but then I think about that final scene where Oskar Schindler realises that each decision he has made really matters and it reminds me that I can change things, that each person is powerful and can do things that matter, every single day.
Friday, 14 October 2011
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Volunteering At The Dog Shelter
This afternoon we spent a few hours at the local dog shelter...
Lord Wallace and Cecil donated lots of their toys, leads, collars and blankets to the homeless poochies who are sure to appreciate them a lot more than they do.
There are over 40 dogs in at the moment, and it's very difficult to watch them all in their cages, desperately in need of their own home, trying to hypnotize me with their big gorgeous eyes, and bewitch me into taking them with me.
I need to think carefully first though, and make sure that if we do adopt one, that they're the right fit for our family. Especially because Cecil is so fragile and nervous, and during the day our Frank and Delores (the bunnies) have free rein of the garden (it's so cute seeing the dogs and the bunnies together!).
The dogs there are well looked after though, and fortunately this shelter has all the staff it needs to clean out the kennels etc. So all that's left for us to do is to make a fuss over the little tykes, take them for walkies, and make sure they know they're loved. If my furry friends are anything to go by, then there can literally never be enough fussin' and belly scratchin'!
This is Summer. A very energetic young pup. They told us she is friendly but pulls quite a lot on the lead when you take her for a walk...
So Dan decided to let her have her way, and she took him for a run instead :-)
We took her for the longest walk as she was in most need of being tired out!
This little scruff bear was only found yesterday so didn't have a name yet. We named him Ernie. He looks like an Ernie don't you think?! He's quite timid but loved getting a fuss and had a lovely time on his walk. He really captured Dan's heart and was his favourite pooch of the day.
Prince is not in very good shape at all. The poor little angel has mange :-( I dread to think what his life was like before he arrived at the shelter. He has the sweetest of sweet hearts, such a lovely nature, but he doesn't have much confidence at all.
He's so itchy and scratches himself constantly - so much that the fur on his tummy and legs has gone and has been replaced by painful sores. Thankfully he's getting all the help he needs and there are a few people who are dying to give him the loving home he deserves as soon as he's better.
This little lunatic was so bouncy and jumpy! I LOVED her. She's called Star, and indeed she lives up to her name. Such a little diva, she was so excited on her walk that she kept charging at us and jumping up with joy! Best feeling ever :-)
Little Tye is the most laid back, easy going little dude ever. He loved getting kissed and cuddled and was so content to just be near us.
As you can understand, it's extremely time consuming to take each pooch for a walk, which means many of them don't get one, and as I'm sure most of you will know, it's essential to their happiness that they do. So next time you have some spare time and you're in need of some fluffy snuggles to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, go and give your local shelter guys a fuss and a walk. You won't believe how much they'll thank you!
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