Specism: Meat is Murder

I am going to start work on a new zine/workshop. It’d be about specism and how all forms of oppression are linked. I was asked to give a talk on the topic for a conference. It’s going to be a lot of work to get it together but it should be pretty awesome when done. There isn’t really anything out there about specism/sexism/gender binary/feminism and how they are all connected.

One of the things I am going to focus on his how language controls and oppresses animals. I got someone really upset when I mention my view that “Meat is murder.” Which was odd because they claimed to be against specism; one species being used by another species without consent, but apparently finds nothing wrong with eating flesh. I do have issues with people being flesh eaters and giving the green light that murders lots of animals.

I believe in personal choice – but not when that decision harms another being. I went though counseling training and the only time you would break confidentiality is when someone was going to harm themselves or others. Eating meat falls in the harming others category.

However, how much I dislike meat – I do live in a house of flesh eaters which is a struggle for me. My dad’s preferred diet is Atkins which is heavily meat based. He doesn’t like vegetables. He likes meat. He likes creatures being tortured and killed for his pleasure. He views animals as “animals” and humans as a different sort of animal. He’s a speciesist, as most meat eaters are. It hurts me a lot that he’s closed minded but it’s his choice – even it breaks universal law that murder is wrong.

Just because we have the power to do something doesn’t mean it’s right. No one – when given a survey on veganism found it to be wrong or immoral. No one. However, people do find meat eating to be a problem: for us, the animals, and the environment. This flesh eating obsession is literally killing us.

It’s kind of rough living in a world where the majority of the people are murderers. But, that’s reality. We’re all thieves and murderers here by associating with our capitalistic system. Even veganism isn’t 100% guilt free. But it’s a step in the right direction.

The reason why finding other vegan straightedge people is so important to me is because they are upholding universal law of doing no harm to other beings or themselves. It’s not about having “everyone being the same” because equality and sameness are two different things. However, it’s about respecting all life which is precious. It’s about respecting life and not breaking the code, “harming yourself or others” which I think is key.

That doesn’t mean I don’t befriend people who are meat eaters but I don’t have the same connection as I do with people who respect life. I couldn’t have a long term relationship with a meat eater. I am having a hard enough time coping with accepting the selfishness of my family to not be considerate for other lifeforms. It’s a lack of responsibility and the idea that “my need is greater than yours” that most problems that plague mankind stems from. It is all connected.