Dear Animal Times Reader,

Most of us learn by steps, don't we?

The first animal I stopped eating was a lobster. I was taken to a fancy restaurant for my birthday years ago, and when the waiter brought live lobsters on a platter to the table, I picked out the one I wanted to eat. They wiggled their antennae at me (how I wish they could have shouted, "Stop! Don't do this!" but tha's all they could do). I was just like the people in China who say, "I want that one!" and point excitedly to a monkey or a cat in one of those hanging cages outside the food shops.

The waiter asked, "Broiled or steamed?" I chose broiled. In time, the lobster returned to the table. Dead now, his back had been split open. I didn't learn until later that lobsters are slit open while still alive (who would care enough to knock them unconscious?), butter and salt are poured into the wound, and then they are placed alive on the burning grill.

I cut a bit of him off and put it in my mouth. To this day, I do not know why, but I burst into tears. Somehow, the penny had dropped, and I realized that I had paid someone to torture this helpless animal.

I still ate other animals, though, and all of them had to suffer for my taste buds until other experiences woke me up to my role in hurting them. Let's each of us help everyone we know who still eats animals think about what they are doing. How many vegetarian pamphlets and videos can you give out? Please let us know, for each one can save countless lives!

Thank you.

For the animals,

Ingrid E. Newkirk

In This Issue:

Red-Hot Vegetarian Celebs!	Sir Paul McCartney to KFC: "Help!"
Chained Dogs' Guardian Angel	Are Health Charities Pulling at Your Heartstrings
Tortured at Columbia University	It Doesn't Pay to Hurt Animals
Skin Action	Actions & Updates

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