COMPASSIONATE DIETEven ten years ago, in the West, anyone admitting to be vegetarian could be considered weird or cranky. However this view can hardly be maintained when Burger King used Frank Bruno to launch the veggie whopper and Granada services this year used cricketer, Ian Botham. This no doubt contributes to the spread of the diet as many of these professional vegetarians are in influential jobs such as teaching, media, art or theatre .In the pop world, many famous vegetarians such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Kate bush, Damon Alburn etc. are seen as examples to be followed by many young people. Vegetarians are less likely to be seen these days are self denying and holier than thou but are viewed as aspirational and enlightened, as people to be emulated.
In recent times, there have been many changes in perception of the vegetarian diet from cranky to fashionable etc. but perhaps one of the most surprising changes, at least in the western world, has been the growth and availability of vegetarian targeted products. The meat free market has changed dramatically over the past few year and, even more welcome, growing moral awareness has played a part in driving consumer demand to make the vegetarian market one of the most dynamic growth areas in modern times. It is also particularly noticeable that the fast food sector, traditionally anti vegetarian, is now providing meat substitute dishes. Even better news is the growth of dairy alternatives, Soya cheese, yoghurts, ice cream etc. Clearly this sector still has a long way to go before veganism becomes the norm for everyday shopping but it is still a pleasure to see these products out there on the supermarket shelves. When it comes to eating out, London is estimated to be the veggie capital of the western world with an estimated 75 totally vegetarian restaurants. The number is still growing rapidly! A survey sponsored by Dalepack in 1998 showed that 82% of those asked felt there would be more vegetarians in the future. In 1984 2.1% of the UK population was said to be vegetarian but this has now grown to 7%, increasing to 12% amongst 15 - 24 year olds, the consumers and parents of the future. At this rate of change everyone in the UK will be vegetarian by 2035 and everyone in the USA will be vegetarian by 2075! To conclude, here is a poem attributed to the literary genius George Bernard Shaw Living Graves We are the living graves of murdered beasts, Slaughtered to satisfy our appetites. We never pause to wonder at our feasts, If animals, like men, can possibly have rights. We pray on Sundays that we may have light, To guide our footsteps on the path we tread. We're sick of war, we do not want to fight - The thought of it now fills our hearts with dread, And yet - we gorge ourselves upon the dead. Like carrion crows we live and feed on meat, Regardless of the suffering and the pain we cause by doing so, if thus we treat defenceless animals for sport or gain, how can we hope in this world to attain, the PEACE we say we are so anxious for. We pray for it o'er hecatombs of slain, to God, while outraging the moral law, thus cruelty begets its offspring - WAR. |
BE A VEGETARIAN▐ BE A VEGETARIAN
▐ SPIRITUAL REASONS ▐ HEALTH RELATED ISSUES ▐ IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT ▐ HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ▐ FAMOUS VEGETARIANS ▐ COMPASSIONATE DIET ▐ FINALLY EAT LIVE ▐ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS MORE ABOUTVEGETARIAN RALLY |