When I was young, Easter was all about Easter Egg Hunts, and Easter Baskets, and dressing up for church. But now, it is about all of the animals that will be slaughtered for someone’s ham or lamb dinner. Don’t get me wrong – before I became vegetarian I fixed Leg of Lamb plenty of times – it was my Grandfather’s favorite! And Turkey on Thanksgiving and Christmas which was my Mom’s favorite. I still remember the Thanksgiving that I cooked the entire meal and then did not eat it because my friend made comments about the turkey being slaughtered. I’m surprised I didn’t become vegetarian then. I guess I was still suppressing the truth.

But when I couldn’t or wouldn’t suppress the truth any more, I made the change. And I’m trying to take it to the next step and eliminate eggs because of the horrific treatment they receive – killed in heartbreaking fashion as chicks because they don’t lay eggs and aren’t fit for meat. Apparently the males that are part of breeding programs that result in the hens laying more eggs aren’t suitable for meat. Not that that life would have been better, less terrifying, or less painful.

The thing a lot of people don’t realize is that unless you are like my Vet who doesn’t eat meat because she doesn’t like it, for people who make the choice to change based upon ethics who DO enjoy meat, every day can be difficult. We are bombarded with ads specifically styled to be as tempting as possible. And going to restaurants is a challenge. Most places still charge you the full amount for meals even though you ask them to leave off the meat, which is bullshit. And the jokes from co-workers can become painful and make work uncomfortable. The point is – it can be a difficult choice to live with. But it is a choice I make because I can’t accept the alternative. And it isn’t because someone is watching. I could slip from time to time and no one would know or care.

But I would know and I would care.

People who grew up vegetarian have it much easier. They don’t know the difference between the texture of Jackfruit barbecue and pulled pork barbecue because they have never had pork. But I do.

So on this Easter, as you sit down to eat your leg of lamb or ham or steak, take a moment to think about the animal that probably experienced a short and terrifying life before dying in a brutal manner for you to enjoy that meal.

It’s like that old joke about Eggs & Bacon for breakfast. The chicken was involved but the pig was committed.

It isn’t an easy choice to go Cruelty Free in your life. It changes how you look at everything once your eyes are opened. But I can look in the mirror and know that other sentient, living beings are not being tortured and killed so my life is easier or tastier. And that is an Easter Gift.

Yesterday, like many people, I read about the High School students at Winston Churchill High in Texas who dissected cats in class. While this is heinous enough, to add insult to injury their TEACHER thought it would be a good idea (because he was taught by a moron as well) to have the students JUMP ROAP WITH CAT INTESTINE – supposedly to demonstrate tensile strength. Apparently HIS moron teacher used that experiment when he was in college so he thought it would be a great idea to do it in his class!!!

 SERIOUSLY?????

 Because there can’t be any BETTER way to demonstrate tensile strength????

 Apparently the students are upset at how they are portrayed in the video one of the students took with their phone. REALLY????? I’d have gone to the principle’s office before doing any of it. In fact, I refused to dissect a frog in 6^th grade Science and got approval for it!!!

 In this day and age there are so very many cruelty-free options for learning about anatomy I am astonished that parents are not breaking down the doors of schools to insist that their children be taught compassionately. And maybe some are, but apparently not enough or it still wouldn’t be going on. Is it a lack of compassion or a lack of interest? Who knows.

 I made a comment to a co-worker yesterday that people seem to be getting less compassionate. I thought about it more last night. I think the level of support that Donald Trump has achieved while spewing hatespeech is a telling point – do that many people REALLY hate anyone different from them that much??? I wasn’t raised that way so I can’t begin to fathom it. There were two teenaged boys in England that posted photos on snapchat of them swinging a cat around by its neck with taunting text on the photo “Come find me”. REALLY??? Are we just becoming overrun with Psychopaths and Sociopaths? Do their parents know their children are budding psychopaths and potential future murderers or do they just not care?

 In the past, people ate meat infrequently because it was expensive and not readily available in many cases. When they hunted it was to feed themselves and their family. Not all, mind you – the many drawing rooms of the wealthy attest to the psychosis of Trophy Hunting (BTW – a sport Donald Trump’s son proudly participates in…). But the general cruelty to animals – was it as prevalent then as now or are we as a connected society just much more exposed to it? I know that I had very unrealistic concepts about how animals bred for food are treated until I became active on Twitter. I had become a Vegetarian several years before – unable to bear the idea of an animal dying so I could eat meat. Don’t get me wrong – roast chicken and roast beef were two of my favorite foods – but not when I couldn’t delude myself about what I was actually eating any longer. But becoming more active in PETA and other organizations and participating in petitions on Change.org and other petition sites truly opened my eyes to the horror that so many animals experience in their frequently short lives. And it is all at the hands of humans.

 A quote I’ve seen on Twitter (@soldier_777) says “People have gotten to choose between right and wrong, but true humans have got to choose humane.”

 True humans MUST stand up for animals.