isn™t it time for some de-programming? question everything ... · she sent me a get well card. in...

Winter 1996v1n1 $2.50

Question Everything. Challenge Everything.

Isn�t it time for some de-programming?RECOGNIZING THE OTHER ANIMALS ON THIS PLANET

Dairy is scary � the story (nearly) censored in America: McLibel

Question Everything.v1n1: Winter, 1996Q2

If I am lying on my side and I nod my head “yes” do I mean no? How can anyone trust a news source so obviously at

above art by Brett Marek

Death occurs when we stop growing.That’s a basic fact.

And we stop growing when we stopsearching, reaching for more, when westop trying to be the best; when we say,okay everything is perfect now and will beforever.

Nothing is perfect forever; everythingchanges. That’s another fact of our reality.

The ignorance of these two facts leads tocountless problems. Whatever doesn’taccount for change and growth willeventually become either worthless ordangerous. I suppose it was that knowl-edge that caused me to write in my journalon November 20, 1992, “QuestionEverything. Challenge Everything.”

That has been my philosophy ever since,and it has led to everything good. I don’tthink it can do otherwise. The beauty ofQECE is that the things you consider trueand good will hold up to questioning: ifsomething is the best it can be for now,questioning will only prove that again.Something that is false or lousy will crackunder a challenge, and alert you toimprove it. I truly believe that if you

Question Everything Challenge Every-thing, you are going to get to what youconsider the good things, sooner or later.

Why later? Because our world is notsimple. There are plenty of systems inplace that survive only because they areprotected from an honest challenge.Usually they are kept there by tradition,oppression, fear, false info, no info, or toomuch info. This sort of blockade is usuallya good indicator that the people whosupport such a system KNOW it won’thold up to questioning, but they want it tosurvive for some sort of personal gain.

Sometimes, even a devotee of QECEwill do the same.

And that’s when QECE hurts: when weturn it, as we must, on ourselves. It wouldbe nice if all our heroes were angels, andall our enemies demons, but that isn’ttrue. If we want to keep growing andimproving, then from time to time, we’regoing to have to put aside pride, admit wecan be wrong, change and get on with life.

Speaking of turning on ourselves: whatabout questioning QECE? Should we everquestion whether we should question?Learning which things need the mostquestioning, the most severe challenges;that’s that art of QECE, and that’s whatmakes us individuals. At the same time, Ithink that we all have a lot of priorities incommon, and that if we all questioned andchallenged everything in the most sincereway, we’d all be coming closer to greaterunderstanding and peace. Perhaps theclosest we can come to being immortal isto keep growing.

Wow. All that from Question Every-thing, Challenge Everything? I believe so.

Quite impressive for a four-wordphilosophy, no?

continued page 19: Editorial

Your Ticket toImmortality

Larry Nocella

From theEditor

Challenge Everything. v1n1: Winter, 1996 Q3

the mercy of advertisers as television? And speaking of news, why do news programs inform me of useless crap like a

In This Issue

Our Animal-kinLarry Nocellav1n1: Winter 1996

Contents

From the Editor ................................ 2In this Issue ...................................... 3Waking Up to Animals ..................... 4McLibel ............................................ 6What Makes Dairy So Scary? .......... 8Nuke the Cliché(s) .......................... 10Advice ............................................. 11Homosexual Marriages .................. 12About Animals ............................... 13Lifestyle Review: Vegan ................. 14What’s Wrong With Zoos............... 16Advenutre! ...................................... 17Poetry ’n’ Art ................................. 18

Editor: Larry Nocella

Cover Art: Wil ArndtContributors:

Wil Arndt, Joshua Berkowitz,Andrew Brach, Colin Develin, DigbyIdz, Maureen Koplow, Lynwood R.Lord, Julie Luce, Brett Marek, Ben

Ohmart, PLiNTH, Diane Thompson,Heather Tuck, Cheryl L. Whetherhill

QECE logo design:Todd Horning of TOHO Desgin

Page TopRamble:

Larry Nocella

If I had to choose the area of knowledgewhere people are most deficient, I wouldsay most people lack understanding ofnon-human animals. So this first issueattacks that void head-on, questioning andchallenging popular views and lies aboutnon-humans.

Knowledge of our fellow animals isobscured mostly because people makemoney from killing them.

This is the wrong way to treat ourelders. We can learn much from them. Butthat’s not the point: they don’t deserverespect because they’re useful. Theydeserve it because they are individualspirits and personalities, like us. Get toknow some non-humans and you’ll agree.

You’re a fool if you think what happensto other animals will not happen tohumans. Compare cows being milked andbred to citizens being worked and taxed.Listen to Chief Seattle: “If all the beastswere gone, man would die of greatloneliness of Spirit, for what happens tothe beasts soon happens to man.”

The chief is right: life would be dullwithout non-humans. See how lifelessmedia and art are when they discuss onlythe human sliver of reality. The world isso vast, that if you don’t interact peace-fully with non-humans, you’re missing alot, and in my book, you lack knowledgethat is essential to be wise, creative, andkind and trustworthy.

Hopefully this issue will help youquestion and challenge centuries of liesabout our brothers and sisters, and fullyappreciate the beauty of our animal-kin.

Q


single engine plane crashing half a world away? Do I need to know that? To continue the news bashing, do I become

When I was a child, I was an animallover. By the time I was able to talk, Italked about animals. I wasn’t allowed tohave my own dog or cat because mymother didn’t like animals, but my fatherwas an animal lover. He was also abutcher. We used to go to the “farm” whenhe went to select carcasses. I played withthe animals in the pens or the fields whilehe picked out the bodies.

When I went to school, I read everybook in the library that had anything todo with dogs, cats, horses and otheranimals, even the entries in the encyclo-pedias. My teachers were concerned.

During my school years, I lovedanimals so much I took every opportunityto go to the circus, the zoo, or pet stores.I enjoyed sitting behind ladies on the busso I could touch their furs. I was en-tranced by the tiny feet and ears, and Idreamed of the day when I could havemy own fur coat to caress.

You may have noticed by now that mylove for animals had not brought me muchawareness of animal issues.

Soon after purchasing another kitten,our landlord told us to get rid of the catsor move. It wasn’t easy to find a place thatallowed cats, so I went to the local animalshelter for advice. They directed us to anearby apartment and in gratitude Ivolunteered at the shelter on weekends. Bythen, I was involved in real animal issues.

I learned about pet over-population, andbecame an avid advocate of spay/neuterprograms. But I was still very naive aboutpurebred animals, their genetic defects

and the cruel treatment of breeders, and Iloved dog shows. I went to them with mypup, trying to make him a champion. Ayear later, I bought a beautiful female witheven better bloodlines and the three of usattended even more shows. When I finallyrealized I was the only one enjoying theshows, my boy dog only needed one morepoint to get his title. But I put the dogs’happiness first, and stopped attendingshows. That was a big step.

After a few more years volunteering atthe shelter, I signed up for an eveningcourse in psychology. During classdiscussions, I sometimes mentioned myvolunteer work and my love for animals.Then on January 23, 1973, during a break,the teacher was having a discussion withanother student about being vegetarian. Ijumped into the conversation and pro-claimed that people need meat, it’s right toeat it, and it’s not something that shouldeven be questioned. So the teacher calmlyturned toward me and quietly said, “Youlove animals. Why kill to eat?”

Revelation

Waking Up to AnimalsMaureen Koplow

I proclaimed people needmeat, it�s right to eat it, and

should not be questioned. Theteacher calmly turned to meand said, �You love animals.

Why kill to eat?�

continued next page


informed if I know some movie actor is getting divorced? Who cares? Enough of that, eh? Doesn’t calling a work of art

my awareness of the many ways in whichanimals are abused and exploited byhumanity. My original love for animalshas been replaced by a much deeperfeeling that affects every aspect of my life.And it is based on that very simplequestion. I offer it to everyone who claimsto love animals. I hope it will make youthink about what you are doing when youconsume animal products.

Why kill to eat?Q

What If...

We’re All Blind?Larry Nocella

What if we were all born blind? We wouldnever know that there was something tosee. And what if something like this hasalready happened, that we are all borninsensitive to and unaware of a greatbeauty that is all around us, yet unper-ceived?

Q

Was I ready for that? Apparently I hadspent my whole life getting ready forexactly that moment. I was speechless. Onmy way home I bought a crab cakesandwich, a shrimp cake sandwich, and afish filet sandwich. I stuffed them into mymouth, tartar sauce dripping down mychin. It was a feeding frenzy.

That was the last time I ever ate theflesh of a formerly living being.

What had happened was a completeupheaval in my life and mind. I couldn’tfind a single answer that would justifykilling to eat. Because I liked meat? Notgood enough. Because I had always eatenmeat? Not good enough. Because it wasconvenient? Not good enough. Because myfather was a butcher? Not good enough.

When I told my mother I had stoppedeating meat, her reply was, “If your fatherwere alive, it would kill him.” She sent mea get well card. In recent years, she haschanged her own diet drastically, and sheadmits that my way of eating is probablyhealthier.

Since that fateful day so many years ago,I have evolved from loving animals torespecting animals. My vegetarianism ledto animal rights activism and advocacy.My philosophy continues to grow, as does

Colin Develin


“untitled” defeat the purpose? Why do we have snot? How many times have I told you, don’t chew on your nose? Why

Censorship in America(?)

McLibelLarry Nocella

history. Steel and Morris have little tofear: they based their pamphlet on fact,and have easily called witnesses to thestand to prove it.

McDonald’s then accused Steel andMorris of spreading lies. The two defen-dants capitalized on this blunder andcountersued McDonald’s for libel. NowMcDonald’s must prove that Morris andSteel really were lying, which theyweren’t.

Tip for McDonald’s: GET SOME NEWPUBLIC RELATIONS PEOPLE.

This story is important in many ways:first and most obvious, the pamphlet listssome of the evils of a corporation that’sfront is very friendly and family-oriented,yet behind the scenes actions are destruc-tive to life and the planet. Second, thestory is inspirational: two unemployedpeople holding their own against a

Wouldn’t you agree that a story of twounemployed citizens taking on a multi-billion dollar, multi-national, mega-corporation, and holding their own incourt is a big-time news story?

I think most people would. That is thepremise for the court case going down inLondon right now nicknamed, “McLibel.”

Helen Steel and David Morris were twounemployed members of LondonGreenpeace when they distributed apamphlet “What’s Wrong withMcDonald’s?” McDonald’s got a hold ofit, and violated a basic corporate prin-ciple: they brought attention to their ownnegative press. McDonald’s demanded anapology, but Steel and Morris gave none.McDonald’s then sued for libel, whichaccording to English Law, means thedefendant must prove that what he or shesaid is fact.

It seems obvious that Steel and Morriswould get toasted by McDonald’s high-power lawyers, especially since, havinglittle money, the defendants opted torepresent themselves.

That was in early 1994. McLibel is nowthe longest running libel trial in England’s

Why hasn�t this story beenpopularized in America?

Simple. What big time newssource is going to dare offend

one of their preciouscorporate sponsors?

McWe�re Getting Our Asses Kicked!


corporate giant... what could be cooler? Tothose of us in America, however, this storyhas a sinister third point: With all thepeople that go to McDonald’s each day,this is news that people can use. Whyhasn’t this significant, fantastic, inspira-tional, eye-opening, informative story beenpopularized in America? Simple.McDonald’s commercials are on everytelevision channel, their ads are every-where. What big time news source isgoing to dare offend one of their preciouscorporate sponsors?

For me, never was it so obvious that thenews media is not an objective reporter oftruth and information valuable to thepublic, but just another corporation on thetake. Wave the almighty buck in front ofthe news, and they are at your disposal.The McLibel case demonstrates thisbeautifully, and it’s time to wonder whatother crucial information we may bemissing. What other important news isbeing blocked by corporations?

Q

Some highlights from the flyer�What�s Wrong With

McDonald�s�

Sources for this article include: US McLibelSupport Campaign, POB 62, Craftsbury, VT05826-0062 and Animals’ Agenda magazine.Thanks to David Briars of the SupportCampaign for assisting.

are meat-eaters repulsed by cannibalism? Shouldn’t meat-eaters get hungry at funerals? What is reality? Why aren’t

Cattle consume 10 times the grain andsoy humans do: one calorie of beef de-mands ten calories of grain. Of the 145million tons of grain and soy fed to live-stock, only 21 million tons of meat andby-products are used. The waste is 124million tons per year. This sum couldfeed, clothe and house the world’s en-tire population for one year.

McDonald’s food has been designed...sothe look and feel is exactly the same inany McD’s in the world. Their “freshlettuce leaf” is treated with twelve dif-ferent chemicals just to keep it the rightcolor at the right crispness for the rightlength of time.

Meat is responsible for 70% of all foodpoisoning incedents.

What’s wrong with McDonald’s is alsowrong with all the junk-food chains likeKentucky Fried Chicken, etc.

McDonald’s is one of several corpora-tions with investments in poor countries,sold to them by the dollar-hungry rulers(often military) and privileged elites,evicting the small farmers that live theregrowing food for their own people.

Most vegetarians said they had far morevaried meals after they dropped meat.Why not try some vegan recipes as anexperiment?

For a copy of the McLibel pamphlet, senda SASE to QECE, or contact us on-line.(Addresses on back cover)


For generations children have been toldto drink their milk. Milk has long beentouted as an optimum source of calciumand protein. Is this really the case? Doesmilk really do a body good?

The milk of today’s cows is vastlydifferent from the milk of thirty years ago.Traditional farming has mostly beenabandoned for mass-production factoryfarming. Livestock today is subject to toxicchemicals and artificial hormones, whichis transferred to their milk. Most of thesechemicals didnot exist prior toWorld War II;their long termeffects remain tobe seen.

The Food andDrug Adminis-tration (FDA) isresponsible for overseeing the testing ofmilk and guaranteeing its safety. Althoughmeasures have been enacted within thelast five years to increase monitoringmilk’s safety, that doesn’t necessarilymean milk is either drug-free or safe.

In a 1992 General Accounting Office(GAO) report points out the milk monitor-ing program only tests for 12 our of 64drugs that are commonly administered todairy cows. Thirty-five of the drugs arenot approved for bovine use. Also, only500 samples are analyzed in a year. Aboutone state a month, and dairies are notifiedin advance of tests; enabling them to skewresults. Lacking a Congressional directive,the GAO has not investigated the FDA’s

effectiveness.BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) is a

relatively new and inadequately testedhormone which causes cows to producemore milk than is appropriate for theirbodies. BGH has led to numerous animalhealth problems such as mastitis (painfulinfection of the udder) along with lumpsand open sores at the injection site. Thepowerful antibiotics used to combatincreased disease in BGH-infected cowsleads to contamination of cows’ milk, as

well as taintedbutter, cheese, icecream and infantformula.

While consum-ers have indicatedthey do not wantBGH derivedproducts, the

biotech lobby has fought to preventlabeling on products. Monsanto, make ofthe hormone, has gone so far as to sue twodairies for labeling their products BGH-free; they claim the dairies are “impugn-ing the wholesomeness of the milk.”

Leukemia, caused by bovine leukemiavirus, is common in dairy cows. The virusis passed into the milk where it is mixedwith other milk and sold to stores. Perhapsthe high rate of leukemia in children isconnected to their high level of milkconsumption.

Lowfat, whole and skim milk all containanimal fat that has conclusively beenlinked to arteriosclerosis, which leads toheart attacks and strokes. Milk can

De-Programming

What Makes Dairy So Scary?Julie Luce

Milk contains animal fat thathas conclusively been linked toarteriosclerosis, which leads to

heart attacks and strokes.

taxes rightfully called ‘protection money?’ Why do I even care? How many ways can people waste their time? What


Quick Q.C.

The Year 2000Joshua Berkowitz

What’s the big deal with the year 2000?Why do so many people think that all of asudden, humanity is going to stop havingwars, and light will stream down from thesky, and all will be well on earth?

What is it about large, even numbersthat get people riled up? Why is it a bigdeal to be 100 years old, and not consid-ered nearly as great to be 97?

By the way, for those of you who thinkthe year 2000 is a big deal, the Hebrewcalendar is at roughly 5756. That meansthat the Hebrew year 2000 occured in theWestern calendar year 3756 B.C.

So according to millenium fever logic,3756 B.C. should have been a year offantastic upheaval, etc. Can you recallfrom your histroy studies any fantasticthings that happened then? Me neither.

Q

contribute to allergic and inflammatoryreactions, such as runny noses, recurrentear and bronchial infections and eczema.

Although promoted as a good calciumsource, milk does not prevent osteoporosis.Nations with the highest levels of milkand other dairy product consumption alsohave the highest rates of osteoporosis.

In a study sponsored by the DairyCouncil, women drinking three eightounce glasses of milk a day still remainedin negative calcium balance. A highprotein diet steals calcium from the body.Taking calcium supplements has also notbeen shown to be effective in eitherpreventing of reversing osteoporosis.

Anyone who wants to slow calcium lossfrom their body should adopt a low-protein diet. Also eliminate caffeine andsmoking as they also help to deplete thebody’s calcium. The World HealthOrganization recommends a modestprotein intake of 29 grams, so calciumshould be a 500 milligrams per day. Someexcellent sources of protein and calciumare kale, collard greens, almonds andraisins.

There is an abundance of healthyalternatives to milk that are now becomingwidely available in supermarkets. Soy andrice milks are excellent replacements inbaking and on cereal; and come in avariety of flavors.

Join consumers who have seen past theFDA, Dairy Council, and Milk AdvisoryBoard’s advertising campaign aimed atdestroying your health while making themwealthy. Look at milk for what it is: liquidsaturated fat, cow protein, pesticides,antibiotics, and animal exploitation.

Q

constitutes wasting time anyway? Reading a mariginal question arena? Why are people so in love with symbols, like

Colin Develin

Question Everything.Challenge Everything.

Faith isnot a virtue.


THIS IS...Animals cannot feel.

Why do you help animalsand not people?

Look at our four sharp teeth!We were meant to eat meat!

If we stop drinking milk,dairy farmers will go out of busines!

Humans were meant torule the earth.

Animals can’t think.They just use their instinct.

If we don’t eat meat, thoseanimals are dying for nothing!

It’s wrong to kill animals for sport, butit’s okay to create life-saving drugs.

We’ve got to hunt to keep the deerpopulation down.

If the law says I can shoot docileanimals, I can do it.

Animals don’t have feelings.

I’d love to go veg, but I like my steak.

Animals have no souls.

Humans are not animals.

You’re a dentist? Why aren’t you abrain surgeon?

I don’t ride a bicycle because weweren’t born with wheels.

I smoke four packs of cigarettes a dayto help the economy.

(Ethnic group of your choice) weremeant to rule the earth.

Hunting, jumping, playing, breeding,cleaning, hiding, caring for their

young, all that stuff animals do... noneof that requires any thought.

I wouldn’t have made such a mess if Iknew you weren’t going to clean it up!

I don’t mind cruelty if I can getsomething out of it.

There’s only one solution to anyproblem: shoot it.

I was just following orders!

Animals scream when poked withsharp objects because it tickles.

I’d love to help, but I won’t.

Sorry, folks! Nothing is stupid as this!

Nuke the Cliché(s)

Thoughts On AnimalsLarry Nocella

as

stupid

as

...THIS

a cross, a flag, a crescent moon, etc.? What is the essence of life? Where do all the letters devoured by the apostrophe


Colin Develin

go? As we speak (or rather as I write and you read) is a giant apostrophe somewhere growing on the fat of devoured


Gear-Jammin�

Legal Homosexual Marriages (sort of)Larry Nocella

A temporary fix until thegovernment gets its act

together: how homosexuals canmarry legally, right NOW.

As of now, there are no states inAmerica that approve same-sex marriages;Hawaii is considering the idea. Thatmeans in most states, a gay couple livingtogether for twenty-five years has few (ifany) legal ties to each other, and gets littleor nothing from their partner’s workbenefit program, but a hetero coupleconsisting of two eighteen-year-olds thatmoved in together for one day after gettingmarried is com-pletely legallyrecognized.

This is bogus.Once again, thegovernment isgiving free stuff topeople who don’tdeserve it, and notto those who do.What are the options for a gay couple?

Here is the gear-jam: They could pairwith an opposite-sex-same-sex couple.Meaning a male gay couple and a lesbiancouple could pair off, one man to onewoman, and go to the justice of the peace,and marry each other in a quick, painlessceremony. If necessary, to eliminatedistrust, they could sign a pre-nuptialagreement first, thus keeping everyone’sfinancial interests safe.

It would be great if someone started anetwork to pair homosexual couplestogether and oversee their paperwork andpre-nuptials. Someone please do this --until the current policy is revamped.

But this isn’t to imply that gays haveinvalid marriages and should have to coloroutside the lines to get legal ties.

Let it be known that I only suggest thismethod as a temporary and desperatesolution to a poor system. Ideally, I wouldlike to see every state approve same-sexmarriages, or at least a consistent policy:such as only giving benefits to anyonewith a child, or giving benefits to all full-time employees and not their spouses. Thewhole legal ties and legal partner thingneeds to be re-examined.

Of course thereare problems forcompanies thathave to pay for allthis, but thequestion needs tobe asked: why arebenefits given sofreely to anunproved couple

and so completely restricted to a couplethat has more than established theirdevotion? What marriages are acceptedlegally and which ones aren’t, and why?

Is it because the religious element inthis country refuses to tolerate homosexualmarriages, permitting benefits only totheir kind? Or is it as screwy as thegovernment supporting hetero marriagesbecause that sort of union is more likely tocreate more consumers and taxpayers?

Those are the real questions.Q

For more info on the fight to establishgays’ right to marry, contact The LambdaLegal Defense and Education Fund, Inc.666 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-2317.

letters, one day to emerge and consume all the alphabet? As well as all New York City? Then what? Why do some


About Animals

Facts and QuestionsLarry Nocella

fools feel it necessary to use big confusing words? I hate big confusing words, don’t you? Don’t you get the feeling that

Here’s a few facts and questions aboutanimals that will help you determine howmuch you (or others) need to learn aboutnon-human animals...

Do you still refer to an individual animalas “it?” Why? Are they sexless? No. Doyou refer to other people as “it?”

Are humans above other animals? Why?What reason can you give that anotherhuman cannot apply to you? Or that anon-human could not apply to you?

Do you think other animalsare stupid? How many haveyou met and known person-ally? Have you passed theirintelligence test?

Pigs have one of the highestmeasured I.Q.’s of allanimals, even greater thandogs. Crows have nearly samebrain-body ratio as dolphinsand humans.

What is the differencebetween instinct and intelli-gence? Do humans have onlyintelligence? Do non-humanshave only instinct? If non-humans have only instinct,why do they act differently insimilar situations? If humanshave only intelligence, whydo they have television?

Certain species of animals (like humans)mate for life.

Could you survive from day to day withoutany of the niceties (supermarkets, hospi-tals, police) that “civilized” life provides?Non-humans do every day.

QThe following books provided some of thefacts above, and are excellent de-pro-gramming tools: Diet for a New America,by John Robbins and The Human Natureof Birds, by Theodore X. Barber.

Larry NocellaSpaz-aholic


people who use such words are trying to obscure the fact they have nothing to say? When will people learn to use

Lifestyle Review

Being VeganLarry Nocella

Vegans are people who eat no animalproducts. No dead flesh, no dairy, no eggs.Some refuse honey, and some definitionsof vegan require no purchasing of anyanimal products, such as wool or leather.Like anything, a vegan depends on thestrictness of your definition.

I think of myself as a vegan, and I thinkof a vegan as someone who does their bestto survive while minimizing their impacton the earth and their fellow creatures.

I say “someone who does their best,”because no one is perfect; even the mostkind of creatures can kill another just byignorance or accident. Occasionally, Ilearn of something that I ate was obtainedthrough animal suffering. When thathappens, I cut that product instantly.

Why do I do this? Like many othervegans, I simply want to be as kind aspossible. Since I don’t need to cause ananimal suffering to survive, I won’t do it. Iwould hope others feel the same way.Being vegan is a lifestyle choice, and Ithink it is one of the best choices. Like alltruly correct solutions, being vegan issimple (once you get the hang of it) andyou sacrifice little but gain a lot.

Coming OutI imagine most vegans today started as

carnivores and become vegans. For me,this happened when I overcame mycorpse-eater denial. I can still rememberlooking at a ham sandwich and being nolonger being able to lie to myself aboutwhat it was. “This is definitely a pig’sass,” I said. I became a half-way veganthen, an ovo-lacto-vegetarian, someone

who refuses meat but eats cheese andmilk. There’s a million prefixes todescribe vegetarians who aren’t vegans,who are still eating some animal products.After a couple years, I became a vegan.

Being vegan in public isn’t easy. I neverimagined food was so emotionally andpolitically charged.

I think I can safely say that the firstthing a new vegan encounters is questions.ENDLESS questions. Some are innocentand curious, but many are attempts to finda hypocrisy in your way of life; a desperate

hope that somehow, despite all yourefforts, you are harming animals.

People who do this demonstrate twothings: One, they show how much they arein denial. Do they really think finding ahypocrisy in a single person’s actions willsuddenly invalidate the truth and kindnessvegans aspire to? Second, if they dosucceed in finding a hypocrisy, they showjust how far gone our world is, how muchour society relies on animal suffering.

Missionary — Like It Or NotWhat amazes me is that during all the

questioning, few people asked how theycould go vegan. Some weren’t even

When it comes to stoppingworld hunger, and the

destruction of the planet, ifyou�re not vegan, you�re part

of the problem.


sarcasm skillfully? How many people think saying, “Yeah, right.” to express doubt is funny? How can we smoothly

interested in trying. Not even after I tellthem about the horrors of factory farmingand its genocidal techniques worse thanNazi concentration camps, and thedestruction its waste does to the environ-ment. (see McLibel, page 6)

Such apathy makes me cynical. They’drather have a moment’s tingling on theirtongue than permit another sentientcreature to live. With such attitudes, I amno longer surprised at any measure ofhuman cruelty.

The Good StuffThat’s the negative. Let’s talk positive.Putting ethics aside, how much good for

the earth vegans do by boycotting adestructive, lying industry, and ignoringthe fact that vegans free up land for othersto grow their food, the health aspects ofbeing vegan are also spectacular. Claimsthat humans MUST eat meat are wrong.

I recently read that non-athletic veganshave an endurance comparable to orsuperior to meat-eating athletes. I wasskeptical about this until a doctor askedme, “Do you work out? Your bloodpressure is great!” I don’t work out.

A lot of people think being a vegan is ahuge sacrifice, but that’s totally false. Justdrop the animal products and eat what’sleft. Ask for food (or make it) minus thebad stuff. Being vegan has forced me tolearn more about nutrition, de-program-ming the lies of the animal productsindustry. I have never eaten better in mylife. There are plenty of meat and dairysubstitutes for people who still wantcertain tastes. I admit I miss cheese alittle, but there are substitute recipes. Andafter learning how dairy is made, and howawful it is for your health, I don’t want it.

There are some new foods I’ve encoun-tered, but they provide a whole new world

of tastes: tofu, seitan, tempeh; the recipesare exciting stuff.

When Will People Learn?Being a vegan is a powerful, simple,

fun, basic way of life. But strangely itseems overlooked.

Nothing makes me laugh more thanpeople who talk revolution, and “fightingthe system” without mentioning that bygoing vegan, you do all that, and eathealthy. What’s more rebellious than beingkind? Equally humorous are carnivoreswho want peace. How can they obtain foodso violently, and expect others to trustthem?

Lastly, I can barely hold my laughterwhen people (like the magazine TheWhole Earth Review) continually quest fora “sustainable lifestyle” to minimize theirimpact on the planet without ever men-tioning vegan living. I feel that when itcomes to stopping world hunger, apathy,and the destruction of the planet, if you’renot vegan, you’re part of the problem.

QWant to be a vegan? Read the book Diet

for a New America by John Robbins. It’s agreat place to start. Or check your localbookstore, for vegan recipe books. WriteQECE magazine if you still need help.

VEGAN✌

Larry Nocella

Victory Peace


remove such people from the earth? T.V. sitcoms suck, don’t they? Why do I have so much to say all the time, but when

On December 24, 1995, twenty-threeprimates died in a fire in the “World ofPrimates” exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo.

These deaths were the result of humanincompetence and they never should havehappened. The fire burned for three hoursbefore anyone took notice and by then itwas too late.

The fire was a result of faulty wiringand since there was no sprinkler system inthe building and all three smoke detectorsweren’t working and even though thenight guards smelled smoke they didn’tcheck it out. So twenty-three innocentlives were lost.

You’d think there would be a lot of badpress surrounding the whole incident, butall I’ve seen are pleas for help to build anew exhibit. You’d also think that thewhole thing would drive home the pointthat animals do not belong in cages forany reason, but it hasn’t.

When the media asked the zoo’spresident if the new exhibit would have asprinkler system he said that it would beconsidered. Just considered.

Most of the twenty-three individualswho were imprisoned at the PhiladelphiaZoo had been there for the entire twenty-six years that the exhibit was in existence.They came to Philadelphia as babies. Theywere kept in cages for over a quarter of acentury to supposedly educate humans.They did nothing to deserve their impris-onment except not to be human beings.How can people be stupid enough to thinkthat they are going to learn anything abouta gorilla in his natural habitat by gawkingat him through the bars of a cage. All we

can learn is sadness and misery of a beingdeprived of the life that was intended forhim. There are many other harmless waysto learn about non-human animals withoutthe use of zoos.

People argue that a zoo is valuablebecause of its educational aspect, but Ithink we need to ask ourselves honestlywhat the zoo really teaches. No zoo canshow an animal in his or her naturalhabitat. Zoos are controlled by humansand everything in them that happens isorchestrated by humans.

What a zoo teaches us is that it’s okay tocontrol and dominate whomever wechoose regardless of their strength, size orintelligence, simply because we arehumans. Zoos make us feel superior. Well,most of us, anyway. It just makes me sadand angry.

Humans need to learn to look at thingsfrom the gorilla’s point of view. Wouldyou want to be kept in a cage in Japan sothat the Japanese could learn about theAmerican way of life? How stupid.

Q

Passion!

What’s Wrong With ZoosHeather Tuck


Adventure!

“BISMILLÂHIRRÂHMÂNIRRAHIM”Andrew Brach

The following is an excerpt of my traveldiary, which saw me and a random groupof like-minded travelers through a summerof backpacking in Europe and Turkey.

“BISMILLÂHIRRÂHMÂNIRRAHIM”That was the longest word on a Turkish

dolmus (minibus) we took from Bodrum toPamukkale. What could it mean? “Enjoyyour trip?” After all, the Turks are turningout to be pretty friendly people. “Watchyour head?” Theceiling on the buswas rather low.“Peace throughwine?” Had aTurkish fishermanfound our messagein the bottle? Washe able to translatemy message statingthat simple philosophy?

The smoking which we were warnedabout when traveling by dolmus hasbegun. A kind passenger has decided tofart to cover it up. The screaming babiesare another feature. Any advantage ofbeing the first to board the bus vanisheswhen the few remaining seats are inevita-bly behind you, and that’s where thefamilies with the young children end up.

Collections of stones, concrete, tar,gravel, and dust - mostly dust - which areindicated on maps as major routes providefor a good bone-jarring ride, neverimagined by amusement-park designers.

The trip ended in Pamukkale, known forits Roman ruins at the top of a hill that isconstantly growing due to mineral

deposits from a hot spring. Really fasci-nating, and the natural pools fed by thewarm, translucent spring water provide fora relaxing change from cold pensionshowers. Unfortunately, there’s little moreto see, so we headed out two days later.The plan was to take a bus to the ruins ofAphrodisias for a day, then to Antalya.

We got up early and piled into thedolmus for Aphrodisias. This driver loveshis horn! Beep! I’m going to pass you!

Beep! Don’t pullout, buddy, causeI ain’t stopping!Beep! Walk inthe ditch, not onthe road! MarioAndretti’sTurkish cousingot us toAphrodisias in

record time, with his dolmus built forspeed and the two-tone horn.

Aphrodisias is another ruin which isbeing excavated, pretty well reconstructedas far as ruins go. The ampitheater andstadium are impressive collections ofstone. Some of the sites were fenced offby little 3-foot wire fences, which posedlittle hindrance to curious travelers. Wegot backstage at the ampitheater, thebaths, the Bishop’s palace, and into thetemple of (oh!) Aphrodite. The gods weregetting restless, so Andrew and I wereconsidering sacrificing Jody and Tracey,whether or not they were virgins. Luckily,the groundskeeper happened to be biking

The gods were getting restless,so we considered sacrificingJody and Tracey, whether or

not they were virgins.

continued page 19: Adventure

the chance comes and I can say it, I go blank? Could it be that my ideas are so brilliant, they even stun me, their


Poetry �n� Art

Silent Criesby Cheryl L. WetherellLike a sharp daggerin the moonlit night, your pain,your silent cries stabmy heart, twisting deepas I feel your hurt conquerand devastate your soul.

creator? What kind of fool thinks a car is a status symbol? How many kinds of fools are there? What’s so appealing

The Churchby Lynwood R. Lord

Its rustic charm, I slip between eachmortared brick into iron swirls topoint where balloon webs cross me overto arched windows and I leave acandleabran wake with diminished chordsechoing behind up the face fourconvergingstones still into slats to the notes which

clamp me together atgargoyles that shownofear, no fear shown,into open air white-ness,opposite, to atowering piece thatscrapes icefrom the sky andplunges, penis like,into theEarth.

The Fingerby PLiNTHEverybody’s pointing the finger,Mine indicates the sky.You know what I mean,Let my silence speak for me.

A gasby Ben Ohmarti remember theexperiment beingwhere they

put you in a littleyellow roomwith no bedno lunchno pornographyno way to cut your hairand we were suppose to figure away outand the only thing i learned washow the little room got yellowbecause we were all pissingourselves

Sins of the Fatby Ben Ohmartmy aunt was having a babyher water brokeand she lost 8 lbs. 3 oz.it was disGusting!

Colin Develin


Editorial (cont�d)continued from page 2

Oh yeah, the magazine. I got so intothat heavy stuff. I almost forgot to mentionit. I want QECE magazine to follow thespirit I mentioned in my editorial: amagazine of constant change wherestupidities are destroyed and new solutionsproposed: after all, to me, QECE is notjust about the destruction of dumbness, butalso a commitment to a wide open-mindedapproach to creation.

I mentioned above that we all probablyhave similar priorities. In a general sense,I think most people want: truth, intelli-gence, kindness, coolness and to have fun.Those are the items I’ll be looking for toprovide in the pages of QECE.

Let’s roll!Q

Adventure (cont�d)continued from page 17

by, and he averted a scene. Mind you,those on high were not pleased. They sentthunder and lightning to drive us out ofthis city of love.

The Turkish Andretti whisked us awaybefore the flood waters would have sweptus to eternal misery. We are now aboard abig, smoky, stuffy bus bounding towardsAntalya. Screaming babies right on cue.The later it gets, the louder they get. Atleast we get complimentary water and teaat the bus stations.

Q

Colin Develin

Yawnby Digby IdzYawn, yawn, yawnOpen your mouth in an “o”yawn, yawnSuck in that oxygen, you need it,or I’ll steal it,yawn, yawn, yawnSay it aloud, as you do it,yawn, yawn, yawnDo you feel the urge to yawn?yawn, yawnI control you, yawning, pullingyour mouth apart with mine.Yawns contagious is the firstevidenceyawn, yawn, yawnThat we are linked in subtleways.All of us, cross species, gaspingfor air.Yawn.

The Decision Prismby Lynwood R. Lord

A crowd full of onlookers, festive, not wise,Go through the motions of speech late at night.Along the highway of laughter search eyes,Two sinister thoughts, chained with no bite.A grave stands open or closed on horizon,The question mark’s delicate bow not traversed.The gulf yawns below, a chasm of sun,But she spells out a game, dangerous, coerced.A checkerboard of emotion, knight, kings,And queens: warring for power, warring for sight.She controls the dark army, the pendulum swings,Though her soldiers are blind, none have their might. Furies exchanged in the night bear a fee, Hostility and love a mire both call free.

about the suffix “ism” that some are compelled to verbally file every event they witness into its proper -ism category?

406 Main S

t. Suite 3C

Collegeville, P

A 19426

Qu

estion

Everythin

g.Ch

allen

ge Everyth

ing.

Question EverythingChallenge Everything

magazine

20

“Question Everything. ChallengeEverything.” - Larry Nocella,

November 20, 1992

( % off newsstandprice -- WOW!)

QECE Magazine: v1n1©1996 Larry Nocella

QECE Magazine is published quar-terly [Feb.1 (winter) May 1 (spring)Aug.1 (summer) and Nov.1 (fall)]Send all submissions to: 406 Main St.#3C, Collegeville, PA 19426.

E-mail: [email protected]

SUBMISSIONSSend self-addressed stamped envelope(SASE) for Contributor Guidelines, orjust send something cool (art or writ-ing or both) express yourself in yourown way, don’t hold back. All sub-missions without SASE will be tossed.On-line submissions accepted as well.Payment varies (from contributor cop-ies to cash.)

DISCLAIMEROpinions expressed are solely thoseof the expressor. Any facts quoted inQECE (or any other source) shouldnot be accepted without question.

SUBSCRIPTIONSFor one full year/four issues of QECEmagazine, send check or money or-der for $8 (made out to Larry Nocella)to address listed above.

isn™t it time for some de-programming? question everything ... · she sent me a get well card. in...

Documents