The importance of innocence

806: 

Vegans are preparing for the future. We see a society whose food and clothing is entirely plant-based. But I have to keep reminding myself that it isn’t just a private matter; if vegans are meant to do nothing else, we can display our public role of highlighting the plight of voiceless animals.

            How do we present ourselves ‘as vegans’? How do we come across, bearing in mind that everything we do or say reflects on every other vegan and indeed the whole cause? Donald Watson’s original concept, in 1944, was based on compassion, non-violence and herbivorous living. If we represent that ethic today we promote it best by keeping our message clear and simple, so that even children will have no difficulty grasping the good sense of it.

And speaking of children, vegans are acting on behalf of the voiceless, whether they are children (who have no say in what they eat) or animals (who are imprisoned to make food for us). It’s the aim of vegans to protect these innocents from the clutches of the exploiters, and it’s that protective spirit in us that drives us to bring the whole issue to the attention of other adults.

We can all see innocence when we look into the eyes of an animal. In their innocence, animals are at-peace-within-themselves, and children have a level of that same true innocence too. That’s why our chief job is to protect it.

The importance of innocence has usually been drowned out by the time we reach adulthood, but it can be restored to some extent, simply by experiencing the sensitivity and empathy of leading a vegan lifestyle. It can never be restored if we’re still condoning the killing of animals or the desensitisation of children.

Instead of attacking animals we should learn from them. Instead of ignoring their peaceful natures we could be emulating them. When we attack and kill animals, it’s as if we’re trying to belittle their innocent natures. It’s as if we want to bring them down to our level. Take any farm animal – there are no possible reasons to hurt it let alone end its life, let alone eat it. Psychologically-speaking there’s no reason either for hurting them or for stealing their babies or sucking secretions out of their bodies. It’s just so shameful that humans do this when we no longer have any need to, especially as we have known for half a century now, that animal protein is not necessary for our survival. How humiliating all this unnecessary violence is, for us as a species.