I thought by now, in 2022… We would have understood! 2 years after the face of the world changed after we helplessly witness the deaths and agony of millions of people after we had to rebuild our lives around an invisible virus… That we would have understood! Or at least start getting a little bit aware. But no… The main cause of the pandemic is still not clear to many. for too many…
Or maybe we just don’t care. I don’t know… The second reason is scary tho. In this time of mass information and the internet… Why don’t we know? Who don’t we act?
Published in 2006, Michael Greger said about his book, Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching.: “When we overcrowd animals by the thousands, in cramped football-field-size sheds, to lie beak to beak or snout to snout, and there’s stress crippling their immune systems, and there’s ammonia from the decomposing waste burning their lungs, and there’s a lack of fresh air and sunlight — put all these factors together and you have a perfect storm environment for the emergence and spread of disease,“ said Michael Greger.
So this virus is nothing of a big surprise, it has been predicted for years and considering the level of precision from scientists and biologists, their predictions for more violent and resistant viruses in a near future should be something we take seriously. But why are we not more alarmed than that? Wasn’t 2020 to 2022 a big wake-the-fuck-up-call enough? I don’t understand.
In a new report by the United Nations, rising consumption of animal protein and unsustainable agricultural intensification as a result of demand for animal-based foods were listed among the seven major causes of zoonotic disease emergence.
For years we have been brainwashed into normalizing a society that inflicts the cruelest treatment on animals for the benefit of human beings. So for a moment, let us forget about animal cruelty. Let’s say that slicing their throats, killing their babies, depriving them of their freedom, mutilating them, etc is okay. We don’t care about their rights and welfare because this doesn’t affect us directly. This can make sense even to me, an animal rights activist. Whether animals die or not… whether animals suffer or not, Life goes on… and that doesn’t bother people. BUT life used to go on..
Now we see a virus emerging from the use and abuse of animals. Now, this practice is impacting our lives and our well-being. The abuse of animals and destruction of Biodiversity is now directly affecting our lives. Animal abuse is no more some hidden practice happening behind some faraway bloody walls of a slaughterhouse, that we can’t see or feel. It is now impacting directly on our lives, our families, our children, our work, our hobbies, entertainment, social life… on everything.
NOW WHAT? I see people focussing on what to do to combat the virus… fair enough. This is part of the solution but not enough emphasis is being placed on the origin of the pandemic. Pandemics, new viruses, and epidemics are nothing new. History taught us that they come and go but it is different today. The rapidity of those fast-evolving and mutating microorganisms is not normal. They are being triggered by so many factors… namely climate change and the loss of biodiversity. So this situation is not natural. It is man-made. I am not referring to some TV conspiracy thrillers in which mad scientists create viruses in a secret high-tech laboratory and release them… This is a man-made situation because we have pushed nature to its limit, and this is nature fighting back.
This virus is the consequence of deforestation, industrial agricultural practices, climate change, increase in global temperature, getting too close to wildlife, loss of biodiversity, extinction of plants and animals, a rise in ocean levels, pollution, ocean acidification… one common thing between them: These are all caused by us, humans!
We are such a bunch of controversial people. We care about climate change but eat meat. We worry about floods and drought but eat meat. We worry about COVID but won’t make better choices. We are part of the problem but ain’t doing anything to change it.
I am vegan for animals, the planet, and the environment. I know my choices make a difference. Even today, people think this is awkward. They ask why? Really Karen? Seriously?
Why is the one who refuses to abuse, cause harm, and chose peace over cruelty still the awkward one? It’s time to wake up people. See the reality and stop hiding behind excuses like what you do isn’t impacting the world. It does!
I can look at myself in the mirror and say that I’m not part of this shit and at least I try. Of course, my lifestyle impacts the world but as long as I can… I try! Can you?
Micheal Jackson sang: I’m starting with the man in the mirror…
I’m asking him to change his ways…
And no message could’ve been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change.
Now would be a good time to start.
Reconnect minds through words... 