Tuesday, May 20, 2008

DIARY OF A BLACK VEGAN..?? VOL#1

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At first glance the heading above may seem crass (people fear BLACK when a black man uses the word) but see i am used to seeing the word "BLACK" HMMM i wonder why ? LOL . See i really even try to stay away from the topic. Even as i try to stay low key about all aspects of my life this one is one that would really be rediculous to try and hide. See the first thing that i have to write is an asspect of my mental personality . I live almost completely within logic . This is hard to consume by alot of people , as mystery and whatever tradition that society considers to be truth finds its way to the trash can in my pysche if it makes no sense. Sometimes when i am eating people see my plate and see that there is no meat on it . Then when i am asked about it and say " I AM VEGAN " i am usually greated with crazy questions like . "HOW DO YOU GET NUTRITION " ha ha ... answer ? i eat everything you eat minus the dead carcus and dairy...
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Its incredible to find out on a daily basis how misinformed people are about diet period. If You eat burgers,steaks,chickens,turkey and fish all day ... you would be void of all nutrients except PROTEIN. Which you have 12 protein sources on the planet and you only have to have a combo of 5 to have a complete protein building block in your diet. They dont have to be eaten in the same meal by the way .
Why people are so surprised that a Black Man could be vegan is beyond me . The first people on earth were vegan right ? yep ...

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I personally did not become vegan , IT BECAME ME . My parents come from Tennessee and left there in '61' well before my birth. My grandmother made everything herself and had two gardens one all greens and one mixed with variaties of vegetables. I used to go stay with her for two weeks every summer, and it was a requirement to get up at 8:00 am before it got real hot to aid in the garden work (this was a small seed in my own dietary evolution (fresh grown chemical free food just taste different) . Its was murder for me because i did not and could not fathom the beauty of nature at that age childhood - age 16 (read side bar i am a CITY BOY) . Everything we ate there came from that garden. She only went to the store for eggs,meat,milk,soda etc.. everything else came from there she had apple and peach trees in the yard as well. She made jam from scratch for toast or sandwichs. Those summer weeks had a heavy impact on my future love of nature...

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Its incredible cause people think your experience is alot different but its not ! I still get followed when shopping in whole food markets. I get spoken to as if i must be new to this lifestyle. THe crazy thing is the condescending store attendants usally shrink once i engage in debate ( i have been this for years ) . I am not sensitive by any means i go to get what i gotta get. I am usually greeted with the " oh wow im suprised that you are here " look. When i am at my spot in New York i go all the way to Brooklyn from the bronx to prospect park just to go to Imhoteps Vegan Restaraunt/Store 734 Nostrand Ave (between prospect pl and park pl)Phone: 718-493-235
just to be amongst a more holistic shopping experience.I mean other black Vegans are glad to see you, this is still necessary and desired to be welcomed even though A Black Vegan may feel otherwise normally. When in the midwest i go to the biggest whole foods market as they really dont say much to you because of the size of the place. Persecution is regular until there are national publisized news coverage see my previous ENCINO CaLIFORNIA posting with video of on Downed Cow meat. click this link to it:

SAFARI-BLACK: CHINO CALIFORNIA MEAT RECALL- THE LARGEST IN US HISTORY - GO VEG!
It(persuction comes from all races) belongs to no one race. Veganism in the African community is just as ALIEN as any other place , the idea of dodging greezy pigs with worms throughout the entire body is harder to digest than someone partaking in cocaine Lines. Bad diets stem from slavery when slaves were fed scrapes and being a creative race of people they put them scraps in stews with greens and other stuff. This poor availabilty to healthy food became habit which became tradition. To be continued....











3 comments:

BOOGIE said...

Peace King,

I feel what you're saying. Atleast you're in a big city where being vegan isent likend to being an alien. When my friend's step daughter found out I was vegan and she "asked Oh my gosh..YOU're a Vegetarian?!!!" she was uterly disgusted and appauled that I would even consider doing something like this. lol i just laughed. I live in Kentucky, and I don't know any other black vegans besides my family. I live in the hood, so if I'm trying to go to the health food store thats a small road trip. But its all good. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Peace!

SAFARI-BLACK said...

WOW , it does not matter where you are at that attitude is everywhere ...yeah sometimes you can be in a space where there are more a-Alikes than others but miseducation is broad and being healthy is a crime to some LOL to love yourself is seen as odd by most especially someone who just does not understand what spiritual plane you have ascended to ..Peace Queen

iamnappy2 said...

greetings King Black...i'm encouraged to begin this journey. i personally do not know anyone who is vegan. what i have discovered is mentioning that you may be interested in this lifestyle how quickly people put you into a category. wow...i want so much to be accepted for who i am, but again when you chose the road that is least traveled, you somehow end up walking alone...again. although you are my distant vegan coach...i will pretend you are here routing me on. thanks for sharing your journey..by the way this is Iamnappy2