Being pushed from your beliefs so you can do what you love?

[ChaoticConsonance]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux_(metallurgy)

None, says the all-knowing Wikipedia.  

[Catherine teh Vegan]

Heart Overload

Sinister Kung Fu

Pandemonium Panda

I'm pesco-ovo-lacto vegetarian. I eat fish, drink milk, and eat egg.
But recently I've been doing deeper research about things. For a while I've had guilt from eating fish, my parents wont allow me to give up fish. Recently I've researched on conditions of hens and cows. Before researching further, I was already aware that hens and dairy cows were living badly and figured that I'd become vegan in afew years. But after doing the REAL research, I was disgusted. Seeing videos of hens and dairy cows and they way they were treated.
Now if I ran my own farm, I'd have no problem with drinking milk from my own cows and eating egg from my own hens. But this isn't the case.

So now I'm thinking of becoming vegan, or maybe just a vegetarian who doesn't eat dairy or egg.

Anyway. Back to the main topic.

I'm in the marching band, so there aren't many options for me. We have strict marching shoes of a certain style. They are made of leather, I cannot wear shoes that are different in style from marching shoes and they do not sell cruelty free- marching shoes from what I know of.
I really hate it, and we only wear these shoes for performances, so its on occasion.
Also. My clarinet isn't 100% cruelty free. The pads on my clarinet are supported by fish skin or something so I hear from the people who repair my instrument.
I've played the clarinet long before I became vegetarian.

I'm thinking if I ever decide to join marching band in college, or if I ever make it to the DCI type teams, just maybe I can get custom made shoes to fit my beliefs.

So, my question:
Have you ever had a love or passion that pushes you away from your beliefs?
Like maybe you play softball and have that leather glove. Or maybe the love of soccer but cannot find non-leather cleats?
Anything like this?
I dont believe its okay to break one's beliefs, but sometimes you're forced to in ways. So I know its totally wrong as a vegetarian to wear leather shoes.
Marching band is my love and life!

Honestly, I don't even think you should be calling yourself a vegetarian at all if you're still eating fish. There's no such thing as a pesco-vegetarin. Fish are not vegetables.

Excuse me, but if I am not mistaken, she is a Pescetarian.

She eats fish, eggs, and dairy.

 

[Sunkist Serenade]

Bat-Krn

I've had to give up some things in my life so that I could feel that I was being completely honest with myself but that had to do with a difference of a religion from my lifestyle.

Don't feel terribly guilty. You're required to wear them and I know that this sounds very anti-veg, but the shoes are already bought and in your size. When it comes to things like this, there's really not much that can be said or done. Maybe you can talk to your director about your concerns and see what comes of it.
*shrug*

When it comes down to it the whole point of trying to avoid wearing something that has been already, as Bat-krn put it, bought and paid for is a moot point. The point of ethical living is to affect the market in a manner that allows for ethical treatment. you don't buy leather products, one cow is saved and money is lost in leather. So you refusing to wear the shoes is a moot point because the shoes have been paid for already. The only way you could possibly affect the economic aspect of this would be in the future to avoid wearing leather or feathers, etc etc. that you have bought and paid for yourself or your parents/friends etc.

Don't mean to be harsh and I understand the emotional and imagery aspect of it as it affects me too.... but just think of it in terms of animals your saving. Also it's a requirement.... tough cookies.  

[spacekitten]

I find that I have this problem sometimes, too. I'm an artist, and I have no clue of some of the byproducts used in the production and packaging of paints or other products I use. I'm sure that I could probably find an animal-friendly brand of products to use, but would they work the same as high-quality, animal-based products? Should I question my morals for the sake of my art, or should I saccrifice the quality of my art to keep with said morals?

I tend to stay away from animal-fur brushes and use only synthetic, since I have no idea of the conditions of the animals involved, but it does sacrifice a little since horse hair creates an interesting texture with paint that can't really be re-produced.  

[spacekitten]

ChaoticConsonance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux_(metallurgy)

None, says the all-knowing Wikipedia.

Tallow is listed twice as a flux ingredient. So is beeswax, if you're a vegan who doesn't eat honey.  

[Hlessirah]

I'm a percussionist, and many of the best instruments are made with calfskin or goatskin heads. Of course, I try to avoid those as best as I can, but many of the ethnic drums, like the Bodhran that I love so much, can only be found with skin heads. Sometimes i find that the best thing I can do is to buy them, but take really good care of them, so I don't have to buy more than I need.
I still feel really guilty when I buy them, though.  

[Evil Karma Angel]

Sinister Kung Fu

Pandemonium Panda

I'm pesco-ovo-lacto vegetarian. I eat fish, drink milk, and eat egg.
But recently I've been doing deeper research about things. For a while I've had guilt from eating fish, my parents wont allow me to give up fish. Recently I've researched on conditions of hens and cows. Before researching further, I was already aware that hens and dairy cows were living badly and figured that I'd become vegan in afew years. But after doing the REAL research, I was disgusted. Seeing videos of hens and dairy cows and they way they were treated.
Now if I ran my own farm, I'd have no problem with drinking milk from my own cows and eating egg from my own hens. But this isn't the case.

So now I'm thinking of becoming vegan, or maybe just a vegetarian who doesn't eat dairy or egg.

Anyway. Back to the main topic.

I'm in the marching band, so there aren't many options for me. We have strict marching shoes of a certain style. They are made of leather, I cannot wear shoes that are different in style from marching shoes and they do not sell cruelty free- marching shoes from what I know of.
I really hate it, and we only wear these shoes for performances, so its on occasion.
Also. My clarinet isn't 100% cruelty free. The pads on my clarinet are supported by fish skin or something so I hear from the people who repair my instrument.
I've played the clarinet long before I became vegetarian.

I'm thinking if I ever decide to join marching band in college, or if I ever make it to the DCI type teams, just maybe I can get custom made shoes to fit my beliefs.

So, my question:
Have you ever had a love or passion that pushes you away from your beliefs?
Like maybe you play softball and have that leather glove. Or maybe the love of soccer but cannot find non-leather cleats?
Anything like this?
I dont believe its okay to break one's beliefs, but sometimes you're forced to in ways. So I know its totally wrong as a vegetarian to wear leather shoes.
Marching band is my love and life!

Honestly, I don't even think you should be calling yourself a vegetarian at all if you're still eating fish. There's no such thing as a pesco-vegetarin. Fish are not vegetables.

Dude, she can call herself a Palm-tree for all I care. Maybe she still eats fish because they are caught and not raised. I would, if I ate fish (but I think fish is disgusting). You came in here to read her post and help, but you couldn't get past what she called herself. This Guild is about support, dude.