The World’s Forgotten Victims

There are many problems in todays’ world, actually there tends to be many issues throughout life in general. From wars, genocides, terrorism, viral outbreaks, robberies or oil spills; we sit on our leather couches in front of the TV drinking all this in, internalising it as the norm and slowly growing indifferent and hopeless at the plight of it all. The majority of people have grown apathetic towards major social issues and the future of our planet and descendants. Understandably so, when the average person picks up a newspaper and is presented with yet another rendition of “This is what you have to fear!” after a while it gets old. But why does it get old? And why are there so many problems? The latter goes beyond the scope of this post but there is a point I am making here. It gets old because the first thought that goes through someone’s head is “What can I do to help?” and usually the answer is nothing. What can I do about ISIS or BP oil spills? Probably not much I’m afraid and even if there was something we can do, we think “oh somebody else will do it; I have too much on my plate”. Our blind acceptance of these thoughts allows our apathy towards the world to take root. It is here we shed our responsibility as stewards of the Earth and resign ourselves to the comforts we are imprisoned in.

But what if I were to tell you there is something you can do? There is some significant course of action you can take to make a stand and say NO! “But where do we start?” you may wonder. Yes we may not be able to stop all the suffering on Earth, but that’s not the point. The point is we can do something and we can start somewhere. Let’s start by what’s on our plate. Let’s start with what we choose to wear and what we consume. Let’s start by acknowledging that our actions do indeed cause hurt to the world’s oldest and most forgotten victims: the animals. Just reflect on all the suffering that is inflicted on animals, our environment and our health, we can do something to change that. How? By adopting the principles of Veganism as a moral baseline philosophy. If we are going to make a difference in the world, if we are going to help one another or save the environment, or promote equal rights, how can we manage any of that while simultaneously contributing to the very destructive, oppressive and speciesist paradigm that is the systematic objectification and commodification of sentient individuals and the planet’s resources? To be vegan is to take a stand against the injustices that have befallen our brethren in fur and scales. It is practiced by rejecting as far as practically possible to use of animal products.

In the name of economics our society steps over the lives of animals, injures our health and strips the planet of her resources. But we vote for that kind of world with our dollar. It is because of our say so that the animal agricultural industry has decimated eco-systems, cleared 45% of the earths land for feedlots and pastures, is responsible for 91% of rainforest destruction, contributes upwards to 25% of the greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere, acidified most of the oceans and formed hypoxic dead zones while destroying the planets top soil by growing and feeding vast quantities of grain to 150 billion livestock a year while leaving 1.5 billion to starve.

It is no question that almost all animals feel pain and most experience emotions, a sense of self and an inner world of experience. You most probably wouldn’t kill and eat your family pet as you are a good person with a sense of empathy and were raised not to hurt animals, right? If you believe it’s wrong to cause unnecessary harm to animals then you already believe in veganism. Our history has shown us, that throughout time, we gain more and more moral integrity. There was a time when sexism, the belief that one sex is superior to the other, was popular. There was also a time when racism, the belief that one race is superior to another, was popular. Heck, even genocide was all over the place! And now, in today’s world, an awareness of a new global issue is growing, animal rights and animal agriculture. When we look out at the failing eco-systems, the acidified oceans and the warming climate, how can we ask for mercy from above if we give no mercy to those below us?

Veganism and animal rights are important because as Mahatma Gandhi once said: “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way they treat their animals.” A simple quote yet effectively pointing out the fact that a society’s moral progress can be accurately measured by how it looks after it’s defenceless, the voiceless and the oppressed. Because that’s the point I’m trying to make here, the core of what we are discussing is values. Human values. Martin Luther King talked about power without compassion, might without morality and strength without sight. They are the values that allow societies to abuse animals. Yet they are also the values that allow societies to abuse people and to abuse the planet as well in the name of economics. You cannot divorce values of that which abuse animals, and that which abuses people and the planet for they are the same values. It was Henry Salt, a social reformer and animal rights activist who said last century “It is useless to preach peace by it, social justice by itself and kindness to animals by itself. The cause, he said, to each of all the evils that afflict the world is the same. The lack of humanity, the lack of knowledge that all sentient life is akin, and that he who injures a fellow being, is in fact doing injury to himself. It is not this bloodshed, or that bloodshed that must cease, he said, but all needless bloodshed, all want and infliction of pain or death upon our fellow beings.

So this is why I joined FED, Future Environmental Defenders; because we have remained passive too long. Around the world people are choosing positive change. They are spreading awareness and promoting information. The apathy and indifference of previous generations have had serious consequences on our environment and all those who share it. Consequences my children and descendants will have to live with. I joined FED as a statement and as part of a mission to contribute where I can. I don’t want my grandkids looking back asking me what I did to help during the holocaust of the animals and the destruction of our environment. Do we continue to blindly contribute to the system, or do we reflect on our values and strive to live consistently with them? Out of everything you supported or consumed today, it was the beef on your plate that swallowed 3000 gallons of water and 16 pounds of grain. The biggest environmental impact you have comes from what you eat but luckily it’s the one aspect of your environmental impact you have the most control over. Mind you, this is no solitary movement. Veganism is massively mainstream nowadays; 1% of baby boomers are vegetarian, 4% of gen x’ers are vegetarian and 12% of millennials are vegetarian. The trends are growing, 400 million animals fewer animals were killed for food in 2014 because people are consuming less meant compared to 2007. The future is bright.

My name is Karan Lal and I am a Future Environmental Defender.

#Veganism