Proposition 8 and Vegetarianism

I've been dealing with a whole lot of family drama lately. I'm not going to go into it but lets just say there's a person who is being very cancerous to this family that needs to take a loooooong hike.

In totally other news, I just recieved an email about the ridiculous Proposition 8 that was passed in CA not too awful long ago that kept same sex couples from marrying eachother. Anyone who knows me and has brought up the issue knows that I very much support same sex marriage. To me: person in love + person in love = love, commitment, etc. There is no reason these people can not pledge to love the other person in front of whatever deity or persons they want to. Anyway in this email was a video or two. One is a 60-second PSA that will be aired on tv (the email says). I have yet to see it but here's the link:

https://secure.couragecampaign.org/page/contribute/Fearless

Watch it, it's a very good PSA and won't take but a minute (literally) of your time. I personally don't understand how people can not support gay and lesbian rights. To not support the idea of love, in any way shape or form, is very foreign to me. My family says that in the bible it says it's wrong. I say who cares what a book says? The bible supposedly says too that we're supposed to eat meat and animals yet there are plenty of vegans and vegetarians in the world (even some Christian ones).

And for that argument I must say this: Why would God create people who were compassionate towards animals if we were meant to eat them? And why would meat be so bad for our bodies? Too much red meat is bad for our hearts, undercooked poultry results in food poisoning, fish has high levels of mercury. If a god truly intended for us to eat meat, you'd think it would be healthier for us. And you can't say "Oh, the devil made those people compassionate to animals" because the devil I was raised to believe in would make people more cruel to them rather than want to save them. (And since we're on the topic no I don't believe there is a supreme evil being that tries to manipulate and tempt and tease us).

Back to the topic of Proposition 8: I don't care what state or country you live in, all marriage should be legal if the people so wish to get married. I myself don't want to be married, I don't believe I need the government or a piece of paper to tell me I love someone. Do I want a long term commitment? Yes. Do I want a life partner? Yes. Do I need to stand in a church and have someone else talk to the Christian God in order to get that? No. Neither does anyone else.

You don't always get to pick and choose who you love. You just wind up loving someone. I didn't exactly choose to love Angelo, it just happened. (That's my boyfriend for those of you who don't know). We were talking about anything and everything and one day I was standing in the shower and the realization that I was completely in love with him just smacked me upside the head and nearly made me want to cry. How can someone say that someone who's attracted to people of the same gender, can't feel that kind of emotion? How can you say and KNOW for a fact that someone is just saying they're gay to get attention? I have several gay and bisexual friends, none of them want attention directly brought on them. Well, maybe one but he keeps his sexuality hidden.

Oh and for the record, yes I've gone back to my vegetarian ways. This is starting in a few days after all the meat products in my house are gone. I'm going to do this for several reasons.

1. more compassionate to the animals
2. more compassionate to my own body
3. more compassionate to the environment
4. healthier

I'm not claiming that vegetarianism is better for the environment, it could be IDK for sure. However I do inted to use less toxic products so they don't poison our planet and water so much. This is something everyone should do really. I don't want to be drinking poisoned water simply because it was easier to use a product that polluted the environment and caused too much waste runoff. Do you?

Just added number 4 to that list. The more I think about all this, the more reasons I come up with to do this. This will most likely eventually lead into a Vegan lifestyle. Don't like it? Deal with it.

Vegetarianism

Back at work after an...interesting weekend. I'm really wishing this weather would warm up and stay warm. We're supposed to get yet another winter storm warning tonight. Oh what joy. When leaving this morning my cat decided she wanted to have an outdoor adventure. Pffft. Didn't take her long to figure out it's cold and she ran to the backdoor. Atleast her wanting ten seconds outside didn't make us late. She hasn't been running out lately but she did this morning for some reason. She's nuts.

I have often thought about vegetarianism and animal welfare. I don't necessarily believe in animal rights...that would mean that no one could eat animals, even those people who need meat because of medical reasons. I don't believe in inhumane treatment of animals even if they are being raised just to be slaughtered for food. I go back and forth with the idea of me being a vegetarian. I spent a year or more as one before and I felt...different. I'm not sure how to describe it other than 'lighter'. I can see why Buddhist Monks think that what you eat affects your mind and your thoughts. I like the taste of meat, I love eating a steak (however mine has to be well done and dry). However whenever I think of the fact that it used to be a living thing it kind of turns my stomach to think about eating it. Like the other night eating wings. We went somewhere where they served the WHOLE wing. From the point it attaches to the chicken on. Just minus feathers plus breading. Not something that was easy to eat. I often debate becoming a vegetarian again. Believe me after some experiences I've had it wouldn't be hard:

-dissecting a pig that my teammates named 'Wilber" in high school (plus alot of other dissections)

-the wing thing from the other night

-a 'present' in the form of a bird that a stray cat left me on my back porck as a thank you for feeding her with a bite taken out

-back in my vegetarian days I did some research and discovered the terrbile conditions most animals are raised in, believe me: they're not humane in any way. Some of these animals are left to stew (no pun intended) in their own fecal matter...ewww!!!

None of this stuff makes it particularly easy for me to eat any kind of meat. ESPECIALLY chicken and pork. It's nearly impossible for me to eat bacon. And actually if I went vegetarian again I'd almost be able to consider myself a vegan. I don't use any leather products and avoid animal products when I can. The only thing that would be hard for me to give up would be cheese and milk...yea not sure I could do that. Cheese and milk are too good. Everything else though I can pretty much easily live without. This is something I've been pondering for awhile and something I'll continue to ponder awhile longer. I'll keep ya posted on my decision.