Just putting it out there

I'm just putting the info out there. What you do with it is your choice.

I think a lot of people misunderstand what vegans and other people who are passionate about their causes are all about. I say that because of the phrase, “those pushy vegans” and a lot of other negative connotations people seem to have about us. It's OK. They haven't made the connection yet. Maybe they will. Maybe they won't.

But until then, I really wish they would connect with the fact that no matter who it is, a vegan or someone else promoting their cause, we're all really just putting it out there, spreading the word, stating the facts, citing studies and such. We mean no harm. We come in peace. We don't hate you.

And as for the vegan thing, no, we don't expect everyone in the world to go vegan. Oh sure, we would love it if they did, for a multitude of reasons, including the preservation of the earth, thereby humanity itself. But we would be absolute fools if we expected everyone on the planet to become vegan. And vegans are not fools.

There really is a stigma surrounding people who stand up for what they believe against the mainstream and shout it to the rooftops. Vegans are not excluded from that stigma. For some reason it bothers some people when they are made aware of facts that dispute their own beliefs and comfort zone.

But the thing is that just like religious people for instance, vegans are simply putting it out there. What you do with the information we give you is completely up to you. We know that. We even respect that you have a choice. But as I have said many times, I can't respect the choice itself if it does harm.

And that's the part people just don't connect with. There is a huge difference between respecting that someone HAS a choice and respecting the actual choice.

And when it comes to choices that do harm, I have no respect for those choices. But I still respect my friends and family who are not vegan. I respect that they have a choice. I respect their right to speak of their choice.

I just need for them to make the connection that denying me the right to speak of my choices, while telling me that I need to allow them to do the same is contradictory at best and discriminatory for sure.

I'm just putting it out there. What you do with it or how you see it or how it impacts you psychologically is completely up to you. Just like everything else in the universe.