What is YOUR Reason?

Lauren Breuer
De Yo'Rea

We are all taught from an early age to be kind to all. We are taught about feelings and how everyone experiences them. We read books where cows, pigs, chickens, dogs, etc., all have families, feel sorrow, pain and frustration. When do we stop acknowledging this truth, and mask it with culture and tradition?

ETHICALLY EXPOSED

Since when has it been okay to intentionally harm another being? And when did we make it okay to mask the reality that we all know to be the “chicken nugget” + “steak” + “bacon” industry? We have all gone back on our teachings and in fact reversed everything we were taught from such a young age. We go to school, learn to be kind, to grow up and leave it behind. 

People make the excuse of culture being the reason that they eat certain animals. Yet, that is not a justification. There is no religion or reason on this Earth that says it is necessary and vital to intentionally torture and kill animals, that would be a sadist. Religions use terminology to hide the reality of what they are actually contributing to. Jews have the terminology Kosher, Muslims have the word Halal, Christians have the word holy, and so on. 

We all have some sort of tradition that we look forward to every year, but not all traditions are necessary and complete without a certain meal. For some, turkey on Thanksgiving is what makes their memory prominent and memorable, meanwhile on the flip side, the Turkey and his or her family experienced a morbid and frightful death, just for a family to laugh and enjoy a 10 minute meal.

One of the most harmful phrases in the human language is that “That’s the way it’s always been.” How does anyone expect to progress in the world if they continue to focus on things of the past? If we want to foster innovation and creativity, we have to stop relying on what was and move forward. We let the past to dictate our lives and fail to introduce new, kind and creative ways of going about things. Such as being kind to animals. You may love dogs, and eat dinner by their side, yet have a steak on your plate. There is no difference between the two, as everyone suffers.

Animals have a life too, they feel immense pain mentally and physically, just like us. Why do we justify the way things have always been as a way to go about ordering a chicken sandwich when we know the blood and fear that went into it? 

Do you really want to see how your chicken got to your plate? All of the blood, agony and torture that he/she went through right before you eat them? 

Most people turn the other cheek and try to eliminate that thought from their head. If you channel your inner child, you would be frightened and horrified.

So, why is it such a strong wave of disconnect between adults and their “food?” Is it parental advisement? Perhaps it’s a lack of education. If we keep lying to ourselves by saying that free range and hormone free is a natural way to live and an ethical upkeep of an animals or food, we tend to believe it. But just remember, that even though I am speaking on behalf of the animals, your health is what is also at stake, because no one cares about your health except you. If you keep dismissing reality, you will be just like everyone else. Your health is on the line of your recognizing this, and changing your life for the better. But also, not only will your life improve, but you will save so many animals each and every day by making just one decision. 

So… What is YOUR Reason?