Trip to India

Posted by Jake on August 22nd, 2007 filed in liberty

Dear Friends,

On September 2nd-30th, I will be joining Liberty’s family on a sojourn to India for 4 weeks.  In India, we will travel to numerous temples and sacred sites such as the river Ganga, where Liberty’s ashes will be placed in the same waters where his ancestors were spread for generations before him.  I am truly honored to accompany Liberty’s wonderful family during this journey for Liberty.  Amit and I were discussing ways that those of you who are interested in connecting with Liberty’s memory while we are abroad, can actively do something in Liberty’s honor.  Here are a few thoughts:

A while back, I was talking to my dad about Liberty.  Among other things, we were discussing Liberty’s infinite well of compassion.  We talked about how his compassion was one that did not have borders or limits.  According to Liberty, all sentient beings had inherent value.  That is, animals and the natural world had importance beyond mere human use and exploitation.  Trees do not exist just for paper or lumber (that is why Liberty was a forest defender and a member of Earth First!). Mountains are more than bastions of minerals for industrial mining; rivers are important above their utilitarian uses for irrigating crops or creating electricity for cities; cows were more than sources of hamburger meat, instead each cow is a living, breathing animal with consciousness and value in and of itself.  Even the animals that are the most despised and feared in this society: insects, rodents, snakes, etc. were worthy benefactors of Liberty’s compassion.  Liberty’s compassionate appraoch to living could be seen through his personality, his political views, his philosophical approaches, even his diet.

There is a tendency in US dominant culture to limit compassion toward cats, dogs, or other ”cute” animals.  However, cows, chickens, and pigs, who are slaughtered in the hundreds of millions each year, rarely receive the same attention since these animals are more likely to be viewed as machines for food.  Liberty did not accept this rationale in theory or in practice.  He would calmly argue that these values are flawed and inconsistent.  I loved this about Liberty.  There are so many memories that speak to this uniqueness.

I loved it when he yelled to a crowd of gawking tourists at the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas: “Captivation is torture!”; expressing his outrage at the treatment of white tigers in the hotel.  I loved it when in high school, we crashed a huge school BBQ, and succesfully altered the signs that read “BBQ Hot Dogs mmmm” to “BBQ Flesh mmmm” (I was physically accosted by a teacher for this and thrown in the principals office, during the meilee, Liberty manage to keep his cool and rationally explain that our actions were indeed factual and not out of line in the slightest, he got us out of trouble with his quick wit and rational arguments).  I believe Liberty’s amalgamation of logic and compassion produced a unique insight toward viewing the world. 

Well, getting back to my conversation with my dad.  My dad said: ”Jake, when you are in India in September, I am going vegan for Liberty.”  This simple sentence meant a lot to me.  For me, it meant that we can still learn lessons from Liberty, today.  We can try to integrate, at any level, some of the positive things Liberty brought to all of us in our lives.  My dad is far from a vegetarian, but he connected with Liberty’s approach to life, and thought this would be a nice way to honor Liberty’s memory.  I agree.

Amit and I have spoken about this very topic, Amit too had a similar idea.  Amit and I both agreed that it would be a great thing if people who ate meat went vegetarian in Liberty’s memory for the month of September while we are in India.  Not only would this be something that Liberty would be proud of, but it would also act as a medium to channel Liberty’s compassion on a daily basis.  Who knows, maybe you will feel better and want to continue vegetarianism, maybe you won’t, but no doubt you will think about Liberty’s positivity each day during the month of September which will be a wonderful thing.  I will try my best to get to a computer to post updates and pictures of our trip to India to keep everyone abrest.

Liberty’s senior quote from the 1996 diamond bar high school yearbook said it best:

“We don’t need to kill what we don’t need to eat.” 

For lib, jake

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12 Responses to “Trip to India”

  1. James J. Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 6:10 am

    In Liberty’s honor I will try and be a strict vegetarian. He taught me a lot of the Vegan ways when he was alive and even reintroduced it again to me a few months before his death. Even if you dont think you can do it trying to do it says a lot. For a great man this is a small sacrifice for any of us to make.

  2. KirstenAlto Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 6:38 am

    I will try and be veggie. I didn’t know Liberty, but I agree with a lot of his beliefs, and he has affected me through how he has affected James. I would go Vegan if Texas had a Mothers! If everyone went veggie for even just a month out of the year, the world would be a better place.

  3. Linnea Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 8:47 am

    I’ll give it a shot for Libbies. I bet he is laughing his ass off right now at the thought of me being vegetarian,given the things I used to say about his Tofurkey.

  4. Aaron Alvarez Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 10:26 am

    Since I am allready a vegetarian I find it that I must in soem way pat tribute to this great man. For the next month I shall go Vegan. For you Liberty. I do this for you.

  5. Raquel Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 3:10 pm

    I’m already vegetarian, but I like Aaron’s idea above. I’ll be vegan for September…

  6. Raquel Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 3:17 pm

    Oh, and I forgot to say — his is a great idea by the way :-)

  7. phliper Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 4:34 pm

    As I am in my ninth year of vegetarianism, thanks in great part to the influences of Liberty and Jake, I pledge to continue my commitment to Mother Earth and all that lives within her domain until I stand side-by-side with Liberty once more, and through eternity thereafter.
    I will certainly think of dear Liberty throughout the month of September, as I presently think of and pray for his soul daily. I have printed out a quality photo of Liberty (the U. San Diego one) which adorns my living room and is right next to my “office space” as I write this message. Liberty is with me daily, and I am with him. And when I look in his eyes, touch his picture, and say “I love you Bra’,” I feel close to Liberty once more.

    Have a great and safe trip my dear old friend.

  8. Jen Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 4:45 pm

    Wow this is a beautiful idea and I would be honored to go vegetarian for the month of September in Liberty’s honor. I was a veggie for almost 3 years, it can be done again..

  9. Anonymous Says:
    August 22nd, 2007 at 9:03 pm

    Endless Blessings to all, and especially to those great souls who are going to tread the path of vegetarian’s or vegan’s. May the great and powerful spirit of all the enlightened masters and buddahoods of commpassion be with you allways and foreiver more. Jah love, Jah heal, Jah guide, and Jah protect Always and foreiver more. Peace and Respect

  10. Shanti aum Says:
    August 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 am

    The strength, the light, the spirit, the energy will guide, heal and pave the path for those who take a step towards compassion. Thank you for taking this decision. The animals and the enviorment thank you also. Shanti Aum

  11. shib Says:
    August 23rd, 2007 at 8:38 am

    Hello everyone,
    As Liberty’s ashes are going to be one with the Ganga River, Ashu and I, as well will be vegetarian. I am already vegetarian and will continue but Ashu will be vegetarian for the month of September. For you Liberty and for the Jaswal family. PEACE. Shanti.
    Shibanee

  12. yama Says:
    August 23rd, 2007 at 12:17 pm

    Hey Jake,

    When James told me about this idea I was very resistant at first. I’ll be completely honest here - I don’t consider myself an environmentalist or animal-rights person at all. Not because I’m not deeply concerned about the planet, but because a lot of the shenanigans and demonstrations associated with the movement strike me as ineffective and misguided. I saw the “Captivation is torture!” video many times, the first at Liberty’s house I think, and my reaction was always “Heheh…high school” rather than, “Hmm, he has a point.”

    However, while I disagree with some of the tactics employed by people who shared Liberty’s philosophy, I can’t honestly say that there’s no merit in the underlying principles that guided Liberty’s life. The idea of living sustainably and preventing unnecessary suffering to other life on the planet. That’s an honorable ideal, and as James and I debated the merits of a vegetarian diet vs. other forms of change (riding the bus, recycling, political activism), I realized that arguing about one versus the other is missing the point. The point is starting somewhere and then one by one implementing those principles in every part of your life.

    This is all a roundabout way of saying that as of today I’m going vegetarian :) Best wishes to you and Liberty’s family in India, I’ll see you in October.

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