I’ve noticed that some people who find out that we are vegan end
their conversation with the catch-phrase “everything in moderation.”
It happened again yesterday. The person we were talking to asked why
we were vegan; I answered “compassion.” She also made it very clear
that she didn’t want to know anything about the way animals used for
food are treated. Then she went into a long discourse trying to
justify her eating of animal products – the typical “I love animals
and give to the humane society,” etc., etc. I told her that she
sounded the way I did at one time, years ago. After her “everything in
moderation” gibe, the subject was dropped.
Afterwards, I began to think how senseless it is to think that
“moderation” can be applied to the production of commercial flesh, egg,
and dairy products. How can “moderation” be applied to industries that
are intrinsically evil, with such common practices as skinning alive,
scalding alive, beating, slamming “runt” piglets on concrete floors,
crowding, stealing “veal” calves from their mothers, trashing male
chicks, masturbating male turkeys, artificial insemination (raping
female animals) – the list is endless.
To think that the atrocities committed round the clock to billions of
animals can be “moderated” is wishful thinking taken to an absurd
degree. How can people kill or have others kill for them “in
moderation”? And how can animal agriculture ever be called “humane”
when, for example, animals are killed and cows are kept pregnant to keep
producing milk and have their calves stolen from them to supply “humane
veal”?
Frank and I thank God that we had the guts to stop fooling ourselves,
face the truth, and move on to the only way of life that makes sense –
vegan.
