by Rindala Alajaji

“If only we can overcome cruelty, to human and animal, with love and compassion we shall stand at the threshold of a new era in human moral and spiritual evolution – and realize, at last, our most unique quality: humanity.” 
~ Jane Goodall 

On November 24th of 2012, I concluded that I probably would never spend another “traditional” Thanksgiving with my family. Like many other animal rights activists and vegans, this time of the year can be difficult. While others are celebrating the holidays with ostentatious displays of animal meat centerpieces, vegans and activists (such as myself) are trying to find ways to use this time of the year to strengthen and unite behind the message of Animal Liberation. Three years ago, I learned in short order that Thanksgiving is often a pretty unpleasant occasion for those of us who don’t eat animals. It has become so unpleasant, in fact, that from mid-October on, I begin to dread it. I learned that even if I don’t say “The v word,” the associations people have with being vegan makes us the obvious elephant in the room and everything about Thanksgiving –from the insensitive jokes and the disrespect to the lack of food options and the horrific centerpiece –can make it a day that we learn to tensely go through. Read more