Myth # 11 : " You vegans are so extreme ." ( also heard as “ But life needs balance .”)
Myth # 11 : " You vegans are so extreme ." ( also heard as “ But life needs balance .”)
Do you mean to say that we need “ balance ” when it comes to issues of animal cruelty ? … Really ? Well , it that ’ s the case , do you also feel the need for “ balance ” when it comes to rape in our society ? – or how about child molestation ? – or how about slavery ? – or torture ? – or kidnapping ? – or cold-blooded murder ?
Of course you don ’ t !
And as far as being an “ extremist ” is concerned , let me ask you this : which is more extreme – the vegan who states that all sentient beings deserve the right to live without being imprisoned , tortured and murdered , or the meat-eater who says , “ I like the way meat tastes , so they need to not only die for me , but suffer incredibly before they do so ”? … Surely the answer to this question is equally obvious .
And I wonder as well – was Martin Luther King Jr . really an “ extremist ” for demanding basic civil liberties for blacks ? And was Gandhi really an “ extremist ” for demanding basic freedom for the people of India ? And was Anne Hutchinson really an “ extremist ” for demanding that women be given basic equality ? And are “ animal lovers ” everywhere really “ extremists ” for demanding that elephants not be butchered ; or that whales not be slaughtered ; or that dogs not be baited ; or that dolphins not be massacred ? Of course not ! … And so I ask you : is there really any difference when it comes to vegans advocating against cruelty for cows & pigs & chickens & sheep & tuna ? … No – there isn ’ t .
My Friends , let me tell you what I find extreme … What I find extreme is people pretending to embrace peace & pretending to tout justice & pretending to teach kindness & pretending to rally for freedom -- while simultaneously making violence , slavery , torture , rape & murder a normal part of their everyday life … Indeed , that kind of hypocrisy is " extreme " by any objective measure .
For calling vegans " extreme " is like calling Justice " extreme " ... Calling vegans " extreme " is like calling Compassion " extreme " ... Calling vegans " extreme " is like calling Kindness " extreme " ... Calling vegans " extreme " is like calling Freedom " extreme " …
And if championing those values make vegans " extreme ", then " extreme ” is exactly what we all should be .
Current status of this Myth : Disinfected Justification it provides for eating animals : NONE
" The question is not whether we will be extremists , but rather what kind of extremists we will be . Will we be extremists for hatred , or for Love ? Will we be extremists for the inflicting of injustice , or for the rebirth of justice ?"
~ inspired by Martin Luther King , Jr .
30