Call Me An F-U-tarian
In this day and age there seems to be more and more emphasis put on concerns about what others may think of us. Being vegan is especially difficult when trying to explain to the ever-nosy stranger why we don’t eat or use animal products. For this issue we’d like to address some common stereotypes and misconceptions of veganism.
To the general lay person, the term “vegan” in itself is unknown, but as soon as we say “vegetarian” the likely reply is “oh, so you don’t eat meat?” It’s almost as if “vegan” is perceived as an artsy abbreviation to make one appear “cool.” This, of course, is not the case. After some brief explanation, the uninformed questioner will either blow it all off as a fad or begin the drilling and snide remarks.
When coming across the few who know the basis behind our beliefs, there’s a whole new array of judgments and accusations. The first of many assumptions thrown our way is the preconceived notion of vegans being militant animal rights activists who force their opinions onto others. PETA also comes up often and is looked down upon as an almost terrorist-like organization. Of course, there is always a degree of truth behind a stereotype. After all, that’s what makes a stereotype in the first place. But, lest we forget, a stereotype is also made up of fabrication and unfounded falsehoods.
Speaking for ourselves, and the very few vegans we know or have met, we don’t push our beliefs onto people. We’ll answer questions and provide information when asked out of curiosity. The vast majority of our friends and family are not vegan. We accept each other. We go out to eat together. We live and work together. Life goes on as it does for each of us. It would be nice if we could save every animal and help lead others to this lifestyle, but we are realistic in understanding that we cannot change the world. By no means does this mean that we won’t try to a certain extent. We do support animal rights, but we won’t get in your face unless you want us to. And by that we mean don’t confront us with your intolerance and concern for what we don’t eat or wear. We don’t judge you for being Christian, a non-drinker, Republican or homosexual. Everyone deserves a right to be who they are and to coexist.
As vegans, we don’t necessarily fit into the general consensus. There are no straight-edge, tree-hugging, only-organic health nuts here. We listen to metal, watch horror movies, drink until we black out and eat as much vegan junk food as we possibly can. We don’t all have pasty white skin (well, maybe Chris) or eat nothing but tofu. If anything, this here couple would more likely have horns and eat your children. This alone should be a primary example of not judging one solely by their beliefs or convictions. You never really know who it is you’re meeting until you actually take the time to get to know them and understand their personal views on life.
Empathy is a trait we should all try on once in a while.
So until next time, take care and VEG OUT!
A Medical Cat–astrophy
At the very beginning of our relationship, we both agreed that neither one of us had any desire to have children. We love our friend’s and family’s kids, but it’s just not for us. Call us selfish; we are. We feel it’s hard enough to try and grow and become better people than to have to help mold and raise another human being into being our vision of the ideal person. So, we decided instead to raise animal companions.
Within the vegan community there exists a controversy regarding whether or not people should have pets. The argument on one side is that animals should be allowed to live as freely on the planet as we do and not be kept and controlled for our own selfish needs and amusement. Side two’s debate stresses the point that there is already a growing number of domesticated animals that could not easily survive alone in the wild, much less within the not-so-natural cities created by human hands. Taking more credence in the latter of both very reasonable opinions, we have a pair of feline animal friends sharing residency with us. Maybe this could also be attributed to our own selfishness but, then again, these are not merely “pets” to us. These two extremely developed personalities are family. They are just as important and loved as we are to them. And yes, we do feed them real cat food. They are natural carnivores, not herbivores. Although this is a separate topic entirely of another dispute among vegans, it would seem much more hypocritical to deny them what they would eat in nature than to force them to eat only vegetables. Of course we don’t give them beef. Until you can show us a domestic house cat taking down a cow, it’s just not going to happen.
About two weeks ago our love and loyalty to one of our “children” was tested. The older of the duo is a big male tabby. He’s very set in his ways and day-to-day rituals, as is his smaller, Persian “sister.” One day we noticed him in his litter box about every five minutes and occasionally crying. It was obvious that something wasn’t quite right. We headed off to work hoping it would pass, but growing concern led us to both leave early and rush him into the nearest emergency vet. After about two and a half hours it was determined he had a urinary tract infection. We were given three medications and a hefty $260 bill. A full week of multiple struggles to administer the required daily doses of pills seemed to eventually pay off. He appeared to be well again and back to his normal, anxious self. Little did we know that we’d be going through it all again in just over another week’s time; and tenfold. We awoke to find him barely able to walk in a hunched over position, continually squatting as if trying to urinate, and repeatedly licking his nether region. This looked much worse than the prior episode. After a few hours back at the vet confirmed our fears. His urethra had completely swollen shut and he required immediate hospitalization. Over 48 hours later we got the call that he was ready to be released. We headed out almost an hour earlier than necessary and brought home an extremely grateful cat with a cone on his head, more painkillers and anti-inflammitorys, and a wallet that was now an additional $1,000 lighter.
It turns out he suffers from urinary tract disease that is not that uncommon in male cats. This means that – yeah, you guessed it – it can happen again. We are taking all necessary precautions to prevent a reoccurrence. However, if it does strike again we will be better prepared financially as well as educated on how to dissolve the problem before it hits critical mass. Some of you say “it’s just a cat” and worse, “just euthanize it.” We say, A) You’re just a douchebag, and B) That’s not an option. Until you experience the type of bond we have with our furry “children,” you will never truly understand the emotional drain it can have on you to nearly lose one. They are worth every dollar spent and we’ll spend as many as it takes to make sure they have the fully enriched life and love that all sentient beings deserve. So, wish our little “family” luck as we do to you and yours.
Until next time, take care, and VEG OUT! –The Vegans.
Please send all correspondence to HereComeTheVegans@yahoo.com.
Carnage Aside
Now that spring is in the air, along with it comes the smell of searing flesh. Yum! Read more
The Sideshows of Suffering
Winter will soon be coming to an end and Spring will bring fun times in the sun and many festivities. Families will be getting together to attend events such as rodeos, circuses and fairs. At these events, you may also spot a few vegans or animal rights activists, only they aren’t there to enjoy the show. Chances are they are there to enlighten people about the suffering of animals that goes on behind closed doors.
We have read many articles and watched videos pertaining to animal cruelty, but after watching a documentary called “Earthlings,” we realized the importance of bringing forth awareness about these animals that become slaves to the entertainment business. “Earthlings,” narrated by actor Joaquin Phoenix, goes into great depth about speciesism and how humans are completely dependent on animals, all the while treating them with complete disrespect. Speciesism is discrimination against other species, a term most used by animal rights activists when referring to the way humans put animals on a lower scale of importance when it comes to their quality of life vs. our own. Vegans believe in equality for all sentient beings and don’t feel it is right to exploit or torture animals.
Growing up, you may have attended rodeos and circuses. At rodeos, most people seem to focus on the cowboys as they cling onto bucking horses for dear life and lassoing the small cows, making the cowboys appear as the skilled “heroes” of the show. At circuses, you have been amazed at the talented animals marching, standing on one leg, balancing a ball on their nose, and a number of other unnatural things you wouldn’t see if that animal were in its natural habitat. These animals are being denied their freedom and their choice to live a natural life. Instead, they are being abused and tortured to submit and learn these amazing “tricks” to get your attention and keep the revenue flowing into the hands of the people who exploit them.
This animal abuse has been documented and videotaped and can easily be reviewed on the Internet by anyone. There is plenty of footage of cowboys caught on camera, beating and shocking cattle. There are also severe injuries involving cattle who are lassoed at rodeos, as it mercilessly damages their necks and backs. Circus animals are spiked and beaten until they do as they are told. Trainers encourage new trainers to use force when the animals don’t “listen.” Surely, human entertainers such as trapeze artists and jugglers would never tolerate that sort of abuse. They have rights; the animals don’t.
Yet, animals enjoy freedom, feel pain, and experience emotions just as we do.
When most people see animal rights activists at these events, they are usually passing out flyers and providing information about the abuse these animals endure. Most people snap at them as they try to hide their children from this information, in fear that they may be exposed to the inconvenient truth. When you take your child to rodeos, circuses, or a petting zoo, your child may have no idea what is to become of these animals that fascinated them. Educate yourself on these facts. Subvert the dominant paradigm. Make the compassionate choice.
For more information, please visit RodeoAbuse.com and Circuses.com, which also provides information about animal-free circuses. Until next time, take care, and VEG OUT! –The Vegans. .
Faux Show
As the year comes to an end, the days grow colder and winter begins to settle in. Nothing protects better against that icy bite than big fluffy coats, cozy hats, and warm boots. However, this season there’s something a bit different with the run of the mill frost-fighting fabrics; fur trim! It’s everywhere! From Beyonce’s boots to Snoop Dogg’s chinchilla coats and even JLo’s mink lashes. This ugly little fashion trend has once again resurfaced.
Sadly, many people in western culture feel that wearing fur is stylish and represents a high status symbol in society. While we as humans pride ourselves on being a civilized species, many of us feel it is necessary to drape our bodies in the pelts of dead animal flesh. Hundreds of years of evolution and technological development seem to have no impact on the material trends for today’s chic hipsters. Many people seem to forget they are wearing the skin of a dead animal. Some like to think that the animal lived a nice full life and died of natural causes, which is far from true.
Not only are these animals sought out and slaughtered, but they are also being bred at fur farms. Minks, rabbits and foxes are just a small few of the animals who are killed for their fur. In some countries, dogs and cats have also become part of the billion dollar fur industry. The methods used to obtain the pelts from these creatures is most inhumane. The animals are caught in steel traps, beaten, drowned, electrocuted, and even skinned alive. In fur farms, the animals are kept in small cages. There is so little room for them to move that it often causes psychological breakdowns. An animal caught in a steel trap can suffer for days before death. Some even gnaw their limbs off in desperation. Chinchillas in factory farms are killed by genital or anal electrocution.
The majority of fur-wearing fans seem to ignore or be completely oblivious to the suffering that these creatures endure. Most mink-adorned celebrities would likely be traumatized after witnessing a mere 30 seconds or less of the malignance acted out on these helpless life forms. Many would even be shocked to find that their supposed rabbit parka is actually dog hair imported from China. A growing number of famous clothing lines have banned fur from their designs and have stopped supporting the cruelty of this murderous industry. Unfortunately, there are still many companies that choose to kill rather than to create outfits using some of the visually realistic faux fur available today.
Before you buy the “boots with the fur” to go with your “apple bottom jeans.” Take a few minutes to visit one of the following sites for further reading and viewing of just some of the horrors that the fur trade has to offer. You just might realize that making a fashion statement pales in comparison to the sanctity of innocent lives. Until next time, take care, and VEG OUT!
– The Vegans. Please send all correspondence to HereComeTheVegans@yahoo.com.
One For The Birds
There are quite a few things that come to mind when you think of Thanksgiving. Things like getting together with family, good conversation, and of course food. What usually doesn’t come to mind during this joyous occasion is torture, suffering and excruciating pain.
Every year, over 45 million turkeys are slaughtered for Thanksgiving. These birds, along with all others in the poultry food category, are not protected by the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. They are treated extremely poor during their entire short lives. Forced to live in their own excrement, the birds breathe filthy air and don’t get to enjoy the sun. They are injected with hormones that cause them to grow six times faster than a normal turkey.
In addition to hormones, they are also genetically modified. Instead of the colorful and robust characteristics of wild turkeys, these factory farmed birds look like identical, white feathered clones. They are balding, bleeding, and broken under their massive weight. The lucky ones will die of stress, suffocation, heart failure, and heat exhaustion. The birds strong enough to endure these hardships are routinely abused and mutilated by factory workers. Snapping necks, tearing off of wings and legs, de-beaking, gouging of eyeballs, punching and stabbing, and being driven over by trucks are not uncommon in the day to day life of a Thanksgiving turkey.
When the turkeys have reached an acceptable size, they are piled onto a truck to be shipped to slaughter. In addition to being extremely stressed because of crowding, they are exposed to extreme weather conditions with insufficient food and water. En route, there are often highway accidents, leaving many of the birds dead or severely injured. Injured birds are merely tossed back into the truck to suffer in agony during the rest of their trip. Upon arriving at the slaughterhouse, the turkeys are hung upside down in shackles by their feet. Their throats are slit while still alive. If they don’t bleed to death, they end up being severely scalded in boiling water; a method used to remove their feathers. Any birds still alive at this point will usually succumb to heart failure. Finally the inedible parts are removed and the turkeys are packaged for your consumption.
Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, how about trying a more selfless, less apathetic alternative to torment and mutilation? Here’s one variation:
Cruelty-Free Thanksgiving Feast 1 Tofurkey Roast with or without stuffing or 1 Un-Turkey which actually has an edible “skin” on it 1 can of cranberry sauce
A few servings of your choice of veggies
Dinner rolls not containing eggs, whey or honey
Mashed potatoes made with non-hydrogenated soy margarine and/or soy milk
Vegetarian gravy mixed with soymilk and flour
Try vegan marshmallows on your yams and fruit salad
Stuffing made with celery, onions, bread crumbs and vegetable stock
A jug of apple cider
Pre-made vegan pumpkin pie
Most, if not all of these items can be found at Trader Joe’s, Raley’s, Whole Foods or your local Food Co-op. This may be a big change for you and your family or friends, but we promise you won’t suffer nearly as much as the turkey you spared would have.
Here are a few links with more info, video footage of turkey slaughter and recipe alternatives to some of your holiday favorites. Enjoy!
goveg.com/factoryfarming-turkeys.asp
goveg.com/feat/butterball/butterball.asp
vegan.com/issues/1998/nov98/thanks.htm
Have a Happy and cruelty-free holiday!
Until next time, take care, and VEG OUT! –The Vegans.
Please send all correspondence to HereComeTheVegans@yahoo.com.
Meaty Media
We have all seen those cheery commercials, cartons and wrappers. The perfect example would be milk and cheese products. The eye-catching design on the package depicts a yellow sun, a cozy-looking farm, and a farm animal who appears overjoyed to have the opportunity to share it’s product with you. That’s what they want you to think. The factory farming businesses will put out quite the pretty penny to ensure that they will continue to rake in the billions of dollars annually.
It is ironic how the media uses animal characters to promote their product, steering people away from the horrific death behind factory farming. For example, you may have seen the commercial about the two Claymation chickens striving to become the coveted Foster Farm chickens. There is also the California Cheese commercials that features “happy cows” hanging out, eating, and talking about how their product is more superior than others. And of course, there are the commercials about the proud bovine who are lucky enough to be considered elite Angus beef. When faced with the harsh reality, our two chicken friends are actually lucky to be denied the Foster Farm name. The commercial chicken farms contain the most tortured animals on the planet. Birds are crammed into cages with no room to walk, their beaks cut off, and hens are forced to lay much more eggs then they are naturally meant to. Many of the adorable, fuzzy male chicks are ground alive.
And “happy dairy cows”? Far from it! Most people would love to think that milk and cheese comes from Good Ol’ Betsy from the little ranch on the outskirts of town. Betsy is free to graze and roam where she pleases within the confines of the farm. Betsy doesn’t mind if you take a bit of milk here and there. However, the dairy you purchase from stores come from cows at factory farms. Those unfortunate cows spend most of their lives pregnant and producing milk. This creates severe physical pain in addition to the emotional pain from having their calves taken from them and being in overcrowded quarters.
As for factory beef farming, the cattle are placed on grazing land and left there until they have matured. They are not protected from extreme weather and some of them become ill or injured.
Once they mature, they will be fattened up and prepared for slaughter. At the slaughterhouse, they endure torture until they eventually bleed to death. We were driving on Interstate 5 earlier this summer and passed by a large slaughterhouse. The long stretch of land was crowded with hundreds of cows. There was a putrid stench of manure and death. We have heard many people say, “Well those animals were born and bred to feed us.” Kind of like how you were born and bred to ask me, “Would you like fries with that?”
Factory farms do breed those animals to feed us, and those animals suffer while the billion dollar industry keeps telling us to eat them. Never mind the cholesterol and health related issues. “Just keep eating more meat.” They will provide the candy-coated commercials and neatly packaged products, and hide the gore and suffering that happens away from the public eye.
If you want to see the truth behind factory farming, here is a website which contains information and graphic videos:
Until next time, take care, and VEG OUT!
A Cure For The Common Carnivore
By now, you all know what vegans don’t eat. One of your biggest questions is probably, “Well what DO you eat?” In this month’s column, we would like to share our alternative to your run-of-the mill “Chicken Noodle Soup”.
Although soups are more common during the colder months, we feel that our “Chikken Noodle Soup” can be enjoyed year-round. It’s very delicious and it’s cruelty-free.
We came up with this recipe as an experiment and were very pleased at the end result. We don’t have any set measurements or cooking time, but if you put a little common sense and imagination into it, it will turn out just fine.
Ingredients:
Knorr Vegetable Bouillon Cubes (you can find them at any grocery store)
1 carrot
2 celery stalks (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
the juice of a whole lemon
1/2 white onion
1 chopped jalapeno
1 tablespoon of pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon of garlic salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon of olive oil bow-tie or spiral noodles (you can find vegan ones)
Kikkoman Soy Sauce
Tabasco (optional)
extra firm tofu
Preparation:
You will want to use a large pot. Fill it half way with water and set it over medium heat. While you are waiting for it to boil, drop in one of those bouillon cubes. You can, then, add the carrots, garlic salt, and pepper. We prefer a lot of pepper in our soup, but of course you can season to your own liking. Let the soup simmer as you prepare the “chikken”.
Next, you will want to get your tofu. Use maybe a quarter of what’s in the package, unless you prefer more. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Get a cookie sheet or baking pan, and cover with a thin layer of olive oil so the tofu doesn’t stick. Dice the tofu up in cubes a little smaller than dice. Don’t cut them too small because they will shrink when they cook.
Place the cubes evenly into the baking pan. Splash a little soy sauce, Tabasco, garlic salt, and pepper over the cubed tofu and use a spoon to stir it around so it is evenly mixed. Arrange the cubes evenly on the tray. Leave them in the oven for at least 10 minutes, or until the cubes become somewhat dehydrated. It’s okay if they are a bit dry because they will soak up enough of the soup to have an awesome texture.
By this time, the water should be boiling and the carrots should be softer. You can add the chopped celery, bell pepper, jalapeno, and onion. Since our ingredient measurements were based on “guesstimates”, we felt that the soup needed more water. If you think there might not be enough water in the soup, add a bit more, but remember to add more salt and pepper because you don’t want to take from the taste.
After simmering for 10 more minutes, add the tofu cubes and throw in a handful or two of those noodles. You will know the soup is ready when the noodles soft. Taste the broth and add more salt or pepper, if needed. Also, add the lemon juice. It will add a tangy zest!
We really hope you enjoy this delicious vegan recipe. The amazing thing about soup is you can get really creative with it, adding different types of vegetables. If any of you think of an interesting twist to this recipe, please let us know!
Please send all correspondence to: herecomethevegans@yahoo.com
Shitake On My Parade
On a Sunday, this past Memorial Day weekend, we attended what we hoped to be a festival of the fungal fashion. We drove 138 miles to Morgan Hill to experience our first Mushroom Mardi Gras. An acquaintance of ours informed us about the many fruit and veggie festivals throughout California. We arrived mid-afternoon in hopes of experiencing many close encounters of the mushroom kind. Upon entering the festival, the first few sights that grabbed our attention were children’s rides and carnival games. We quickly zig-zagged through the crowd in search our elusive delicacies.
Our first inspection proved unfulfilling. The only edible items we initially came across were the typical sugary, greasy carnival/fair junk food vendors. A second search landed us in front of a Korean mobile restaurant. As luck would have it, they actually offered two vegan dishes. After grubbing down on a plate of rice, tofu, and stirfried veggies, we continued our pursuit for the food item in which this festival was supposedly honoring.
Another thirty minutes of meandering past mushroom-less merchants led us to what might be called a “food court” of sorts. This meager area appeared to encase the entire heart of the festival. The term “mushrooms a-plenty” did not come to mind. Of the handful of eateries in the immediate area, we found only four fastfood style dishes containing mushrooms. There were fried mushrooms, stuffed mushrooms, garlic bread smothered in mushrooms, and an $8 portabello sandwich about the size of a beer coaster. None were prepared to please a refined palate. With sun-beaten brows, sore feet, and unmet expectations, we trudged back to whence we came.
There were a few highlights to the experience; a ’80s rock cover band, various artists, and a free visit to the petting zoo on the way out. Although the Mushroom Mardi Gras lacked the exposure of local farmers and the various types of mushrooms, we might consider attending again, only next time it would be for the fun, not the fungi.
As these upcoming food festivals are becoming a new interest to us, we don’t want to be discouraged by our first experience.
Being vegans, we look forward to a plethora of meatless treats. We are interested in trying new presentations of old favorites, as well as sampling some wacky concoctions. We are still quite anxious to try the Garlic Ice Cream and the Asparagus Margarita! Fun is necessary at any festival, but the overall atmosphere should focus on the namesake of that particular event.
For a list of food festivals in California, visit www. fringemag.com for links.
Please send all correspondence to: herecomethevegans@yahoo.com
Milking The Lie
Have you ever noticed that humans are the only mammals that continue to drink milk well into their adult lives? Why? What made this a common dietary practice? Milk is primarily known to provide calcium to aid in the strengthening of bones.
What most people are unaware of is that you can obtain all necessary calcium requirements for your body through a vegan diet. In addition, some might not realize that dairy is actually bad for our bodies, animals, and the environment.
If you really think about it, milk is actually a mucous-like substance from a cow udder. It contains blood, pus, and any other chemicals that the cow had been treated with prior to milking. Dairy also has a huge amount of cholesterol which can lead to heart disease and obesity. Since vegans exclude dairy from their diets, they have a significantly lower risk of developing many of the heath problems associated with its consumption.
Humans aren’t the only ones who are affected by the dairy industry. Of course, you must take the animals into consideration, since billions are being tortured and slaughtered annually. Yes, mother cows do naturally make milk to feed their babies, but like human mothers, they must be pregnant to lactate. Cows in the dairy industry are artificially inseminated in order to provide their “product”.
Upon birth, the majority of the calves are torn away from their mothers and placed into a small, dark box that allows for little to no movement.
The calves will never again see the light of day.
Their muscles will atrophy and they will be killed to make veal. The milk that rightfully belongs to these calves is being ingested by humans.
With the billions of animals being born and raised by the dairy industry, it has a very negative effect on the environment. They feed cows an expensive and enormous amount of grain that can be used to feed many humans. All of these billions of animals create a dangerous amount of untreated waste and methane, leading to contaminated air and water supplies. A person can’t possibly consider themself an environmentalist without becoming vegan, because veganism has been proven to be much safer for the environment.
A person who is considering veganism might be intimidated at the thought of giving up milk and cheese. Once we became vegan, we started to experiment with different brands of soy milk and vegan cheese. Although we weren’t satisfied with the quality of some brands, we discovered some dairy-free alternatives that can easily replace the majority of bovine-produced foods. Many of these items can be found at any health food store or grocery co-op. In addition, dark leafy green vegetables, oranges, and some soy milk can provide all the calcium you need in your diet.
For more in-depth reading about the negative impact of dairy and info on dairy alternatives, you can visit: milksucks.com
Please send all correspondence to: herecomesthevegans@yahoo.com
Until next time, take care, and VEG OUT!
