Today's MOZEN: Vegetarianism Light

F LoBuono

I practice what I like to call Vegetarianism Light. In other words, I do my best to stick to a meat free diet but I am FAR from fanatical about it. I simply do the best that I can and I ask others to do the same.

It was four years ago this past February when I decided to give eliminating meat a try. I was working as a cameraman covering the Iowa Caucus for a major TV news network. I was relaxing in my hotel room when a video from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) came on. I'll spare you the details and just say it was typical of many of the videos PETA uses to combat the brutal treatment of factory farmed animals. I had seen enough. I had been thinking for some time to eliminate meat from my diet. Now, it was time to act. I had seen enough of the cruelty that is perpetuated on other living beings for the sake of only the human ones.

My whole family and I had been keen animal lovers our whole lives. We had dogs, cats, rabbits, and even fish. And, we loved them all. I began to question the difference between a dog and a pig, especially when science has shown that pigs are at least as intelligent as dogs? The only difference is the randomness of fate. Dogs were chosen to be our companions. Pigs were designated to be food.

This was a highly personal choice and I thought long and hard about it. Coming from a Sicilian background, my family is ALL about food! Some might say that good food is in our DNA. And, we are totally omnivorous. In other words, we eat EVERYTHING. If an animal was sacrificed for food, we ate the ENTIRE animal. So, it would not be an easy task. But, I felt like it was something that I needed to try. I wanted to do whatever I could in whatever why that I could to begin to limit the amount of cruelty that exists on our planet. This was one small way for me to attempt it.

Overall, I've been pretty successful at the transition but I am not even close to perfect (forget VEGANISM! LOL). First, I still eat fish. I feel like I need the high quality protein fish provides. So, I rationalize that fish are not on the same evolutionary level as birds and mammals. Therefore, they are OK to eat. Now, you are starting to get the meaning of vegetarianism light! Second, if someone who does not know my inclination to not eat meat offers me some, I'm not going to insult my host and refuse to eat it. For example, one day I was traveling to visit friends in Florence, Italy. Of course, they prepared the quintessential Florentine meal, Bistecca, i.e. Fillet Mignon. It certainly was NOT going to be thrown away as trash! Also, when we have long days in the studio, meals will often be catered. And, it is usually the best food that money can by. Of course, it is bound to contain copious amounts of meat. If the staff and crew does not eat all of it, at the end of the night, it is all rapped up and simply thrown away. This, to me, is a greater sin than taking the animal in the first place. If the animals meat is literally wasted then absolutely no good can be taken from its sacrifice. So, I get all of the empty containers that I can find and fill them with as much food as I can carry. Vegetarianism Light.

Look folks, we will never be powerful enough to ELIMINATE cruelty. That is a gift beyond our capabilities. There was only one Gandhi or MLK. However, we can REDUCE the amount in small ways and on a daily basis. THIS is what I am trying to accomplish. If we all do a little, we can accomplish a lot. We just need the will to try.