If you care about peace, compassion, and the rejection of unnecessary violence, choosing to live vegan is not an act of generosity — it’s the natural outcome of honoring your own values. It’s a tangible way to align your values with your actions, to withdraw your support from systems of harm, and to make a stand for a kinder, more compassionate world. Isn’t that what 'peace' is all about?
PALA NAJANA: During the years when I consumed animal products, I considered myself a pacifist. I didn’t just try to avoid causing harm where I could; I was explicitly against it. Wars seemed senseless, acts of terrorism unforgivable, and any form of abuse or cruelty an outrageous crime.
Wasn’t there already enough suffering in the world? Why did people feel the need to harm one another, to wage wars, to oppress? Why did so many take out their frustrations and insecurities on others? These questions haunted me, and yet, for so long, I failed to connect the dots between my values and my own choices.
Only later did I realize that amidst all my outward critiques, I was overlooking something immensely important. While I wished for peace in the world and condemned senseless violence, I was actively supporting the largest act of systematic violence in history — every single day, through my consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy.
It was only then that the true meaning of Emma Goldman’s famous words, “Ignorance is the most violent element in society,” struck me. My ignorance had shielded me from seeing how my actions were perpetuating suffering, even as I spoke out against cruelty in other forms.
I realized that outward condemnation alone is not enough to adequately address needless violence in the world. The lasting change we want to see requires a foundation of compassion within ourselves — a commitment to nonviolence as a lived principle, not just a lofty ideal.
To be truly powerful, this commitment must extend beyond human beings to include all creatures capable of suffering. As Leo Tolstoy so profoundly stated: “As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields.” Or, as the saying goes: Peace begins on your plate…
If you care about peace, compassion, and the rejection of unnecessary violence, choosing to live vegan is not an act of generosity — it’s the natural outcome of honoring your own values.
By choosing this path, you’re doing yourself a huge favor. To quote Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton: “Every person I know who went vegan says it’s the best decision they ever made.”
Choosing veganism isn’t about perfection, nor is it a sacrifice. It’s a tangible way to align your values with your actions, to withdraw your support from systems of harm, and to make a stand for a kinder, more compassionate world. Isn’t that what peace is all about? SOURCE…
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