The day turkeys everywhere dread is here. We should all take time out from our hectic autumn schedules to pause and think about what this day really means. For most people it’s rushed family get-togethers. Manic spurts of food preparation are punctuated by long waits for the contents of the oven to broil and attempts to keep children occupied. The whole day usually culminates in gluttonous feasting on the body of a bird whose life we know nothing about. Before any serious contemplation can take place, the thanksgiving revelers are passed out on the couch with their top buttons undone. Does this sound like a typical thanksgiving in your world?
Thanksgiving is one of the days that vegans should band together and take a stand. Turkeys suffer tremendously in their short, miserable lives, and die frightening and painful deaths. For what? So we can toast our thanks to the world and our deities of choice before ripping into the carcass of the hapless bird like so many hyenas? What are we thankful for? Are we giving thanks that we weren’t raised in an ammonia-soaked shed with no natural light? Are we thankful that we weren’t sentenced to die before our lives had a chance to begin? Maybe we should be mindful as well. It’s too easy to forget the plight of the beings whom we raise for consumption amidst the chaos of the busiest time of year.
This year, exercise your options. Have a vegetarian thanksgiving! Eat a Tofurkey – they’re great! If your family isn’t vegan or vegetarian, convince them to open their minds, and hearts, and give it a try. If you just can’t get them to walk through that door, abstain. Do not give in and shut up. We owe it to the turkeys. We owe it to all the farm animals on this earth. We at veganunderground.com are happy to celebrate this festive holiday the compassionate way.
Veganunderground.com wishes you a happy, healthful and cruelty-free thanksgiving!
Here’s some more fuel for the fire if your turketarian relatives happen to be hovering over your computer this weekend:
