Joey Carbstrong, vegan activist, on the myth of humane slaughter and why vegans have obligation to convert meat eaters
Australian who had an epiphany while in prison for a gang-related crime channels the assertiveness he once used to intimidate people into turning others on to veganism; he recently joined protests against Hong Kong abbatoir
Joey Armstrong has heard all the excuses people use for eating meat.
“‘I need to eat animals to be healthy’ is easily refuted because eating animals is killing us through heart disease,” says the Australian animal rights activist, known online as Joey Carbstrong. “‘It tastes good’ isn’t justification for anything immoral; neither is tradition.”
The vegan lifestyle – eschewing all animal products in favour of alternative materials and a plant-based diet – is increasingly being adopted worldwide. Health-related or environmental concerns convert many people to veganism, but for Armstrong the most forcing reason is to end the animal suffering he believes is an unavoidable outcome of the meat and dairy industries.
The 31-year-old, a former gang member, spent time in prison before turning his life around and switching to a vegan diet for both ethical and health reasons. Now a prominent advocate for veganism, he campaigns for the movement and teaches fellow activists how to deal with common responses of meat eaters they engage.
He says, “I hear, ‘Where I buy my meat they’re killed humanely’, but you can’t kill anyone humanely. Humane means to show compassion. You can’t take away someone’s greatest gift in a humane way … And if animals come from a welfare farm, they’ve got even more of an interest in living.”