It's time to go... values

Lately it seems my Facebook feed has been inundated with announcements of my previously vegetarian friends getting back on meat. The status update is typically met with lots of 'likes', lots of congrats, and lots of invitations to head out for a parma*

Putting my vego ideals beside, I've been wondering what is it their friends are really celebrating? 'My friend had a really strong, personal conviction about something they believed in, but now they can't be bothered keeping it up'? Or, 'Thank god, one less person to make me feel guilty about cage eggs'?

I commented on one announcement with a simple, 'I couldn't do that'. Not judging, but in genuine bewilderment. There are so many reasons I choose to live a vegetarian lifestyle, how could I possibly turn my back on them?

But then I remembered. I remembered 18-year-old Lucy, when all her friends slowly but surely, began to leave the Pentecostal church, turning to her youth pastor and declaring, 'I could never do that.' Followed by a desperate attempt to reason - 'I guess they didn't love Jesus as much I do'.

Okay - I'm getting to my point. I did leave the church, and it was a massive decision. I'd identified as a Christian for 23 years, and giving up the title was difficult, but it didn't change who I was. And my friends, who have returned to their pre-vege lifestyle, haven't changed. They're still the same people.

If we're not defined by our values, what are we defined by? We're not defined by how we look, or where we live. We're not defined by how much money we earn, or how many friends we have. We can't even say we're defined by our words, or our actions, because they only ever paint half the picture at best.

I like to think we're defined by our heart - by our capacity to love. I gave up church, but I still love people, I still love the world. I still live to share love with whoever I can. I could give up being a vegetarian and still love animals. I could still be an advocate for animal rights, and I could still be the parent of the happiest, healthiest dog in the park. I would still be me (but I couldn't do that).

Not to encourage you to all go out and throw away your passions, your convictions, your beliefs, but just to remind you - Barack Obama changed his value on gay marriage. Richard Muller changed his beliefs on climate change. I changed my mind about eating a McDonalds double quarter pounder with cheese. Never be afraid to question what you believe in, and check that your 'value' matches your heart.



(*or parmie, depending if you're in Tasmania or Victoria).

Ignorance is bliss - so don't read this blog.

Tonight I'm going to tell you something so bleedingly obvious, you'll wonder why you haven't known it all along. And I'm going to tell you why you haven't known - you didn't want to know. In fact, you still don't.

Indonesian abattoirs aren't the only ones treating animals cruelly. Honest. Simply type 'Australian abattoir cruelty' into google and see for yourself.

*I don't recommend watching any related YouTube videos. You can imagine well enough from the journalism. The videos will make you wonder about the people we share our world with. They will change you. They will hurt you.

I know you don't want to. Because then you know the price of your dinner. But nothing makes me angrier than Australians getting all self-righteous about Indonesian practises when we refuse to look in the mirror.

Paul McCartney famously said 'If abattoirs had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian.'

So why aren't we seeing news reports about Australian abattoirs on TV?

Well, for one, we're not dumb enough to let people with cameras in. We leave that to the Indonesians, and the Americans.

Two - remember how the beef industry got up in arms when their live export business got suspended? Imagine if their entire organisation was shut down. We can't handle that level of political fall out.

And thirdly, we like eating meat. And we like paying as little for it as possible.

Yes, I'm a vegetarian. It's 'easy for me' to say these things. Because I'm not being hypocritical complaining about the treatment of animals while munching on my pork crackling. But I'm not writing this blog to promote vegetarianism, or judge anyone for their personal choices. I believe in the circle of life; if you need it, take it. But if you don't need it, how about you leave it alone?

I'm writing this to promote education. To encourage people to research that little bit further. Because you have values, and ignorance isn't an excuse. It's hard. It's hard to shop ethically, to read the back of every item you pick up in the supermarket to check for palm oil, to investigate the factories where your clothes, your iPhone, are manufactured. It's exhausting, and completely un-rewarding.

But we are what we eat. We live and die by the choices we make. So isn't it best to know exactly what we're choosing?

~

when life moves too quickly

I don't know when I became one of those people who feel the need to keep absolutely everyone updated on every aspect of their life. Somewhere between MySpace/Facebook/Twitter & Blogspot things didn't seem official until I had broadcast them into cyberspace.

Today I am overwhelmed, because there is too much I feel I 'need' to say. Life is moving so fast for me, even my social networking can't keep up.

Sure I could summarise my activites of the last four weeks in dot points, but what's the point? That's not life. My friends and I don't sit down for coffee and 'catch up' in point form on the seemingly 'important things' we've been up to. We talk about life: how we feel, what's making us smile, what's giving us hope, what we've learned.

So today, I recite no list of accomplishments, no update as to my current employment/financial/social status.

Today I offer my cyber world a thought. The thought that's been in the forefront of my mind and conversations the last 24 hours.

Why don't they just adopt out all the stranded beef cattle until they figure out what to do with them?

James and I will happily add a cow to our new home. I can't promise you can have it back to send to slaughter, BUT STOP COMPLAINING THAT THEY ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE YOU'RE NOW NOT SENDING THEM TO GET TORTURED TO DEATH.

Really, beef export industry, really???? We're supposed to feel bad for the 'stranded' cows because you're NOT sending them to Indonesia??

Sure it's going to cost you money to move them back to somewhere with food. But really? You don't think it's better this way?

I was so proud of the government for making a financially reckless decision in order to make an ethically right one. I am so proud that Australia stood up and said they will not tolerate that level of cruelty. And I am so proud of the ABC and Four Corners for bringing the message to Australia that what comes from us remains our responsibility.

I WILL ADOPT A COW. I want to adopt a cow. Shaun would bloody love it.

End rant.