AR and Veganism

[LetoTheTyrant]

I was just wondering how many people began being vegan because of animal rights, or who began for health or other reasons and then turned to animal rights, or never have had any interests in animal rights.

--I meant for the last one to say I'm vegan as well, but apparently missed that.

I said on the fence, cause I find myself having stronger and stronger feelings towards the issue, but never really cared in the past (I was though a proponent of animal welfare - how could you not?), even when I became vegan (I did it because I thought it made me feel a ton better)

[Alicia Avocado]

As a buddhist, I felt I was being a total hypocrite acting upon compassion for all, ushering bugs outside, and eating a burger. One day I read the "Skinny Bitch" diet book, and it made me go Vegan again. (I was previously, but ended up living with a carnivorous a$$hole who made a big deal out of Vegan food).

[Identity_thief]

I think I went vegetarian, for reasons somewhere between animal-rights and animal-welfare (I was like 11, and I suppose a bit confused!) and I turned vegan because I realised I couldn't be pro-animal-rights and not be basicly.

But I only really learnt about animal rights inbetween vegetarianism and veganism.

[Cherub]

i became vegan for health reasons, but once i made the change and started reading more and more about it i realised how oblivious i was to the way animals were being treated. now i do take an interest and i am glad i am not a contributer to the agricultural industry.

[isowish]

I'm vegan and on the fence about animal rights.

But the animals are my reason, regardless of what politics I fall into.

[Mr. Sun]

I'm vegan and on the fence about animal rights.

But the animals are my reason, regardless of what politics I fall into.

Ha ha... so you are vegan!?!!! I knew it. lol


OP: I wouldn't have identified myself as AR when I became vegan and I'm not sure I would now. I come at it differently and say that it's Ahimsa that has me vegan and that AR writings deeply influence my understanding of Ahimsa to the point where I'm in complete agreement with AR. I don't know if that even makes sense...

[isowish]

Ha ha... so you are vegan!?!!! I knew it. lol

:lol: :love:

[LetoTheTyrant]

Ha ha... so you are vegan!?!!! I knew it. lol


OP: I wouldn't have identified myself as AR when I became vegan and I'm not sure I would now. I come at it differently and say that it's Ahimsa that has me vegan and that AR writings deeply influence my understanding of Ahimsa to the point where I'm in complete agreement with AR. I don't know if that even makes sense...

i think it only makes sense cause I feel the same way, but I don't really understand it. minus the ahimsa bit cause that hasn't influenced me. I really do love my companion guy, although I don't know if I would get another animal after he passes.

[Tuffenoughtoroc]

I became vegan for the animals. The health part of it is a perk.

[Fromper]

I really do love my companion guy, although I don't know if I would get another animal after he passes.

Rescue a vegan animal. Chances are pretty good that there's an animal shelter within an hour drive of you that has homeless bunnies in need of a good home.

--Fromper
:juggle:

[Lena08-89]

I started being a vegetarian when I was 9/10 years old. and thats almost a decade ago. I did start being a vegetarian because my old sister was like do you want cow or chicken at McDonalds and I didnt understand. when she told me it was like an actual animal(I was young and confused) I stopped eating meat. Being as young as I was my family was not for it. They thought I needed meat to grow. it was tough since I knew nothing about tofu or anything. But I tried being a vegan like 5 times before i actually stuck with it. I did it for health reasons tho. I treied being a vegan for 2 weeks each time and my body felt great so I decided to stay with it. But Im all about the animal rights!!

[Hamry]

I originally took on a vegan diet for health reasons, not thinking it would be for life. Then I got in to AR so now there's no turning back.

[LetoTheTyrant]

Rescue a vegan animal. Chances are pretty good that there's an animal shelter within an hour drive of you that has homeless bunnies in need of a good home.

--Fromper
:juggle:

I was getting the impression from reading that animal rights are against the keeping of animals, that's for animal welfare?!?!

[Sevenseas]

I was getting the impression from reading that animal rights are against the keeping of animals, that's for animal welfare?!?!No, against breeding animals.

[Hamry]

I was getting the impression from reading that animal rights are against the keeping of animals, that's for animal welfare?!?!

My personal opinion is that animals should not be bred for human benefit. So I'd never buy from a pet shop, but there's so many unwanted domesticated animals out there who cannot be released back into the wild. I'm actually going to be adopting an animal this weekend and I'm going to do my best to treat them well and keep them as happy as they can be. I might find it hard at times, but I definitely don't think I'm doing it for the wrong reasons.

[Quinoa]

I would like to believe that I finally went vegan because of at least a slight inkling of AR. After already having been (moderately lacto-) vegetarian for a while (seeking a more compassionate, low-impact, healthier lifestyle, and after years of various forms of dietary veg*nism and even lapses into omnivorism before), among other material I watched Earthlings, and “made the connection” on a somewhat more emotional than on a rational level at first.
To be honest, I didn't understand much about AR before I was challenged (e. g. in debates on VB) to both reconsider my stance on AW, and find out more about AR, which I guess is a continuing learning process for me. So I voted “after I went vegan”.

[LetoTheTyrant]

No, against breeding animals.

some sources i read don't say this, and i felt they were saying all animalhuman interaction. Well that makes a huge difference.

[Lena08-89]

animal breeding is disguisting!!!!!!!!
I was working at the Humane Society in California and Maryland.. There are sooo many animals that need homes. I think its sick. and when they inbreed them.
do you know what kind of problems they get from that!
It sickkk

[Sevenseas]

some sources i read don't say this, and i felt they were saying all animalhuman interaction. Well that makes a huge difference.What sources? What AR sources are against people rescuing animals from shelters?

[LetoTheTyrant]

i didn't say they were against rescuing. I just read something (I don't remember, I was googling animal rights versus animal welfare stuff earlier and going back and forth), but one of them said that one of the differences between animal rights and animal welfare was that proponents of animal rights were completely against human/animal interaction.

http://www.animalwelfarecouncil.com/html/aw/rights.php

i guess they do say *use* of animals and not companion, but I kind of saw it as the same thing. i guess it's just interpretation

[Fromper]

I was getting the impression from reading that animal rights are against the keeping of animals, that's for animal welfare?!?!


My personal opinion is that animals should not be bred for human benefit. So I'd never buy from a pet shop, but there's so many unwanted domesticated animals out there who cannot be released back into the wild. I'm actually going to be adopting an animal this weekend and I'm going to do my best to treat them well and keep them as happy as they can be. I might find it hard at times, but I definitely don't think I'm doing it for the wrong reasons.

Exactly. There's nothing wrong with helping an animal in need by opening your home to them. Just don't encourage breeders and pet stores to create any more by buying from them. That includes boycotting any pet supply stores that sell live animals. If there were any such stores in my area, I'd stick to buying from stores that only sell the supplies, not the animals. Unfortunately, I can't find any stores like that near me. I won't go to a store that sells dogs, cats, rabbits, or other animals commonly found in shelters, but the store where I get my bunny food and litter does sell birds, fish, reptiles, and smaller mammals. :(

And I suggested rabbits because they're naturally vegan, so you wouldn't have to buy any non-vegan food for them. There are tons of strays available, just like with dogs and cats, especially if you look after Easter. Way too many people buy "Easter bunnies" because they look cute, then dump the poor little guys when they find out that rabbits are more expensive to feed and higher maintenance than they realized. I'm pretty sure that's how I ended up with my four legged roommate, Flash, the fastest bunny alive. I found him literally wandering the streets alone about a week after Easter this year.

--Fromper
:juggle:

[Sevenseas]

i didn't say they were against rescuing. I just read something (I don't remember, I was googling animal rights versus animal welfare stuff earlier and going back and forth), but one of them said that one of the differences between animal rights and animal welfare was that proponents of animal rights were completely against human/animal interaction.

http://www.animalwelfarecouncil.com/html/aw/rights.php

i guess they do say *use* of animals and not companion, but I kind of saw it as the same thing. i guess it's just interpretation1. That's clearly an anti-AR site, so it's not the best source of information about what animal rights mean..
2. And yes, it doesn't say that AR is categorically against keeping animals, just that it's against using animals and breeding them. I don't think it says anything about interaction.

[LetoTheTyrant]

1. That's clearly an anti-AR site, so it's not the best source of information about what animal rights mean..
2. And yes, it doesn't say that AR is categorically against keeping animals, just that it's against using animals and breeding them. I don't think it says anything about interaction.

it doesn't like I said it was me interpreting it that way. Just because it is an anti-AR site doesn't mean that they don't have useful information, especially for someone who hasn't so clearly formulated their opinion. I'm sure there are some AR advocates out there that are against taking in the animals for one reason or another. there HAS to be. So I wanted to read as much as I can from both sides, Idon't want someone else's opinion, I want mine :)

[Sevenseas]

Just because it is an anti-AR site doesn't mean that they don't have useful information, especially for someone who hasn't so clearly formulated their opinion.It may have all kinds of useful information about other things, I just fail to see a single reason why a site that is prejudiced against some political idea/movement would be the best source for the definition and ideology of that idea/movement.

But that's a minor issue of course, I'm just frustrated by the misrepresentations of AR that keep floating around.

[LetoTheTyrant]

this is why I opened the thread. I knew eventually you would say something in this thread, and I was really interested in your opinion.

I never said it was the best opinion, I just said that since I'm trying to form a more conclusive one that I was looking at both sides of the issue. Assuredly you can see how said site could be useful in someways. But yes most definitely not to get the definition or ideology