Author Archive for Joe

Path

Published
by
Joe
on April 6, 2008
in shorts
. 0 Comments

grassy field landscape blue sky

Image by watercolors08

You, by putting each foot forward walk a path of your own making. Although the stars and the wind may guide you through the meadow, your journey is your own. The path through the meadow is the path into your soul, for both are one and the same. With the sun providing warmth above you, your footfalls leave an impression on welcoming soil beneath you. Your intent with each step determines not only what happens outwardly, but internally as well. This is a mark you leave on the world. With every step you make, your unique vision and energy reverberates around you. Make each of your steps count, for each creature in the meadow is listening.

 

Clairification on Blog Entry: “Wide Awake: Veganism Open Eyes”

Published
by
Joe
on March 20, 2008
in awareness and blog
. 0 Comments

After posting the blog “Wide Awake: Veganism Open Eyes,” I received backlash regarding it’s content. The negative reaction seemed to be based on a misunderstanding that I suggested or proclaimed plants feel pain. This is ridiculous. I did not that state plants feel pain, or have any nervous system capable of feeling emotions. I was not anthropomorphizing plants. Instead, I expressed two concepts on how to view plants. The first being plants have a will to live. Secondly, compassion toward all living creatures is a necessity and requirement for a humanistic state of being.

To pervert both of these two key concepts into a statement that plants scream in pain and horror when eaten us categorically untrue, misleading and absurd. when I say a plant has a will to live I am not saying it is conscious. When I say plants should be treated cruelty-free, I do not mean plants feel pain.

Plants have a will to live. By will I mean it in the most primordial sense. Plants are interactive with their environment. They evolve, change, attack and defend themselves for the preservation of their life. Will goes hand in hand with life. Life, in all it’s grand splendor and varying forms, wills to live. Basically, what I am saying is simply this: since a plant is alive it needs respect. That is all. Life deserves respect regardless of form.

The second topic I discussed - cruelty towards plants - suggests a way of life, attitude or perception towards plants and all living life forms. Because a plant lacks a brain or nervous system does not justify a disrespectful or violent actions towards plants. Likewise, because plants do not experience emotions does not justify violent actions toward plants.

I understand that this concept may seem very strange. Therefore, a better angle for me to take would be to focus and stress on living a life of nonviolence.

One should live a life of nonviolence with an acceptance and respect towards all things living. That is all. Simply saying “thank you” to a salad is all the respect needed and is the point I am making, although in a much expanded form. :)

Notes for future blogs:

There are other factors and issues I would love to address at some point in the future. How to identify and remove Speciesism from our thoughts and actions. Is Jainism a rational philosophy? Another, are defenseless plants (lettuce) inherently sacrificial? What is the nature and purpose of a fruit? Assuming we had a way of perceiving the intent, if an organism such as a beef cow intentionally sacrifices itself for us, would that action make it morally justifiable to then kill and eat the beef cow?

blogging about my diet

Published
by
Joe
on March 10, 2008
in blog
. 1 Comment

My vegan diet ended four days ago. I made it through the month-long trial experiment feeling well, but at the beginning of the following month (this month - March), physical problems manifested. The air seemed cooler on my skin. Every object seemed twice as heavy as it should be. I experienced difficulties lifting weights as if I had no strength. From what I understand, these are signs of low dietary iron - a reduction of oxygen in my blood stream. Yet, I thought I have been consuming adequate amounts of that metal. After several days of living with this new issue I decided it was time to try some of the foods I abstained from during my vegetarian and vegan diet. First up, scrambled eggs!

It has been five months or so since I have had eggs of any kind, so my frying skills were a little rusty. I forgot to use oil on the pan so the eggs stuck to the metal. I did not cook the two scrabbled eggs long enough so they were a little wet. These factors, plus having not eating any animal products minus milk for nearly two months cause this culinary experience to be poor. The eggs were rich, dense, wet, stinky, pasty, and gross. Every bite and chew made my mouth frown. After I finished eating I was burping eggs. Revisiting the unsatisfactory meal with every burp only made matters worse. However, about twenty minutes later I felt a boost of energy, a feeling of physical empowerment. Curious, I noted the feeling and went on with my night.

The next day I recalled the air did not seem cold the previous night or in this present moment. During the current evening it came time for a tofu dinner, but I felt a strong repulsion towards tofu and conversely felt a strong pull towards eggs. So I skipped the tofu and had more eggs. Again, I felt a boost of energy after eating eggs. Later that day I was able to lift weights without the resistance I experienced beforehand.

Come the third day I once again was craving eggs. I have never in my life craved eggs. Nor in my life have I ever ate so many eggs back to back like this. Also, the thought of eating a tofu dinner manifested a sicking feeling in my gut - a feeling of feeling of vomit and death and repulsion. I made myself a tofu dinner anyway and consequently had a difficult time eating it all. A few hours later a made myself two scrabbled eggs, ate them and felt fantastic afterwards. However, the eggs still stunk and tasted strange, weird and foreign to me.

On the fourth day I choose to expand my food menu to what I previously had been consuming before my veggie and vegan diet. I bought some smoked salmon and drinkable yogurt. In the past, salmon was like candy to me. This time, eating salmon lox’s (moist smoked salmon strips) was disgusting. In fact, it was so gross I only ate half and gave the rest to my cats. Afterwards, I ate a banana which was by far a more enjoyable experience. Then I ate some more eggs.

Finally came the yogurt. It tasted awfully dirty. It’s hard to explain, but it tasted dirty much like how a low grade hamburger from some take out joint tastes dirty. About an hour later I became abnormally tired, as if I was under the influence of a sleep drug. I slept in about two hours longer than normal the following day. When I woke I had a minor congested sinus cavity. I have read that sleep and mucus problems can be symptoms of diary ingestion, but beforehand I never was aware of any sinus pain. However, a chiropractor two years ago noted that I have inflammation as if under an allergy atack, even though grass is not common in the desert in comparison to other areas of the United States. Moreover, this was during the winter, the season grass does not bloom. I speculated that the inflammation was due to living with cats, but now with a clogged sinus cavity after drinking yogurt I wonder if that inflammation has to do with consuming diary.

It is quite fascinating how removing certain foods from my diet can change how the food itself tastes and how my body works and reacts to that food upon reintroduction. With first hand experience, my veggie and vegan diet has made me appreciate fruits and vegetables as sustainable food sources more than ever before. But even though I was getting at least forty grams of mostly soy protein daily, it seems that form of protein is not what my body needs or wants. I will soon try some other high protein sources such as almond butter and see if it abates my egg craving. Moreover, I will have some raw fish soon since it will be clean, firm with no order. Because those qualities are opposite from loxs, it may be more agreeable to my palette. I am looking forward to my continue exploration of food and diet.

Cosmo the Turk — A Tramatic Injury

Published
by
Joe
on March 4, 2008
in blog
. 2 Comments

he is alive. he is in the feline version of icu right now.

cosmo the turkish cat, white, small

why am i guilty about this?
this is a cat that needs to be look and watched after. he does not fear things or people. he is not one who could “make it” on his own out on the streets or forests, unlike most other cats. he is a show cat and acts that way. it is my job to watch him and take care of him. and, most importantly he is aware of this and looks up to me. he is dependent on me — not independent like other cats. and i let him down.

i trained him to wait for me under a taras truck. when i come by he comes out to greet me. for weeks i have been leashing him up under taras truck. he would camp out under the truck next to the wheel. well, he got out off the leash. i suspect he waited for me under someone else’s truck wheel across the street or next door.

someone went into their vehicle cosmo was under. cosmo did not move.
they started their vehicle. cosmo did not move.
they backed up and crushed cosmo under the wheel.

sound strange? well, thats cosmo.
(every other cat I’ve known would have ran away when unknown variables entered the unsecured local space (people walking nearby when outside) or the local environment changes unexpectedly (starting an engine))

truly, he is bad shape with broken ribs and organ damage as you would expect BUT is still alive and stable after 24hrs. thats GREAT. now we need to get him past the next 48 hours to determine the severity of organ damage.

update (3am): i just learned his condition has deteriorated. he has begun bleeding internally. blood is slowly filling his gut. this has reduced is blood volume. although this is expected with blunt trauma, our eyes are placed on alert again. in an hour or two i will learn more about this loss of blood, whether it is increasing, remaining the same or has stopped. he is doped up on morphine. his behavior and appearance is still stable, alert and good. maybe the blood loss is occurring from a broken rib bone cutting flesh. maybe not. we’ll see. and so i stay wake waiting on a call.

tara and i visited him several hours ago. the morphine is making him act all goofy, loving and affectionate.

update (5am): cosmo lost a little more blood into his gut. however, he is still active and functional showing no clinical signs of blood loss. there are signs of blood being absorbed back into the bloodstream. His brother, Nachos, has been acting unusual. we where outside playing with rocks waiting for the vet to call. when i brought nachos inside, he circled the living room sniffing everything, went into the garage and howled, came directly back walking right toward me. he looked up at me and made a strange meow that i have never heard before . based on these actions, i gather he is looking for his brother and when he could not locate him, asked me where he is — in the only way he can.

update (2pm): still largely stable with noted improvements. assuming he stays this way we will bring him home tonight then bring him back to the vet tomorrow for blood tests and verification of stability.

Vegan blog

Published
by
Joe
on March 1, 2008
in blog
. 0 Comments

My monthly trial of a Vegan diet is drawing to a close. During this time I experienced very little resistance toward this lifestyle which means I am capable of continuing it into the future. The resistance I did experience consisting of four things.  During the beginning of the experiment, I found it difficult to adjust to a lack of chocolate milk at night. Chocolate milk had been a daily staple of my life for years. Switching to hemp milk or rice milk proved to be a poor substitute but never less ended up as a replacement beverage for milk.  Secondly, toward the end of the month of I began craving yogurt. I’m not sure why. Throughout the month the sight of an egg carton in the refrigerator caused a third arm, ghostly in nature, to spring forth from my chest toward the eggs resting on the cold shelf. The hand, incorporeal, pass through the egg carton, though the intention was clear: I desired eggs. Since I am practicing a vegan diet I cannot eat them, therefore, I closed the fridge and walked away.

I do not care for the taste of eggs very much. However, I feel good after eggs are consumed as long as there was an extended period of time after the last intake of eggs. See, I begin to feel sick if I eat more than four eggs in a week, and in the rare instances when I do eat more than four in a week, if often need several weeks without eggs to reset my state back to zero. I know I am back to zero when I begin to crave eggs again. The last time I had an egg was back in December and it was hardboiled. This issue of my dislike in egg taste centers on the yolk. The reason why I become pulled to eat eggs is unclear. It could be the protein, the sulfer or something else. Come March first I will eat a hardboiled egg. I am eagerly awaiting this moment and I think about it every day. I am curious to know how it will taste and how it will make me feel. I predict that the egg will smell very stinky and will possibly turn me off. On the other end I expect my body to react favorably to an egg inside my stomach. We will see what happens come March 1st.

The last experience of my former diet that lingered into my vegan diet was the smell of barbaques. This smell invoked pleasurable memories and feelings inside me of smoked meat, beer and friends. While I had no desire to eat the fired and smoked meat, I greatly wanted to taste it and smell it and feel it inside my mouth. This is a clear contrast to eggs (and possibly yogurt). I desire the burnt yet moist meat in my mouth without the desire to actually eat it.

During the month of march I expect to eat an egg. There is a remote possiblity that I will eat yogurt, fish or steak as well. The point of this is to see how my body has changed from my vegan experience. I predict I will dislike steak and yogurt, but will enjoy fish and eggs. I want to continue my vegan diet. So, to help me realize this future of a plant diet I will have a vegan alternative physically next to each of the non-vegan food items I expect to eat.

I will eat those food itmes only at the time I feel like I need them (wanting to eat an egg has been a daily feeling for me all month. So that’s going down very soon!).

Wide Awake: Veganism Open Eyes

Published
by
Joe
on February 25, 2008
in awareness and blog
. 2 Comments

What I have learned as a Vegan, And What You Can Too.

While I may have been able to learn all of the following by reading, doing so would have kept the ideas in the abstract. Experiencing the ideas, however, results in intimate understanding. Therefore, applying ideas to real life turns them into powerful and real vehicles of transformation.

Summery and Reflections

I have learned more about topics in which I previously new little or nothing about. I have learned about factory farming, free-range farming, sustainable farming, husbandry, protein nutrition, moralism, Jainism and green living.

All life is equal. Plants are equal to animals. All life desires to preserve it’s life; living is what life does.

If you wish to eat cruelty free, then I ask you eat only what Nature freely gives you. Ripping a carrot from the Earth is hardly a giving act. It is taking with force a life from Nature. Instead eat the fruits fallen from trees and the seeds scattered by the wind. Eat what Nature gives you freely, not what it protects with rocks, soils and emotions.

Killing any life, however small, is cruelty in the abstract.

Conceptually, cruelty need not have any physical manifestation for it to be as real as any other thought, like love. We tend to forget that thoughts, lingering in the abstract, are the foundations of reality. All acts are preceded by a thought inasmuch as a hug is with love. To destroy a divine creation for survival is physical necessity, but to do it without love and respect is abhorrent.

Life that sacrifices itself for continuation of your life needs to be respected, regardless of the shape, size and function of that life.

Ten years ago I attended a three-day Reiki training seminar. Of the many things I learned, one was to preform a simple Reiki technique on my food to imbue it with positive energy. At the time, I had no idea why one would need to. The reasoning, which I have largely forgotten was not explained in a manor that I could understood. But now I am beginning to understand that it was a form of respect toward that die for me to live.

Cores Concepts

Veganism is a lifestyle, way of life, and philosophy. Veganism is a social artifact created in response to a culture of consumerism that yields unsustainable ecological practices, poor dietary habits, and lack of conscientious thinking and behavior.

Diet: Veganism, when practiced properly, is likely healthier than the standard American diet. Other diets could be just as healthy, if not, more so. Diet and health are complex to understand containing a massive amount of variables. A diet that works for one does not mean it will work for another. It recommend trying a variety of diets to learn what your body response best to.

Biology: Veganism and vegetarianism as a diet are obviously possible. However, it is a biologically unnatural way of sustaining a human. In fact, extreme diets such as veganism and vegetarianism are extremely rare in the natural world. Nearly all higher-order species consume a mix of plant and animal matter with only a few exceptions.

A vegan and vegetarian lifestyles are diets, social constructs and philosophies created by humans. Misunderstood science is used as a tool to support an otherwise sound social movement and philosophy. This is similar to how Fundamental Christians twist science to give power to support their religious reality.

Humans are dietary adaptable organisms, not niched diet species like the panda or flamingo. We can sustain ourselves on a revolving diet depending on food availability, as has been the case over the last 350 million years with our ancestors.

Spirituality: I made a mistake in believing Vegetarianism leads to Spirituality. I have learned Veganism and Vegetarianism are not spiritual, but are lifestyles that can be practiced by those who are spiritual.

Inspected alone, Veganism fosters and promotes a biasness toward lifeforms which posses either emotions, intelligence and/or consciousness. These qualities, intrinsic but not limited to avians and mammals, are argued as a requirement for the experience of pain and suffering. This drawing of a line separating lifeforms based on mental faculties is a perception as false as separating humans based on skin color and IQ. Emotions and conciseness are manifestations of a physical nature in the same manor as feathers and chlorophyll are. One is not inherently superior to another. Despite this, I believe Vegans, proved by the adoption of the vegan diet, are conscientious people possessing well defined ethical values. However, Veganism and Vegetarianism cannot leads to spiritual awareness when it in itself is blind to life in other forms, naively promoting inequality by falsely believing one physical manifestation is more important than another. It is ironic that Vegans advocating animal rights reveal themselves as disrespectful and ambivalent to the other forms life takes. With a little juggling, Veganism can be auxiliary to a spiritual or religious belief system, but is not spiritual in and of itself. It is a social artifact created to solve a perceived social and cultural problem.

Environment: Currently, of all actions a single person can take to “save” the world (strictly environmental), eliminating meat intake would serve the greatest results. We we soon be facing a resource crunch. Eliminating meat consumption frees up resources.

Philosophy: A Vegan is one who practices a lifestyle that abstains from using animals for any purpose (even riding a horse?). A vegans goal is living cruelty-free. Thus a vegan strongly opposes factory farms and other processes which ignore animal rights.

Intention: Being a dietary vegan has instilled energy in my existence. I feel like I am thinking about something which matters.

Perspective: One can easily lose perspective as a Vegan. The primary goal for a Vegan is to sustain themselves without the use of animals. Abstaining from creature meat, dairy and animal products does a great deal towards supporting that purpose. Abstaining from products and food that contain or made from animal by-products is becoming detailed in fulfilling the goal. Determining whether or not sugar was whiten with bone char even though the sugar itself contains none becomes a questionable use of mental energy. For if one ceases meat consumption, then less bones will be available for secondary industries.

Thus focusing on reducing the primary industries output will have a cascading effect. A passionate and lifelong figure skater, in my opinion, lost focus on the overall goal of veganism when she became upset that the only good, high quality skates are made with leather. She loves to skate and her vegan lifestyle is already doing so much for the environment. Why is she worrying about a small detail? A pair of skates that will last five years. She should do her best as a Vegan while not giving up her love of skating. We all need to keep perspective.

The Vegan Morality of Life is Flawed

Published
by
Joe
on February 22, 2008
in awareness
. 2 Comments

To be clear, I am a vegan and a vegan lifestyle has good intentions. The problems I have with it are the several logic, moral and philosophical flaws, one of which I will detail here. I cannot live under a flawed moral principle. Living a vegan lifestyle has been driving me crazy.

Veganism does not condone the killing or use of animals for gain or profit. However, the killing and profiting of plants is acceptable. This is a contradiction. Taking the life of another organism is killing. Believing it is acceptable to kill one type of organism but not another is hypocrisy.

Some vegans maintain that plants do not have the capacity for intelligence and consciousness, therefore cannot experience pain and suffering. While it is true plants do not have a neuron bundle, I argue that plants can experience pain and suffering. Pine trees secrete sap as a defense when beetles bore into the tree. This shows us that trees have a concept of self preservation, which is action to maintain life and are attempting, to the best of their ability to survive. Some plants have toxins as a defense against herbivore. All life has a desire to live. If an organisms life, whether plant or animals is being threaten, they will do it’s best to defend itself and survive. Some plants which have no adequate defenses, such as grasses, attempt to survive by propagating in shear numbers, much like squid, mayflies, etc…

For one organism to live another must die. There is no escaping this. Having a tiered value status of life, i.e. a mammal has a higher status than a plant, based on assigned arbitrary values is a false perception of reality. I believe in a reality of equality, not inequality, regardless of the form and capabilities of the organism. A bear does not have more value than a flower, for both their names, and bodies are not real. The only thing that is real is their life, of which they both have of equal value. With that said, it is the gift of life, not consciousness, which I acknowledge and respect.

Being a vegan helps me meditate on these concepts. Fruits, based on the above logic are an acceptable food item. Fruit, by their very nature are designed for consumption. Generally, the plant whom provided the fruit does not die when it’s fruits are eaten.

I find it perplexing that vegans, whom I have found consider themselves enlightened people, use intelligence, emotion and consciousness as a measuring stick to determine what is acceptable to kill. Those qualities are no more real and have no more value than a snail shell, plant hairs, or a flower. A mind and a tuber are equal. They are both expressions of life. Placing value on the mydrid expressions and characteristics life takes the form of is the same segregation mindset vegans are fighting against. Vegans believe that factory farming is modern day slavery. Well, believing that plants have lesser value than animals is a corrupted belief system. Throughout history, this mindset led to the extermination, subjugation, and persecution of many lifeforms because they were concerned of lesser value than another. On the contrary, all life is equal.

You think it is absurd that I am defending a vegetation genocide?! I think it is absurd you believe that humans, the only species capable of rational thought, are above all other species. Geckos are the only species that can climb flat, vertical surfaces with suction pads on their toes. Every species has something unique - a shell, suction pads, ink jets, thorns, chlorophyll, feathers, whiskers, intelligences, rationality. Because we can exert control over life means we must respect life, not make exceptions on what acceptable to steal life from. We either kill with respect or with disrespect. There is no lesser of two evils. Even killing less life, one is still taking life. This is why Veganism has good intentions, but is inherently flawed.

Because of this moral problem, I have been studying Native American belief systems in hopes of finding a resolution.

Thoughts on Writing

Published
by
Joe
on February 21, 2008
in blog
. 1 Comment

Last night I was reading quotes from Anthony Robbins. His statements are filled with action words and phrases creating motivation. Tony is a motivational speaker, after all. I was reading his quotes to gain some insight and inspiration to continue writing myself, for I have hit a mental road block. Three days ago I wrote a bit on what I believe the purpose relationships serve in our lives, but I became dismayed over my lack of vision, clarity and literary skill. I felt what I wrote lacked drive, momentum and focus. In comparison to Tony, my writing style is passive and lacking action. This bummed me out. The following day I made no money and this further bummed me out. Late at night I went to the bank to deposit a check and went to a store to restock on bananas, since I eat about five a day. While in the store I became hungry. I stood and looked around at my past, at all the food I once ate with bliss. I walked to the meat section and looked at the rows of red dyed meat packaged on foam trays all stacked on top of each other. The old me would have bought some meat and enjoyed himself that night, munching away. I walked through the wine isle and remembered how brandy, whiskey and wine always brightened my mood.

For the first time I felt very restricted and depressed by this diet. I didn’t know what to do with myself. Then I remembered smokey hot salsa and corn chips! Yo, that I dig. I bought some water, eight pounds of bananas, a pound of corn chips and two interesting special salsa mixes and I enjoyed the next few hours of my night.

Then, the frustration of finding my voice sunk in again and has rolled over into today. It has been cloudy the last three days and I haven’t seen the sun during that time. I wonder if the lack of sun makes me feel bummed. I am betting that it does. Even if that is the cause it does not make my situation any better. It shows how much I still am a product of my environment instead of being driven from within. My addition to caffeine is also evidence supporting this fact.

I must keep writing even though I cannot do it well. I have a deep feeling and understanding of reality. That seems to be what I have and am. So I must share it in the only three ways I can: speaking, writing, and living by example.

Looking Deeper into Meat pt.1 - Commentaries on Jo Stepaniak Answers

Published
by
Joe
on February 17, 2008
in blog
. 0 Comments

A few days ago I came across a vegan website run by author Jo Stepaniak. I am really impressed by how she answers a wide assortment of questions that deal with and are often raised in regards to veganism. However, her answer to one question I felt was overly harsh and judgmental and critical. Perhaps she was playing hardball to get her point across. For whatever reason it may be, I found inspiration in her attitude to write commentaries regarding it. Part 1 will focus on her first sentence in her answer.

source: www.vegsource.com/jo/qa/qapromeat.htm

Someone asked her if there are any positive reasons to eat meat. Simply put, this person wants to know what the arguments against vegetarianism are.

First sentence in Jo’s answer: “There are no moral, ethical, philosophical, or biological reasons for humans to eat other animals.”

Philosophical

She states there are no philosophical reasons to eat other animals. On the contrary, there are. What is philosophy but the rational investigation into the existence of things? When philosophy is applied to the divine and God, it is called theology. If God states that animals have populated our reality for our use, then that is a philosophical way of viewing a relationship between God, humans and animals. Eating animals then becomes a way of life. This is a philosophy of how to live life and thus, a philosophical reason to eat meat. I am aware this point of view can be countered, but whether it is right or wrong does not make it any less a philosophy. What is right or wrong belongs in a conversation regarding morality.

Another reason would be to participate in the food chain that humans are part of (whether or not humans are part of a food chain and whether or not humans are acting naturally while participating in it is a big, messy topic for debate that I would love to explore another time. The food chain outlook toward life could also be considered a biological motive.).

Another reason, although extreme, would be using a physical act — eating meat — to illustrate or partake in a metaphysical concept of consuming a life force and becoming empowered by it (it is irrelevant to counter by saying a life force does not resides in a dead animal, for a life force cannot be proven to exist in the first place.) This act of worship is symbolic, spiritual, and religious. But if it is a way of life and an outlook toward reality. Therefore, it is a philosophical way of life trying to make sense of the material and immaterial. This example is the same as making love (a physical act) to create or experience love (emotional or spiritual). What I am referring to here is a rite: performing divine or spiritual acts through physical conduct. To discount eating meat under these circumstances is secularism. Rejecting a way of thinking that deals with issues in life, such as death and souls, chi or life forces is to reject a perspective that is no more or less valid than yours.

Saying there is no philosophical reason for eating meat is silly and foolish. All this statement reveals is Jo Stepaniaks inability to perceive ways of thinking that fall outside her attitudes and morals. She is saying her way of thinking is right, other ways are wrong, and the door is closed for discussion. Bringing the topic of philosophy into a discussion of meat eating is apparently not a good idea.

Moral

Jo says there are no moral reasons to eat meat. This assertion only works when used against someone who appears to or claims to live a moral life, who has a firm grip of what is considered right and wrong. If someone has morals, then one can talk about morals. If someone is immoral, then a discussion of the sorts is pointless. If one cannot see, do not waste your breath describing colors. It will not be understood.

There are many people, mostly dead, whom I respect and revere that have talked about the conduct, intentions and actions of humans, known as moral principles, otherwise known as ethics, and applied them to eating meat. Like opinions and just like the concepts of good and evil, the weight of moral values appears to be based on the number of subscribers adhering to such ethics. But maybe not. Are there universal morals? I am not sure. The philosophy of morals have been discussed for a very, very long time and I am not well read in the subject. Regardless, with my basic understanding I see no conscientious, virtuous, or moral reason to eat meat.

Being ethical is to conform and adhere to a moral principle. Using “ethical” in her answer is redundant. Those two words are nearly synonyms. If there are no moral reasons to preform a certain action, then it follows that there will be no ethical reasons as well.

Biological

There may have been a biological reason to eat meat in the past to obtain b-12, maybe not, but it certainly is no longer required in our present era. B-12 is supplemented in all sorts of foods, such as bread, beverages, and bars.

Bottom Line

So, to reconstruct her answer, it should simply say there are no moral or current biological reasons to eat animals.

Compassion — the strongest reasoning for adopting a vegan lifestyle — lies in the realms of morality and is practiced physically and ardently through a vegan diet and lifestyle.

Why John McCain will be our next president

Published
by
Joe
on February 13, 2008
in blog
. 0 Comments

While it is amazing that we live in time where a woman, a minority, and a Mormon are running for president. It is equally amazing that neither of those three running will be elected because they are woman, African American and a Mormon. While we as a nation and as a people have come a long way on the road toward equality, majority are not yet ready for change leadership.

John McCain will be elected president solely because he is not a woman, black or non-mainstream Christian. He will be elected president because he is the only white, older male with experience and typical Christan beliefs (baptist) in the race. Regardless, this is still a landmark time in our countries presidential race and we have interesting times ahead of us regarding rights, equality and leadership.

In response I look back nine years at a Michael Moore directed music video “Sleep Now in the Fire” by Rage Against the Machine — not as nostalgia, but as inspiration in our current time. This song is not dated, but more relevant than ever.

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