• Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.ca
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    18 days ago

    I respect the lifestyle.

    What could you possibly mean by that? Would you tell a bunch of abolitionists, “I respect what you are doing,” and then go back to beating your personal slave? Genuinely, what are we supposed to take from that?

      • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.ca
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        18 days ago

        So what you meant by that was essentially nothing. Empty words intended to validate something when you don’t even know what that thing is. And I’m supposed to feel what, validation and gratitude?

        I appreciate that you were trying to be nice, but in your ignorance, you instead said something offensive. I’ll allow you an outburst and a bit of hypocritical name calling, but once you compose yourself, why not try to understand my point of view. I would love if you genuinely considered what you would say to an abolitionist as a slave owner. What could possibly be said that would be considered “nice”?

          • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.ca
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            18 days ago

            No. I am not. I am being quite literal and sincere, but you can’t seem to wrap your head around that.

            We are (literally) abolitionists. You are (barely metaphorically) a slave owner. We don’t want your insincere validation. We don’t want your disingenuous expressions of respect. We want you to stop treating individuals as property.

              • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.ca
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                17 days ago

                Veganism is often seen by outsiders as “a diet” or “a personal choice”. It is unwelcome to have such things projected over us when we see veganism as a moral philosophy and ethical practice that we undertake for the good of vulnerable individuals, not our own interests. When someone who exploits animals performatively expresses “respect” for what we are doing, it is typically a coping mechanism that they are using to deal with the moral judgement that they feel when exposed to veganism and vegans. No one wants to feel morally inferior, and these expressions of respect serve to allow the animal abuser to feel that they are in some way morally aligned or friendly to veganism. But they are not, and it feels really bad as a vegan to have someone trying to use us as a prop to manipulate their own conscience in a way that allows them to continue abusing animals without thought or concern.

                I appreciate your engagement and trying to understand the disconnect. I’m not being glib or mean when I say we don’t want your respect and validation. It is something you need to understand if you want to keep engaging in vegan spaces without being unwelcome.