being a true vegan

[Guest guest]

Nikki

 

I am glad you were able to enlist your family's support.

 

I wonder about those who accuse you of not being a "true" vegan. Are they saying you would have to have left your husband to be one? That is just so judge mental. I guess many are separatists which I feel is not healthy.

 

For instance, I went to a Fourth of July block party that was, of course, not veg orientated. I am sure a lot of vegans would have rejected it because of that but does that do us good? Does it build bridges? I think not. It's important for the world to see that we enjoy a lot of the things they enjoy and that we are willing to be friends with non-vegans, too. After all, if we want to enlist others into our way of life...do we want them to think they have to reject and segregate themselves from all of their meat eating family and friends? How many would would do that? I think it would be turn off to many. Plus, how can the world integrate our foods into social events if we never attend them?

 

Kristina

 

 

 

In a message dated 7/5/05 7:51:57 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, writes:

Message: 11 Tue, 05 Jul 2005 10:16:15 -0000 "nikki_mackovitch" <nikkimackRe:Ex now eats steakHi Kristina,I agree with you there. There are alot of extremist Vegans out there, just as there are in every belief. But this is a very tolerant group filled with a lot of great people. If it weren't for this group when I first started out on my Vegan journey, I would not have had the strength I did. I'm not saying I would have failed, but they did make things (and still do) a lot easier.I've been told before because of my carniverous family that I am not "true to the cause" or a "true Vegan". "No true Vegan would live with others who ate meat." Yet when I first became a Vegan and told the man I had been with for 8 years at the time, after the initial shock wore off there was complete support. Now, I can't say that he was overjoyed at the new task at hand and the extra money spent to get the fridge up to par, but he was there with a helping hand through it all and still is. So there is no way that I could ever turn my back on him for his choices. That wasn't in the vows we took.The best way I have found in explaining my beliefs is not explaining them at all. Letting others ask the questions always seem to make them want to know more about veganism rather than putting out a speech. Once they find out I am Vegan, they are filled with questions only because it is something they do not understand and they want to. They are filled with curiosity on why someone would do this and what I can and do eat. That usually leads to a thoughful conversation and at the end they are always still amazed. And then there are some who are touched by it and share their own stories of how they tried to be a vegetarian, or try to eat as little meat as possible, or saw a story on this or that. No matter what, it gives them something to think about without going to extremes.And one of the most fulfilling parts of all is if hubby is there and the person mentions my "diet" and he turns aorund and says "It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle choice".Nikki , lv2breathe@a... wrote:> > Hi there> > When I mean "allergic" I mean he is repulsed by them when he used to be one! > For example, the last time I visited him he made hostile jokes about > vegetarians. It was really strange. Maybe it's a case of extremes. His > personality tends to do things in extreme all the way or no way at all. He was that > way as a vegan and now as a non-vegan.> > I am glad you are tolerant. I am totally grateful for vegans but many are > not tolerant. It's totally understandable, though. With all the suffering at > the forefront of your mind it is really hard to be so. I know I wasn't for a > long time but I am better now...mostly because I have received intolerance > from others and that was a good lesson. It doesn't feel good and I don't wish > to put that on others. Still, I think vegans are on the right track to be > sure. It's not easy to be a vegan in this world.> > > Kristina

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Kristina,

 

Very well put! I couldn't have said it any better!

 

I think people just tend to fear that which they do not understand.

So rather than try to understand and/or accept it, they shun it and

say it is wrong. That is what the majority of my hubby's family did

when they heard I was going Vegan. Then after a while, I think some

tend to give into this and become bitter. And in my opinion in makes

that person worse off than the original who just simply shunned the

idea.

 

If that makes any sense at all.

 

The funniest thing I had heard yet when I went Vegan was from DH's

step-mom. She said I was likely to join a cult! How that came from

my wishes to protect the earth and my body I'll never know!

 

Nikki

 

, lv2breathe@a... wrote:

>

> Nikki

>

> I am glad you were able to enlist your family's support.

>

> I wonder about those who accuse you of not being a " true " vegan.

Are they

> saying you would have to have left your husband to be one? That

is just so

> judge mental. I guess many are separatists which I feel is not

healthy.

>

> For instance, I went to a Fourth of July block party that was, of

course,

> not veg orientated. I am sure a lot of vegans would have rejected

it because

> of that but does that do us good? Does it build bridges? I think

not. It's

> important for the world to see that we enjoy a lot of the things

they enjoy

> and that we are willing to be friends with non-vegans, too. After

all, if we

> want to enlist others into our way of life...do we want them to

think they have

> to reject and segregate themselves from all of their meat eating

family and

> friends? How many would would do that? I think it would be turn

off to

> many. Plus, how can the world integrate our foods into social

events if we never

> attend them?

>

> Kristina