Fidyl wrote:
> Namaste

Greetings, and welcome to my country!

> Oh, no! Here it comes again! Those dreaded holidays where Vegans
> waffle between:
>
> A) Going to a family get-together and literally suffer through hours
> of staring at dead carcasses,

Are you speaking of an Irish wake or a Thanksgiving meal?

> watching as others gulp down – not chewing

Not everyone's family is like that. Most of us sit on chairs, use
utensils, and show other signs of civilization.

> – these abused souls,

They're not abused. They're dead. And roasted at about 375°F.

> B) Going to a family get-together and endure all those not so casual
> comments about anti-Veganism,

Imagine how the rest of the family feels when you call their meal "dead
carcasses" and remark about the way they eat and live their lives.

> C) Not going to these gatherings and trying to arrange a dinner or
> like-minded folks,

Nothing shows self-contempt like alienating and/or avoiding one's family
at times of gatherings, much less choosing to spend such times with
strangers and fellow-travelers.

> D) Not going to these gatherings and staying by themselves with their
> Tofurkeys,

See my response to (C).

> E) Not going to these gatherings and wondering if we hurt the
> feelings of unconcerned/uncaring humans,

Why all this hatred for yourself and your family?

> F) Not going to the dinners, but arriving afterwards for "dessert"

Same as (C). You prefer to put your peculiar diet and its false 'ethics'
ahead of family.

> G) Not going to these gatherings and fasting.
>
> That's right! I said FASTING.

So not only are you self-alienating, filled with self-contempt and
contempt for your own flesh and blood, and selfish, you're also
nihilistic. Well that's just great.

> I will be fasting this ThanXgiving again - this has been a tradition
> since 1998.

Thanksgiving has been a tradition much longer.

> I hope some list members will be joining me

Why? Do you miss the comfort, attention, and love you deny yourself by
avoiding family gatherings? Why are you not content with keeping your
little "protest" private?

> on this day of torture,
> death, greed, selfishness and debauchery by doing the same.

I don't find feast days, particularly one in which we give thanks for
our riches and bounty, to be how you describe. The only selfishness I
see about it is your own. Your brand of self-righteous nihilism is an
unsuitable replacement for fellowship with one's family regardless of
the food eaten.

> My fast is in HONOR/REMEMBERENCE/REVERENCE of the MILLIONS of animals
> that are tortured

They're not tortured.

> and abused,

They're not abused.

> then slaughtered just for this one (1) day alone in the U.S.

Why don't you starve yourself the other 364 days, too, then?

> I am not discussing one (1) day fasts. My fasts run from Wednesday
> until Sunday.

Are you as grumpy during your self-deprivation as you are now?

> Fasting achieves numerous benefits.

No, it makes one hungry.

> It is a wonderful way to clean
> out the body as far as health is concerned.

If your diet is already healthy and contains sufficient fiber, this
isn't an issue.

> Spiritually, it also cleanses the soul.

Spiritually, we're also told to respect our elders (e.g., family), and
to feast at times of feast. If one is going to fast, one should do it
before or following such feasts.

> Originally, fasting was used to 'get closer to the higher being.'

No, you misread the scriptures to suit your sanctimony and impiety.

<...>
> Modern times has shown fasting to be a form of protest.

Has shown? Please. Fasting may be a form of modern protest, but it's a
stupid one. It's used only by radicals and morons, and to what effect?

> Gandhi also used fasting to bring his point across.

Give it up. You're no Gandhi.

> My fasting tradition has came about when I could no longer go to
> family gatherings for this 'holiday' and sit around a table infested
> with dead carcass and by-products.

Just as I noted above. It's a self-righteous act of self-alienation.

> Even the 'religious' holidays were laughable

So you also disrespect tradition. This not surprising given your
neo-nihilism masquerading as some form of Hinduism. Real Hindus respect
Christ even if you don't.

> as we traipsed to our
> building of worship only to march back to a home full of death,
> abuse

It's called food.

> and chemical irresponsibility.

Did you do LSD or crack at home?

> I have had numerous opportunities to join like-minded folks for a
> holiday feast, but prefer to not look upon this holiday as a festive
> occasion. Why?

Because you're too self-righteous and filled with contempt for your
fellow man.

> Because it also represents false facts throughout
> American history. Native Americans were thwarted into slavery

No, they weren't enslaved.

> and near-annihilitation

They fought back. Both sides were at fault.

> by the 'white man' in the name of 'god.'

Spare us the hyperbole. The "false facts" so far are your own.
Half-truths are still lies.

> Recent
> findings are coming out that there was no turkey - or even any kind
> of 'meat' - at the dinner; only fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains.

It wasn't a vegan feast, nitwit. Here are the two contemporary sources
existant. First, Edward Winslow's note dated December 12, 1621. Note he
said the feast lasted three days -- the same amount of time you intend
to starve yourself and be estranged from your family:

Our corn [i.e., wheat] did prove well, and God be praised, we
had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent
good, but our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they
were too late sown. They came up very well, and blossomed, but
the sun parched them in the blossom. Our harvest being gotten
in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might
after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered
the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much
fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a
week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our
arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest
their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for
three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and
killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and
bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And
although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time
with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want
that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.

The second is from William Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantation.
They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to
fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well
recovered in health and strength and had all things in good
plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad,
others were exercising in fishing, about cod and bass and other
fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had
their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began
to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this
place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased
by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of
wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc.
Besides they had about a peck of meal a week to a person, or now
since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion. Which made many
afterwards write so largely of their plenty here to their
friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports.

Note again that the meat items were fowl (ducks and geese), wild turkey,
five deer, and fish (bass and cod). Note also some of the vegetables
(peas) weren't even gathered.

> Then, back to modern times, it always bothered me

Why would it bother you?

> that after these
> dinners, the male attendees would gather together in front of a
> television set to watch the bloodsport known as 'football,'

It's not a bloodsport.

> leaving
> the women (slaves again to the 'white man') to clean up and watch
> after the children.

This is a man's world, this is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl.
-- James Brown

We take turns every year in my family.

BTW, why do you follow an Eastern religion whose native adherents often
kill their daughters and where "honor killings" of women are allowed?

http://www.gendercide.org/case_infanticide.html
http://tinyurl.com/3h1s

> You are invited and welcome to join my discussion list:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoFlaVegans/

Geez, no thanks. It's bad enough you're bragging about your

> Starting next week there will appear articles, information and guides
> about the history and hypocrisy of ThanXgiving,

You mean propaganda a la your unfounded claim that the first
Thanksgiving was "vegan."

> as well as how to
> cope with the upcoming holidays.

Cope? It must be such an ordeal for someone to have to live with so much
self-righteousness.

> Additionally, you will find ways to fast safely and wisely.

Hopefully the other self-marginalized "vegans" here won't put themselves
and their families through such hardship during a feast time.

> For those who wish to "celebrate" and not fast, you will find tons of
> recipes and tips, as well!

Why should anyone take "tips" from someone who alienates her own flesh
and blood to starve herself and navel-gaze at a time of mutual celebration?

> As we ready ourselves for Fur-Free Friday, I wish everyone who is
> willing to "take the plunge" the best of luck in a successful and
> quick fast, and may all of our efforts pay off!

Blah. You should apologize to your family. They must be very
disappointed. Are they as embarrassed of you as you are of them?

> Here are my other discussion lists that also contain tons of
> information in each of their categories – DAILY!!!

You must not have much of a life.

> Please research the message archives for information you are seeking
> and what you have missed:

Missed? What other dumb advice do you offer?

> Everything Yoga!
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yoga-With-Nancy-SoFla/
>
> American Sign Language and Deaf Culture
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SignSoFla/
>
> Alternative Schooling Within The School System
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoFlaSchools/
>
> Om Shanti

Gesundheit.