being non-violent through and through

Being non-violent is where no one need be afraid of us and therefore afraid of what we might have to say about non-violent food choices. In our conversations we should never go in for the kill. And, for exactly the same reasons, our food should never go in for the kill either, however tempting. The cruelty of imprisoning and executing helpless animals is something a non-violent person would never want to be party to. It isn’t a matter of safety or health; it’s a matter of the hardness of our hearts and the blinding of our eyes. A high price to pay for animal foods.
We probably, by now, know that plant foods are nutritious. We may also know that our food needs can be completely met by plant products because of the example set by millions of vegetarians and vegans around the world. That realisation undermines any justification for abattoirs and suggests the possibility of being able to lead a totally non-violent life. But because we know this and can apply it to our diet and wardrobe, is that where we stop? Hopefully not. A vegan might not want to go beyond food and clothing for fear of broadening the issues too far and becoming overwhelmed by the hugeness of their 'commission'. It may seem that there are too many changes to be made. But this isn’t a race to see who gets there first. There are many issues to consider and each one relates to the rest. Global warming, animal factories, relationship breakdowns, malnutrition; they seem to be unrelated and yet somewhere down the track they are destined to meet. Somewhere. If we want to see where the meeting point is, we need look no further than the daily presence or absence of non-violence. It’s a revolution in attitude, of which animal rights is but a part. Until one important idea meets another important idea, until we become sophisticated in our ideas, we won’t ever be able to understand what all the fuss is about. Non-violence seems to be a catch-all. When animal activists become involved in non-violent action, they see the connection between animals and humans, the environment and third world poverty. They realise that the connection between them all concerns the fostering of a peaceful relationship with everything. Our relationships, like our foods, must become cruelty-free. After that we don’t need to try so hard, things fall into place of their own accord.