Keeping silent

[veganloraine]

Today at a family gathering my mother-in-law made a point to tell me that her church recently raised enough money to send several goats and two oxen to a village in an impoverished county in an effort to help them to become self-sufficient. She didn't say this to offend me, she said it because she knows I "like" animals. I didn't say one word about the absurity of the idea of sending living, sentient beings that also needs food and clean water in order to survive to such a merciless place. I did say that famine is more about politics than lack of food, but I said nothing for these creatures who's fates are already sealed. I suck. I wish I had a stronger, confident voice. These people barely tolerate me as it is - LOL, perhaps I should realize that I really have nothing to lose and have just let it all loose.

[ZackPorter]

Hey Loraine, how’s it goin’?

I’m not for using animals either. If they want to help end poverty, they need to quit their b.s. politics. They can also start veganic agriculture practices that require zero animals and feeds more people. Harold Brown has done this successfully for years and helped lots of farmers here in the U.S. go veganic, which is better than organic because there’s no cow manure involved. His new site is http://FarmKind.org

Remember Kris Kristofferson said, “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”

How liberated are we really if we can’t be everything that we are, in private and in public? Probably all of us have remained silent about a vegan or animal rights issue in a particular situation because we didn’t want to rock the damn boat and regretted it later. I know I sure have. What you didn’t do is in the past so try not to dwell on it. Next chance you get, rock the boat and rock it good. I find as long as I don’t get pushy like a used car salesman or give in to an angry rant, then usually nobody gets sore at me. My secret weapon is to always use humor. So when somebody's chewing me out in public, cracking jokes at his expense gets everybody laughing and I get to make my point in defense of the animals or vegans. (But then again I'm lucky not to have to deal with a mother-in-law...)

If we don’t speak up, then our silence can make us an accomplice to what’s wrong in this world. What we do is also an example for our kids or nieces and nephews.

[veganloraine]

I'm heading back over to the in-laws this afternoon, so I will bring the subject up again. Eeeeeeek. I went to the FarmKind website, but didn't find much info. I will google the topic and hope it isn't too late for the church to trade the animals for seeds and sacks of potatoes.

Send me some positive thoughts...

[ZackPorter]

You rock. Good luck. Sending you positive vibes. Every time we take a stand especially when it's difficult, we are true to ourselves and families. It's an act of great courage.

http://farmkind.org/green.htm
This is the link on Harold's site to the practical how-to book called "Growing Green" that has instructions on veganic agriculture. They call it stockfree (animal-free) organic farming. It's a guide that's for both beginners and pros.

farmkind@empireaccess.net is where you can write Harold Brown to ask questions. He's a pretty busy dude but will probably get back to you. Very down-to-earth and humble guy who's not into compromising animals.

No matter what happens, you've got nothing to regret as long as you've given it your best shot...

[veganloraine]

good news and bad news...

bad news: my dh was not supportive of the idea of my confronting his beloved mother about the goats. however, if she does bring it up again (or I can sway the conversation that way) then i have free reign. your support makes me feel as though i really can do this and i've googled the issue to death so that i know i can make a sound argument.

the good news: i'm going to send the information that i've found about sending animal "gifts"/"slaves" to impoverished countries to the church that organized this fundraiser. my children were baptized at this church because it was important to my dh and his family. we don't attend any church services because we feel this church does not represent our beliefs. it's a very dogmatic, homophobic religion. their members are old and quickly dying out and i hope to remind them that they won't attract new ones (including ourselves) unless they get in line with 21st century thinkers.

i hope this works as i would love to find a religion that didn't leave me feeling ashamed. i feel that the more supportive communities i find for my children the stronger they will be.

[ZackPorter]

I kinda laughed when I read “dying out quickly” because I could’ve sworn I heard you add “though not quickly enough”… My cathedral has always been outside under a canopy of redwoods. Can’t get closer to nirvana than that.

If the church sees there are other, not to mention better, alternatives than sending those poor goats to their doom, they may give it a try. Anywhere in the world, including here in the U.S. and Canada, where animals are handed over as property to be used only continues to hold us back in the stone age...