An Open Question to Non-Vegans

There are 3 reasons to GO VEGAN – it is healthy, it reduces animal suffering and it protects environment.

I have become a Vegan, but when it comes to dealing with others around, I have 3 options:

• I can advise/recommend OR
• I can request OR
• I can insist/demand

Which one of the above 3 options is more appropriate? Did you say 1^st one? Is that all I can do? Really?

Alright, kindly read further – at the end I have a question for non-vegans.

1) Impact on Own Health

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Vegan diet is healthier – this should be one of the obvious reasons to become vegan at least in terms of eating. But slow transformation in bodies and “feeling of invincibility” together help people brush aside this factor easily, and succumb to their temptations as well as unhealthy lifestyles.

If someone cares only a little about their own long term health, what can I say?

Here I can only advise Non-Vegans to research on health benefits of Veganism.

2) Cruelty towards Animals

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Most people are sensitized about human rights, and gone are the days of open human slavery. But many are still insensitive towards animal rights and their direct or indirect suffering in numerous ways. Majority still feel it is perfectly okay for humans to “use” other animals in whichever way they want.

Even though I personally disapprove such insensitive practices/choices, when majority says it is not important to care for other species’ pain, what can I say?

Here I can only request Non-Vegans on behalf of suffering animals.

3) Environmental Impact

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Let me take just one sentence from Wikipedia on Livestock: According to a 2006 report by the Livestock, Environment And Development Initiative, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contribute on a "massive scale" to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity.

Here is the main article; you don’t even have to go to the references given, just the basic article highlights mind boggling statistics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_meat_production

When majority of the non-vegans continue to be insensitive towards huge environmental degradation they cause by consuming/using meat, dairy, leather, fur, wool etc. what can I say?

Here I am neither advising nor requesting, but I am DEMANDING an answer from Non-Vegans …… And here is the question……

“You are directly or indirectly destroying the environment at a rapid pace. The environment belongs to me too – tell me why do you think you have the right to make MY life miserable?”

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Once again, I reiterate:

• I advise non-vegans to take care of their health by being a Vegan; I care about other human beings.

• I request non-vegans to stop causing pain and suffering to animals; I care about the animals.

• I demand an answer from non-vegans as to why they think they have rights to destroy the environment that belongs to me too; I care about myself too, shouldn’t I?

Whether non-vegans take my advice or not, whether they consider my request or not, I sincerely hope they get back to me with an answer, openly or in private!

Yours sincerely,

Krishna Shastry.

Disclaimer: The intent of this post is not to offend anyone or undermine anyone’s efforts towards a ‘better world’ and ‘better tomorrow’. The aim is simply to highlight that vegans do have certain rights in promoting their beliefs as well as questioning others for not being vegans, especially when the ‘environment’ belongs to them too. The intent is also to make non-vegans think if they are making the right choices by not being vegan.