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Animals aren't safe in or out of the EU

I voted remain. And the main reason for that was because I believed that (and still do) animals fare slightly better under the scrutiny of the masses, the general public, of a large European community.

Around 80 percent of UK animal welfare laws originate from the EU. None of which are in any way perfect, or even, really, acceptable – not to vegans or to anyone who really truly loves animals. But it’s better than NOT having any of those EU welfare laws in place.

So, I was horrified when I read what the latest EU dinner menu was on the 28^th June:

:: Quail and green bean salad with a crispy dried fruit pastry triangle;

:: Poached veal tenderloin with seasonal baby vegetables;

:: Strawberries.

Quail and veal?

Quail has recently been outed for being Factory Farming’s Most Recent and Smallest Victims. Some countries, including the UK, have Codes of Practice that advise cage heights to be 20cm. But these are not legal requirements and no country has particular laws for the welfare of quail.

20cm. 20 CM!

These birds are ‘beak trimmed’ - Beak trimming is particularly cruel as underneath the outer casing runs a system of blood vessels and nerve endings. These enable birds to use their beaks in much the same way we use our fingers - to pick up food, to touch and sense, feel and explore. In effect trimming beaks is similar to a human having their fingertips amputated.

Please read the link to the article that outlines what these tiny little birds suffer:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sue-cross/quail-are-factory-farming_b_2315829.html

And of course veal.

The ‘by product’ of the dairy industry – the industry where mothers and babies are abused in the most horrific of ways for our greed for milk and cheese etc.

In the UK there are, interestingly, stricter rules than in general in the EU for veal production – which actually has meant that the UK barely bothers with veal production at all. So calves are simply killed and thrown out. For veal to be veal, in the eyes of the discerning baby torturers and killers, the meat of the calves must be pale and tender. It is baby meat after all.

Standards of welfare in the EU is worse than in the UK – and can vary considerably. Although animals experience social contact and greater freedom of movement than in the crates that they were once legally kept in, they are still kept on slatted flooring with no comfortable resting area. EU law also allows the calves to be fed on a liquid milk diet and the roughage provided may not be of an appropriate type or sufficient quantity to allow normal development of the digestive system. This feeding regime helps to ensure the production of the ‘desired’ pale flesh, since the law allows haemoglobin levels (iron) in calves blood to fall below those that safeguard against anaemia.

So, basically, babies that are deliberately made ill and weak before they are killed.

And it is veal and quail that is served at these functions.

We have a lot of work cut out for us – ‘us’ being those who actually, really, truly love animals. All animals.

 

Are vegans pro-life? For real?

I got to thinking, after having read a post on Facebook where someone was upset at an argument they had been having with someone else who happened to ask what their view on abortion was. Their argument ended up being a slanging match, where swallowing sperm etc became the red herring and the abortion issue ended up being the elephant in the room.

The responses that the upset vegan got was a whole lot more of sarcastic commentary that she was advised to give. Or just plain insults to deliver.

This went on for a while. In the meantime I started to wonder myself about this. And finally, I had to put my own thoughts up. I avoided the sperm/blow job aspect of it - it was getting a thorough *cough* beating without me adding to it. My comment was:

One of the most compelling and strong things that us vegans use as an argument for eating plants over meat, is the fact that plants don't have a brain or a nervous system. At 5 weeks, a foetus's brain and nervous system starts to develop. I think that this fact requires thought....

Now, either this has indeed caused thought or I have just killed the thread and everyone has scattered and re-hidden their heads in the sand.

To me, the issue DOES require thought. Surely, as vegan's, are we not pro life for all life?

It seems not. If it's inconvenient to us, then many of us compromise. Massively.

That's all.

The Friendly Activist - Seaspiracy: what you should know about fish, the ocean and more

I am very proud to have met a young man, Ali Tabrizi a couple of years ago. He was, at the time, presenting at the Birkbeck University who have a Friday evening sort of 'open mic' night where people can present things they feel passionate about.

Ali's talk that evening was an exploration and research into looking at alternative ways to consume food in order to minimise the destructivity that humans have ended up perpetuating upon this blue planet that we call home but treat like a rubbish tip.

He spoke of vegetarian, veganism and even opened up the subject of breatharianism. I was mesmerised by his compassion, not only towards the planet and the animals that live upon her, but also towards his fellow humans, even though we do what we do. He didn't come across as judgemental in any way, just hyper concerned for his and all beings future.

I spoke to him after his talk and I knew that here was a very real, caring, internally wonderful young man and I have since been watching his progress, his ever deepening journey into what appears to be the impossible - educating the human world to wake it up to what we are doing, what we are leaving to the next generations to have to deal with.

Please do watch his Seaspiracy: What you should know about fish, the ocean and more documentary here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLgkrQSRy9E

And follow his youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClDFyunx_AJOzKr7fsuGSJw

And let's back him up, if not for ourselves, but for our children and their children.

No meat, no milk, no wool, no silk,
No eggs, no honey, my choice, my money..
No shooting, no snares, no coursing of hares,
No circus, no zoo, no rodeo too..
No fur, no leather, no saddle, no tether,
No eggs, no fish, no cruelty's my wish..
No feathers, no suede, no ivory trade,
No poison of 'pests', no animal tests..
No killing, no using, my values, my choosing,
No cage, no pen, no veal crate again..
No hunting, no breeding, no hurting, no bleeding,
No feedlot, no kill floor, no tail dock, no declaw..
No blood, no bones, no screams, no moans,
No suffering, no pain, their freedom, my gain!
~ By EVOLVE! Campaigns ~

Compassion

Although I love the passion, the feelings, the full heartedness of vegans, sometimes the brain goes out of the window when venting.

And I do understand. I have been 'militant' and obnoxiously vegan myself. But I very quickly cottoned on to the fact that bashing up against what you don't want in the world simply makes a lot of noise and annoyance. It doesn't necessarily help the cause - I mean, really, look at wars. What is left behind from those? Devastation and death and empty, hollow, so called victories. If we look at these objectively, we would see that actually, not much was achieved. And each war simply is the start of a new war anyway.

Add 'com' to 'passion' and you get compassion. And that is the key. It's important to feel compassion towards those who do eat meat - they are still asleep. Just as I once was. They are still disconnected, I took many years to connect and see the light. So, compassion towards those who still cannot see.

And once you follow the path of compassion, all its friends come and join you too - gentleness, kindness, care, patience, love...all will join you in your journey into what is possible. And what is possible is that humans turn into humankind.

Be bold, yes, be outspoken, be brave, be sturdy and steadfast. But do it all with compassion not just to the animals, but to humans. They are being cruel to themselves too, but just don't see it. Show them the light and the way, don't hit them and cause them more damage. It only damages further the actual cause.

Just my humble opinion, of course.

Compromising principles

At first, my initial reaction to Jeremy Corbyn's choice of Kerry McCarthy to be the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was one of simple 'Good!'

Kerry McCarthy is a vegan of 20 years, and prior to this she was a vegetarian for 10 years. So, of course! Perfect choice for the job. If anyone will change things, surely she can.

But of course, the reality is, is that a politician has to remain 'credible'. Which means Kerry has to now compromise her principles in order to remain 'credible'. So, her whole belief system, her whole backbone is now weak, which in turn weakens the political party itself. Because if she has to say that she wants us to 'consume more British lamb and British apples' simply to be acceptable, the compromise is too much.

The one thing that Corbyn has going for him is principles. In a world where politics and principles are almost always alien to each other, Corbyn was a breath of fresh air. But this with Kerry McCarthy just makes a mockery of principles.

To compromise her principles to this extent - and it's a massive compromise, to have to accept the enslavement, torture, rape and slaughter of billions of animals a year - then what else will the party itself be weak in? What else will they be happy to adjust?

My advice to Corbyn, put Kerry somewhere else where she can maintain the parties backbone OR Kerry, don't drop your standards. Stick to what you honestly and truly believe is right. Because right now, I am disappointed that already the Labour party is becoming just the same as it ever was, which is just the same as any other political party which all seem to stem out of the same stagnant pond right now.