Raise the Hammer
Over the past decade, Hamilton has started to emerge as an arts and culture hotbed, capable of holding its own as a burgeoning spring of immense talent. Through many initiatives to grow, suffering economically under the crest of a steel fallout in the town, Hamilton has strengthened itself as a greener, more liberal thinking city with a proclivity towards local veggies and delicacies, revamping the Hamilton Farmer's Market to cater towards those who favour an organic product.
One young woman in particular has taken the idea of a greener Earth and incorporated her own views, a juxtaposition of compassion and the prevention of ecological threats. Nadia Masoudi, a 19-year-old Hamiltonian, has launched a project called 'Animal Freedom Day' that has been gathering a substantial following, earning praise for her glorification of the lives of animals, as well as a hefty amount of derision.
Nadia's proposed plan to encourage a vegan lifestyle for people around the world is to start small. Nadia strongly encourages non-vegetarians to attempt to abstain from meat during the course of Animal Freedom Day as a symbolic showing of compassion.
This year Nadia will be continuing Animal Freedom Day for two days; two days to refrain from consuming any animal or animal by-products. With every year she hopes that another day with add onto the event, eventually encouraging a full year of a vegan lifestyle.
With lofty goals come disdainful criticism. Her detractors claim that she is far too young to have a grasp on ethics, and that her 'immature' ideals are far-fetched and pie-in-the-sky. To others, her age only astounds those who root for her cause.
"To me, age isn't an issue," says Nadia. "Maturity and passion for your cause may come at any age if your heart is in it for the right reason."
Whether or not you agree with Nadia's campaign to decrease the amount of suffering in the world, bolster a crippled environment and regain the health that so many people are lacking, her idealism and compassion speak volumes to those who are aligned with her cause.
Her tenacity has given her credit amongst certain circles of carnivores who respect her drive and charisma. All of Nadia's work has produced a day that started with hope and will serve as the climax of her upcoming docu-film, "Don't Eat Me", an odyssey of continent-crossing proportions to shine the spotlight on the tranquility and lax confines of wild and free-range animals to the congestive wires that cross the homes of factory farmed livestock.
Hours of footage were compiled to create a raw, emotional film that wholeheartedly delivers a personifying and often-unnerving view of the face on our plate.
You can watch the live stream for Animal Freedom Day (which has almost ten thousand attendees on the Facebook event page) at http://animalfreedomday.com on July 23, hosted at Hamilton's own BizClip Inc. on 323 King St. E. There will be a vegan barbeque, along with vegan treats provided by Bunners and Sweet Lemon Bakery.
By trevorlikesbikes (registered) - website | Posted July 19, 2011 at 08:20:31
Meat is Murder....tasty, tasty murder.
By gabriel (anonymous) | Posted July 19, 2011 at 17:27:58
The rest of the year can be 'Plants have Feelings Too!' days.
By koala (anonymous) | Posted July 19, 2011 at 18:14:38
Why do the above users seem so miserable?
I'll give you a hint... rotting corpses in a human stomach does not do a person's mind well. Ha Ha ha.
By TT (anonymous) | Posted July 20, 2011 at 21:50:09
you're an idiot...have you no compassion? get real
By TT (anonymous) | Posted July 20, 2011 at 21:51:21
the idiot being "trevorlikesbikes"
By trevorlikesbikes (registered) - website | Posted July 22, 2011 at 12:21:54 in reply to Comment 66670
Dear Anonymous internet commenter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your excruciatingly busy schedule to baselessly accuse me of idiocity. My simple ascertaition was that Meat is Murder, that much we can agree on. You can't eat an animal corpse without slaughtering it first. Where our opinions part ways is in that I enjoy the taste of animals, poor defenseless animals. I also enjoy the taste of apples, yougurt and many other edibles that are still breathing whilst entering my digestive tract. I hope your day is significantly better than mine; i wish you well in your vegan endeavours.
love peace and chicken grease, trevorlikesbikesandtastyanimals
By Mr. Meister (anonymous) | Posted July 20, 2011 at 23:43:16
I hope she succeeds in converting a lot of Canadians into vegans and vegetarians. I mean a whole lot. If she could do the same in the USA that would be even better. If all those people stopped buying meat the price will surely drop for those true carnivores in our society like myself. I sure could go for some more reasonable prices on a good steak. Man do I love a good steak, or maybe a big helping of pulled pork, or...
By trevorlikesbikes (registered) - website | Posted July 22, 2011 at 09:48:13
How can we have animal freedom day when I can't even let my dog off leash!?!
Why doesn't the City have to leash their deer in Iroquois Heights?
The apple I am currently eating is screaming bloody murder, how can I make him stop?
Comment edited by trevorlikesbikes on 2011-07-22 09:49:54
By Mr. Meister (anonymous) | Posted July 22, 2011 at 15:52:21 in reply to Comment 66788
Eat oranges they are a lot quieter.
By TT (anonymous) | Posted July 31, 2011 at 12:11:57
I repeat ..."idiot", pure & simple.
By Bayblish (anonymous) | Posted August 01, 2011 at 15:37:44
Trevorlikesbikes doesn't realize what a central nervous system is, clearly.
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