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Njengoba nje ezinye “izimiso” ezimbi zibandlulula abantu ngokusekelwe ezicini ezithile ezifana nebala lesikhumba, ubulili, ukukhetha ubulili, noma ikhono lomzimba, i-vidism ibeka isimo esiphansi kulabo abangebona abantu. Uchaza zonke izilwane ngaphandle kwabantu njengamathuluzi okucwaninga, ukudla, indwangu, amathoyizi, noma izinto zokwanelisa ukuthanda komuntu, ngenxa nje yokuthi aziwona amalungu ohlobo lwethu. Kalula nje, i-vidism noma ukubandlululwa kwezinhlobo zezilwane kuwukubandlulula uhlanga lwesintu ngaphezu kwezinye izinhlanga zezilwane, njengoba nje iqembu elithile labantu lingacwasa elinye. Kuyinkolelo eyiphutha ukuthi uhlobo oluthile lubaluleke kakhulu kunolunye.
Ezinye izilwane azizona izinto zethu. Laba ngabantu abanezintshisekelo zabo, njengabantu. Ababona “abangebona abantu”, njengami nawe asiwona “ama-chipmunk”. Ukuqeda ukucwasa kwethu ezinye izinhlobo zezilwane akudingi ukuthi siphathwe ngokulinganayo noma ngokufanayo—ngokwesibonelo, ama-chipmunk awafuni amalungelo okuvota. Kudingeka kuphela ukuba sibonise ukucabangela ngokulinganayo izithakazelo zabanye. Kufanele sazi ukuthi sonke siyizidalwa ezizwelayo ezinemizwa nezifiso, futhi sonke kufanele sikhululwe esiswebhu, izibopho, ummese, nempilo yobugqila.
Kodwa lapho sisalwa nokucindezelwa kwabantu, ukunakekela izilwane kubonakala kuwukunethezeka. Ubuxhwanguxhwangu nobudlova akugcini nje kubantu, njengoba kungagcini nje ngezinhlanga ezithile noma ubulili obubodwa. Uma sifuna izwe elinobulungisa ngokwengeziwe, kumelwe siqede lonke ubandlululo, hhayi nje lokho okusithintayo.
Umqondo ovumela ukucindezelwa kwabantu-kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sikhuluma ngabantu bezinye izinkolo, abesifazane, asebekhulile, amalungu omphakathi we-LGBT, noma abantu bemibala-umqondo ofanayo ovumela ukuxhashazwa kwezilwane. Ubandlululo luvela lapho siqala ukukholelwa ukuthi "mina" ukhethekile futhi "wena" awuyena, nokuthi izithakazelo "zami" ngandlela-thile ziphakeme kunezinye izidalwa ezinomqondo.
Isazi sefilosofi uPeter Singer, esadonsela ukunakekela emqondweni wamavidism namalungelo ezilwane encwadini yaso eyisisekelo ethi Animal Liberation, sikubeka ngalendlela: “Angiboni inkinga ekumelaneni nakho kokubili ukucwasa nokucwasa ngesikhathi esisodwa. Eqinisweni, kimina, indida enkulu yobuhlakani isekuzameni ukwenqaba uhlobo oluthile lokucwasa nengcindezelo kuyilapho ngamukela futhi ngisho nokwenza olunye.”
Ukucwasa ngazo zonke izindlela akulungile, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ubani isisulu. Futhi lapho sibona lokhu, akufanele sikuyeke singajeziswa. “Ayikho into okuthiwa ukulwa nenkinga eyodwa ngoba asiphili impilo enenkinga eyodwa kuphela,” kusho u-Audrey Lord, isishoshovu samalungelo abantu futhi esilwela amalungelo abantu besifazane.
Ungamisa kanjani i-vidizm?
Ukuxazulula inkinga yezinhlobo zezinto eziphilayo kanye nokuqaphela amalungelo ezinye izilwane kungaba lula njengokuhlonipha izidingo zazo. Kufanele siqaphele ukuthi banezithakazelo zabo siqu futhi bafanelwe ukuphila ngaphandle kobuhlungu nokuhlupheka. Kudingeka sibhekane nobandlululo olusivumela ukuthi sishaye indiva izinto ezinyantisayo abenziwa nsuku zonke ema-laboratories, ezilaheni nasemasekisini. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sihluke kangakanani komunye nomunye, sisonke kulokhu. Uma sesifinyelele kulokhu, kuwumthwalo wethu ukwenza okuthile ngakho.
Sonke, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yiziphi izici ezihlukile, sifanelwe ukunakwa, ukuhlonishwa nokuphathwa kahle. Nazi izindlela ezintathu ezilula zokusiza ukumisa i-vidism:
Sekela izinkampani zesimilo. Amakhulu ezinkulungwane zezilwane zidliswa ushevu, ziphuphuthekiswe futhi zibulawe minyaka yonke ekuhlolweni kwakudala kwezimonyo, imikhiqizo yokunakekela abantu kanye nabahlanzi basekhaya. Isizindalwazi sePETA sihlanganisa izinkulungwane zezinkampani ezingahloli ezilwaneni, ngakho-ke kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini oyifunayo, uzokwazi ukukutholela ekufanele.
Namathela ekudleni kwe-vegan. Ukudla inyama kusho ukukhokhela umuntu ukuthi akuhambisele ummese emphinjeni. Ukudla ushizi, iyogathi neminye imikhiqizo yobisi kusho ukukhokhela othile ukuthi antshontshe ubisi lwengane yakho. Futhi ukudla amaqanda kusho ukulahla izinkukhu ekuhluphekeni impilo yonke ekhejini elincane locingo.
Namathela ezimisweni ze-vegan. Susa izikhumba zakho. Asikho isizathu sokubulala izilwane ngemfashini. Gqoka i-vegan. Namuhla, maningi amathuba alokhu. Qala okungenani kancane.