I was going to post this in response to a comment on Facebook, but, honestly, I just don’t want to get into this there.
(In response to someone’s friend saying that their civil conversations about veganism have really sunk in for him — after I read another piece by someone condemning vegans who don’t go to protest marches.)
This is a much smarter “long game” than getting into the pissing contest of judging people for not being “vegan enough”. Ugh!
I understand being angry, but directing that anger back at the community is not helpful.
I just ate a delicious piece of vegan strawberry “cheesecake”. That’s a pretty winning way to introduce people to veganism.
Activism is important, but it’s the thin edge of the wedge. A vegan shouting at me for not being an activist just makes me want to leave Veganism(TM) behind. It’s a page from the Westboro Baptist school of marketing.
Peace and love are my jam — and are my work as a vegan, because, for me, that’s what veganism is about. That includes trying to create a space where the listener can experience and understand the peace and love that motivate compassion. If it’s anger, shaming, and judgment — well, I get why someone turns away from that, regardless of how “right” the speaker may be.
Nobody wants to experience themselves as wrong, so our job is to invite people to be part of something better and show them a vision of how they can create a part of that peaceful future right now.
In a confusing world, this one is very simple — unless we insist on turning it into yet another bit of partisan infighting horseshit.