The Irony of Independence Day
Originally published July 4, 2019
“What do they know — all these scholars, all these philosophers, all the leaders of the world — about such as you? They have convinced themselves that man, the worst transgressor of all the species, is the crown of creation. All other creatures were created merely to provide him with food, pelts, to be tormented, exterminated. In relation to them, all people are Nazis; for the animals it is an eternal Treblinka.”
-Isaac Bashevis Singer
Today is the day we celebrate our independence from Britain, our liberation from the vice of monarchism. We gather together with friends and family to celebrate with food, drinks, and fireworks. It is a time of happiness and celebration. But are we really free? Are we really happy? Are we really independent?
July 4th is no different from any other holiday in regards to our treatment of animals. We collect around a barbecue and grill various body parts, slather them in sauce so as not to taste the flesh itself, and serve the corpses to our loved ones. The animals we devour were never free, and we refuse to allow them to have any say in whether they live or die. They will always be our slaves; they are not worthy of any right to independence.
By enslaving others, we are also slaves ourselves. We are chained by societal groupthink that this is the way things are, this is the way things always will be, and anyone who dares to challenge these beliefs is wrong, abnormal, and un-American. Vegans reject these absurd traditions and belief systems; we believe that we have the moral necessity to hold all living creatures as equals in their right to life free from harm. Our ability to commit violence upon others is superfluous to life as it is now. We must use our power to do good for the planet and all her children.
I choose to celebrate my love for this country and my appreciation of our freedom by extending my values and compassion to all living beings. One day, I hope we will all celebrate peacefully and plant-based, leaving others’ bodies and secretions off our plates, and allowing them to also live in peace.
be conscious, be kind, be vegan