Vegetarianism Part 1

One of the bulls on the farm.

A few days ago, based on a recommendation, I sat down to watch Schindler's list. As I began watching I was captured by the beauty of the story, a single man trying to save hundreds of Jewish people from the holocaust. And like most people watching, many parts of the story, made me sick. Not from a bad storytelling point of view, but the opposite,from the pure truth conveyed: the thousands of people crammed into train cars, freezing, starving, shot to death for no reason, torture and cruelty. They were treated as animals, which brought up some deep thoughts. 

     Now I've been vegetarian for what feels like a significant part of my life, but it was mostly for my own benefit. Others can do as they will, eat what they want, I'll eat my tofu and veggies. 

       Watching this film changed that for me though, while watching my heart went out for those poor men and woman of the past, but also brought up some significant thoughts about the habits of flesh consumption. People are not that far removed from animals, yes we have complex speech patterns, wear clothing, and are definitely a high and complex society, and yet... animals, many of those eaten by the human population; cattle, sheep, pigs.... They love and care for their young, they have fear and content; they can be trained and so have intelligence. There was a time when it was necessary for survival  to eat animals.  A family's next meal was based upon the skill of the hunter, but we have now come to a place in our so-called complex society where eating meat is actually the convenience, animals are literally grown for the purpose of being murdered so a boy or girl somewhere can add to an unhealthy breakfast of bacon. 

    In Schindler's list as human beings were herded onto trains. Fear in their eyes and hearts, my first thought was "they're being treated like animals!"then  my second thought was "why should animals be treated that way!?" I mean... If its so horrible to treat a human being that way, why is it acceptable to treat animals any less? 

    The other day I was down in the farm yards where some cattle are being kept. Four young black bulls were in a good sized pen together, I suspect getting fattened up for the slaughterhouse. I was standing by the fence looking at them when one walked over and thrust it's head at me. Brought on by various unpleasant experiences of bulls in India, I quickly backed away from the fence. Although only a year old, the young bull was already large. Instead of blowing and snorting, the bull simply looked up at me. I stepped closer, and put a hand out gingerly, he gently put his head against it and I started to scratch his forehead, and he immediately responded, leaning into the touch to get more and looking contented, as a dog or horse would. I stopped the scratching and he nudged me, waiting to see what he would do I put my hand down. A rough, pink tongue shot out and licked my hand. He looked up at me "um... Hello?" He seemed to say. Then proceeded to wash my hand with his tongue. Giggling at his persistence I scratched him again until it was time to go back to my chores. He watched me leave. 

    Now that's what I don't understand, within a few years that sweet gentle bull is going to be loaded on a truck and slaughtered for someone's dinner, much the same way the Jews were less then a hundred years ago. Will there ever be a time when a film is made bringing up empathy for the animals being herded on trucks to their death? Unfortunately I don't think so. In this day and age, despite having enough alternative foods to eat healthily, and actually more so, then if eating meat, the human population just likes meat. They like the taste, the simplicity, the luxury.  While there were some people who opposed the holocaust many turned a blind eye and just continued on. They were the normal ones at the time, but now we think of them as cruel. I can only wish that we as a society that call ourselves complex can one day think upon those who eat meat as cruel. Again I doubt that will happen. People are convinced meat is their... Birthright. Something needed for survival. It is not, we aren't lions or wolves, meat is not needed for a healthy diet, and many studies have found that vegetarians are in fact much healthier. I've heard every excuse in the book, I've listened to hundreds of reasons why people don't eat mean, or people telling me to eat meat for this reason or that. Yet, I've also been to a slaughterhouse, seen animals put on a truck bid for death, I've seen the fear in the faces, and I have seen those animals before murder, as sweet and innocent as a child not knowing the horror just around the corner. I understand that it's simply part of the first world lifestyle to eat meat, and that is fine for them. But the next time you bite into a hamburger I sincerely request to bring up in your minds eye the animal it came from and ask yourself if it is morally ok for you to eat it. That's just one reason, besides all those concerning the environment and your health. Obviously this was written from an... Emotional place and I think is part one. I wanted to talk about more then the unfairness of the meat industry, such as my personal situation in Ireland and my struggle to keep true to my diet (thus far successful though!) so check back in for part two! Coming soon to computers now...