Letters 2.18.21

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Promote veganism more

I was heartened to recently see a mention about a vegan meal in the Boulder Weekly (which sounds delicious, pasta in a Cajun cashew cream sauce from Fresh Thymes, yum!) (Re: Food/Drink, Jan. 7, 2021). I love BW and am an avid reader, however it is disappointing to see how rarely veganism is mentioned, as the best action we can take to help the environment and animals is to go vegan. 

I understand that eating (and wearing, testing on, etc.) animals is considered “normal” in our society, however there was a day when it was “normal” that only white men could vote. I know BW readers care about the environment, and above anything else, it is well documented that not eating animals or their fluids, can help save our ecosystems. From huge water and land usage to the plethora of waste, to greenhouse gasses and killing of native wildlife, animal agriculture is a mess. Working in a factory or slaughterhouse is a terrible job, so of course, the least privileged of us gets those jobs (just look at the COVID-19 outbreak and deaths at JBS slaughterhouse in Greeley). 

Nearly all animals we eat are killed as babies and live short, horrific lives. I am an anti-speciesist and do not approve of torturing and killing certain animals above others. Why does the life of my dog matter more then the life of a pig? Simply perspective. In a racist world where we just witnessed white supremacists getting free reign of the Capitol building, it makes sense that some think they are better then others, it all starts with how we treat the most vulnerable among us. 

For human and non-human animals, for the environment and for health, I urge you to try the 30-day vegan challenge; there are a ton of free resources online to help you. One of the easiest ways we shape our world is how we spend our money, so why not spend it on products that are not born of cruelty and injustice? Like the writer who raved about that dish in BW knows, eating plant-based is healthy, delicious and nourishing. Let us make 2021 the year we wake up out of the matrix and work together to create a more compassionate world for all.

Erica Sodos/via internet

Healing the country

When you re-caulk the margin of the shower basin you always scrape out the old caulk, or you risk more problems later. And you don’t paper over a crack in a weight-bearing wall. So why would our excuse for a Senate in large part refuse to punish the recent president? This guy was Aaron Burr, George Armstrong Custer, Lester Maddox and Joe McCarthy all in one. Thought he might be Henry VIII. At least he did. Healing is not completed by leaving a Band-Aid over an open sore forever. Exposed to air a scab forms, then the thing heals. Our country can, too. But the GOP must stand up for once and think of us, not themselves.

Greg Iwan/ Longmont