Paul Graham
Las Vegas Informer
December 29, 2012

"To a man whose mind is free there is something even more intolerable to the sufferings of animals than the sufferings of man. For with the latter it is at least admitted that suffering is evil and the man who causes it is criminal. But thousands (millions) are butchered every day without a shadow of remorse. If any man was to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime."
   -- Romain Rolland, Nobel Prize Winner for Literature, 1915

People are addressing the sufferings of animals on this planet and increasing numbers are taking notice. The number of people who have begun to live a life apart from partaking of animals for food or anything else is seemingly doubling every couple of years and this is not some kind of fashion trend that is going to fade away in a year or two. Because of all of the information that is readily available now about the treatment of animals and the impact that the production and consuming of animal products has upon our health, environment, and our spirit--increasing numbers of people worldwide are choosing to consciously evolve to a much better place in life. Better for everyone and everything: ourselves, the animals, and our planet.

Even scientists speaking through the United Nations say that the world is going to need to switch to a primarily plant-based diet by the year 2050 in order to adequately take care of the world's population because of the expected growth. That is because the production and consumption of animal products is wasteful of our land, food, and water resources. It also leads to an increasing burden upon our healthcare system. Let's be real to the fact that we are not adequately taking care of the world's population right now. Tens of thousands of people are dying every day because of lack of food and water. It has to be increasingly difficult to be chewing the meat off of the bones of some dead animal and not think about that at some point. We have enough resources today, and will continue to in the future, to take care of the world's population if they are used properly. That is not happening currently being done.

This is a dilemma that we need to address right now. It truly is a matter of life and death for both humans and animals. We need to look as well to the sufferings of animals as on par with the sufferings of man. Just as Romain Rolland said almost 100 years ago, to think so would seem "ridiculous" to some. There are so many who still believe that there is no connection between animal suffering and human suffering, or that it should be looked at in the same way. A part of me can understand why it is in some people's nature to not want to deal with things that make them uncomfortable, make them feel any sort of personal responsibility, or cause them to change. That is why they don't want to make the connection with the food they eat and where and how it is produced and the impact that it has all around. They don't want to have to say no to their conscience, but perhaps that is what they are doing anyway. I think way too many people in this world have a constipated conscience and it inhibits a lot of good from flowing in and through their lives.

All that I can tell you is that I have never felt as free as the day that I stopped participating in violence against animals by what I ate, drank, and consumed in other ways. I have never felt better physically and spiritually. I personally do not think that you can have the full freedom of the spirit in your lives when you are hurting a living being, human or animal. I believe it to be unnatural and not how we were created to be. I can also tell you that some of the best people that I have met in my life are people that I have met in the past five years who are eating and living consciously for the animals, their health, the planet, and their spirit. They are some of the most loving people imaginable towards both humans and animals and have a general awareness that is magnificent. They are environmentally conscious and are working hard to make this world a more loving, healthy, and compassionate place. They live with a conscience that is clear and they are bearing great fruit in their lives. This is the new paradigm that is being built with people of great spirit, of great love, and of great purpose. The world is not going to be changed through politics, through wars, through a stronger economy, dogma, or rhetoric. It is going to be changed by people with a free conscience and great love.

Paul Graham

Paul Graham was born and raised in Northern California and has lived in Las Vegas since 2004. He is a top wedding officiate, a green Realtor and writer. He has a daily vegan food blog www.eatingveganinvegas.tumblr.com which is 365 days and 365 vegan meals in Las Vegas. He can also be reached at eatingveganlv@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/EatingVeganinVegas.

Paul's upcoming book, "Eating Vegan in Vegas" will be published by Sullivan Street Press and for more information please go to www.sullivanstpress.com.