Veganism Is The New Black: The Growth Of The Vegan Movement In Ireland

by Red meat eater Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:55

Aside from it looking like an exercise in malnutrition, veganism is looking more an more like a comercial movement more than anything else.

Perhaps lifestyleism is an appropriate term.

Articles like this prove my point, the whole idea here is to sell some bags and t shirts.

by Conor - vegetarian Fri Apr 05, 2013 13:43

To meat-eater, I don't think lifestylism is the right term, it's a diet. Also, I don't think the whole idea is to sell things, I'm pretty sure it's focus is on the industrial scale ownership of living beings and the annual genocidal-scale killings (I see you forgot to mention the torment, torture, stress and large-scale messy and bloody killings). To say it's about cash is either ignorant, or you have a grind against vegans so you're attacking a whole idea based on some of your negative experiences. Some people say the same crap about anarchism and communism. But what's really funny is the line about the excercise in malnutrition, I don't know if you grew up in a poor family or a wealthy family, but from my experience, it's (mostly) class that dictates your diet/health. I grew up eating the most toxic meats and crappy processed food because it's all my Ma could afford. Most vegetarians and indeed vegans I know are much more healthy that a great deal of my family, old friends and most meat-eaters I know. When you stop eating dead animals, you find you have to be more creative and you begin to understand more about your nutrient intake etc. Most of the vegans I know are health-freaks! At least think a bit more about your criticism before you post really childish rants against all vegans - it's too easy and makes indymedia users look dumb.

I agree about it not standing the test of time though. Vegans (who take supplements) actually depend on the industrial process to get their nutrients, so in the case of industrial collapse (whether it's initiated by revolutionaries, or it just falls apart itself), some vegans will find themselves in a bad place! I can't imagine even eating dead-flesh again though, I find it disgusting beyond explanation - though in saying that, I will probably travel to/around North Africa at the end of 2014, I think I might find it difficult to stay veggie there.

There is one thing though, vegan Ireland left Dublin's seomra spraoi because the collective refused to ban milk from the space (even though they provide Dublin with a volunteer-run, non state-funded, ethical, vegan, donation-based cafe), yet they are meeting in a space that has regular milk and cookie events and it has BBQ's with meat etc. It also meets in Cornucopia which is basically a bourgeois restaurant that I can't afford to eat at - and it's not vegan! Now there is a valid criticism. Seriously, could someone from vegan Ireland please reply here, because I am so looking forward to that reply!

by Sébastien Fri Apr 05, 2013 19:10

The last two comments (by a "red meat-eater" and a vegetarian who seems to think himself well placed to talk about something he does not appear to know much about--vegetarianism is not veganism) show the need for the community to hear what veganism is really about... from actual vegans. Vegan Ireland regularly puts on great events open to everyone which present the true face and the vision behind veganism.
Veganism is about not using animals. Period. It's not a diet, it's much more than this, it's (in my own view, but I am an individual speaking for myself here) an ethic based on recognising the rights of animals not to be used by us. It's vibrant and buoyant at the moment, I'll give you that, and that is a great thing and may this trend continue.
Come to the events and open your mind to a far-reaching, very practical and impactful movement.

by fred Fri Apr 05, 2013 23:27

meat eater wants us to respect meat eaters. Problem with that is that their choices are affecting everyone else on the planet. Not to mention the poor unfortunate creatures they like to eat.

Here's some facts for you to chew on alongside your toxic burger:
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html
http://www.fao.org/ag/magazine/0612sp1.htm

Each cow emits 25 litres of methane per day. Methane is a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than CO2 over 100 year period or up to 100 times more potent over a short period like a year.

here's a few more facts:

The livestock sector accounts for 9 percent of CO2 deriving from human-related activities, but produces a much larger share of even more harmful greenhouse gases. It generates 65 percent of human-related nitrous oxide, which has 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. Most of this comes from manure.

And it accounts for respectively 37 percent of all human-induced methane (23 times as warming as CO2), which is largely produced by the digestive system of ruminants, and 64 percent of ammonia, which contributes significantly to acid rain.

Livestock now use 30 percent of the earth’s entire land surface, mostly permanent pasture but also including 33 percent of the global arable land used to producing feed for livestock, the report notes. As forests are cleared to create new pastures, it is a major driver of deforestation, especially in Latin America where, for example, some 70 percent of former forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing.

The real kicker is that most of the world doesn’t really eat meat, mostly just rich, white countries! So all those devoured resources are used just to feed animals, just to feed a tiny percentage of humans.

http://chartsbin.com/view/12730

It takes up to 10kg of plant protein and up to 15 cubic metres of water to produce just 1kg of animal protein.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/202888.article

As for the millions of animals tortured and killed daily because amoral people like yourself like the taste of their flesh, well I guess it's hard for speciesists to understand that they have a point of view too. It amounts to a horrific and cruel blot on our humanity, and lessens us as ethical beings to partake in this silent daily holocaust.

In order to feed your insatiable bloodlust for meat products, Corporates cut down rain forests to make way for huge herds of cattle, they corral animals in restrictive inhumane factory conditions to maximise profits, then as a result of this process, they incubate and accelerate the development of biological risks to the human species such as new varieties of bird flu, swine flu, etc.

In order to feed your insatiable bloodlust for fish products, huge trawlers have destroyed the seabed, coral reefs, ecosystems, and wiped out whole species. The sea is suffering a huge systematic ecocide which authorities are too paralysed and compromised to do much about.

So when you get all high and mighty telling vegans they must respect your ultra destructive eating choices, well it might be an idea first to research which eating choices are less destructive for the shared common resource.

If you share a resource and one person decides to destroy it because they can't be bothered making an effort to take care of the shared resource, are the people who do make the effort wrong in pointing this behaviour out to the offending party and discouraging it?

Or are the other parties wrong because "everybody should be free to do what they like"?

We all share this rock. Not just humans. It's an arbitrary and probably meaningless existence, but all creatures deserve their opportunity to make of it what they will. It is not for us to wipe them all out because we are incapable of empathy. Furthermore, this ecosystem is also our life support system. Destroying it for short term pleasure is ultimately destroying ourselves too.

We need some joined up communal thinking if we are to stabilise this habitat and make it last a long time. Veganism is a part of that process.

Selfish neanderthals like yourself who are preoccupied with your own short term tastes and wants are a hinderance to progress towards a sustainable and respectful way of living on this planet.

Please consider evolving!!

by Ugh Sat Apr 06, 2013 03:28

They had Art, music. culture, they looked after their aged and infirm (fossil evidence points to this).

Lots more about them at: http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27837

by fred Mon Apr 08, 2013 00:30

MRSA kills more people in the US each year than HIV/AIDS.

A Recent study conclusively identified transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from factory farmed livestock to humans.

Quote:
"In reaction, Slaughter sent a letter to Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today calling for immediate action to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock.

In sending the letter, Slaughter said, “This study ends any debate. The extreme overuse of antibiotics in livestock is endangering human health.” Slaughter continued, “For decades, the United States Food and Drug Administration has failed to act in the face of a growing threat. These findings make it clearer than ever that their failure is endangering human life. Starting today, the FDA must take strong federal action to reduce antibiotic use in livestock and protect human health.”

http://www.globalresearch.ca/definitive-link-confirms-a...30225