tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53621700546229123172024-02-06T21:50:39.316-05:00"'An Ye Harm None" (Life as a Vegan Pagan)living it ecclectic pagan and vegan - rituals, recipes, struggles, and funleslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-13286478267882846332015-08-27T13:43:00.001-04:002015-08-27T13:43:15.483-04:00Have We Been Lied To?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qU_nx06SK4s" width="480"></iframe><br />leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-69227645777407036792015-07-29T09:34:00.001-04:002015-07-29T09:40:22.928-04:00Real Horse Rescues | Catskill Animal Sanctuary | ABC-WTEN<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CZJzjcgVs6g" width="480"></iframe><br />
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As mentioned in my previous post, this film was clearly done very close to when my dad and I visited CAS, so most of the animals are the same ones I saw. And this segment is wonderful!leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-50867501688611602292015-07-29T09:31:00.003-04:002015-07-29T09:50:12.476-04:00Pics from Catskill Animal SanctuaryI know I just posted that I would not be as active on this blog, but I just took a trip that I think is best shared here. I went to upstate NY to see my dad, as I do every year. I always try to get to one of the upstate farm sanctuaries, though our schedule doesn't allow me to do this every year. This year I had an added incentive. For Father's Day, I had decided to sponsor an animal at CAS (Catskill Animal Sanctuary) in my dad's name as a present. This comes with a family membership for the year. I cancelled my vegan cuts subscription to make room in my budget (sigh). Since CAS is the closest sanctuary to my dad's house, I figured this was the way to let him get the most out of a membership.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIVCPhePIp1zbhOanLCsFRE3iso3JQVxS7kzUx8zvRWE8IuyAU6IzeRB0RKwUmnSncKl_2gjLlq42NNNNnI9t7lyhJLBSyP3i5_lgvVLYX3YU99SvKR5LAjLkeLRsPAcihFkawnwLM3U/s1600/peabody+and+christian+CAS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIVCPhePIp1zbhOanLCsFRE3iso3JQVxS7kzUx8zvRWE8IuyAU6IzeRB0RKwUmnSncKl_2gjLlq42NNNNnI9t7lyhJLBSyP3i5_lgvVLYX3YU99SvKR5LAjLkeLRsPAcihFkawnwLM3U/s320/peabody+and+christian+CAS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Peabody and our tour guide, Christian. The kids from "Camp Kindness" are playing in the background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We ended up sponsoring a rooster named Mr. Peabody. Mr. Peabody came from a grade school hatchery experiment. Apparently when these lessons are over for the kids, the baby chicks often meet unhappy ends. We also met some small hens whose legs were deformed because they came from a school incubation project, and the kids forgot to turn the eggs and let both sides be exposed to light and warmth. Of course in nature, a hen knows to turn her eggs. But anyhow, Mr. Peabody and his siblings went to CAS, and the rest is history.<br />
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Besides meeting Mr. Peabody, my dad's favorite resident was Bob, a 48 year old mule. We also gave some pigs belly rubs and met many ducks, horses, and sheep. CAS has a specialty in rehabilitating blind horses, and they have a special paddock where we met those special critters. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6PmzzqJvEgh6WhOZGAtvmmJRPZSR_4an3PH9XDcUultVx17Xuz3bkuAm6KQH13AlyojgeC4-kNVD49N4bfBgpoQSkZQTF-6FPJwSHVK2GfcfYq2wuDzwJeFoF1awXoQQgiEoOQ4QENQ/s1600/dad+and+bob+CAS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6PmzzqJvEgh6WhOZGAtvmmJRPZSR_4an3PH9XDcUultVx17Xuz3bkuAm6KQH13AlyojgeC4-kNVD49N4bfBgpoQSkZQTF-6FPJwSHVK2GfcfYq2wuDzwJeFoF1awXoQQgiEoOQ4QENQ/s320/dad+and+bob+CAS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to Right: Dad, Bob, and Christian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the coolest souvenirs that I came away with was that a couple of my photos (three actually) had beautiful rainbow light anomalies on them. Two were an overhead shot of the farm from the driveway, and one was of Bob grazing under a tree. I don't know if these light anomalies were of the scientific/photographic or spiritual nature, but either way I choose to take them spiritually. No matter how they occurred, they are there for a reason. I feel they are very reflective of the peaceful, loving, and very spiritually evolved energy of the farm. I was very glad we got to visit, and I am very glad I chose to invest my money there. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGpcQoI-UcAawACgnSHB2BTQ21Nfoy0TCJ4xAq4L062grY7cR-IASnpEPI_t4uM1TmSwole97yHYHCEaI_QQ8Qd_hLCJ6HYqFsQUQvMsR6Ux3cpgz56era4ZIVaVNvD9lIAIxxt7DRdE/s1600/bob+and+rainbow+CAS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGpcQoI-UcAawACgnSHB2BTQ21Nfoy0TCJ4xAq4L062grY7cR-IASnpEPI_t4uM1TmSwole97yHYHCEaI_QQ8Qd_hLCJ6HYqFsQUQvMsR6Ux3cpgz56era4ZIVaVNvD9lIAIxxt7DRdE/s320/bob+and+rainbow+CAS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob under a rainbow tree (click to enlarge)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My own photos are here, and I will share a video interview with the CAS founder in a separate post. It was filmed very recently, so it shows most of the same critters my dad and I met. <br />
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You can find CAS at <a href="https://casanctuary.org/">https://casanctuary.org/</a><br />
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I highly recommend that anyone reading this research where there may be a farmed animal sanctuary near to them. Some are private, but the ones with farm tours are usually non-profits that are highly accessible, and are valuable members of any community. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRHTuYNh5JZTq0y3x_zzLxfdoldXwfMuqKNDfYwwiuMDQ2ZF083enzoVSIhMuMhPs8PdODKwKfK8Us6n2q3XwgyNvoHbKMy2bibX7vwOniT1izfNwkK8DRA5n1xBuftGc1kNmyw8aM3U/s1600/rainbow+light+at+CAS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRHTuYNh5JZTq0y3x_zzLxfdoldXwfMuqKNDfYwwiuMDQ2ZF083enzoVSIhMuMhPs8PdODKwKfK8Us6n2q3XwgyNvoHbKMy2bibX7vwOniT1izfNwkK8DRA5n1xBuftGc1kNmyw8aM3U/s320/rainbow+light+at+CAS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm with rainbow light anomaly (click to enlarge)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-50992933656653799752015-07-10T10:22:00.003-04:002015-07-10T10:22:27.635-04:00New Blog SiteHey there! I have a new blog domain for my vegan pagan specific ramblings, so I wanted to send folks that'a'way. I will still post in here occasionally, but most of my efforts on this topic will be found at: <a href="http://www.witchesandpagans.com/pagan-culture-blogs/ahimsa-grove.html">http://www.witchesandpagans.com/pagan-culture-blogs/ahimsa-grove.html</a><br />
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Thanks, and blessed be! Leslieleslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-29760688345430157602015-01-13T14:27:00.000-05:002015-01-13T14:29:43.036-05:00WARM New Year WishesWell, how did 2015 happen?! Things have been moving at a rapid pace for me, as usual. Except last week, when a head and chest cold brought everything to a screeching halt. I don't get really sick very often since I went vegan, so this has been a frustrating experience. Yet my recovery has been quite rapid and I have not relied on pain killers or other drugs to prop me up, so I still feel an improvement. <br />
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I just want to share a few pics from our vegan holiday potluck in my neck of the woods (very cold woods), and send my wishes to everyone for a peace-full 2015. Let this be the one. Let compassion spread and freedom blossom for human kind and for the other animals who share our Mother. Blessed be.<br />
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cheers, Mom!</div>
<br />leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-46791205089287844552014-11-25T13:25:00.003-05:002014-11-25T13:38:21.891-05:00poetry about animals (and how we treat them) through the ages<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In September, I went to a couple of workshops at the
Belfast (Maine) Poetry Festival. One of the workshops was about poetry which
interacts with current events and social issues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I don’t know much about poetry yet, I am just learning.
But the workshop leader surprised me when she said that poetry is not
traditionally seen (by academics) as a subject which dwells on politics or
current events. I was very surprised to hear this. Maybe it’s just due to my
personal tastes, but I find I am only really drawn to poetry and poets who did
(or do) speak to these themes. And my special interest is animal rights. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I am very curious about the people whom I see as my
“ancestors,” who are writers, theologians, feminists, etc. throughout history
who considered the welfare and even the equality of non-human animals in at
least some of their work. I am not trying to say these people were “vegans” in
the modern sense of the word. I just mean their thought provided a heritage and
a stepping-stone for us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Due to my interests, I have come across a few writers who
used poetry to address animal rights. I will put a few pieces of work down
here, to help anyone else who is seeking the information. Drink deep at the
well of inspiration!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was not well-known as a poet
until after her death. She was a very private person, so her lifestyle and
philosophies are only partially known. There is evidence that she was
vegetarian for at least part of her life, and several of her poems contain
animals as subject and metaphor. Dickinson had hundreds of poems, mostly
“self-published” into hand-sewn notebooks, stashed away in her home and found
by relatives after her death. None of them were titled, though many have been
titled or numbered by subsequent publishers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Here is just one of her poems (untitled) that touches on
the lives of animals she knew in her own little world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">IF I can stop one heart
from breaking, </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span class="usercontent">I shall not live in vain; </span><br />
<span class="usercontent">If I can ease one life the aching, </span><br />
<span class="usercontent">Or cool one pain, </span><br />
<span class="usercontent">Or help one fainting robin</span><br />
<span class="usercontent">Unto his nest again, </span><br />
<span class="usercontent">I shall not live in vain.</span><br />
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<span class="usercontent">-- Emily Dickinson</span></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Charlotte
Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) was a more public figure and a well-published author
during her own lifetime. Her best known work is “The Yellow<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wallpaper,” which is a women’s studies
classic and is a fictionalized account of Gilman’s own experience with
post-partum depression (specifically the way her male doctor and he</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">r husband
responded to her distress). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2-OHzMC4DrnNkFrHaWcq1HIAnuSlVhgLjRr8W_utRMLQZcZzH1q5JMOdCqGSZCzA4bDGtbpyooIwCG5E5HqBvcpM1yeKTdKUoEQ7UwYAGDRuCXpHBoWElmHJBgsECDiV3MPn6H5RpCA/s1600/charlotte+gilman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2-OHzMC4DrnNkFrHaWcq1HIAnuSlVhgLjRr8W_utRMLQZcZzH1q5JMOdCqGSZCzA4bDGtbpyooIwCG5E5HqBvcpM1yeKTdKUoEQ7UwYAGDRuCXpHBoWElmHJBgsECDiV3MPn6H5RpCA/s1600/charlotte+gilman.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Like many
feminists (suffragists) of her era, Gilman also saw the plight of non-human
animals as very connected to the plight of women, or other oppressed human
beings. In her book, “Herland,” she deals with issues of sexism and
domination-culture by writing about a land of women. The story is told through
the incredulous point of view of some men who stumble upon their society and
are shocked by the different culture these women have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A prominent aspect
of this fictional culture is that the women do not exploit animals for food or
labor. In one section of the text, the male visitors ask where the women get
milk without cows, and a woman tells them that they rely on their own milk.
When the man tells her about the way his society farms cattle for milk, the
woman is shocked by this exploitation of female animals and their babies. So in
1915, Gilman is laying out the ethics behind feminist veganism which are still
considered radical and fringe, today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Besides Herland, here is one poem Gilman wrote on
the topic of the treatment of nonhuman animals (specifically cattle being
raised for meat).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">THE CATTLE TRAIN<br />
<br />
Below my window goes the cattle train,<br />
And stands for hours along the river park,<br />
Fear, Cold, Exhaustion, Hunger, Thirst and<br />
Pain;<br />
Dumb brutes we call them - Hark!<br />
The bleat of frightened mother -calling young,<br />
Deep-throated agony, shrill frantic cries,<br />
Hoarse murmur of the thirst-distended tongue<br />
Up to my window rise.<br />
Bleak lies the shore to northern wind and sleet,<br />
In open-slatted cars they stand and freeeze<br />
Beside the broad blue river in the heat<br />
All waterless go these.<br />
Hot, fevered, frightened, trampled, bruised<br />
and torn;<br />
Frozen to death before the ax descends;<br />
We kill these weary creatures; sore and worn,<br />
And eat them-- with our friends.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Charlotte Perkins Gilman-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbcTqEDCN1QqNJCLKxm5MwSj3-LnaJ_5MlVCZ6RrZ5PXRmyQlSwOa0j-NPmIKM1dQMTvYkUF5xeShhRbPAF3AAJEZ1_7lRQLodYD0rzZhJq8LsyVFohfpnfitABNh5zq5amBH7uF3D3c/s1600/percy+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbcTqEDCN1QqNJCLKxm5MwSj3-LnaJ_5MlVCZ6RrZ5PXRmyQlSwOa0j-NPmIKM1dQMTvYkUF5xeShhRbPAF3AAJEZ1_7lRQLodYD0rzZhJq8LsyVFohfpnfitABNh5zq5amBH7uF3D3c/s1600/percy+s.jpg" /></a><br />
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Percy Shelley (1792-1822) was an ethical
vegetarian powerhouse, and wrote priceless poetry as well as prose on the
subject. Thanks to him, we have a wonderfully articulate record of the thought
process amongst ethical vegetarians of his era. His wife and collaborator, Mary
Wollstonecraft Shelley, wrote “Frankenstein, Or, the Modern-day Prometheus”
with Percy’s support and with these vegetarian ideas that they shared as the
philosophical foundation for the entire story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The full
text of his “Vindication of a Natural Diet” (1813) can be found at </span><a href="http://www.animalrightshistory.org/animal-rights-c1785-1837/romantic-s/she-percy-shelley/1813-queen-mab.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">http://www.animalrightshistory.org/animal-rights-c1785-1837/romantic-s/she-percy-shelley/1813-queen-mab.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But
I have sampled from it below:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Man at his creation was endowed with the
gift of perpetual youth; that is, he was not formed to be a sickly suffering
creature as we now see him, but to enjoy health, and to sink by slow degrees
into the bosom of his parent earth without disease or pain. Prometheus first
taught the use of animal food (<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">primus
bovem occidit Prometheus<sup><span style="mso-text-raise: 3.0pt; position: relative; top: -3pt;">1</span></sup></span>) and of fire, with which to render
it more digestible and pleasing to the taste. Jupiter, and the rest of the
gods, foreseeing the consequences of the inventions, were amused or irritated
at the short-sighted devices of the newly-formed creature, and left him to
experience the sad effects of them. Thirst, the necessary concomitant of a
flesh diet,” (perhaps of all diet vitiated by culinary preparation) “ensued;
water was resorted to, and man forfeited the inestimable gift of health which
he had received from heaven: he became diseased, the partaker of a precarious
existence, and no longer descended slowly to his grave” (pp. 8-9 ). <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But
just disease to luxury succeeds, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And
every death its own avenger breeds; <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
fury passions from that blood began, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And
turned on man a fiercer savage - Man. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Man, and the animals whom he has infected with his society, or
depraved by his dominion, are alone diseased. The wild hog, the mouflon, the
bison, and the wolf, are perfectly exempt from malady, and invariably die
either from external violence, or natural old age. But the domestic hog, the
sheep, the cow, and the dog, are subject to an incredible variety of
distempers; and, like the corrupters of their nature, have physicians who
thrive upon their miseries. The supereminence of man is like Satan's, a
supereminence of pain; and the majority of his species, doomed to penury ,
disease, and crime, have reason to curse the untoward event, that by enabling
him to communicate his sensations, raised him above the level of his fellow
animals. But the steps that have been taken are irrevocable. The whole of human
science is comprised in one question: - How can the advantages of intellect and
civilization, be reconciled with the liberty and pure pleasures of natural
life? How can we take the benefits, and reject the evils of the system, which
is now interwoven with all the fibres of our being? - I believe that abstinence
from animal food and spirituous liquors, would in a great measure capacitate us
for the solution of this important question.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Another
website has given an excellent summary of Shelley’s vegetarian themes in
different bodies of work (</span><a href="http://www.think-differently-about-sheep.com/Animal%20Rights%20A%20History%20Percy%20Bysshe%20Shelly.htm"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">http://www.think-differently-about-sheep.com/Animal%20Rights%20A%20History%20Percy%20Bysshe%20Shelly.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">) which includes this clip from Shelley’s
best known poem with vegetarian themes, “Queen Mab” (book eight):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">How strange is human pride!<br />
I tell thee that those living things, <br />
To whom the fragile blade of grass, <br />
That springeth in the morn<br />
And perisheth ere noon, <br />
Is an unbounded world; <br />
I tell thee that those viewless beings, <br />
Whose mansion is the smallest particle <br />
Of the impassive atmosphere, <br />
Think, feel, and live like man; <br />
That their affections and antipathies, <br />
Like his, produce the Laws <br />
Ruling their moral state;<br />
And the minutest throb <br />
That through their frame diffuses<br />
The slightest, faintest motion,<br />
Is fixed and indispensable <br />
As the majestic laws <br />
That rule yon rolling orbs. (21)<br />
<br />
Immortal upon Earth: No longer now,<br />
He slays the lamb that looks him in the face,<br />
And horribly devours his mangled flesh,<br />
Which, still avenging nature's broken law,<br />
Kindled all putrid humours in his frame,<br />
All evil passions, and all vain belief,<br />
Hatred, despair, and loathing in his mind,<br />
The germs of misery, death, disease, and crime. (59)<br />
<br />
No longer now the winged habitants,<br />
That in the woods their sweet lives sing away,<br />
Flee from the form of man; but gather round,<br />
And prune their sunny feathers on the hands<br />
Which little children stretch in friendly sport<br />
Towards these dreadless partners of their play.<br />
All things are void of terror: man has lost<br />
His terrible prerogative, and stands<br />
An equal amidst equals: happiness<br />
And science dawn though late, upon the earth;<br />
Peace cheers the mind, health renovates the frame;<br />
Disease and pleasure cease to mingle here,<br />
Reason and passion cease to combat there;<br />
Whilst each unfettered o'er the earth extends<br />
Their all-subduing energies, and wield<br />
The sceptre of a vast dominion there;<br />
Whilst every shape and mode of matter lends<br />
Its force to the omnipotence of mind,<br />
Which from its dark mine drags the gem of truth<br />
To decorate its paradise of peace. (59)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
was a prolific Irish playwright, who also wrote great essays and poems. He was
a long-time vegetarian, as well as an activist using his writing to combat
blood sports, vivisection, and general trends of animal exploitation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a couple of quotes from him (I found
at: </span><a href="http://www.ivu.org/history/shaw/vegetarianism.html"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ivu.org/history/shaw/vegetarianism.html</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that give you the picture:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 150%;">
“A dinner!<br />
How horrible!<br />
I am to be made the pretext for killing all those wretched animals and birds,
and fish! Thank you for nothing.<br />
Now if it were to be a fast instead of a feast; say a solemn three days'
abstention from corpses in my honour, I could at least pretend to believe that
it was disinterested.<br />
Blood sacrifices are not in my line.”<br />
<i>- Letter 30 December 1929<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
“I was told that my diet was so poor that I could
not repair the bones that were broken and operated on. So I have just had an
Xradiograph taken; and lo! perfectly mended solid bone so beautifully white
that I have left instructions that, if I die, a glove stretcher is to be made
of me and sent to you as a souvenir.” -<i> Letter to Mrs.Patrick Campbell<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Archibald Henderson,
author of a three-volume biography of Shaw, recorded an appropriate
conversation with him in 1924, when Shaw was already sixty-eight; it appears in
Table-Talks, a colection illustrating the outspoken and witty side of the
prolific playwright:</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Henderson:</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> So be a good fellow and tell me how you
succeeded in remaining so youthful.<br />
<i>Shaw:</i> I don't. I look my age; and I am my age. It is the other people
who look older than they are. What can you expect from people who eat corpses
and drink spirits?<br />
<i>Henderson:</i> Our time is running short. You will have to be off to speak
on behalf of the Labor Party, or Vegetarianism, or Communism, or Fabianism, or
what not. You are such an incorrigible publicist that I have not yet got round
to literature, or to drama which is popularly supposed to be one of your chief
interests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The below poem is
attributed to him, though it’s origin within his career is unknown, so some
people dispute it’s authenticity. Either way, numerous quotes from Shaw in
other realms show that this poem is completely within the context of his
beliefs. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We Are The
Living Graves Of Murdered Beasts <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We
are the living graves of murdered beasts <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Slaughtered
to satisfy our appetites <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We
never pause to wonder at our feasts <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If
animals, like men, can possibly have rights <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We
pray on Sundays that we may have light <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">To
guide our footsteps on the path we tread <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We're
sick of war <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We
do not want to fight <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
thought of it now fills our hearts with dread <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And
yet we gorge ourselves upon the dead <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Like
carrion crows we live and feed on meat <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Regardless
of the suffering and pain <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We
cause by doing so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If
thus we treat Defenseless animals for sport or gain <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">How
can we hope in this world to attain the <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">PEACE
we say we are so anxious for <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We
pray for it o'er hecatombs of slain <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">To
God, while outraging the moral law <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thus
cruelty begets its offspring: war. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another major writer and thinker who
deserves a place here is William Blake (1757-1827). Much like the others
mentioned here, Blake used his artistry and his public profile to speak out
against the issues of his time affecting non-human animals, especially
meat-eating and blood-sports. His very famous poem “Auguries of Innocence”
speaks in great detail of his concerns for other creatures. Most people only
know the first four lines, probably because the animal-rights message is
uncomfortable to many readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Auguries of
Innocence<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">To
see a World in a Grain of Sand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Eternity in an hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Robin Red breast in a Cage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puts all heaven in a Rage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A dove house fill’d with doves and Pigeons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shudders Hell thro’ all its regions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A dog starv’d at his Master’s Gate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Predicts the ruin of the State.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Horse misus’d upon the Road<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calls to Heaven for Human blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each outcry of the hunted Hare<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fibre from the Brain does tear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Skylark wounded in the wing,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Cherubim does cease to sing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Game Cock clip’d and arm’d for fight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the Rising Sun affright.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Wolf’s and Lion’s howl<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raises from Hell a Human Soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wild deer, wand’ring here and there,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeps the Human Soul from Care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lamb misus’d breeds Public strife<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet forgives the Butcher’s Knife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bat that flits at close of Eve<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has left the Brain that won’t Believe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Owl that calls upon the Night<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speaks the Unbeliever’s fright.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who shall hurt the little Wren<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall never be belov’d by Men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who the Ox to wrath has mov’d<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall never be by Woman lov’d.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wanton Boy that kills the Fly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall feel the Spider’s enmity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who torments the Chafer’s sprite<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weaves a Bower in endless Night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Catterpiller on the Leaf<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Repeats to thee thy Mother’s grief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kill not the Moth nor Butterfly,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who shall train the Horse to War<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall never pass the Polar Bar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beggar’s Dog and Widow’s Cat,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feed them and thou wilt grow fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gnat that sings his Summer’s song<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poison gets from Slander’s tongue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The poison of the Snake and Newt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the sweat of Envy’s Foot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Poison of the Honey Bee<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the Artist’s Jealousy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Prince’s Robes and Beggar’s Rags<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are Toadstools on the Miser’s Bags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A truth that’s told with bad intent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beats all the Lies you can invent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is right it should be so;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man was made for Joy and Woe;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when this we rightly know<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thro’ the World we safely go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joy and Woe are woven fine,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Clothing for the Soul divine;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under every grief and pine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runs a joy with silken twine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Babe is more than swaddling Bands;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout all these Human Lands<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tools were made, and Born were hands,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Farmer Understands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Tear from Every Eye<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Becomes a Babe in Eternity;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is caught by Females bright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And return’d to its own delight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bleat, the Bark, Bellow and Roar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are Waves that Beat on Heaven’s Shore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Babe that weeps the Rod beneath<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Writes Revenge in realms of death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beggar’s Rags, fluttering in Air,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does to Rags the Heavens tear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Soldier, arm’d, with Sword and Gun,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Palsied strikes the Summer’s Sun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The poor Man’s Farthing is worth more<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Than all the Gold on Afric’s Shore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One Mite wrung from the Labrer’s hands<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall buy and sell the Miser’s Lands:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, if protected from on high,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does that whole Nation sell and buy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who mocks the Infant’s Faith<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall be mock’d in Age and Death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who shall teach the Child to Doubt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rotting Grave shall ne’er get out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who respects the Infant’s faith<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Triumphs over Hell and Death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Child’s Toys and the Old Man’s Reasons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are the Fruits of the Two seasons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Questioner, who sits so sly,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall never know how to Reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who replies to words of Doubt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doth put the Light of Knowledge out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Strongest Poison ever known<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Came from Caesar’s Laurel Crown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nought can deform the Human Race<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like to the Armour’s iron brace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Gold and Gems adorn the Plow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To peaceful Arts shall Envy Bow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Riddle or the Cricket’s Cry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is to Doubt a fit Reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Emmet’s Inch and Eagle’s Mile<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make Lame Philosophy to smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He who Doubts from what he sees<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will ne’er Believe, do what you Please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Sun and Moon should doubt,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d immediately Go out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be in a Passion you Good may do,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no Good if a Passion is in you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Whore and Gambler, by the State<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Licenc’d, build that Nation’s Fate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Harlot’s cry from Street to Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shall weave Old England’s winding Sheet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Winner’s Shout, the Loser’s Curse,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dance before dead England’s Hearse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Night and every Morn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some to Misery are Born.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Morn and every Night<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are Born to sweet delight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are Born to sweet delight,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some are Born to Endless Night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are led to Believe a Lie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we see not Thro’ the Eye,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which was Born in a Night to perish in a Night<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Soul Slept in Beams of Light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God Appears and God is Light<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To those poor Souls who dwell in Night,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But does a Human Form Display<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To those who Dwell in Realms of day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And here are some other poems along
these themes that I have stumbled upon. I hope you like them, and are inspired
to find (and write) more!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A MODERN GOLDEN CALF (reproduced by the Millennium
Guild)<br />
<br />
-Earnest A Webbe-<br />
<br />
In Cleveland's toughtest quarter,<br />
The famous "Tenderloin"<br />
(Fit namesake for the choicest cut<br />
Of steak for honest coin)<br />
Where dives and tough resorts abound,<br />
Saloons and salry brokers,<br />
Gambling joints and "uncle shops"<br />
And homes for highway chokers,<br />
You'll find a building tall and square<br />
Low'ring o'er the railroad,<br />
Which brings from peaceful pastures fair,<br />
Poor creatures by the trainload;<br />
A smell of blood makes thick the air,<br />
Mute terror in each creature's stare-<br />
Brute men running everywhere,<br />
Their robes with blood aglare!<br />
And on the building's lofty roof,<br />
Like Aaron's calf of old<br />
There rears, that every eye may see<br />
A steer of burnished gold!<br />
For ever this sacrifice goes on<br />
And Christians bend the knee<br />
Nor stop to think their honest coin<br />
Sustains idolatry!<br />
<br />
-Earnest A Webbe-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">ODE TO THE POOR MAN'S CRICKET<br />
<br />
Although they steal my food<br />
within the walls of my humble home<br />
I endeavor never to be rude<br />
<br />
And when I outen the lights<br />
These peaceful creatures are free to roam<br />
For even the meek<br />
have their rights<br />
<br />
-Tom Earley-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">OF JOY AND RODENTS<br />
<br />
<br />
Who is to say that being here is not glorious even<br />
In the most squalid of existence; even in the streets<br />
Festering with garbage, being here is a joyous thing.<br />
<br />
Tell the blind woman, blind since birth, that joy is non<br />
Existent; her hyper-extended senses would tell you that<br />
She sensed and loved the tiny feet of mice eating her cheese.<br />
<br />
The most visible of happiness occurs when, without the<br />
Expectation of result, something explicable happens; and<br />
That is, the unexpected joy that Sisyphus could not imagine.<br />
<br />
For all the rats eating our grain and causing continual<br />
Scourges, they teach us to value life as they endure the<br />
Hatred and interminable tortures of laboratory animals.<br />
<br />
Our age builds an enormous citadel of power; formless as<br />
The extensive stress it exacts on us. It no longer respects any<br />
Temples; however, the rat teaches us the temple of survival<br />
<br />
The whole family of rodentia is our guru; from rabbits we<br />
Learn to spawn our progeny; from squirrels we learn to<br />
Economize in lean times and from mice we learn humility.<br />
<br />
Their veins flow with existence without a Bill of Rights;<br />
What makes us think that we have more entitlements; let<br />
Us love our rodent brothers and chew on life as they do.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Sai Grafio-<br />
<br />
</span><a href="http://www.postpoems.com/members/kittymonkey" title="http://www.postpoems.com/members/kittymonkey"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">http://www.postpoems.com/members/kittymonkey</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And what of current poets? One
writer who does great poetry about animals and our relationship to them is
Gretchen Primack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has a book of
poetry on the topic called, “Kind.” You can find more info about Gretchen and
her work at her website: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://www.gretchenprimack.com/kind.php"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.gretchenprimack.com/kind.php</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-32542867415714915592014-11-24T13:49:00.001-05:002014-11-24T13:49:34.043-05:00Link to Film on Animals and the BuddhaI want to try to share a link to a great movie, free to watch, which was shared with me through the World Peace Diet community. If the link doesn't work, I'm sure you can find it by doing a search on something like, "animals and the Buddha film." Peace!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3fNIN36rRcUMm9hb0RXMEF1Vm8/view?usp=sharing">https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3fNIN36rRcUMm9hb0RXMEF1Vm8/view?usp=sharing</a>leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-64948977035656892522014-11-20T11:51:00.001-05:002014-11-20T11:51:43.887-05:00Gentle ThanksgivingWell, I have been busy again. We had our gentle thanksgiving at the local animal sanctuary (<a href="http://www.peaceridgesanctuary.org/">www.peaceridgesanctuary.org</a>) on Nov. 1 and on Nov. 2, we had a two foot blizzard which resulted in five DAYS of power outage for me and mine. Then the day after the power (and heat) came back on, I rushed to Boston to celebrate my step-mom's eightieth year on the earth. Now it's back to life as normal (as such) and things are just starting to feel a little more settled.<br />
<br />
I don't have much time to write now, but I figured, 'tis better to have blogged a bit than never to have blogged at all.<br />
<br />
So I'll leave you with this photo from our gentle thanksgiving, and warm wishes for your own holidays. <br />
<br />
THIS is how you serve a turkey. <3 p=""><br />
<br />
Peace!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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</3>leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-73723861448788021182014-10-16T10:52:00.001-04:002014-10-16T11:02:16.889-04:00Mabon: Warm up for Tofurkey DaySo I know I'm a little late posting on Mabon. A lot late. It is currently rocketing towards my favorite Sabbat of the year, being Samhain.<br />
<br />
Personally I have been having my struggles. In the past few months I have lost both of my 18 year old kitties, sisters, who I have lived with since they were tiny little babies. I have also learned that one of my greyhounds, Sable, has a bone cancer diagnosis, which is what I lost my last girl to (Stardom). So I haven't had a lot of emotional energy to write. But my focus in dealing with these losses and illnesses has been a mantra given to me by a friend..."love and gratitude." Every moment with my loved ones is precious. Every happy moment to be savored. Even in the midst of great personal pain, this has been tremendously helpful to me. My next article for SageWoman Magazine under my column, "Child of Artemis," will be dealing with this journey that we take with our companion animals.<br />
<br />
Mabon is the holiday that I equate with "Thanksgiving," so it is an appropriate time to be contemplating love and gratitude. <br />
<br />
As a vegan pagan, I always like to flag Mabon as a time when we can start preparing to have a "gentle thanksgiving" within our mainstream culture. Maybe "adopt" a rescued turkey at a farm sanctuary. Start planning and advertising a gentle thanksgiving potluck. Do a vegan food drive for a local pantry.<br />
<br />
If you would like some extra support on a Gentle Thanksgiving event, FARM (farm animal rights movement) has a campaign for this. <a href="http://compassionateholidays.com/">http://compassionateholidays.com/</a><br />
<br />
So, happy compassionate holidays and as we rev up for Samhain, where we honor and remember those who have passed, let us already and always be living the path of "love and gratitude."<br />
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image from <a href="http://vpods.wordpress.com/tag/vpods/">http://vpods.wordpress.com/tag/vpods/</a></div>
<br />leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-23762988307559562992014-09-11T10:56:00.003-04:002017-01-25T13:47:22.624-05:00Charlotte Perkins GilmanA noted writer and women's rights activist from the period around the 1900s, Gilman is best known for her women's studies classic short story, <i>The Yellow Wallpaper</i>, which fictionalizes her experience of post partum depression. As with many other prominent thinkers from history, her animal rights work has been largely scrubbed from history by our conflicted, defensive culture. In her utopian and satirical work, <i>Herland</i>, Gilman's land of women kept no animals for agriculture because agricultural animals took up land that was needed for plant crops. When asked what they did for milk, one of the women basically said, "we have plenty of milk...our own."<br />
<br />
Gilman was an activist at a time when many feminists recognized the overlapping oppressions that also face animals of other species. In 1903 the American Suffrage women had a conference where animal rights were a special topic of discussion. Yet again, this heritage has been "disappeared" from mainstream feminist consciousness. In the modern era where contemplating our choices in behavior toward other animals, and the impact these have on our own ecosystem and personal health, hopefully we can resurrect some of this herstory. Here is one of many poems that Charlotte wrote about her observations on human treatment of other animals. I also recommend <i>Herland</i> and this brilliant ancestor's other works.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">THE CATTLE
TRAIN<br />
<br />
Below my window goes the cattle train,<br />
And stands for hours along the river park,<br />
Fear, Cold, Exhaustion, Hunger, Thirst and<br />
Pain;<br />
Dumb brutes we call them - Hark!<br />
The bleat of frightened mother -calling young,<br />
Deep-throated agony, shrill frantic cries,<br />
Hoarse murmur of the thirst-distended tongue<br />
Up to my window rise.<br />
Bleak lies the shore to northern wind and sleet,<br />
In open-slatted cars they stand and freeeze<br />
Beside the broad blue river in the heat<br />
All waterless go these.<br />
Hot, fevered, frightened, trampled, bruised<br />
and torn;<br />
Frozen to death before the ax descends;<br />
We kill these weary creatures; sore and worn,<br />
And eat them-- with our friends.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Charlotte Perkins Gilman-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-61205399300911349582014-07-24T14:54:00.002-04:002014-07-24T15:00:01.949-04:00Lughnasadh and the Sacrifice of the Corn KingAs Lammas, or Lughnasadh, bears down on us (where does time go?!?) I find myself thinking about the metaphor of the God as a plant. Known as the Corn King, or John Barleycorn, in British tradition, the Sun God or "Son" God (child of the Goddess) dies a sacrificial death in order to feed all of us in the web of creation. He "dies," but it is not true death, for he has already re-seeded himself in the womb of the Goddess. As he returns to the Underworld, he is already in the process of being reborn.<br />
<br />
It is compelling to think of the God as a plant. Like the corn he is represented by, he releases his seed naturally in the course of his life-cycle. The new corn seeds are already germinating when the parent plant dies off. Yet the corn seed is, literally, a living part of that plant. So the corn is "resurrected" in the next season of growth.<br />
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Our culture tends to see the God as warlike, or at least paternalistic and "in charge." Many stereotypes placed upon him are unfair to masculinity, in general. I think it is very healing to see the God as a nurturer and a care-giver. For that is what he does when he surrenders his life to the cycles of nature and allows all other living things to eat of his body. There is enough of him to go around, and still to reseed him in the underworld of the Goddess. This system is perfectly designed to allow for life without the cost of cruelty.<br />
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As a vegan pagan, I enjoy the metaphor of the corn because it is not species-specific. The God did not sacrifice himself only for the souls of humans. He died to "feed" (physically and spiritually)<em> all</em> the children of the Goddess. And even in that moment, his death had no sting. He and his adepts knew the secret...his life went on, just under the mother's soil and skin.<br />
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art by Charles Vess</div>
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leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-84405329440615131732014-07-07T14:01:00.003-04:002014-07-07T14:01:51.833-04:00fresh garlic scape pestoI don't check in on this as often as I would like to, but I have been experimenting more with gardening. I am learning a lot from my mom and from websites. I am trying to keep it as organic as possible and veganic (vegan organic) when I can. I hope eventually to be all veganic. Organic gardening normally still relies on a lot of animal products...especially manure and even composted body parts of animals from factory farms. So veganic means getting away from all those products as much as possible.<br />
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The vegan zombie guys are also experimenting with veganic gardening so if you look around their UTube channel you should find some good stuff: <br />
<a href="http://www.videorecipetv.com/video/zombiegate/4vEkAz09GJs">http://www.videorecipetv.com/video/zombiegate/4vEkAz09GJs</a><br />
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Anyway, a garlic scape is the curly little top that comes up on the plant about this time of year. Gardeners cut it off so that the energy of the plant stays in the bulb and not up top. Scapes taste like a combination between garlic and chives, I think. You can use them in a stirfry or soup to up the garlic flavor. But a friend of mine turned me on to making pesto with scapes and I've never looked back. I don't have a particular pesto recipe to recommend but maybe later I will blog my own. For now just experiment if you feel like it. Scapes are popping up in the farmer's markets now! I would say use a half handful of scapes to two handfuls of basil so the scapes don't overpower the taste. Also I use walnuts and an equal amount of nutritional yeast instead of whatever nuts or parmesan cheese a recipe asks for. The walnuts and "nooch" together make a parmesan flavor profile. <br />
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fresh garlic scapes and basil from my garden</div>
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...a closer view</div>
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and the pesto! there is some in the freezer for this winter</div>
leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-15343765930347356382014-07-07T12:16:00.002-04:002014-07-07T12:16:18.496-04:00Fourth of July Cookout Vegan StyleWe celebrated the holiday and Gwen's son's birthday with a lovely cookout at a lake. I will let the food pics speak for themselves...vegans don't miss out on anything, except the regret of consuming unhealthy foods that cause environmental destruction and animal suffering. So we had a happy holiday, for sure! There is plenty more Summer ahead for grilling in our neck of the woods, so hopefully you will have time to give it a try. Oh, one more note. If you are intrigued by the bbq seitan pictured below and have never made "wheat meat," here is a good recipe link: <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2009/11/homemade-seitan/">http://www.theppk.com/2009/11/homemade-seitan/</a><br />
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seitan, veg-kabobs, and grilled corn</div>
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The finished product: beautiful, bbq seitan or "wheat meat"</div>
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lovely corn. soak for an hour in cold water to help it steam on the grill.</div>
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grilled red pepper, eggplant, and red onion. the red pepper is blanched (quick boil) first to make it easier to grill</div>
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the other stars of the grill...</div>
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tofurkey dogs and brats plus some gimme lean patties</div>
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a big bowl of rice and quinoa for putting under the other goodies, if desired</div>
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my plate...yum!<br />
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raw, vegan key lime pie</div>
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leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-19498994532506520772014-06-26T13:52:00.000-04:002014-06-26T13:52:00.008-04:00Sharing an article: "Spiritual and Metaphysical Perspectives on Meat" from Astrarium - and world prayer circle for animalsBlessed be! I hope everyone had a great Litha. We had a nice little ritual out in the field behind my home, next to the beaver pond. We used the growth energy of the season to call in the things that we wished for (for ourselves and others) in the coming season. We did abundance magicks for ourselves and also called out for the growth of compassion and kindness toward all non-human creation...especially non-human animals who are so horribly impacted by our species' practices.<br />
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Thinking about the manifestation of this goal, I think of two steps that should help. One is continued self-education and reflection. Gwen and I are both about to take the "mastery/facilitator" classes for Dr. Will Tuttle's wonderful book, "The World Peace Diet." I can't recommend that book enough. A facebook friend that I was lucky to meet, Mat Walker, put a great article on his website, Astrarium, that is influenced by Dr. Tuttle's work. Mat does a lot of the hard work and research for us on how many different spiritual traditions have interacted with the issue of animals in our diet. His article can be found here and I highly, highly recommend it: <a href="http://theastrarium.com/metaphysics-meat/">http://theastrarium.com/metaphysics-meat/</a><br />
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Then, step two. I think this is a committed spiritual practice in which we put forth our intentions for the kind of world and society we would like to see. Will Tuttle and his peers have thought of this, too. They have a daily prayer for the animals at noon, and everyone who cares to is encouraged to participate. There are more details here: <a href="http://www.circleofcompassion.org/">http://www.circleofcompassion.org/</a><br />
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If folks have other ideas for manifesting a kinder world for non-human animals, and a world that is more sustainable environmentally, please feel free to share in the comments section. Peace and Blessed Summer season to you.leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-12113627189758488732014-06-10T09:20:00.001-04:002014-06-10T09:20:02.924-04:00
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I often forget that not all Pagans are Vegan, and not all Vegans are Pagan.
For me, the two fit together so naturally that part of me is always shocked to
be reminded of this fact. Veganism fits so closely in with the basic beliefs of
most if not all of the different traditions of Paganism because we are taught
to do what we want as long as we harm none. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leslie and I recently went to Salem,
Mass for a long weekend with a detour back to Maine on Saturday. It was a fun
way to celebrate my Birthday and the annual Maine Vegetarian Festival as well.
As we browsed the many shops, I was saddened by the amount of leather, feathers
and other animal parts on magical tools that we saw in these shops. As part of
our weekend, we took a tour through the Witch Village Museum. The tour guide
stated that this number one belief that we we are ok as long as we harm none, and
she even said that she participates in a little bit of dog and cat rescue in
her spare time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What struck me is that
how she like most people clearly only considered not harming<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pets, and did not include animals that are
commonly exploited for "food" in with those animals that we should
not harm. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This made me really wonder why Pagans don't see the connection between
"Harm None"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and eating animal
products. Harm none means harm nothing, not just don't harm the cute and cuddly
pets but continue to take part in the meat and dairy industry that exploits,
harms and kills animals because they "taste good". To me, Harm none
means simply that. I believe in living a lifestyle that truly does not harm
animals or humans. The feathers that I do have were gifted (shed) by birds and
were not killed to obtain them. And I believe there are more beautiful ways to
decorate my magical tools than to cover them with materials that were obtained
by harming a living being. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-10658702603288129022014-04-23T11:07:00.000-04:002014-04-23T11:12:28.327-04:00Vegan Earth DayNow both Ostara and Easter are behind us, and Beltane is just around the corner! I am very excited to see my baby garlic peeping cautiously (yet with increasing optimism) out of the garden beds. It was preceded by the brash chocolate mint, which was clawing it's way through last year's dead tangle. And in the front yard the chives are at least three inches tall...leading the way for everyone (along with the dandelions and crocuses). Yay! Spring! The beaver-built pond in our back field is now populous with birds, including a lovely pair of geese. It is so good to see them all again!<br />
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I think earth day and the activities that go with it are a great way to head into Beltane. Beltane is full of spring energy and passion. For those of us who want to turn this metaphor toward activism, earth day is a great avenue.<br />
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Never forget that veganism is great for the environment. It always makes me a little sad to watch environmental education type movies that totally miss animal agriculture as a major part of the problem. But environmental groups are catching on. Just recently, the Center for Biological Diversity put up a new campaign urging people toward a vegan diet due to environmental impact of animal foods. For instance, they give this sobering piece of info:<br />
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<em>"Every minute, seven football fields’ worth of land is bulldozed to create room for more livestock and feed crops — land that was once habitat for wild animals and biologically diverse ecosystems that play a key role in absorbing carbon dioxide and filtering water sources."</em> (Smithsonian Institution, 2002)<br />
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They don't start people off as full-bore vegan, but suggest reduction. And their campaign slogan is great: "You have at least three chances a day to save the planet." <br />
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Their campaign is called "take extinction off your plate" and I love this message, as well. We need to remember that it isn't only the slaughtered animals who are killed when we consume meat. Other species are going extinct because animal agriculture is taking away their habitats and their water. It is such an important set of facts for vegans to know. To get some great info and talking points from their site, check it out at: <a href="http://www.takeextinctionoffyourplate.com/">http://www.takeextinctionoffyourplate.com/</a> <br />
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Also FARM (farmed animal rights movement) has a great earth day campaign with tons of environmental info. And their beginner's' veg pledge is going on right now! Check them out at: <a href="http://www.greenyourdiet.org/">http://www.greenyourdiet.org/</a><br />
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and I hope you had a lovely earth day!leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-7825796858125447782014-04-08T15:36:00.003-04:002014-04-08T15:36:32.854-04:005 Ways to Celebrate Vegan Easter
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A sure sign
of spring is the Easter holiday making its pastel-presence known in every
marketplace. “Easter” is a Christian holiday, but it has become a cultural
celebration as well. Easter also occurs in the same time window as Passover and
other religious holidays, like the neo-pagan holiday of Ostara. All three of
these religious holidays have an egg as part of the seasonal motif, and they
all do something to celebrate springtime energies. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whether it
is the secular event or a religious tradition, this is the time of year to
celebrate themes like new birth and fresh beginnings. If you have children,
they may be seeing their peers celebrate and want to join in. You may have a
community or family tradition that celebrates, as well. So here are five ideas
for veganizing what I will call “Easter,” though you may call it something
else.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Use plastic eggs for baskets and
hunts. Fill them with vegan sweets. Sites like </span></span><a href="http://www.veganessentials.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.veganessentials.com</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> have whole sections of Easter-basket friendly candy. You can
also make your own vegan chocolates or egg-shaped cookies. If your children
want to decorate eggs, craft stores sell wooden or plaster versions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Donate to a vegan education and
advocacy organization so they can educate the public about Easter holiday risks
to animals like rabbits, chicks, and ducklings. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Donate (time, wish list items, or money)
to a pet shelter or animal sanctuary. These organizations often get flooded
with “Easter” animals who have been surrendered or abandoned. Perhaps your
family can do a volunteer day or an educational visit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take veganized Easter or Passover
type foods to family dinners, religious celebrations, and potlucks. “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Betty Goes Vegan,</i>” by Dan and Annie Shannon,
has a whole Easter menu and Passover menu. Mayim Bialik has great, traditional
Passover fare in “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mayim’s Vegan Table</i>.”
Between the two books we’re talking maple roasted tofurkey, hot cross buns,
sweet treats and matzo ball soup. So much of these holiday traditions has to do
with “comfort food.” By giving people cruelty-free options, we can help them
see it is possible to move away from reliance on items like eggs and ham.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tap into the energy of the season to
plan your garden. You can micro-garden inside with containers, or have an
edible landscape outside. Two books that might help are “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces</i>” by Patricia Lanza, or “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale
Permaculture</i>” by Toby Hemenway. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s celebrate spring right along with the rest, and be
proud our cruelty-free choices. I’m wishing you a happy holiday season and a
beautiful, peace-filled spring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-22132400590604672052014-04-07T13:07:00.003-04:002014-04-07T13:07:29.857-04:00OstaraHere we are at Ostara again, a spring celebration that focuses on fertility and other types of new beginnings. It is a time for "growth" of many different kinds. One of the key symbols of the season is the egg. This is not limited to pagan Ostara, but can also be seen in Jewish Passover feasting and in Christian Easter. Not to mention the secularized holiday, which is all about new spring clothes, egg hunts, candy, and ham dinners. Sigh. But we can counter these exploitative practices in vegan paganism. The Shannons suggest in "Betty" that an avocado can be used instead of an egg in ritual feasts because it has the same shape and the same "germination" energy, since it has a giant seed in the middle. I really like this idea.<br />
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I made a maple glazed holiday roast from "Betty Goes Vegan" for our Ostara night feast. This has a vegan flavor profile that is about as close to honey-roasted ham as we would want it to be. And for our ritual we honored the Goddess Eostre, as well as the animals who are so often exploited this time of year, like rabbits, chickens, pigs and ducks.<br />
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I took the opportunity to get some egg-shaped candles from a local craft store, and we also got little wooden egg cutouts for divination sets. We thought that colored "eggs" made into divination tools would satisfy the urge to have colored eggs around. It was fun to make the "eggs" and I made mine in the seven chakra colors. I figured I could pull one once in a while and use it to inspire a meditation on that chakra. As a reiki practitioner and musical healing enthusiast, I always want to work with the chakras and their correspondences.<br />
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Here are some pictures. Enjoy and here's hoping you have a great Spring!<br />
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Shadow is sulking a little because I wouldn't let him eat the egg candles. :^)</div>
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Eostre in the center, with a vegan sugar-bunny. The wooden eggs we turned into divination sets are behind her.</div>
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maple roast from betty goes vegan</div>
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yum!</div>
leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-16899360979421678722014-03-17T10:46:00.001-04:002014-03-17T11:00:05.696-04:00All Snakes Day (March 17)I read an interesting tidbit somewhere (wish I remembered where) about "St. Patrick's Day" being reclaimed by some Pagans as "All Snakes Day." The idea is along the lines of celebrating snakes and pagans rather than carrying on the covert or overt themes that suggest St. Patrick driving snakes out of Ireland is a metaphor for Christianity driving the old faith out. I like the idea of celebrating it as "All snakes day." So enjoy, and hug a snake today. I'll include a picture of my coauthor, Gwen, doing just that at a Salem Witches' Ball.<br />
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Snakes are often associated with transition and sensuality, and connection to the earth. Snakes and other reptiles are also often associated with the element of fire. Many ancient traditions associate snakes with knowledge...especially spiritual or magical knowledge. <br />
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In celebration of All Snakes Day, I did a veganized version of a traditional St. Patrick's day type dinner (as I remember growing up). I made soda bread from Veganomicon (Isa Chandra) and boiled dinner from Betty Goes Vegan. Here are some photos to show that we can have yummy, traditional and cultural foods without any animal products! <br />
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<br />leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-40274082087109913202014-03-11T15:28:00.000-04:002014-03-14T16:29:47.263-04:00raw vegan birthday<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi, happy birthday to me! Here's to getting another year older, LOL. But at least I did it with style by making my own raw, vegan birthday cake. I used the recipe for "coconut snow cake" from Ani Phyo's book, "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It
was good but I think I put too much banana in the cake, making the texture a
little too hard. I had pre-chipped bananas so I had trouble estimating what “five
dehydrated bananas” was. But one of my mom’s coworkers asked so many questions
about the cake that I sent her a piece and Mom said she liked it. She actually
ate the whole piece right there, when she had said she would just try a bite.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And
on my bday I went to lunch with Mom and her coworker at our fave Thai place,
that makes me vegan food to order. They gave me a $20 gift certificate too!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then
it was a regular rest of the week until Saturday, when Mom, Gwen and I went
out. We went to see “The Monuments Men” and then went to dinner at Miguel’s, a
Mexican place in Bangor that we love. The movie was good, by the way. Just<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a little sad, of course, but very educational
too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miguel’s
has a niche at serving as much local organic as possible and catering to people
with dietary needs like gluten free or vegan. They have a regular looking menu
for a Mexican place, except there is vegan meat, cheese, and sour cream
available to use in virtually every entrée. Most of the vegans I know,
including myself, love that we can go there with omnivores and everyone can
order off the regular menu with no fuss. Plus it’s just really good food.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 145%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
got my usual of veggie fajitas with spiced tofu, vegan cheese (daiya) and sour
cream (probably follow your heart). And as usual I had to take half of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it home. The next morning I fried up a little
more seasoned tofu and then made a fajita scramble out of it. It was gooood.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here's to another year of being even more healthy and happy than ever!</span><br />
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<br />leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-46837566615158497482014-01-21T10:19:00.001-05:002014-01-21T10:19:10.807-05:00vegan pagan yahoo groupIn an effort to grow my own community of vegans who are also pagans and pagans who are also vegans (and vegans or pagans who are curious about the other path), I created a bouncing baby yahoo group. I will try to remember to post the subscription info at the end of each post in an endeavor to grow this community. I sometimes feel isolated in both communities as the only vegan AND pagan, so I wonder if I am not alone. <br />
<br />
The subscription info is: <a href="mailto:veganpagan333-subscribe@yahoogroups.com">veganpagan333-subscribe@yahoogroups.com</a>leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-48226256788387633292014-01-15T13:42:00.003-05:002014-01-23T08:39:54.656-05:00My Offensive T-ShirtI had a great time with my dad's side of the family for New Year's in Boston this year. This was especially true since I was escaping the carnage of our recent ice storm and power outage for three days. But there are always some tensions being the vegan in the family at those extremely food-centric holiday events. Just one thing stuck out to me that I felt like sharing here. I wore my favorite long sleeve tee from <a href="http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/">http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/</a> one day and it got noticed immediately. Now I admit, this is why I wear the occasional vegan "message tee." I tend to wear humorous ones at my pagan temple and I like the conversation starter they usually turn out to be. But this time it just struck me that my family members, although being very gentle with me because of my recent storm hardships, seemed to take offense to the tee in question. I find this highly ironic because it is the mildest message tee that I know of on the planet and I would think its sentiment would be relatively unassailable. Apparently not. Here is the message. Brace yourselves:<br />
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Love Life, No Matter Whose. With bunnies. </div>
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Controversial, huh? (WTF??!!)</div>
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I mean, it's really strange how people who are generally kind and open and support charities and are Christians (my father and step mother are both protestant clergy) get defensive about the message of "love" when it is attached to other species. I guess that's the bottom line here. If we can't get behind this basic message I think there is something wrong. And I will keep wearing my offensive tee shirt. Peace. Love. Bunnies. Deal with it.</div>
leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-2398675119221357332014-01-14T14:16:00.000-05:002014-01-14T14:23:11.835-05:00In the New YearWell, I have to admit the Yule season wasn't very festive for me. If you are local you know, and if not you probably saw on the national news the coverage of a ferocious ice storm that we got here, starting on actual Yule and going until about Christmas Eve. Then after the actual storm ended, we saw the havoc it had wrought all around us. The ice brought down trees and branches everywhere, damaging homes and cars, blocking roads, and especially downing power lines. My area of downeast Maine was hardest hit in our state. At my house we had no power for eight full days...almost ten days total with the two days on each end of the incident. For the first few days it was warm and rainy so the only inconveniences were the water and lights and other conveniences not working, but soon we got into record cold temps (the worst 30 below zero) that seriously threatened to freeze our pipes solid and make our home uninhabitable until spring. We spent hundreds of dollars on propane tanks and took shifts staying up all night every night keeping the wood stove and the propane heater going, but the house was still never above fifty degrees in the warmest areas. The dogs had to wear coats and I had to move our tortoise's habitat up into the vent above the chimney in an effort to keep everyone safe at home. We had emergency shelter lined up for all our animals but we fought hard not to have to traumatize them with a move. Fortunately it (just barely) did not come to that. We got our pipes fixed and our heat restored on the late afternoon of New Year's Eve. We got our lights back two days before our heat because we have water generated heating pipes and three of them had frozen and burst. So we didn't really do much celebration over the holiday period until New Year's day, when we truly and meaningfully celebrated "the rebirth of the light." The actual holidays were fairly cold and miserable but the meaning of Yule has never been clearer to me.<br />
<br />
The storm and the long term interruption in people's' basic services had a large impact in our community. The trees were broken to bits and will take years to recover. People lost cars to falling ice. Their homes were damaged. They lost needed food supplies when freezers went dead for extended times. They burned through a month's worth of firewood. Animals suffered. Even in my household of coddled pets, one of our cats got out for half an hour during the deep freeze and got frostbite on three of her feet. She is recovering quickly but requires lots of expensive follow up care. And many people in my community are not able to afford that kind of care for their pets, if they are even inclined to give it. The different impacts have yet to all be fully understood.<br />
<br />
The Maine Emergency Management Agency is interviewing locals now to try to measure these impacts. The whole thing makes me wonder how frequent these storms might realistically become as a result of climate change. And of course, climate change ties into veganism. For a fuller grasp of the issues, check out:<br />
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<a href="http://awellfedworld.org/climate">http://awellfedworld.org/climate</a><br />
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As for me, I am going to celebrate the ever growing length of daylight with as much gratitude as my ancestors must have done, when they were ever more connected to the realities of day to day survival and our relationship to nature. May you all be blessed, safe and warm for the rest of this winter.leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-52012168875681719912013-12-06T08:30:00.003-05:002013-12-06T08:43:41.665-05:00Solstice approaches<div style="text-align: left;">
Well, here we are in December. How did that happen? I admit I am feeling a little seasonal affect. <br />
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Here in Maine it gets pitch black dark out by 4PM, so I have to feel my way to my car when I leave <br />
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work at night. But I find hope in the cycle of the year. Solstice is coming, and even in the wintery<br />
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darkness we can be assured that, after Yule, the days begin growing longer and longer again.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the story of the Goddess and God,
this is also the time of the “rebirth of the son/sun.” The Goddess gives birth
to the Oak King, who slowly grows stronger and stronger in the coming months.
This is mirrored by the length of daylight in the Western Hemisphere, and the
slow march toward the coming of Spring.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So stay warm, be grateful for what you have, and have hope! The sun is coming.</span></span></div>
leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362170054622912317.post-17513941932883242952013-12-04T11:32:00.003-05:002013-12-04T13:43:33.817-05:00Mind if I Order the Cheeseburger? Intro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I want to share some thoughts on each chapter of this book. It is a great book called, "Mind if I Order the Cheeseburger? And Other Questions People Ask Vegans" by Sherry Colb. <br />
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This book is a really valuable guide for vegans seeking to give good, confident answers to common questions asked to us by nonvegans. It also gives tips for how to deal with these questions in a graceful manner when they may make us feel angry or defensive. I know that has happened to me and I wish I had read the book beforehand.<br />
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Colb is very gracious to nonvegans. She says again and again that nonvegans often don't mean to be offensive when they ask the questions, and we just feel that way. I can personally testify that many nonvegans DO mean to be offensive and are in full blown attack mode when they bring up some of these topics. But then again, most of the people I know are nonvegans and I really like most of them. I love some of them. I know they are generally good people. But even when vegans don't say anything specific about our beliefs, our mere presence in some people's lives seems to make them feel really defensive. But Colb's gracious, calm approach and good information make it a lot easier to deal with both kinds of nonvegans. <br />
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I do agree with her that we need to be calm, friendly, and nondefensive as much as possible when dealing with nonvegans. I know some days I can do that and some days a nonvegan rubs me the wrong way. It usually has more to do with how I'm feeling than the person talking to me. Not always. As I've said, some people just attack and it's impossible not to take it that way.<br />
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When an interaction is unwanted or aggressive I often avoid their questions or feel really angry. I've never been overtly rude to anyone in that situation but I have felt bad about some interactions. And I've always wished afterwards that I had said or done something better. That is why I grabbed this book immediately after hearing it reviewed on the Our Henhouse podcast.<br />
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Every time we have a good interaction with a nonvegan, it helps to break down stereotypes that help nonvegans dismiss us and the facts under veganism as "fringe" or "crazy" or "not realistic." And that has wide spread repercussions for us, for the environment, and for animals. And even for the nonvegan him or herself, if our information goes on to make their lives healthier and better. Win-Win for everybody! Well, except big ag and big pharma.<br />
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It helps to have good answers to these questions. I will therefore do a brief summary of Colb's chapters in this blog, along with my own thoughts. I don't mean to imply that you get the full value of the book by reading my posts, of course. I highly, highly recommend buying it, and/or gifting it.<br />
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In the introduction, Colb defines "vegan." She explains how some nonvegans like to think of veganism as a phase or as unrealistic extremeism. She basically suggests that we 1) know our reasons for being vegan and 2) calmly, simply express them. This is the ongoing theme of the book.<br />
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She defines veganism in this way: "Vegans avoid participating in violence toward animals. This means they refuse to purchase and consume animal flesh, dairy, eggs, and other products of animal slaughter and exploitation, such as wool, leather, and fur. In her daily choices, the vegan thereby freely chooses not to contribute to the carnage and suffering associated with the breeding and slaughter of animals. Her daily life expresses her commitment to compassion and non-violence, and her interaction with her world as one of caring."<br />
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This is a lot more detail than I have ever gone into when telling people what vegan means. If they ask, I usually say "I don't use any animal products." If they look puzzled, I list some, usually starting with dietary and if they seem friendly, add the other stuff (clothing, shoes, products). Usually if people ask me, it is in a food related context so the most important thing I convey is the dietary aspect. Like someone at a potluck at work might ask me why I'm trying to figure out what's in their salad, for example.<br />
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Then Colb gives a quick summary of what she thinks the most important talking points are for explaining veganism to people. These talking points include, as "the simple case for veganism":<br />
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Health.<br />
Environment.<br />
Animals.<br />
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I agree with her talking points and was gratified to see them since I took a similar approach in my article, "An it Harm None: Vegans in the Pagan Community" which was run in the last issue of Circle Sanctuary Magazine (Issue 114). In my article I included all three of these points as reasons people are vegan, and I also included weight loss and fitness as seperate categories. My article is in the back issues at Circle's website, by the way: <a href="http://www.circlesanctuary.org/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=42&product_id=607">http://www.circlesanctuary.org/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=42&product_id=607</a><br />
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Health: she discusses how animal based foods increase risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions. She puts forth some of the info from researchers like Colin Campbell. I would suggest that the whole argument can be easily and enjoyably learned by watching and rewatching "Forks over Knives" a few times.<br />
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Environment: She references the 2006 UN report, "Livestock's Long Shadow" (and other studies) and briefly introduces people to the impact animal agriculture has on the environment. Basically she is touching on the connections between animal consumption and global climate change, species extinction, and world hunger. I like the website <a href="http://www.awellfedworld.org/">www.awellfedworld.org</a> for gleaning more info on this topic. The movie "Vegucated" also gives brief and very understandable summaries of this (and all the other) talking point.<br />
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Animals: Colb believes that the general public basically knows factory farming is cruel. She talks as if many people have already seen something like "meet your meat" or at least some news footage about the innumerable animal agriculture cruelty investigations. The media piece may be true but I tend to think people are in much more denial about the animal cruelty of their food choices than Colb seems to. Especially in my area, which is rural and filled with small farming operations, people like to believe that small farms are not cruel and that killing animals who "were happy" is somehow ethical and nature's law. For instance, I photographed a sign on a booth at our state's huge organic farming fair last summer that read, "Happy Pigs Taste Better." Anyhow, Meet Your Meat online is a bracing but informative piece about the animal issues. I have found that Farm Sanctuary has very informative brochures about factory farming, and they do not have slaughter footage so they are less traumatic for nonvegans to read. Brochures like this can often be purchased or downloaded from places like <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/">www.farmsanctuary.org</a> or Compassion Over Killing: <a href="http://www.cok.net/">www.cok.net</a>. But I have to give it to Colb, people do seem to know more than they admit they know if you can catch them not feeling defensive. Just yesterday someone at work asked me about my smoothies and asked if I was "one of those granolas," to which I explained I was a vegan, and what it meant (the no animal products answer). She thought about it a second and then started talking about all the stuff she knew about animal agriculture. She has been to a big hen operation when she was in grade school and seen them burning the tips off hens beaks, and been horrified. And she had heard where veal came from and she no longer ate veal. She went on about a few more things. And she asked me, "but if you know where the stuff comes from it's okay, right? Like I have a friend who makes goat cheese." And in that moment I made a snap decision and just shrugged and said, "sure, if you absolutely know where it's coming from and how the animals are treated. It's just that out in restaraunts and stores and everywhere else I have no way of knowing, so I just avoid animal products." And she accepted that and stayed friendly. So I felt comfortable with that way of talking about it with her because we did discuss a lot of animal cruelty without her shutting down.<br />
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In the rest of the intro, Colb does discuss how veganism makes nonvegans feel defensive and uncomfortable, so she underscores again the purpose of her book: that giving thoughtful, well educated replies to them makes your life easier and forwards the spread of veganism. Even if the person talking to you doesn't become vegan, they have just gotten more info and who knows how that may spread. And they have also had a vegan talk with them in a calm, informative manner so they hopefully will be less defensive around other vegans. And who knows where that will lead. As activists everything we do matters. <br />
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Recently someone at my pagan temple was working in the kitchen with gwen and I when we were serving at a buffet. She asked several questions about "is this vegan?" or "is that vegan?" and "can you eat (fill in the blank)?" and after a while of this she said to us, "it's just so nice that you two are just open about what you believe without being preachy."<br />
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I know she meant that as a compliment but it was still frustrating to me. Where are all the preachy vegans I keep hearing about? As a board member on our statewide vegan organization and a coordinator of local vegan meetups, I think I know at least half the vegans in the area. When we go out together we are always amongst nonvegans, since we are an extreme minority here. Yet I have never heard or seen a vegan verbally assaulting or guilting a nonvegan. I know it happens somewhere and sometimes, but it can't be the epidemic nonvegans imply it is. On the other hand I have seen at least half a dozen verbal assaults on vegans by nonvegans, and directly experienced several. So I personally think it's a lot of projection on the part of nonvegans. But I still know that those moments when a nonvegan concedes that we're "all" not preachy and confrontational is a victory for veganism, so I sigh internally and press on.<br />
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I think the film Vegucated is a good summary of all these three basic arguments, actually. So I recommend a film fest of Vegucated and Forks over Knives to get comfortable with the arguments. Some vegan potlucks including a screening of one of these films wouldn't hurt either. Maybe with a plug for this book in the process.<br />
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Next time I post on this book I will do chapter one: What About Plants?<br />
<br />leslie joan linderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06562534375396287386noreply@blogger.com0