Cyndi's Two Cents
It is not so easy to be a vegan
Commentary.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when a friend of mine recalled “roommate stories” from her years as an undergrad at University of California – Berkley. This friend, now a science teacher, moved from the Midwest to the West Coast in the early 90’s to pursue an education in the field of science. Her roommate, who came from the East Coast, had apparently come to U.C. Berkley with an interest in science, as well. The roommate had a penchant for chemistry. Or perhaps better stated, a penchant for chemicals.
The roommate greatly enjoyed experimenting with a variety of drugs. She was enthralled with the whole counter-culture movement of the 60’s and fancied herself a free thinker. The roommate’s antics are central to many of my friend’s memories from her first year at Berkley.
As a free thinker, the roommate, although already a practicing vegetarian, decided that she could not bear the thought of using animal products in any way.
I am a firm believer that it is an adult human’s right to choose what they eat and what they drink. And if they want to practice veganism, that is 100% their choice.
The roommate told my friend that as an ethical vegan, she saw veganism as more than a diet. Veganism, she explained, had become her lifestyle. It was her philosophy of choice.
My friend smiled as her roommate cleaned out her closet, tossing all clothing containing animal products. The roommate tossed her leather belts, bags and shoes. My friend noticed that the roommate kept a wool scarf that she would need for a winter visit back to the East Coast.
The roommate continued to burn beeswax candles that she lit with wooden matches. Although the roommate enjoyed chemistry/chemicals, she also loved photojournalism. In that time before digital cameras had taken over, many a roll of film was purchased and developed by the roommate. My friend didn’t mention to the roommate that beeswax, matches and camera film are all made of animal products.
Truly being a vegan cannot be easy. Many of you have probably seen the list of products made from cattle and hogs. From instrument strings, tennis racquet strings, hormones, enzymes and vitamins from the internal organs; to pasta, cake mixes, medicines, adhesive, dyes and inks from the blood; to emery boards, wallpaper, plywood, shampoo and conditioner, photo film and adhesives made from the hooves and horns; there are many products used every day that come from cattle that we do not eat.
Products made from swine are also abundant. There is the calcium used to fortify yogurt, hemoglobin from blood used in cigarette filters, bone ash in train brakes, heart valves to replace human heart valves, gelatin from the skin and bones used by a weapons manufacturer to help distribute powder to bullets, and fatty acids derived from pork fat used as a hardening agent in crayons which also gives them that distinctive smell.
Animal products are used in everything from porcelain to chewing gum; deodorant to bio diesel; and antifreeze to insulation.
As I said, I believe it is an adult’s right to choose. I just find it hard to believe that there are very many “true” vegans when there is a use as well as a need for everything except the oink and moo.
Cyndi
Yes, when I was a vegan, many friends would take this concern to heart, if not extreme. Discussions would revolve around a concept of “how vegan are you?” Some folks went to the extreme of shopping only at “whole” foods stores where the owners and all employees were vegans. They were afraid that food touched by non-vegans would get animal “kooties.”
Yet, I wonder if all this animal rights brouhaha could be avoided if farmers could create a aura of animal respect that shows through from farm to grocery store. Perhaps obesity (which I consider a form of food abuse, even to animal abuse) will decline if our society gives thanks and honors our animal food friends as we consume them. Such a place of honor prevents unnecessary abuse, provide adequate compensation for producers and condemns waste. When people (from producer to consumer) truly respect the sacrifice of these food animals, everyone benefits and few will see any necessity to seek extreme behavior such as veganism, except for health reasons.