The
bystander offers an example of nonviolence and speaks on behalf of the victims
who have no voice (and, on a subtler level, on behalf of the perpetrators who
are also victimized by their own actions). Perpetrators may condemn bystanders
for judging them and making them feel bad or guilty, but the bystanders are
merely acting as the perpetrators’ conscience, asking them to please become
more aware and stop their violence, for everyone’s sake.

Besides
the enormous amount of anecdotal evidence that animals behave altruistically,
both toward members of their own species and also to animals outside their
species, there is clinical evidence as well, such as the typically cruel
experiments in which monkeys were given food if they administered painful
shocks to other monkeys. Researchers found that the monkeys would rather go
hungry than shock other monkeys, especially if they had received shocks earlier
themselves. The researchers were surprised (and perhaps somewhat ashamed?) by
the monkeys’ altruism. Though it is our true nature, one wonders if we humans
would be so noble.

Cultivating
awareness is essential to realizing happiness, peace, and freedom.

The
guilt and shame perpetrators feel for their violent actions stem from their
natural sense of kindness and caring, which they have blocked and are
violating. Their attitude toward bystanders may even be indignation: “If you
want to be a vegetarian, that’s fine, but don’t tell us what to do.” While at
first blush this seems reasonable, we quickly see that it is only because of
the disconnections and bias inherent in our culture. Perpetrators wouldn’t dare
say, “If you don’t want to beat and stab your pet dog, that’s fine, but don’t
tell me not to beat and stab mine.” We all recognize that we aren’t entitled to
treat others, especially those who are defenseless, however we like, and that
if we are responsible for doing harm, people have every right to ask us to
stop.

To meditate for
world peace, to pray for a better world, and to work for social justice and
environmental protection while continuing to purchase the flesh, milk, and eggs
of horribly abused animals exposes a disconnect that is so fundamental that it
renders our efforts absurd, hypocritical, and doomed to certain failure.

Are
we ready for a spiritual revolution? If we refuse, the strife, stress, and
destruction will almost certainly intensify due to our ascending numbers and
exploitive technology. When is a caterpillar ready to transform? The most
obvious sign is the passing of its voracious appetite because an inner urge
turns its attention to new directions.

In
violent crimes committed publicly, there are three roles acted out: that of the
perpetrator, that of the victim, and that of the bystander. It is well known
that perpetrators hope bystanders will be silent and look the other way so they
can successfully continue their hurtful actions, and that victims hope the
bystanders will speak up, act, get involved, and do something to stop or
discourage perpetrators from their harmful actions. With regard to eating
animal foods, there are many perpetrators and victims and just a few
bystanders. The perpetrators always encourage each other and regard the
bystanders with suspicion and hostility, and the victims’ voices cannot be
heard.

When,
as vegans, we become sensitized to the violence of the food system, we can also
see that omnivores are victims of this food system as well.

We
all have unique gifts we can bring to the most urgent task we face at this
point in our human evolution: transforming our inherited dominator mentality by
liberating those we have enslaved for food. The crucial elements are adopting a
vegan lifestyle, educating ourselves, cultivating our spiritual potential, and
plugging in to help educate others.