Freeing the voiceless, all about animal liberation/pets

Freeing the Voiceless received a very enthusiastic response from its nearly 40 attendees. The session involved a screening of snippets from acclaimed films and an absorbing talk around the grave issue of animal slavery. The emphasis was more on the solution (what individuals should do for liberating animals), which is the adoption of vegan living –an ethical, green and healthy lifestyle. The free and open-for-all session culminated with the distribution of yummy vegan snacks. Most participants were deeply moved upon realizing the animal misery caused by their choices, and resolved to make amends by adopting the vegan lifestyle.Here are detailsextracted from the talk that members of the ‘Hyderabad Vegans’ group gave today [The contributors are listed out at the end].

The relevance of the Independence Day to animal freedom

• One of the great things about our Independence Day is that it puts the spotlight on a critical right – freedom. But, the right to freedom comes with the responsibility of ensuring that you do not infringe upon anyone else's freedom. Humanity has ethically evolved a lot and eliminated many deep-rooted unjust traditions such as human slavery. Yet, there are billions who are ruthlessly denied thefundamental right to freedom. They are bred into existence only to be enslaved, tortured and killed. Their only fault is that they are NOT human! Don’t all beings-that-feel-pain deserve to live free from slavery and suffering?

• Being a nationalist is, first and foremost, about striving to make sure that no harm comes upon any inhabitant of the country because of me. That means being fair to all Indian residents - being fair to women, being fair to people from other races and castes AND being fair to beings from other species. We want to reiterate that animals - including cows, chickens, fish, pigs, bees, sheep and silk worms - too inhabit our country.

The magnitude and importance of the animal plight

• Though our natural instinct is to act fair, centuries of conditioning have made many of us unmindful of the constant misery of our non-human fellow animals.

• What we are doing to animals is worse than the human slavery that was prevalent not so long ago. Imagine being given birth just to be enslaved & tortured for life! That’s exactly the story of the 70 billion land animals and countless marine that we produce (breed) every year! Had these victims been humans,we’d have called this the worst ever genocide/holocaust, one that’s powered by well-meaning individuals like you and me!

• The second reason why animal exploitation is one of the most vital social justice issues is that its victims are the most vulnerable. Unlike humans who can possibly retaliate against their oppressors, animals are unable to fight back. These defenseless victims depend entirely on our being ethical for their liberation.

Species-ism

• “Animals exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans, just like black people were not made for whites, and women not for men.”

• It is ironic that many of us avoid racism/sexism, but unconsciously practice an ideologically synonymous ill: species-ism, i.e., the exploitation of one species by another. When it is not fair to hurt beings from other castes &races, how is it fair to enslave and torment beings from other species (that too merely for pleasure, not survival)? Why should justice & kindness be confined to humans when animals too can feel pain acutely?

• "The question is NOT 'Can they reason?' or 'Can they talk?’. The question is 'Can they suffer?’.”

The solution: vegan living

We successfully overcame centuries of conditioning to abolish human slavery, to choose ethics over history. It's high time we overcome the conditioning & indifference concerning animals too, and take the next leap in our ethical evolution by adopting veganism.

What is vegan living?

• It is a lifestyle stemming from a simple logic: Any being that feels pain should not be put to pain. Thus, a vegan rejects, as far as practically possible, all forms of animal exploitation for food, clothing or any other purpose. The vegan lifestyle excludes milk & its products, meat, eggs, honey (substituting them with their plant-based alternatives for taste, if desired), wool, leather, fur, pearl, silk and all other animal products.

Not many people know that – like meat – milk, eggs and other animal products also lead to animal killing and torture! Even in traditional Indian tabelas/dairies, cows have to be subjected to unbearable repeated forced pregnancies and a lot of other misery. Hence, vegans also avoid all dairy products such as milk, paneer, cheese, ghee, butter & curd. So, food wise, a vegan eats nothing from a mother, nothing with a face.

Vegans refrain from animal-tested products too, to the extent possible.

• Ethics aside, vegan living is also critical for our own health, and that of the environment. There is compelling evidence that cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high BP, asthma, bone weakness and obesity can all be prevented or reversed through vegan eating.

• Today, you can achieve all of this without sacrificing your favourite tastes or clothing needs. Be it sweets, chocolates, cakes, ice-creams, curd, paneer, cheese, pizza or tea/coffee, almost every dish you are used to can be found/made without animal ingredients!

Facts & stats overviewing the vegan lifestyle

Milk causes immense suffering:

• For any tabela/dairy to be financially viable, every cow in it needs to produce milk continuously. Hence, she has to be forced into a constant, body-breaking cycle of pregnancy, birthing and lactation! The repeated impregnation is done either through a rape by a common bull, or an equally torturous process called artificial insemination, exposing her to diseases.

• Since male babies are of no use for milk production, they are either starved or sold to be slaughtered.

• Cows are subjected to hazardous growth hormone injections, separated from their babies, and sold to be slaughtered (or thrown on the road to die eating plastic) once they are ‘spent’ i.e. no longer useful!

The acute misery caused by eggs and meat:

• Chickens grown for eggs & meat are stuffed in awful, tiny cages, inside a stinking compound containing scores of other birds. To reduce the losses caused by the stressed birds’ pecking, they are de-beaked (i.e., their beaks are chopped off with a hot blade) at a very tender age!

• A few agonizing months later, the birds are butchered barbarically in full view of their terrified fellow victims!

• The egg hatcheries (even the ‘free-range’ ones) brutally kill all male baby chicks, since they can’t lay eggs, and don’t grow fast enough to be raised for meat.

• The tale of misery is equally sad for pigs, goats, fishes and other animals reared for humans.

Leather, wool and silk are NOT cruelty-free byproducts:

• Leather, often derived in a soft form through the live skinning of male baby cows, makes up half of all profits of many slaughter houses. Thus, leather (and wool) buyers make meat much cheaper.

• Wool also causes many atrocities such as flesh stripping on sheep.

• A silk cloth leads to the exploitation and killing of tons of silk worms.

Avoiding animal products does not mean giving up yummy food or clothing needs:

• There are tons of recipes that use [cashew, coconut, soya, almond] milk to veganize everything you love!

• Tofu (a healthier taste substitute for paneer), milk-free chocolates, vegan biscuits, soya milk, etc. are readily available in the market.

• Dairy curd can be replaced by peanut/cashew/almond/soy curd.

• Cities like Hyderabad also have outlets for vegan ice-creams and cakes.

• Wool, leather, silk, fur and honey can be easily substituted or avoided too.

Vegan food - The healthiest choice:

• Plant based food is rich in fiber (essential for good digestion and nutrient absorption), low on saturated fat, and contains no cholesterol. Contrastingly, all animal foods are very high on saturated fat and cholesterol, containing zero fiber.

• A number of independent studies, including the biggest study ever to link food and health [by Oxford University, Cornel University and others under the name 'The China Study’] have concluded that milk, eggs and meat cause or aggravate many dreaded diseases including heart disease, high BP, cancer, asthma, diabetes and bone weakness.

• Dr Nandita Shah has successfully solved a lot of diabetes and heart disease cases merely through healthy vegan food in India!

Busting the calcium and protein myths:

• Many of the biggest/strongest animals (like elephants, horses and rhinos) are totally vegan. Do they lack bone strength, calcium or protein?!

• In calcium content, milk is surpassed by dozens of plant foods: leafy green vegetables (like coriander, methi, radish, curry patta), til (sesame seeds), ragi, almonds, rajma, peas (e.g., chana), moong sprouts, soya products like tofu, etc.

• As substantiated by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine [PCRM], milk protein actually leaches calcium from the bones, resulting in bone weakness!

• The countries with the highest incidence of osteoporosis (bone weakness) are those boasting the highest consumption of dairy products!

• If you consume enough calories, you are bound to get enough protein! That’s why protein deficiencies are mostly found in malnourished people. Anyhow, there are plenty of protein-rich plant foods: all pulses (dal), soy products, all legumes [peas like chana, beans such as rajma, etc.], almonds & other nuts, seeds, and more.

• There have been a number of world-class vegan athletes and body builders, ranging from two-time Olympian Seba Johnson (a vegan since birth), to long-distance runner turned renowned bodybuilder Robert Cheeke.

Animal food is unnatural:

• No species in nature drinks another species’ milk. Yet, they say COW’s milk is natural for HUMANs!

• Our so-called canine teeth do not make us omnivorous, as canines are also found in several herbivores (e.g., gorillas, horses, hippos). From laterally moving jaws to long intestines, humans possess a dozen physiological traits that make us plant-eaters, not omnivores.

Renowned vegan celebrities:

• Tobey Maguire (‘Spiderman’), a staunch vegan, doesn’t allow anyone wearing animal skin (e.g., leather) in his house.

• For former Citibank vice president Philip Wollen, being vegan is ”to be able to look in the mirror without feeling profoundly ashamed”. ‘

• Avatar’ director James Cameron terms the avoidance of animal products as the “single biggest thing that an individual can do to combat climate change”.

• Germany’s Strongest Man Patrik Baboumian is a vegan weight lifter and body builder.

Vegan living saves plants, and is critical for the environment:

• Animal products deplete humongous amounts of food, land, water, energy and other resources, since the animals have to be daily fed and hydrated all through their lives.

• Up to 10 kg of grains are required to make 1kg of animal food!

• A UN study deems animal-based food culpable for a whopping 70% of the world’s agricultural land, 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions, and considerable deforestation.

Quotes from some Hyderabadi vegans who attended this session

Manpreeth Singh (senior manager, 3M): “Despite having been brought up in a hardcore non-vegetarian family for more than three decades, I have now been a vegan for nearly four years. My conscience is lighter, mind calmer, and body fitter than ever. On seeing these changes in me, my mother, wife & son too want to turn vegan!”

Pulkit Parikh (software engineer, Microsoft, vegan for 3.5 years): “Not many people realize that milk and eggs also lead to animal killing, like meat. For any tabela/dairy to be financially viable, every cow in it needs to produce milk continuously. Hence, she has to be forced into a constant, body-breaking cycle of pregnancy, birthing and milking, through brutal procedures. They are separated from their babies, subjected to hazardous growth hormone injections, and sold to be slaughtered (or thrown on the road to die eating plastic) once they are ‘spent’ i.e. no longer useful! Since male baby calves won’t produce milk, those ‘liabilities’ are simply starved or sold to slaughter houses! Male baby chicks in egg farms are also mercilessly killed (Egg chicks are unviable to be raised for meat).”

Sejal Parikh (writer, with a certification in nutrition from Cornel University): “It's been 3.5 years since I became vegan, so my recent pregnancy was also entirely vegan. My calcium level was above average all throughout (that too without taking any supplements except for the last 15 days). Despite consuming no dairy, egg or meat, I gained 18 kg of weight, my son was born with 3.75 kg of weight (considered extremely healthy), and I needed no stiches at all in my natural delivery, indicating very strong protein levels in my body. When I decided to go vegan for ethical reasons, I had no idea that it would turn out to be such a big blessing in disguise for my own health and my family's! I am glad that today many people are aware that animal products are very high in cholesterol and saturated fat, while containing no fiber. Our exclusively breastfed baby boy is 16 months old now, and has been very healthy all along. We are committed to raising him fully vegan - for his own sake as much as the animals' :).”

Dr. Nandita Shah (who has cured many heart disease and diabetes patients through healthy vegan food): “Milk is advertised as a good source of calcium. However, much of the calcium cannot be utilized due to the high animal protein content of milk. High animal protein, absorbed as amino acids, results in an acidic reaction in the body. Calcium is leached out of the bones to neutralize the acid, the result: reduced bone density (osteoporosis). That is why the countries with the highest incidence of bone weakness are those boasting the highest consumption of dairy!”

Amita Desai (executive director, Gothe-Zentrum): “We are grateful to our two daughters who led by example in inspiring me and my husband to become vegan. As a mother, I could readily connect with the suffering of the cows raised for milk. Plus, being vegan is the best decision for one’s own health, as recognized by growingly many people across the globe. I hope this ethical, healthy and sustainable way of living spreads far and wide.”

Chinmayee Hiremath (works at Google): “As someone who was very vocally opposed to racism and sexism, the veganism resonated with me instantly. When it is not okay to hurt beings from other castes and races, how is it okay to enslave and torment beings from other species, that too merely for pleasure, not survival? Why should justice and kindness be confined to humans when animals too can feel pain acutely?”

Madhulika Jajaodia: “Before Sandeep (husband) and I turned vegan, I had had asthma for nearly 15 years, and my husband Sandeep had been suffering heavily with body and joint pains, which refused to subside despite all kinds of medications. Now, I don’t even need to use my inhaler, and Sandeep has phased out all his pain killers! Being vegan has actually become my fountain of youth. Both my college-going sons and my maid too have followed suit!”

Rekha Saraf (business woman): “As a foodie, I can vouch for the fact that veganism today causes no deprivation! I can also vouch for the huge health gains of veganism. Among other things, it has gotten rid of my asthma, totally!”

Sameer (chartered accountant): “Gorillas have way bigger canine teeth than humans, but those giants consume no meat at all. No species in nature drinks another species’ milk. Yet, industries with a vested interest spend billions on perpetuating the myth that meat and milk are ‘natural’ for humans!”

Dheeraj Chakilam (school student): “As a vegan, I simply live in accordance with the most basic principle of humanity: “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t wish on yourself”. It’s also important to note that raising animals for food is one of the biggest causes of environmental damage. Plus, by avoiding milk, eggs and meat, one becomes slimmer, fitter and more energetic too.”

Abhijit Muduganti (engineering student): “Veganism to me is as simple as the recognition of two things: A) the grave danger that animal products pose to our environmental sustainability, B) the fundamental right of animals to live freely as per their own wishes. Growing loads of crops for animals and then feeding on them is a grossly inefficient way to feed ourselves: It takes up to 10 kg of grain to make 1 kg of animal food!”

Dr. Rupa Shah: “Over last five years, I have seen that whole foods, plant based diet has helped many people reverse their lifestyle related diseases like type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease. It is not only a diet for reversal of diseases but also for remaining healthy throughout our lives. Going vegan, food-wise and otherwise, is indeed the need of the hour!”

Catchy slogans for veganism

• “Animals exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans, just like black people were not made for whites, and women not for men.”

• “If you think it’s difficult for you to be vegan, imagine how terribly difficult it is for the animal if you are not vegan!”

• Milk, eggs and meat: Lots of cholesterol & saturated fat, No fiber.

Plant foods: Rich in fiber, No cholesterol, Low saturated fat.

No wonder animal products are linked to heart disease, high BP, cancer, asthma, diabetes and bone weakness!

• Are your slice of cheese and glass of milk worth the pregnancies that cows are brutally forced into year on year! That too when they can easily be had in a vegan form!

• Believe in justice and peace? Then, live those values. Give veganism a go!

‘Hyderabad Vegans’ – a volunteer group that promotes and supports vegan living

A loose coalition of like-minded individuals, Hyderabad Vegans has a two-fold objective:

a) To provide well-researched information about this healthy, green and compassionate lifestyle

b) To support people who have newly adopted vegan living

The strength of the group has already gone to 1025 (and counting). It conducts monthly pot-luck get-togethers. The old members come with a dish each to the venue (typically, a volunteer’s house), and everyone engages in free-wheeling discussions over a variety of delicious delicacies. Despite being devoid of any egg, milk, meat or honey, the food tends to be immensely tasty and diverse in nature. Aside from highlighting how delightful and easy being vegan is, the group holds free talks, stalls, etc. to raise awareness about veganism.

How to join the ‘Hyderabad Vegans’ group

• Facebook groupfor anyone seeking information/help on veganism:

o https://www.facebook.com/groups/hyderabad.vegans [You need not be vegan to join the group]

• Website: http://hyderabadvegans.wordpress.com/

• Contact info: Email [email protected] or call at 7893225500.

Authors of this press release

• Pulkit Parikh (software engineer, Microsoft)

• Amita Desai (executive director, Gothe-Zentrum)

• Sejal Parikh (writer, with a certification in nutrition from Cornel University)

• Manpreeth Singh (senior manager, 3M)