July 20th, 2011 by Gary Smith

One of the most difficult things for vegans and activists is to experience the continuing exploitation of nonhuman animals by our family members and those closest to us. How do you deal with this? How do you find peace, if at all?

 

Laura Robeson

I don’t, and I’m envious of those that do/can.

 

Kezia Jauron

I make a point of hosting all family gatherings and holidays, and that includes providing all the food. My family understands that if they want to spend a holiday with me, it will be at my house and according to my values. They happily eat what I cook and only rarely do I experience any disrespect in my own home. It happens, of course, but it’s not too often. It may not be the same as “finding peace” with their use of animals, but at least I generally feel satisfied that I’m doing what I can to minimize my exposure to their unethical and regressive choices.

 

Holly Goheavy

As much as my family struggles with me- I struggle with them. I do not participate in family gatherings, although I have offered numerous times to host (or at least prepare the food). They can’t let go of their dietary ways, and I refuse to be joyous around the carcass of a tortured animal. I only have the power to change myself, and my attitude. I am done trying to win them over. I don’t want to be the angry activist- yet I find the most frustration with those closest to me. I need to maintain serenity and balance in my life, so I can only lead by example. This in itself offers some peace.

 

Caitlin Feener

Great quiz question. I suffer from this every single day. Looking forward to reading people’s responses.

 

Adele McCarville

I find it very difficult too, thanks for posting this!

 

Angela McArdle

I stay hopeful that the ones I am close to will eventually have a change of heart. I hope that my informed and compassionate choices will continue to be a good example for them

 

Curran Beard

I am completely estranged. They are well-educated and yet eat the absolute worst diets ~ hamburgers, hot dogs, bologna, and asst. mystery meats ~ heart disease, cancer, diabetes … and they don’t want to hear it or read the recommended books. A brick wall

 

Elmarie Ward

Very difficult. Have to cook it as well. Breaks my heart for so many reasons. Drove behind a truck full of sheep on it’s way to an abattoir today I started crying. Feel so powerless all I could do was pray for them.

 

Patricia Becker-Spellman

Being peace loving by nature, I will raise awareness then leave it up to the individual to decide. People get so defensive about their food choices! I have to cook non-plants for my family as well, and though I don’t preach about my cruelty free choices, I calmly reiterate them while family and friends choose to eat animals and their products. I also pledge to the soul of the animal I am preparing (which is less and less because it literally makes me sick) to make a difference each and every day. I predict that my kitchen will be cruelty free far sooner than any one here thinks. ♥

 

Melissa Fowler

I watch those in my life who still partake in animal products and I know that they are impacted by my choices. They eat less meat, drink less milk and question their food more. I keep in mind that my path is just that, mine, and that sometimes people need to come to terms with new things rather slowly.

 

Caitlin Feener

One of the ways I deal with this is to constantly tell myself, “You used to be just like them at one point.” I definitely have not found peace yet. While being around people cooking meat is hard enough, there’s even more pain in witnessing the leftovers go down the drain of the sink—talk about a metaphor for the lives we take for granted. However I know that my influence provokes change, even if it’s the smallest thing, and I hope that will continue to grow over the years.

 

Lila Bale

This is a great question! I have grown up in a vego family but my partner ate meat right up to couple of months ago. I think 8years of me giving him info on a daily basis paid off! And i do believe that me being healthy shows others that this is the way to go

 

Lucille Falcone

When the topic comes up – I tell them of what it took for me to go vegan – the struggle with changing my diet. I start with non-vegan topics – like the harm colas do the body and processed food additives. I keep with “try a little at a time” It’s better than nothing. Even one chicken less a week on 100 tables means something…

 

Tracy Sampson-Flitcraft

I lead by example, in a very non-militant way. I educate through words, and they see my compassionate and dedication towards animals. I always told myself, that the more I educate, they more they will understand. 2 days ago my dear husband informed me that he was interested in beginning to “eat like me”. My heart stopped, and it was a moment that I really can’t explain. He’s getting it and feeling it. Through me and my actions, and my words – BUT FOR HIS OWN REASONS, which is so very important, it has to be because the person feels strongly about it, or they will just go back to the killing of innocent beings. I judge no one for their actions and love people and family however, I certainly do strive to educate and inflict my love for living creatures on people. Besides I ate animals for most of my life without giving it a second thought. Not because I didn’t care, but because my eyes were not opened to exactly what I was contributing too. I literally, had a life changing moment when I went Vegan. I want someone else to experience that too, and I hope it continues throughout my family because of my journey. So, short answer slow, persistent education.

 

Elisa Johnson

A big outlet for me is Facebook- where i can post everything vegan & pro-animal- where I at least feel like I am doing something active on a daily basis- where i can at least get everything out that i want to say, even if nobody listens. I get it off my chest as respectfully as i can. I also cope by enjoying the company of other vegans online and in real life (my husband & sister & real life vegan friends). Misery loves company! And I volunteer at a goat rescue, further therapy because i can love on the animals and recharge my batteries.

 

Samantha Ann Mitchell

Unfortunately I am the only vegan among my family and friends; I have shared with them my reasons for going vegan and encouraged them to watch “Earthlings” or similar documentaries. Some of them actually agree with me but don’t act on it, and others ridicule (sadly those are the ones who have watched films showing the atrocities of the slaughterhouse but choose to ignore it), but I feel better that I did hopefully plant a seed of questioning. In the meantime, I focus on, when I eat with them or such, eating delicious and exciting foods to show them that I’m not limited to just “sticks and bark” although I do try to avoid being with them during meal times because seeing dead animals being ruthlessly consumed bothers me. But I prevent discouragement by constantly reading vegan and animal rights books and websites, and I have made friends with a few fellow vegans through Facebook as well.

 

Diane Gandee Sorbi

I choose to think of everyone as pre-vegan, rather than non-vegan. I try to remember the time when I wasn’t vegan, and thought I never would be. I have to believe there is hope.

 

Cris Kelly

Being totally honest, I believe vegans are more enlightened than non-vegans. And with this, I am able to accept non-vegans for where they are in their life/growth. I am always open and willing to discuss and assist folks who want to transition. Those who don’t, I feel quite sad for them and the animals

 

Donald Wisch

I concur with Diane and Cris. I was also once there and so my family is now. Without saying anything, our actions rub off on them little by little… wearing away the blinders they have on which they may not even know they are wearing. Actions speak so much louder than words. Great post Gary… thank you for this and so much more.

 

B.R.

I’ve struggled with it, and i probably still do. however, I’ve found it to be a waste of time to dwell on it and let it get me down, which is something I participate in unknowingly; I now actively try not to go there. it detracts from the focus and the vision of the future, which I believe is inevitably going to be a kinder, compassionate one. the more time and energy I invest in that vision, the better. when I’m at my best, the vision keeps me going, and I’m able to veer past the rest.

Sometimes it seems such a strong current to swim against (that we’re still a marginal part of the total population) but it’s remarkable to me that I’m vegan. My veganism alone saves approximately a hundred lives a year. so whenever someone “tells” me that it’s impossible and it’ll never happen, I think of myself and how I’m doing it.

When it comes to my loved ones who are not yet embracing of the compassionate life: I truly believe that they’ll get there, but in the meantime, be patient with them. It’s hard when it’s in your face, or antagonistic (some are, and I find those individuals easier to interact with than the blasé ones who sort of float through everything), but remaining positive and loving and healthy makes an impression. And even if you don’t get to see them make the compassionate change (through veganism), it’s still better to remain positive through it, both for yourself and for the world. Also, non-vegans often display many different varieties of compassion and kindness. Though it might not be consistent in all respects, it’s still wonderful that the spark is there. If you catch a glimpse of that spark, stick to them like glue. Extend patience and love and encouragement. Once they feel safe and supported, they’ll ask questions. And it all starts there.

 

Mark Woodworth

I have no peace. My family and friends know damned well that they are wrong, and that they can’t prove otherwise. They’ve learned to avoid the battle, and I’ve learned to avoid the holidays along with them.

 

Barbara Moran-Blanco

Battling constantly with my husband…wish I had the answer.

 

Leila Shakti Rai

I cannot tolerate the visual of any animal in captivity…human or otherwise. Why are we called over-sensitive? Why aren’t others called desensitized or numb?

animal rights, family, non-vegans, vegan

June 27th, 2011 by Gary Smith

What’s your best elevator pitch for “Why are you vegan?”

 

 

Alexa Reed

Because I didn’t want to contribute to animal suffering, environmental damage, and human starvation. So, why meat?

 

Carolin Iseler

I hate plants

 

Jenn V Sweezey-Keller

I can no longer contribute to the enslavement, suffering abuse, torture and murder of our animals for my appetite

 

Rhonda McGowan

I watched Earthlings….and my heart won’t let me take part in that sadness anymore.

 

Jack Carone

You’re either a killer or you’re not. I’m not.

 

Kait Leonard

Because I have a Soul.

 

Denis Henry Hennelly

Because I believe theft is wrong, especially theft of someone else’s life for your own selfish desires.

 

Sheri Lucas

Why are you NOT vegan?

 

Jericho Elijah Phire

Because colon cancer hurts. A LOT.

 

Mikael Nielsen

Because eating animal products causes unnecessary suffering.

 

Anita Vegan-Mahdessian

Because I’m crap at denial. I’m struggling with being morally inconsistent. And I’m too stupid for illogical thinking.

 

Lea Yardum

Because I have a conscience and Stella McCartney makes some bad ass vegan shoes.

 

Nina Vecchi

Because the animals are just like us. They want to live. They feel pain and fear and joy. They are more like us then not.

 

David Basham

Because I believe that we don’t have the right to take another being’s life in order to satisfy our taste buds or any other human need. These animals care about what happens to them and want to avoid pain, suffering, and death just as we do. We don’t need to consume their flesh, milk, or eggs in order to survive, so let’s allow them to live their lives in peace.

 

Avi Brown

Simple: It’s an ethical commitment. I refuse to contribute to the pain, suffering and murder of sentient beings.

 

Marr Nealon

First and foremost, to not kill animals. But a close 2nd is both the health benefits and treading far lighter on the planet. How we treat the environment matters because it is where we LIVE. It is from whence we derive our most needed survival items: air and water!

 

Holly Goheavy

I am vegan because I care. Consuming and exploiting animals is completely unnecessary. It is 2011 and gone are the days ‘kill for food or starve, eat or be eaten.’ We have choices, the animals do not. We are not cavemen anymore, and it is time to evolve. Nothing tastes as good as compassion feels. All animals bleed red blood, feel pain, have family bonds, mourn their losses, and have a will to live. What is holding you back? When you are kind to the animals, kindness is returned to you.

 

Davegan Raza

I don’t want to kill.

 

Dino Martinez

I think the best way to go with that is by posing the question, “why are you not?” I’ve done this on numerous occasions and the end result is me giving them a little bit of “food” for thought.

Many of us vegans have the upper hand in that not all of us were born unto this wonderful world. I know I ate meat and dairy up until 8 years ago. so this gives me the knowledge to debate the whole, “we are born carnivores” or “we need meat to get bigger and stronger” or “we were meant to eat meat” rhetoric.

The only thing we cannot debate is arrogance and greed if they choose to eat meat because they like it and do not care for the pain, suffering and murder of another innocent life then we must then give them our reasonings and walk away. we can only do so much and this is why my efforts have now turned to educating the adults of TOMORROW and allowing the adults of today to wallow in their own self-righteousness.

 

David Rutan

You can get your needs met by eating a diet which includes disease-producing foods or through a diet containing only health-inducing foods. I choose the latter.

 

Steven Todd Smith

It’s the most responsible and well-balanced selfish and selfless choice I could ever make with my life. Not only do I enjoy the most delicious food and promote health and vitality within myself, but I get to save the lives and well-being of innocent, playful, loving animals in the meantime. All this without contributing to the degradation of our planet which we need to take care of so that life can go on. Best for me, best for all living beings, best for the planet – can’t beat that.

 

Rhea Parsons

Animals are not asked for their permission to take their own bodies’ products, their freedom or their lives. We teach our children not to ever take something that doesn’t belong to them without asking first. Such a simple rule filled with so much respect and acknowlegement of the other. That is Veganism.

 

Sara Uhler

Because I have a moral compass!

 

Tracy Curtis

Because it’s not all about me. Because some of my most profound teachers have had fur or feathers or a variety of other physical “differences”. Because my species labels and discards the inherent value of others based on appearances. My dog looks deeper. I am vegan to honor the wisdom of my dog. Because my daughter showed me the way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIqIQs4gFCU

 

Sarah Caine

“There are many reasons, most recently The UN confirmed the environmental benefits of a plant based diet and that sealed the deal for me. I started out because of ethics in food production, learned about the environmental and health benefits and have been pushing forward ever since. I’ve been vegan since 2002, and no I don’t miss meat.”

“And we can feed the world if we all shift to being more concious of where our food comes from–plants are necessary to feed the animals that only a fraction of the world’s population are eating, think of all the humans we could feed with those grains.”

 

Doh Driver

Every reason to be, and no reason not to.

 

Michael Harren

Because I ran out of excuses to keep harming animals.

 

Anastasia Veganbetic Brown

Because I am that cow, that pig, that sheep, that chicken, that fish, that bee—and they are me.

 

Susan Stopper Luchs

Do unto others..

 

Laura Robeson

Because no living creature needs to die or suffer just so I can eat. It’s unnecessary, unconscionable, and unhealthy.

 

Frances Condry Hafer

Because I can’t see any difference between the cow in the field and the cat in my bed.

 

Taiwan John Ueng

It’s the healthiest and most sensible diet for me, for all the animals that don’t have to suffer the slaughter, and for the survival of the human race from global environmental disasters.

 

Jennifer Bushnell

So animals can enjoy their life too!

 

Fulvia R Zambon

Ending other creature life is a crime.

 

Billy Howard

Can’t think of a single reason to eat animals and hundreds of reasons to eat plants only. We get plenty of protein from grains and legumes and can supplement with pea protein if necessary, but usually isn’t necessary since too much protein causes calcium to leach from the bones which is why the US and the Nordic countries–the biggest milk drinkers and meat eaters–have the highest rates of osteoporosis. The rest of the reasons are health-related: ours, the Earth’s, and the poor animals who are so senselessly treated with such cruelty.

 

Vicky Christopoulou

Because it’s the right thing to do

 

Samuela Saporiti

I know too much. I know how bad those products are for human health; I know what they feed/inject the farm animals with; I know how they rear them and treat them. All in all, my compassion for animals – and humans – is what “pushed me over the edge” and boy, I’m proud of it.

 

chooseyourownfoodchain

Why wouldn’t I be?

 

Kelly Cavalier

I saw it once on a tote bag…being vegan means I’m trying to suck less…I thought that summed it up nicely.

 

Madonna Monster

Because I let the truth in. Nothing that gory can taste good.

animal rights, vegan, veganism

June 3rd, 2011 by Gary Smith

Who are your non-vegan heroes? Who do you think is incredibly cool (and would be ten times cooler if they were vegan)? My pick is Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!

 

Alexa Reed

Jon Stewart and/or Stephen Colbert. Rachel Maddow.

 

Shauna Sherick

Jane Goodall

 

Kevin Starbard

The Dalai Lama

 

Linda Leete

The late Rev. Martin Luther King JR.

 

Gregory J Santollo

I have no meat eating heros. to hell with them all.

 

Kait Leonard

Can’t give a damn for any of them.

 

Mike B Stout

My pick is Dave Matthews… he’s so close to going vegan, he just doesn’t know it!

 

Angela McArdle

Dave Mustaine from Megadeth.

 

Gordana Sokorac

Noam Chomsky, John Pilger, Robert Fisk, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! (to name just a few).

 

Shannon Kornelsen

Ricky Gervais. Tina Fey. Steve Carrell.

 

Sharron Woodward

All my heroes are already vegan that is why they are my heroes.

 

Samantha Ann Mitchell

Simone Simons, Tarja, Amy Lee, and Lisa Randall.

 

Shannon Gotto

Liv Tyler, I think she’s on-again off-again veggie

 

Elissa Sursara

Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Stephen Fry, David Attenborough. It’s interesting to note that Richard Dawkins agrees with the dissolution of animal products but the self-admittedly lacks the braveness to abstain from them. In a Q&A in 2007, he said, “What I am doing is going along with the fact that I live in a society where meat eating is accepted as the norm, and it requires a level of social courage which I haven’t yet produced to break out of that. It’s a little bit like the position which many people would have held a couple of hundred years ago over slavery. Where lots of people felt morally uneasy about slavery but went along with it because, I don’t know, the whole economy of the South depended upon slavery.”

 

Shane Michael G

I struggle constantly with a ton of people I respect and the question, If they are so smart/talented/nice/etc., why aren’t they vegan? Generally you can only broach the subject with them one at a time, though, and I find it best to do it respectfully and tactfully.

 

Kimberly Bakker

Oprah

 

Julia Stein

Richard Dawkins

 

Sheila K. Buster

Jon Stewart

 

Gwendolyn Ⓥ Mathers

Bill Mckibben and I was going to say Amy Goodman as well. Not so much a hero, but I love Dylan Moran and wish he was vegan. Francis Moore-Lappe and her daughter.

 

Megan Duke

Al Gore. Barack Obama. Al Franken.

 

Debbie Rinehart

Tommy Lee

 

Jennifer Mennuti

Bono

 

Kezia Jauron

Julian Assange. Dr. Cornel West. Derrick Jensen. Jeremy Scahill. Van Jones. McKibben is a good answer, Gwen. That guy who draws The Oatmeal. April from Regretsy. Michael Moore.

 

Peter Keller

I would have to second Amy Goodman!

 

Armaiti May

Jane Goodall, and at least she is vegetarian and has the guts to speak out about factory farming. I heard her speak at USC a few years ago, and at UC Berkeley when I was a student there over 10 years ago.

 

Jennifer Mennuti

I’ll be seeing Bono on the 29th but it will be in a stadium so I might not be able to speak with him but I can hold up a sign.

 

Carol Bullock

I few names from the past come to mind: Mark Twain and Eleanor Roosevelt. Steve Irwin. I guess the others would be anyone who fights against injustice, whether it be against humans or other animals.

 

Betsy Carson

I Love Amy Goodman. I was thinking the same. But maybe she is?

 

Mariel Leiram

Julian Assange

 

Jamie Long

John Petrucci, guitarist for Dream Theater, George St. Pierre, UFC wleterweight champion.

 

 

 

hero, vegan

May 31st, 2011 by Gary Smith

If a non-vegan challenged you to recommend a book that would make them go vegan, what book would that be and why?

Robert D. Shepherd
Slaughterhouse by Gail Eiznitz.

Windy Lynn Brown
The China Study…the most comprehensive study ever conducted on nutrition.

Victoria V Fiore
The China Study

Gary Loewenthal
If I didn’t know better, I’d recommend The Face On Your Plate”by Jeffrey Moussaief Masson; I like his engaging tone. But I’ve heard more people cite Skinny Bitch as the book them made then go vegan than anything else, so I have to go with the odds, at least from my limited experience. Granted, different books appeal to different people. In real life, I would take a much more individualized approach.

Regina Horton
A lot of vegans will disagree with me, but Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It has been criticized as a soft sell and because he even praises the efforts of small more “humane” family farms. But he makes you think and really consider your choices. His book is an honest, brutal look at factory farms. But much of the reading is relatively easy, unlike harder hitting books that make you cringe the whole way through. I picked my copy up at the airport on the way to a Hawaiian vacation. In retrospect that was not the best vacation reading as I found much of it very upsetting. Towards the end of the book he includes an interview with a slaughterhouse worker that tells the story of killing a pig. He decided to torture it first and cut off it’s snout with his knife. The pig went wild, screaming & running around the killing floor. After a few minutes the stunned beast stopped, so the man grabbed a handful of brine and rubbed it into the wound and then jammed a fistful into the pig’s rectum. I sobbed when I read this, can’t write about it without tears. It breaks my heart that people can be so cruel. If that doesn’t make you reconsider your food choices then I don’t know what will.

Veronica Polanco
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

Kate Kaminski
The Dreaded Comparison by Marjorie Spiegel.

Carol Glasser
It depends on the person. The Sexual Politics of Meat by Carol J. Adams did it for me, but (unfortumately) I don’t think the feminist angle is a good hook for a lot of people.

Trista Norton
I guess it depends on their personality/what drives them, but Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz did it for me!

Ann Marie Simard
That would definitely be The World Peace Diet: Eating for spiritual health and social harmony by Will Tuttle.

Lorna Beasley
Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman. (the ex cattle rancher who was the guy who educated Oprah on the issues and eventually landed her in court fighting against the cattle industry in TX.)

Sarah Molnar
I vote for Eating Animals as well. It made me go vegan after being vegetarian for 8 years.

Ammo Quintana
Eating Animals. Looking forward to other comments.

Philip Steir
Vegan Freak by Torres & Torres.

Erika Gyoker
Eating Animals because it’s objective, it examines the subject from every angle, it’s intelligent yet doesn’t blind you with science, it’s full of facts still not too gruesome…. Very good book.

Erin Noel Grennan
Without question, Eating Animals. Changed everything for me.

Maura Manfredi Philipps
I would say The World Peace Diet, although it is very hard for some to get through. That being said I would say Skinny Bitch.

Tamara Castagnaro
It would also depend on who I was talking with. If they are for health reasons then I would recommend The China Study. Skinny Bitch, though I never read it, I have heard many people say that is what made them think about what they were eating. I also liked that Eating Animals gets to you when you are a parent because that is why he said he wrote his book and looked deeper into why he was eating what he was eating.

Mary Caroccio
I recommend one of the ‘Skinny‘ books, or The China Study, depending on the person.

Traci Drum
Gary Francione’s Introduction to Animal Rights: Your Child or the Dog?

Jessica Eli Sharpe
Thrive by Brendan Brazier- talks about how optimal a vegan diet is for athletes.

Jamie Qualls
It’s not a book, but I recommend the YouTube video by Gary Yourofsky called ‘The Best Speech You Will Ever Hear.’ It covers the whole spectrum of being vegan in a powerfully compelling hour-long presentation. I’ve made positive steps with a few people, by saying if I had one wish for my friends and family, it would be to have them see this video. Then they watch it because they know it means that much to me.

Jennifer Bushnell
Skinny Bitch…really good book, funny and explains why to go vegan and gives food suggestions.

Shane Michael G
It depends greatly on the non-vegan. You have to assess the person carefully and choose wisely. I always seem to get stuck with the people who have no empathy for other species, and then I break out the health info, mostly Jane Plant, The China Study, and Esselstyn, or if the person is fitness-conscious, maybe Brendan Brazier or Robert Cheeke, maybe also mentioning peeps like Mac Danzig, Mike Mahler, and Rob Bigwood while I’m at it. But if the person has a soul, a video or book on the torture that is the life of a farm animal is likely to be most effective, coupled with a starter kit or something brief explaining that it’s easy to go veg.

Chrissy Cardoza
Skinny Bitch started me on my vegan path.

Julia Stein
Food Revolution by John Robbins. It’s an easy read and covers all bases. John Robbins is good for beginners, I think. (His earlier books, Diet for a New America or Food Revolution. Not the later ones where he seems to be okay with happy meat.)

Kraig Blatch
Earthlings documentary and Eating Animals. Got me over the line.

Alexa Reed
It would depend on the person. I’ve had a lot of athletes recently telling me that they need more protein, so I recommend Thrive by Brendan Brazier and/or Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn Jr. ut then the other day, I had someone who’s been a Vegan but isn’t feeling healthy. She wasn’t following any particular plan, so I recommended Vegan Cooking for One: Over 150 simple and appetizing meals by Leah Leneman because it has weekly shopping lists, and a whole plan for her.

Gwendolyn Ⓥ Mathers
Personally found Face On Your Plate the most compelling and covered more aspects than just factory farming. It also included Fish, which is so often forgotten.

Stephanie Kaufman
I would go with Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis & Vesanto Melina. I know a few people who are interested in veganism, but just think it would be too hard. Too hard to get the necessary nutrients, too hard to go out to eat, etc. I think this book does a fantastic job of explaining what you need, how much you need, how to get it and why you’ll be healthier as a vegan. It’s detailed and comprehensive, yet still accessible. It’s definitely the one I’d recommend!

Lawrence Ziese
I’d give them a copy of Vegan With a Vengeance and offer to pop by later on to make some of the recipes together.

Cris Kelly
Diet for a New America by John Robbins.

Joan Ozelis Calpin ‎
Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz

Lindavegan Middlesworth
If it’s a girl, Skinny Bitch. A great first time read for brand new peeps. Send them to Colleen Patrick Goudreau podcasts asap. The China Study if they want to really know about nutrition.

Jo Tyler
The World Peace Diet by Will Tuttle

Ashley Mills
I like Vegan Freak: Being Vegan In A Non-Vegan World by Bob Torres. It includes some good points about why we shouldn’t eat or use animals. Also, the authors give some good tips on how to handle challenging conversations with others and how to eat out on a vegan diet.

Mandy Deir
Why We Love Dogs Wat Pigs and Wear Cows by Dr. Melanie Joy.

Devin Kramer
‎Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz.

Angela McArdle
Slaughterhouse. Shows how the industry affects the individuals who work in the factory farms

Grace Lorraine
The World Peace Diet, not only because it converted me, but also because it is inspirational. More than educating, it is empowering.

Steven Todd Smith
Skinny Bitch/Bastard (by Rory Freedman & Kim Bardouin) worked on me, and it’s worked on a few non-vegan friends whom I’ve given the book, too. It can put some people off though because of the style of writing – as long as the person can take a little criticism and laugh off getting their ass kicked and taking the truth in a nice sucker punch, then definitely this. I think for the thinkers out there, Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows (by Melanie Joy) is a great one. If they don’t necessarily connect fully with the health or animal cruelty aspects in whole, but need an intellectual, common sense approach (philosophical, in a way), then this book is an excellent read. The China Study is great for the scientific, statistical mind, but too heavy for most people – John Robbins’ The Food Revolution, or even Diet for a New America, are thicker reads but much less dense than Campbell’s China Study. They appeal to the emotional, health, political, and compassion platforms for a well-rounded read. Eating Animals (by Jonathan Safran Foer)- I really think it creates a great conversation, and, for any downfalls it might have, it’s a great mainstream, easy read to learn about the horrors of the factory farming system and get the mind thinking about the ethical ramifications of eating meat. (All supplemented by Vegan in 30 Days [by Sarah Taylor], and, hopefully you’ll have a critically thinking, educated and informed non-vegan friend who’s looking to shed the non-!)

China Study, Eating Animals, Skinny Bitch, vegan, vegan books, World Peace Diet

May 20th, 2011 by Gary Smith

 

 

Gregory J Santollo

‎7 years. The harder I tried and the deeper I read to justify eating meat, Just solidified that we are herbivores. That eating meat and dairy are wrong. It is cruel to the animals, bad for the planet and horrible for your health.

 

Sunny Rowe

Since March 22, 2007. I went from being an everything-eater to strict vegan after receiving Skinny Bitch in the mail. I read it first thing in the morning, and by our previously scheduled dinner date at my in-laws house, I had made the switch. They made some kind of pork dish and I ate a piece of bread for dinner that night.

 

Mark Woodworth

About a year, I watched food inc, and a mercy for animals video. after being vegetarian for the 6 months prior to that, I decided it was time to cut out the cheese and make a difference in the selfish world.

 

Vanessa Lackford ‎

18 months. I have been vegetarian all my life, and knew I ‘should’ be vegan. It happened after watching a brief video on FB of a cow waiting in line to go into the slaughterhouse and trying to turn around. I had no choice, I went vegan immediately. Best thing I have ever done. just listened to Moby on Radio 2 in UK, being vegan was not mentioned, but the compassion and humility just flowed through.

 

Tami Drake

‎10 1/2 years. I made the decision to become vegan because of the realization that being vegetarian wasn’t enough. I was also surrounded by some pretty astonishing vegans at the time! My husband has been vegan for 28 years, I met him in 1999 and followed his example for a compassionate lifestyle.

 

Brendon Clarke-Pepper

Roughly 5 years. I was at home one day eating a turkey slice (of all things!) when I became suddenly aware that I was eating an animal. I instantly became a vegetarian. I went to do groceries 8 hours later and realized what dairy was (breast milk was all I could think) and I was vegan. In one day I went from take-out like KFC everyday to being vegan.

 

Shauna Sherick

I had been vegetarian for about 2 years then went vegan 6 months ago. I work as a veterinary tech and made the connection that I could not save one animal then turn around and eat or use another animal.

 

Michelle Morgan ‎

3 years this month. I had been vegetarian for 17 years up to then and had struggled with going vegan. I tried “vegan Tuesdays” for a while but that was short lived. Then one day, I was at breakfast and when the waiter put down my plate of scrambled eggs, I realized that would be the last time I would succumb to my selfish cravings for eggs and dairy.

 

Marilyn Ramos

It will be ten yrs. in July. I went to my first animal rights conference and after seeing videos about eggs and dairy, I immediately went vegan. It has changed my life and given it more purpose

 

Lindavegan Middlesworth

‎21 years of vegan bliss! 10 years vegetarian before that. First, I had to get cancer and heart disease but then read Dr. John McDougall’s book, The 12 Day Program, and stopped all animal products the same day I read his book. It made perfect sense. I rid myself of cancer, heart disease, extra bodyfat, fibroid tumors in a few weeks time! Then one week after reading his health book, my neighbor told me what happens to dairy cows and I picked up “Animal Liberation” by Peter Singer. That did it. Then I became a compassionate vegan for life. John Robbins,” Food Revolution” was inspirational too. Luckily, we humans are designed to eat plants, not animals or their secretions. Being vegan is so much more than food. It means telling people why I am vegan so they can hear the compassion I now carry in my heart for all beings and they can know that our food choices can either contribute to animal suffering or they do not. I will never be silent and will spend every waking moment of my life thinking about how I can support others going vegan too. Our lives depend on it, our animals deserve freedom and our earth will die unless humans wake up and stop the animal holocaust. At 67, I feel like I am 20! The inner peace I have in my heart comes from my kind, plant food eating! And the fact that I no longer visit any entertainment that includes animals or buy products or clothing with animals parts in them. I so do not support charities who send billions of dollars to animal research labs. My soon to be website is VeganMentor.com! I am certified in Plant Nutrition from Cornell and if you need help going vegan, please email me at: veganmentor@gmail.com.

 

M Butterflies Katz

Hi there. I’ve been vegan for 32 years. I stopped eating animals when I was 12, over 40 years ago, the minute I learned that “meat” was a dead animal. I guess I have always loved and respected animals. I became vegan upon reading the magazine of The American Vegan Society, specifically about the horror of the dairy industry. I vowed to become vegan right then and there; rid my closet of all leather, started to purchase all vegan toiletries and cosmetics, and grew with my veganism from then on. I still worked at an establishment that served fish, until I realized I could no longer do that as a vegan. My vegan ethic just keeps growing through the years… I see veganism on a deeper level through the years.

 

Jeanne Besanceney ‎

10 years ago. Fell in love with a Vegan Nutritionist who helped to elucidate for me the reasons to be entirely Vegan. Was moving in that direction since childhood – 30 years ago, when I was naturally averse to eating animals.

 

Peter Keller

Vegan since 2000. I went vegetarian 6 years prior after seeing a pig roast (at a Renn Fair, where the “Rogues” chopped off the head and kicked it around like a soccer ball). I went vegan after learning of the interconnectedness of the meat and dairy industries. I couldn’t eat cheese after “Brain” of the animated TV show “Pinky and the Brain” called it “congealed bovine discharge.”

 

Stephanie Gray

My decision to adopt a vegan diet was initially both moral and medical. Sustained by moral reasons. Became vegan in 1995 (16 years). First went vegan after reading a book “Food Your Miracle Medicine and around same time seeing a PETA newsletter.

Going vegan made sports-related knee arthritis disappear and made moderate fibromyaigia mild. Had already been vegetarian since 1984 (27 years).

Newsletter from PETA allowed me to connect dairy and veal and exposed me to the horrors of battery hens. Also, learned about the cruelty involved in down and wool.

I would have done it for either the health benefits or the moral reasons alone. That I could accomplish both simultaneously made my becoming vegan a total no-brainer.

 

Kate Ogden

I have been vegan for one year, two months, 1 week I made the choice “cold” after watching Earthlings. There was no way to see that remarkable film and not “make the connection”. I have two vegan daughters as well and they in turn have helped friends find a way to be compassionate in their choices. I live in LA so it is soooo easy to find great choices for cooking AND eating out.

 

Kortnie Sloat

I’ve been vegan for about a year and a half now and I was inspired by my sister to go vegan and take a stand against animal cruelty and to be healthy

 

Billy Howard

I was 17 when eating a chicken leg unconsciously in lively discussion with my family. Suddenly my body said, “Hey, what a sec. Take a look at what you are eating.” The world stopped around me as I looked at the herb and breadcrumb crust, the part I liked best. Then I saw the gash where I had torn the flesh away. I looked into the wound of muscle, sinew, tendons and bones all disrupted, broken, torn, hanging there like a train wreck. The more I looked, the less I wanted that in my body. I very slowly put the piece down and haven’t picked up another since. That was 36 years ago.

 

Bec LLa Peach Annetts ‎

4 years. I was vego for 5 years prior to becoming vegan and it just became a natural progression. One of the best decisions I have ever made, haven’t looked back

 

Luis Brenes

‎5 years on a row now. Before that I was vegetarian for 3 years, it was just the natural way of things. I became vegetarian after reading several Alexander Skutch´s books, where I learned that the meat industry is responsible for the destruction of many acres of forest. Also I have always had this strong bond with animals, to the point that I can bare human suffering rather than animal suffering for human reasons. Maybe my values are not the regular set, yet I find myself quite comfortable with the idea that nobody (and I mean nobody in the broadest sense of the word) dies in this world because of me.

 

Scholing Marie-anne

Vegan for about two years now…it was a mercy for animals video that inspired me…I was lacto-vegetarian for 18 years…

 

Deborah Ⓥ Prophet

I finally made the connection after being a vegetarian for 25 years and then realising that the dairy industry is more torturous than any other after watching Earthlings, MFA footage and Gary Yourofsky’s “Best Speech You Will Ever Hear” video. My husband became vegan over night after I posted a video about baby male chicks being ground up alive and my two sons aged 6 and almost 2 have never eaten flesh and are now vegan. It is not a diet, we are ETHICAL vegans and always will be. It’s a lonely path we choose and we are such a minority living in the Middle East but it is the only path we’ll ever take.

 

Empire Oneoneeight

I became a Vegan about 8 years ago! I was eating a Japanese dish at work and remember the food tasting like it was either spoiled or re-fried after already being cooked. That dish was pushed aside and I ate an apple for lunch. That same day I decided to start doing some research on being Vegetarian well, after one month of that and all of the research I decided to go 100% Vegan. I have never even had a craving for meat, dairy, or any other animal derived foods. I’m always questioned about being Vegan since this has happened so, I decided to get a tattoo that says “Vegan for life” to promote Veganism even more. Of course this always starts conversation off in different directions. Well, about a year ago I wanted to spread the word even more and have since started Empire118 which is a small Vegan clothing line out of Orlando, Florida. My job now is promoting Veganism everyday. I do what I love now for a living and have since enjoyed walking away from the corporate world! I have met some truly amazing people so far and look forward to my visit on the west coast for 6 months sharing information and helping those interested in understanding Veganism. I’m always up for a challenge, gaining more knowledge and meeting like minded individuals. I will always have compassion for the animals and I will continue this journey through Empire118 for life! Thank you for everything that you do! –Shawn

 

Steven GoVegan Adams

‎2 years, self-love

 

Curtis Craft

Almost 3 years, and I chose to do so because I feel it’s unethical to abuse our power in non-consensual ways. I wanted to make a difference, no matter how small. The world is too depressing as it is. One more vegan on the planet can’t hurt.

 

Anne E Lynch ‎

12 years this November (birthday gift to myself). Completely for ethical/animal liberation reasons, and have never looked back!

 

Tracy VeganPebbles Bedford

Nearly 5 yrs now, I was vegetarian for 14yrs before that. I wanted to stop eating animals at 12 yrs old after i saw a street campaign to stop the production of foie gras but took 7yrs to convince family. I became vegan because I finally realised that dairy was torture too and when I looked at my diet the only thing I was consuming was milk, eggs and cheese!! mortified! iIam now a vegan and have never looked back

 

Erika Porter

It’s been a year for me. I was veg for 6 years before that. It’s something that happened to me. One morning I woke up and couldn’t put dairy, eggs, honey, or flesh in my mouth. I can’t really take credit. My body just says NO.

 

Steve Knibbs ‎

15 years, after reading a book called “Radical Vegetarianism”.

 

Angela Stemmer

‎1 year and 2 months, I went Vegan overnight after watching Earthlings. Stopped eating cows, I don’t like to call it meat, 6 months prior to that because I deliver mail out to farmers. I couldn’t stare them in the eye and then go home and eat them anymore

 

Tracy Sampson-Flitcraft

About a year ago, I watched Food Inc., and found that I began to have this strong interest in my “food” and where it was coming from – as I just never thought about it before…I just went to the store and purchased what I needed, plain and simple. One night, I sat at my laptop, and for hours upon hours, I watched video after video about how we cause animals to suffer for our own benefit (food, clothing, entertainment, experiments, etc. etc.). I was saddened that I had been so close minded up until then. I was mad that I never really thought about HOW my food got to the table, and I was upset looking at the leather on my feet, dangling from my arms, and covering the interior of my cars. I can literally say, I had an awakening. From that point on, my life changed. No one around me is vegetarian or vegan, and I had never known anyone who lived life this way. Something happened to me when I “saw” what was happening to animals. I have always been an animal lover and I felt ashamed to continue to use that terminology knowing that I was a partipant in their pain. BUT, now I no longer have to feel ashamed, because I will make a difference in educating others. It has been such a liberating and personal experience for me to eliminate all animal products from my life. I am truly grateful that something made me sit up until 4am one night, only about a year ago, and cry staring at animals undergoing torture for our (human) greed and consumption. I will say since making the change I have done something that has given my such fullfillment in how I live my life.

 

Sonja Ikäheimo

I went vegan almost 8 years ago and I was vegetarian for nearly a decade before that. In college, I stopped eating flesh and wearing leather as I decided it was wrong that any animals should die for me. I didn’t know about factory farming at all when I decided that, so everything after that first step was a learning process that took years. My biggest regret is that it took me so long before I went vegan. I wish I’d known someone who could have told me as I was truly ignorant about dairy and eggs, so when I finally learned the truth from an AR magazine, I was sickened at what a hypocrite I’d been for years thinking I was an ethical vegetarian. My own experience is why I always talk about veganism, never vegetarianism.

 

Dottie Laster

It’s 4 years this month. It was a health choice I made after reading The China Study. But since becoming vegan I have learn so much about the horrible abuse of animals which has definitely taken center stage. The good health veganism brings is just a wonderful perk!

 

Daniel Humphries

Since January after being mostly vegan for 13 years. I stopped buying cereal and snacks with honey in and asking for no cheese on pizza when dining out. I strive to make any new purchase vegan and cruelty free.

 

Holly Goheavy

Vegan since February 2007. My journey began with the sea turtle, and the first item to be dropped was seafood when I learned that turtles drown in fishing gear. The more I learned, the more I removed from my diet- until one day I said aloud “I guess I am vegan!” The journey still continues, and I’m always learning. I LOVE being vegan and will be for life!!!

 

Armaiti May

I’ve been vegan for about 12 years now, and was vegetarian growing up. Reading Diet For A New America by John Robbins opened my eyes to the cruelty in the dairy and egg industries, as well as the health and environmental reasons for going vegan. My main motivation for staying vegan has been for ethical reasons.

 

Lawrence Ziese

Pescatarian since 2004 after nearly dying from a bad case of diverticultus and IBS. I had been studying diets all over the world and the longevity associated with them and reduced all meat to 2-3 fish/egg/yogurt servings a month, while most meals were vegan. It wasn’t until I met some supportive and fun people in the vegan community (and learning more about the environmental impact and the treatment of the animals) that I eliminated all animal products from my diet, clothing, and lifestyle. I’ve been vegan since November of 2009, I made the conscious attempt in October until I mindlessly ate a Snicker’s bar. I wonder if the vegan I was dating knew what a huge impact she made?

 

Tylor Ujaama ‎

15 years, because #2 is better than #1 now, if you know what I mean!

 

Patrice Davis

I accepted a friend’s challenge to go vegetarian for 30 days and learn about how my food got to my plate. Did my “homework” and saw more cruelty and torture than I ever wanted to or could have imagined. After 10 days I became vegan. I couldn’t justify not eating the flesh when I continued to support the cruelty through the use of eggs, cheese, and milk. Felt a peace I’d never known before. I did it solely for the animals and I’ve never looked back. The health benefits were simply a happy byproduct. Got a late start at age 57 and couldn’t believe how I never gave my food choices a second thought. As my friend says, people just don’t connect the dots between the food on the plate and the actual animal in the factory farm that suffers and dies. My pic says it all. Vegan 8-15-09.

 

Bethany Cole

I have been vegan for about a year. I decided to be vegan because my Mom taught be to not hurt animals. You can look into their eyes and see their emotions. Seems simple. I chose not to contribute to a business that tortures animals daily. Why would I want to pay people to kill animals? I also do not think it’s natural to eat the flesh of animals.

 

Chrissy Cardoza

Hi, I have been a vegan for 2 years this September after reading “Skinny Bitch”. I decided to do this because it was like a light bulb went off for me, it only made sense to do this. I am really so proud of myself for making and staying true to this commitment. There are so many plusses & benefits to being vegan I would never go back. The animals and my health are just too important not to. I wish everyone would educate themselves on the horrors of factory farming & learn about healthier and delicious ways of eating. Being vegan is like being a rockstar!

 

Marisa Borders

I have been vegetarian for close to 25 years. My transition to veganism was a several year process that began after I read Peter Singer’s “Animal Liberation” in 2000. I became fully committed to veganism at the beginning of 2009 after reading Will Tuttle’s “The World Peace Diet”. Learning about veganism has been enhanced by reading, reading, reading”Diet For a New America”, “Vegan Freak”, “Eating Animals”, “The Kind Diet”, “The Friends We Keep”, “Farm Sanctuary”, “Being Vegan”, “Skinny Bitch”, “Second Nature”, “Animals & Christianity”, “Becoming Vegan”, etc., etc., etc. Thankfully there is a wealth of information on the internet, and I am also a subscriber to VegNews. I think that for many, becoming vegan is a long but fruitful journey (no pun intended), but ultimately it is the most amazing destination ~ one of deep empathy with and concern for our fellow earthlings.

 

Lorna Beasley

My husband and I have been vegan for 8 years. My family taught me ethics and empathy from a very early age. I educated myself on the matter of animal abuse for an English paper in my first year of college. My husband and I were appalled by the common practices of factory farming and went raw/vegan over night (because my husband was just as concerned about his health). Raw lasted 3 months, then we calmed down and settled as vegans. Much easier and less planing but kudos if you can stick with the raw life!

 

Rozan Soleimani ‎

3 years and 5 months. Reasons: 1. factory farming 2. the environment and 3. my health

 

Demo Maratos

Listening to punk rock as a teenager challenged me question every aspect and activity in my life. I was drawn to the music, art and words of punk rock. Intellectual words of thought and anger at the status quo that I had never read before, struck a chord with me. Songs about war, racism, religion, and animal liberation filled me with an intensity that I hadn’t found in music until that point. When I began to question where the food on my plate came from, I found very uncomfortable answers. I didn’t want a cow to be hanged upside down, shot in the head with a bolt gun and bled dry simply so that I could be provided with a meal. Having paid close attention to the lyrics of bands like Flux of Pink Indians, Anti-System, Conflict, Nausea and others I became interested in animal rights. It was a pivotal point in my life. Shortly afterward, I realized the cruelty I questioned was something I had control over. Inevitably I eliminated animals from my diet and became vegan in 1989.

 

chooseyourownfoodchain

I’ve been vegan for 6 years. I was one of those kids who cried at movies like All Dogs Go To Heaven, so the seeds were there from the start. Plus, I’d always kinda thought meat was gross. My best friend growing up was an ethical vegetarian for years. I’d always respected her for that and would often copy her food choices. Becoming vegetarian was a slow process for me, however. I didn’t “give up” meat, I just slowly stopped eating it until one day, during my senior year of college, I declared myself an official vegetarian. It was like I was engaged to vegetarianism for years and years and finally realized it was time to tie the knot; I’ve always had an immense love for animals and it was time I made it a point to stop eating them (it pains me just to type that).

I didn’t actually know what a “vegan” was or that there was such a thing as “veganism” until the latter part of college. I was volunteering at a nonprofit and several of my fellow volunteers were vegan. They were really cool people and explained what “vegan” was, but only really emphasized what a vegan excludes from his or her life – not *why* he or she chooses to exclude them. Nonetheless, I like to think that they influenced me somewhat, as they were such all-around lovely people. Anyway, about 6 months, a college graduation, and a 6-week European backpacking trip later, I was feeling overdosed on dairy products. My best friend (the same one as above) and I pretty much survived Europe on bread, cheese, and gelato. Upon my return, I felt I needed to detox. I have no idea how I came across the book Eat To Live by Joel Fuhrman MD, but I did, and I read it cover to cover. I was utterly grossed out and outraged when I learned the *real* nutritional facts about dairy (and meat) and the corrupt politics surrounding that. That was it – now not only was eating meat unethical and disgusting, but eating dairy was extremely unhealthy and disgusting. I decided to test out veganism. I continued to read from other sources and learned that eating dairy was also extremely unethical – and that eating meat was even more unethical than I’d thought. By what would’ve been the “end” of a brief experiment with veganism, I felt physically amazing and philosophically convinced that veganism was the best practice for everyone – humans, non-humans, and the environment. So although my “engagement” to veganism was initially noncommittal, it was extremely brief relative to my courtship with vegetarianism, and before I knew it, I’d come to understand that it was the best – the only – way for me to live.

I’ve since continued to develop my philosophy and educate myself (and others). All animals, human and non-human, deserve to be treated with respect, not used as “products” to satisfy our every whim and fancy. We do some sick, sick things to non-human animals and it’s appalling. If one cares at all about doing “what is right,” then going vegan is undeniably the “right” thing to do. Speciesism is part of the whole family of other terrible “isms” – racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, etc. To live vegan is also the healthiest thing one can do – for our bodies, rivers, oceans, forests, and our individual and collective psyche(s).

 

Caroline from Chicago

Fifteen years – after a Thanksgiving talk by John Robbins.

 

Jessica Ryle

2 yrs. After finding out tubes made at my place of work were being sold to vivisectors.

 

Charity

I’ve been a #vegan my entire life. Never would consider eating any animal products EVER. “Love animals, don’t eat them.”

 

 

animal rights, pop quiz, vegan