Veganism and the UU Principles.

I like how meat tastes. I love cheese, I love it so much I get sweaty and shaky just thinking about a good smoked Gouda or a sharp aged cheddar. I choose not to eat these things even though I like the way they taste and they were familiar to me. I have many reasons for this, but as many of my friends are UU I thought it might make sense to tie my reasons to the UU principles. But, let me be clear, I did not give up meat because of flavor, or an allergy. When people use words like, "Oh, you don't like this" or "You can't have that" it devalues the choice I make to not partake in an irresponsible industry. Okay, so, the UU principles and veganism...



Here are the UU principles and how veganism is the ultimate way you can bring these principles to life:

We affirm and promote:


The inherent worth and dignity of every person.

Veganism promotes the inherent worth and dignity of every living being, starting with those who cannot speak. By supporting the idea that all life is important and to be honored, you support the welfare of adults, children, women, men, young, old and animals.



Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.

Veganism is the biggest compassionate move you can make in your life, and after you start living the compassionate life that compassion will seep into all other aspects of the way you relate to the world. By using a vegan diet to recognize that killing is not kind and should not be accepted at any level--let alone the massacres that occur by the hour in the name of our selfish taste buds-- and that cruelty to animals often leads to violence toward people, you make the world a safer and more peaceful place.



Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.

Many of the world's religions support non-violence. Veganism is a choice of non-violence at every meal. I don't know of any religion that openly supports and touts the killing of any creature. There is a great sense of connection that comes with not killing things. A respect that penetrates every meal.



A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.

Responsibility and truth are key in a vegan diet. Vegans take on the responsibility of standing up for the rights of beings everywhere, even if it means not being able to have that juicy steak anymore. Vegans are not afraid (though not always comfortable) at looking directly at the true conditions that animals are raised and slaughtered in. Vegans are responsible for continually holding up the truth so others may see it, even if it's just by being present at a dinner party and getting to show off tasty dishes people would have never thought to try before. Vegans have meaning in their everyday life because every minute of their lives is dedicated to activism. Simply by choosing to not partake in eating flesh or secretions of animals and not to wear the skin or use products that were tested on those who did not have a choice in the matter and who were maimed or tortured in the name of science when the results from mice are not applicable to humans.



The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

Vegans vote with their wallets and at the ballot box. We are activists by using our purchasing power to voice our opinion on the way animals are treated all in the name of food, science and fashion. Vegans boycott and support businesses based on ethics. Being vegan is one of the most politically active things you can do, it draws you into a world of activism that cannot be ignored.



The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

For all, that should really explain the connection veganism has to this principle. Peace is non-violent, veganism is a non-violent lifestyle. Liberty, freedom, is something animals do not have. Vegans are speaking for those who have been confined to crates, wire cages, and tiny boxes for their whole existence. Justice for those who were forced to walk to their own deaths by the prodding and electrocution and hitting and kicking and throwing of their frail and sick bodies. Those cows whose calves were taken away from them right after they dropped so the colostrum wouldn't be wasted on the babies but given to humans. Vegans often work for the rights of humans. Once you see the plight of animals, the suffering of humans is difficult to overlook.



Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Here's a biggie for me. The world is being suck dry of drinkable water, is being warmed by gases and there are many people dying of starvation every day. Veganism is a solution to all these problems. A majority of the land and water being used in the world right now is for the production of grain. That grain is being used to feed the animals being raised for meat. The amount of water and fossil fuels used in the production of meat should be argument enough to stop eating the stuff. The Amazon is in danger, it's showing effects of global warming and it's being cleared to grow crops for animals who will be turned into food. This is a ridiculous cycle that takes food away from the hungry and uses it to feed those who greedily gobble up more than their share. Veganism will help preserve water, the Amazon, the world and fix the starvation that faces many.



Why vegan and not just vegetarian?

Milk, eggs, wool, leather, fur and products tested on and made from animals should not be allowed to slip through the cracks when it comes to combating the ills of the world.



Milk- The dairy industry directly supports the veal industry, as the only way that female mammals produce milk is when they have had a baby. Every year, dairy cows must have a calf in order to keep up milk production. Once the calf is born there are two main options: boy--veal, girl--dairy cow to continue the work of her mother. The life of a dairy cow is spent with utters infected with pus thanks to the machines that are constantly attached to her nipples. While not all dairy farmers are cruel, there are many who will abuse the cows they use. The cows do not get to walk around grassy fields. They are stuck in stalls with machines taking the nutrients meant for the babies that were taken away from them. And they will be force-ably artificially inseminated again and again. When their production goes down, they will be slaughtered--probably for dog food.



Eggs- There is no regulation on what "free range" eggs are. The "free range" egg "farms" have just as dirty conditions, with just as many hens dying from those conditions. The hens are debeaked without anesthetic and forced into tight quarters with many other birds. Male chicks are sorted from the profitable female ones right after they can be sexed. These chicks are thrown away, alive into garbage bins or ground up alive for "chicken meal" which will be used in various meat products. The hens used in egg production are housed in dark, suffocating conditions. When their production goes down, they are forced to molt and they traumatically are brought back into a producing state. They are malnourished and will end up as the same chicken meal as their brothers after their bodies are "spent."



Wool- Wool is not sheared in a way that is comfortable for the sheep. The sheep are thrown around, hanged from things and otherwise handled in a way that only inanimate objects would be okay with. The sheep are often cut and injured in the process of taking their method of keeping warm.



Fur and Leather- Fur and leather takes a terrible toll on the environment. (Not that pleather is perfect, but there are better alternatives) Flesh is meant to decay after the live being it was attached to is no longer breathing. In order to prevent this from happening there are many chemicals used to preserve the skins of these animals--with fur the animals are thrown out and leather subsidizes the slaughterhouses, though much of the leather in the world comes from India, ironically, so the meat there doesn't get used. The conditions of the animals raised for fur is atrocious and the trapping done is ugly.



Animal Testing- Animal testing is not necessary for sound science and often leads to unsound science because the biology of mice, rabbits, kittens, puppies and monkeys is not the same humans. Cosmetics do not need to be used to the point of blinding bunnies. For more information on why check out the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (http://www.pcrm.org/) It boils down to animal testing being done only for profit and not for research.



Animal Products in Beauty- Lanolin, milk and honey are often found in beauty products. Milk and honey, because they sound nice. They sound like these sweet and smooth things that will make your skin sweet and soft too. This is just wasteful. Lanolin is a product that might not jump out at you right away as something recognizable, it's the oil from sheep's skin. Lanolin is used in lip moisturizers. If you have ever touched a sheep, you will know that your hand is oily afterward, that's lanolin.



Recommended reading: "Eating Animals," "Fast Food Nation," "Diet for a New America," and "The China Study."



I highly recommend watching this video, but I don't recommend watching it alone or while eating.

Sandel Baram

Sandel Baram, Organic Wind, is a fantastic all vegan, organic buffet near me. It's Korean food, made with vegan, organic ingredients. It's delicious! Sadly, the hours aren't that great for my schedule, they're open Monday-Saturday for lunch and only offer dinner on Friday nights. It's 15,000 won a person, and that includes drinks. Not bad for all you can eat organic food that's delicious!

Where the tasty magic happens


Plate 3, not the best presentation

To get there you can walk or take the number 24 bus from Baegun Station to the stop for the high school after the Hyundai apartments. Headed towards Baegun Station, you have to look for the galbi restaurant across from the high school, if you get to the Hyundai apartments, you've passed it.

Walk toward the galbi restaurant, pass it and head down the hill to your right. You will see Sandel Baram at the bottom of the hill, it's a gray building with a seashell-like exterior.

Chickety China, Part 2: 5 hour delay and no hot water

Upon our arrival to Qingdao, Janetta and I asked which bus would take us to the train station, waited for Albert (our new South African acquaintance) and walked to the bus stop. Albert and Janetta needed change for the bus, so we went to the convenience stores near buy and made the store owners a bit upset by cleaning out their small bills. Qingdao is not a place I would recommend visiting. The only thing to do there is tour the Tsingtao brewery. The city is huge, but dusty and kind of boring. It feels a lot more like a small town than a big city in that it's got no real entertainment or cafes in which to pass the time. How do I know this if I was just going to take a train out?

Albert got the last spot on the bus that came by (argh) and the bus pulled away before Janetta and I could try to squeeze on. We got on the next bus and met up with Albert at the train station, he had planned on taking the night train into Beijing but the window attendant on the west side of the train station just gave him the soonest ticket out of Qingdao to Beijing (the joys of language barriers). I'd printed up the train schedule and underlined the train Janetta and I wanted (it was the same one Albert had a ticket for), the 11am train. The attendant gave us tickets for the 5pm. When we tried pointing to the 12, 2, and 4 trains she just pointed at the 5pm. A man behind us, helped us clarify the matter and told us all other trains were sold out. WTF? It had been mere minutes since Albert had purchased his ticket. Janetta and I were kind of miffed, especially since I'd checked a couple different sites to see if I could book the tickets in advance and had had no luck. Albert hadn't even wanted to leave Qingdao that early.

Whatever, we made the best of it. There was a coffee shop (over priced, yes) in the train station, so we settled down at the 'SPR Coffee' with a coffee (me) and a Tsingtao (Janetta) and started to plan a bit about how we had to shift our schedule and where to look for food in this dusty, large port city. We had another drink and asked the young Chinese guy (who spoke English) working the register if we could leave our stuff in the store room since there weren't any lockers in the station--yes, a blind leap of faith on our part. The owner/manager/boss was an older, middle-aged woman and she kept asking us to sit down and relax (that was the extent of her English). They agreed and Janetta and I walked off, a little less weighed down, to find a place to eat.

The plaza of the East side of the train station looks out onto an intersection with 5ish spokes, and we just started walking down the closest one. We wondered for a couple blocks and found a restaurant that looked a little pricey, so we went across the street to the restaurant advertising cheaper prices. I whipped out my Vegan Passport and turned to the page with the Chinese translation of what vegans do and do not eat. We should have looked around the restaurant first, there was an awesome looking lunch buffet for only a few Yuan but it was hidden behind a divider wall. Instead, we just pointed at what looked good (the server showed me the veggie section of the menu--OMG a veggie section!). We ended up with super oily potatoes and peppers for me and deep fried pork bits for Janetta. We decided to take our time at the next restaurant we visited, despite the servers habits of hovering over us like we should know the menu and be ready to order.

After eating our slightly disappointing lunch, we walked around the block. There were shops with all kinds of awesome looking fruit- one had Dragonfruit, which I have yet to try fresh. The craziest thing about this area were the clotheslines going from lamp post to street sign to whatever else. Businesses were using these street clothing lines to dry sheets and towels and residents were drying clothing.

We went back to SPR and found the folks sitting and eating, the guy rushed to the back room and promptly brought us our bags (everything still inside, see, people can be trusted sometimes) and asked us to sit down. We were given some water (hot, all water is boiled in China since it's not safe otherwise) to sip on while we waited for our train to board at 5pm.

I was surprised to find out that Google did work on the computer at the coffee shop, and it was a good thing too because I had to email our hostel to let them know there was a delay in our arrival time.

The train was full (but no standing seats on this one, more on that in the entry on the train ride back) so we sat, read, napped and looked at the packaged food for sale in the "cafe." My favorite name was Jew's Ear Juice, but we saw things ranging from Trail Mix to Duck Tongue to Fried Tofu strips. It was a nice ride through the Chinese countryside.

We got into Beijing at 11:30pm, it was a long day. With some help from an English speaking Chinese man, Janetta and I got a cab from the Beijing South Train Station to Leo's Hostel. We checked in and looked forward to a hot shower and a place to sleep.