Vegetarian Mama
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Frank L. Hoffman, All-Creatures.org
February 2001

I suppose I'm like many people in this world, I have a tendency to jump to conclusions, or get my mouth or typing fingers in gear before my brain.  Such was the case when I received an e-mail from Mozella Rainwater "Sunny" Sunshine, a Blues Poet/Singer.  Being a vegan, I struggled getting past the first two lines of the song lyrics she sent, but I was mistaken in my conclusions, as you will see as you read further.

Mozella wrote (30 Jan 2001):

I just wrote a new Blues song. I hope you like it.

VEGETARIAN MAMA ©2001 by Mozella Rainwater Sunshine [email protected] I love eating regular food like barbecued ham and meat But when I do, I hurt from my head down to my feet. That’s why I’m a vegetarian mama, as everybody knows. Yes, I’m a vegetarian from my head down to my toes. A reporter asked me if I still like making love I told him I’d like it very much But with so much garlic inside, I can’t get anybody close enough to touch. Yes, I’m a vegetarian mama, as everybody knows. Yes, I’m a vegetarian from my head down to my toes. Pigs, cows and chickens are all safe with me. I have no interest in eating them. I think they should all be set free. Because I’m a vegetarian mama, as everybody knows. Yes, I’m a vegetarian from my head down to my toes. From Mozella Rainwater "Sunny" Sunshine, Blues Poet/Singer.

P.S.: Bless you and the good work you’re doing. Phone me and I’ll be glad to sing VEGETARIAN MAMA for you. Email me if you want my phone number. [email protected]

I wrote back to Mozella (30 Jan 2001), trying to be as polite as possible, but still suspicious:

Dear Mozella:

Thank you for sending us your new blues song.

It's cute but troubling. Why do you love to eat barbecued ham and meat?   Think about it.  If it hurts you, how much more it hurts the pig and steer!

Are you a real life vegetarian?

In the Love of the Lord,
Frank

Mozella wrote back (31 Jan 2001):

Pigs, cows and chickens are all safe with me.

I have no interest in eating them.

I think they should all be set free.

To answer your question...

I have a weakness. I was raised on meat.  In nutrition classes in nursing school we were taught that the protein foods like beef (In the mid-fifties beef as a food had a good reputation.), chicken and fish were the most important parts of good nutrition. At home as well as other parts of the community the meat part of the repast was the most desired, relished and praised. You see, I like everybody else (or most everybody else) were programmed or brain-washed with the idea that meat eating is the big climax or reward for being alive and in a free country that's so richly blessed with meat at every meal and even between meals if desired.

However, there came a time in my life when I realized killing and eating animals is wrong. But I was hopelessly hooked on meat. Though I was sick, I didn't know the meat was the prime cause of my troubles.

Shortly after the realization that eating meat was wrong, through a blessed set of circumstances I found myself at the world's first alternative health convention; there I learned about how I could obtain better health if I became a vegetarian. I tried it and it works.

However, the craving for meat is still with me.  It's a demon I fight everyday.  And this might sound crazy, but I'm glad that eating meat makes me sick because though my taste buds crave it, my conscience knows it's wrong and I don't want to do it.  Since I didn't have the will to stop myself, I had to stop in order to stay alive and not bedridden.  Are you old enough to remember President Carter?  He admitted that he lusted after women but did not act on the desires.  Well like him, I too have a lust, not for women (I am a woman and not gay.).  In other words, his lust was in his genital organs, my lust is in my gustatory organs.

In summary, the flesh is weak. Fortunately for animals, my flesh gets very weak when I eat meat, therefore, I have to avoid it.  God almighty understands and helps me to grow stronger every day.  Truly, God moves in mysterious ways.

We humans are limited in our reach but still we reach for the furthermost star.   And a couple of our fellows made it as far as the moon.  Therefore, I say, if men can walk on the moon, I can be a vegetarian.  In the meantime *pbpwmgintwmy,

and God bless you.

Keep up the good work.

Mozella Rainwater Sunshine

*please be patient with me God is not through with me yet.

And that was my initial problem.  I didn't want Mozella to be an imperfect Vegetarian Mama, especially since she was out in the public.  But none us are perfect.  We're all at various stages in our maturity before God, but together we can help each other get to the point where we would never even consider harming another human, non-human, or the environment.


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