Guest guest Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 For Whites Only? I just finished reading "From Hippie to Hip" (Mar + Apr 2008) and was appalled to find that virtually everyone mentioned and interviewed was white. I'm actually at a loss to understand how VegNews editors could have let this white-washed 30-year history of vegetarianism be printed. A passing mention of “civil rights advocates” and “the segregated South” doesn’t even qualify as tokenism. Have you really never heard of human rights activist and vegetarian Dick Gregory and his pioneering 1973 book Dick Gregory's Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature? And have you honestly never heard of Soul Vegetarian restaurants, started in 1983, with 14 locations around the world? And what of the proliferation of black vegetarian societies around the country since the 1990s? And this is just off the top of my head. Imagine what 30 minutes more research by VegNews would have found. It’s also telling that in this same issue, the article “Vegetarianism: The New Demographics” states that 7% of African Americans and 8% of Latinos are vegetarian (while only 6% of whites are). Common sense would suggest that there’s a history behind those numbers. I guess the vegetarian movement hasn’t come as far as you thought after all. Tracye McQuirterWashington , DCtmcquirter Note-- you may read the article on page 40, March/April issue send your comments to letters Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Great post.. One fallacy that many believe is that eating veggie, vegan or raw automatically makes you more evolved, or spiritual..Far from the truth.. It may open you up the clarity, although we still get to choose what we do w/ that clarity.. A lot of this oversight can be eliminated when we stop supporting people and organizations that do not acknowledge us.. I had brought up a few years ago, that david Wolfe's web page on famous vegetarians, and also his book on beauty had not one person of color in/on it.. It was an issue that people didn't want to address because they had upcoming business ventures w/ him.. These self betrayals will continue to draw the energy of others who do not honor us.. We can use this extra energy and clarity to address and overcome some real concerns like you're doing here.. Or we can humm mantras and pretend it doesn't exist... Thanks for bringing this to the front.. thanks, Mark bvsga From: bvsgaDate: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:18:10 -0700 Readers Letters Section For Whites Only? I just finished reading "From Hippie to Hip" (Mar + Apr 2008) and was appalled to find that virtually everyone mentioned and interviewed was white. I'm actually at a loss to understand how VegNews editors could have let this white-washed 30-year history of vegetarianism be printed. A passing mention of “civil rights advocates” and “the segregated South” doesn’t even qualify as tokenism. Have you really never heard of human rights activist and vegetarian Dick Gregory and his pioneering 1973 book Dick Gregory's Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature? And have you honestly never heard of Soul Vegetarian restaurants, started in 1983, with 14 locations around the world? And what of the proliferation of black vegetarian societies around the country since the 1990s? And this is just off the top of my head. Imagine what 30 minutes more research by VegNews would have found. It’s also telling that in this same issue, the article “Vegetarianism: The New Demographics” states that 7% of African Americans and 8% of Latinos are vegetarian (while only 6% of whites are). Common sense would suggest that there’s a history behind those numbers. I guess the vegetarian movement hasn’t come as far as you thought after all. Tracye McQuirterWashington , DCtmcquirter (AT) hotmail (DOT) com Note-- you may read the article on page 40, March/April issue send your comments to letters (AT) vegnews (DOT) com Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. In a rush? Get real-time answers with . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 I'm certainly sorry about that oversight on VegNews. Being white, I will say that when I research things I honestly don't think in terms of color. What ever information I get is read with interest, so I am guessing that's what happened here - that it was an oversight and not at all intentional. I'm so glad you made your comment and I hope you will send it to VegNews and ask them to make a 2nd part to that article where they include the Latino and African American history too. It interesting to me when I get event news that is entitled "African American" this or "Black" that and I tend to be afraid to attend since it implies I'm not wanted if I don't fit that category, but as I contemplate it, I don't think it is meant to exclude, and I think that's what happened here in the opposite direction. Blessings and love Nancy www.healthylivingstrategies.net On Behalf Of Black Vegetarian Society of GAWednesday, March 19, 2008 7:18 PMbvsga Subject: Readers Letters Section For Whites Only? I just finished reading "From Hippie to Hip" (Mar + Apr 2008) and was appalled to find that virtually everyone mentioned and interviewed was white. I'm actually at a loss to understand how VegNews editors could have let this white-washed 30-year history of vegetarianism be printed. A passing mention of “civil rights advocates” and “the segregated South” doesn’t even qualify as tokenism. Have you really never heard of human rights activist and vegetarian Dick Gregory and his pioneering 1973 book Dick Gregory's Natural Diet for Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature? And have you honestly never heard of Soul Vegetarian restaurants, started in 1983, with 14 locations around the world? And what of the proliferation of black vegetarian societies around the country since the 1990s? And this is just off the top of my head. Imagine what 30 minutes more research by VegNews would have found. It’s also telling that in this same issue, the article “Vegetarianism: The New Demographics” states that 7% of African Americans and 8% of Latinos are vegetarian (while only 6% of whites are). Common sense would suggest that there’s a history behind those numbers. I guess the vegetarian movement hasn’t come as far as you thought after all. Tracye McQuirterWashington , DCtmcquirter (AT) hotmail (DOT) com Note-- you may read the article on page 40, March/April issue send your comments to letters (AT) vegnews (DOT) com Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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