RE:let them be...
by Al_vee on Sep 10, 2005 01:14 PM
Hey, Its rightly said that "Until the lion has a taste of human blood, it feeds on others blood". The same applies here. If you , for once, have a taste of non-veg, i guarantee you , you will never ever turn your head for veg. Wish, i cud tell you the taste.Try once. and then write to me again. Are the non-veg eaters supporting me?
Who is anyone to say she is wrong? Wrong in wanting to kill animals and teaching this to her children? To all those staunch non vegetarians (who have responded on this forum) I urge - respect vegetarians for what they believe in rather than actively rush to defend killing and eating flesh and stretch the argument pointlessly to include things like "plants are also living" etc...in another forum each of those notions can be busted...not now. For now I am with Zelda being a veg myself (& my children). I dont think she is foisting her views on either her children or anyone else. She is just inculcating a value she treasures and leaving the choice to them finally.I second that!
I grew up a veggie in a veggie household where it initially had to do with religion, but as we grew up my parents let me know that I have a choice in what I want to follow.
I think you are doing a great job in raising your daughters, but one suggestion I have is that don't let it be perceived as a dictatorial approach or a compulsion to be a veggie - educate them on the virtues of being a veggie and let them make their own choice. The former approach would be short lived while the latter as in your case would be permanent.
I think she is absolutely right in teaching her kids that they should not consume non veg. Also the fact that she gives them freedom that they can consume if they feel so is a point that is to be taken into consideration. And its for the parents to look up to the kids. Had her husband not been a non veg the kids would have undoubtedly been veg.
This is a very beautiful rather very timely article. I am in the same situation as the writer. I am also a vegeterian and i always have fear of getting married to a meat eater simply because my family would turn to eating meat. I do not practice it as a religion. I have the same feeling as the author. I am in Germany and i still am a strict vegetarian. I feel lost when my loved ones make fun of my belief and faith. I also struggle day and night when somebody who loves me for many reasons fights with me just because i boycott meat and i preach vegetarianism. We speak of so much individual personality thoughts but well educated people ridicule me for being a vegetarian. But only one thing in me is very strong, that is my food habit. I am proud to be a vegetarian and as of today i am as healthy as any meat eater of my age would be. I have no regrets or repents for being so rather i feel proud for the feeling i have for my poor living beings on earth. People also argue plants have life so you should not eat anything. But there are people who are biassed towards animals. Say for eg beef is not eaten by most of the Indian. Nevertheless, i pray to god to allow me to live as i want.
Zelda could not be blamed for her wish & thoughts, as rarely a person with an active piece of Heart would like to KILL somebody, including Animals. But she might not be making Justice for her Children to have them eat Vegetarian Food forcibly. After all, it should be the Choice of the Individual to eat what s/he wants.
Just for reference, I'm an Indian male who eats Vegetarian food right from my Birth & All my family also eats Vegetarian food, not out of choice but by our own choice. We were never forced by our Parents to eat Vegetarian food but were just told to eat Healthy Food whenever possible.
The Choice of Vegetarian Food was obvious for us, as we respect the Individuality. Its my personal opinion that Indians are in general tolerant to all, except partially for the Food they eat.
At last, I would just like to put forward a Thought. Imagine what you would have felt if the Animals were the species with Brains & we humans would be assuming their place and the animals would have had us for their Lunch & Dinner...Scary & Helpless???
Dear all, I am a strict vegetarian(read:NO EGGS,cakes). I am like this because of spiritual reasons. Non -veg , once in a while may be good to maintain a healthy body. But its very good if vegetarianism is not forced on anybody. I believe , once u are crossed 25-30 years, u are bound to be a veggie for the rest of ur life. Parents should teach benefits of being a veggie and leave the choice to children itself.........
"..people in the world in who practise other choices and we should be tolerant..
..the pain animals go through ..why it is hard for meat eaters to feel that pain..
a practice that causes anguish to a section of our earth?.. "
1.Agree a hundred percent with you.. in people having complete right to chose their 'tarianism'.. I will also add that we need not be condescending in 'allowing or tolerant' of our fellow beings Rights.. as that also causes pain & anguish..
2. Also agree that anything that causes pain and anguish to a certain section of Earth should be avoided.. but are we sure that being Humans (devoid of Chlorophyll to generate food for sustenance via inorganic sources and sunlight!!.. dependent on other living things, Plants AND Animals, both I assert are as LIVING as anything on any section of Earth)can survive without feeding on Living matter.. 3. Being a Botanist I find Plants more living as they contribute much more to the environment.. and it is as hard for a vegetarian to feel the pain of vegetables eg Peas which are like babies struggling to be born, while we pluck them from womb and munch them.. Extreme Pain !!
I totally disagree with Zelda about forcing her daughters to be vegetarian. I feel what one wants to eat is one's own choice. It should be left to the individual to decide what one wants to eat. That big issue of animals eduring pain is a big bogus. Vegies always use this issue to put their point across. But just because the plants can not scream when being cut or being uprooted or can display pain does it mean it is right eat them. I "pressume" they are also living being. As for the records I come from a family where both vegies & non-vegies co-exist. There is no sepration in the SINK, FRIDGE or KICTHEN. I have grown up relishing and enjoying best of both the worlds. I travel extensively out of India, I decide what to eat. As for Zelda, I am not against her being a veggy but forcing somebody to following her idealogy or thinking is not correct. It would be like trying to force a religious conversion. It is okay to tell an individual the pros and cons of a idealogy and then let the individual take a qualified decision.
I think Zelda is very right and represents today's changing world.
As parents, we need to put forward the right choices for our children and offer them explanations both for and against our preferred choice. Finally the choice is made by each person.
I narrate our personal experience. When we returned to India for holidays after living in New Zealand for 3 years, people often expressed surprise that we could be a "vegetarian" in NZ! If one decides, it is easy to remain Veg anywhere on the planet.
In India, sometimes being non-veg is considered more 'upwardly mobile' - just like having drinks, smoking .... and many consider being Veg as being a simpleton 'desi'. On the other hand, in the Western world, people are turning towards Vegetarianism.
Good luck, and our best wishes to Zelda and the likes of her! Have a nice day. Best regards Shirish Paranjape Christchurch, New Zealand
