Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
by Diana O. Potter, VEGWORLD Senior Editor
Consider this:
What if others could tell you’re a vegan just by looking at you?
What if some of them hated you for it?
What if those people hated vegans so much they were willing, even eager, to hurt and even kill them? Kill you? Would fear of violent persecution lead you to eat meat again, to back away from being a target of hate and harm?
Maybe not. But you would have that option.
America’s people of color don’t. They can’t change the color of their skin. And for nearly 250 years, they haven’t been able to live freely and without fear in our declared “free society.” Instead, as all VEGWORLD readers are surely aware, they’ve suffered every form of prejudice and persecution there is, from being taunted on the street to being hunted down and killed.
As I write, they are letting us know they’ve finally, finally had enough. In response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests in dozens of American cities (joined by people in countries around the world) are carving the words “Black Lives Matter” deep into our national character – hopefully for good.
VEGWORLD Magazine stands with these Americans asking only for meaningful acknowledgment of their equal value and equal rights in our society. We recognize that as long as racism exists in America, we are all less than we could become. That until we have guaranteed equality for every American, none of us is truly free.
We also stand with those of our readers who want to help turn protests against racism into permanent change in our society. We’ve begun with starting a page on Instagram where you can find more information about the events and feelings that are driving the Black Lives Matter movement. (See the link below.) In addition, we welcome contributions of articles showing how vegans are supporting the move to make our nation’s racism history instead of news. We also welcome your suggestions for how we as vegans can do even more.
The world is finally acknowledging that the time for plant-based lifestyles has come. Now, at long last, the time for true equality in America is almost here. Let’s use the power of our growing vegan movement to help keep Black Lives Matter moving … toward the universal respect and acceptance it’s always deserved.
Stay tuned.