Celebrate Fur-Free Friday!

I was always a dog lover. But it wasn't until I got into punk rock that I was exposed to the idea of animal rights. I remember buying the Gorilla Biscuits album and listening to a song called "Cats and Dogs." That song opened my eyes to how weird it is that we call certain animals "pets" and treat them like members of the family, and yet other animals we label "food," and suck the meat off their bones. There was one line in that song that always stayed with me.

My true compassion is for all living things / and not just the ones that are cute / so I do what I can.

And I guess at the end of the day, that's what it's all about: doing what you can. Even if you don't become a vegetarian, the realization that that juicy steak on your plate was once a living being will give you a deeper appreciation for the life that animal lost to supply you with your dinner.

Spreading awareness is the first step towards affecting change. And the amazing thing about concerts like warped tour is that they serve not only as a place to find great new music, but also as a forum for new ideas; a place where you can be exposed to concepts that will open your eyes.

I'm not grossed out by meat, and I never judge my friends who eat meat, but I just figure--we have so many food choices and options--so why make an animal suffer, and why take the life of another living thing, if I don't really need it in order to survive.