Vegan publicly shames woman for buying a child a nonvegan ice cream
It’s well documented that cutting out dairy and meat can improve your health, and for many people, veganism is a ethical choice made out of a love of animals and the planet. But can adhering to a moral code go too far?
Some people are saying yes. According to a series of screenshots on Twitter, itsallzara, a vegan blogger, tweeted that she bought an ice cream for a little girl who was crying because she didn’t have enough money to buy one.
Another user on the social media site, 7AnthonyDagher7, took it upon himself to direct message her his issues with her buying nonvegan ice cream. When she told him to “lighten the f$%& up,” and blocked him, he screenshot their back and forth and encouraged his followers to also send her messages directly. He also shared her Instagram account.
I usually do not do this, but I feel like this is appropriate to post since this person is claiming to be a vegan even though she admitted to buying non-vegan ice cream for someone else, defended what she did when I spoke with her privately (hoping that would make her less likely pic.twitter.com/uBOSo6qR4m
— Anthony Dagher ⓥ (@7AnthonyDagher7) April 28, 2018
to be defensive, though I should not have had to worry about that) about it even though I was respectful, and blocked me rather than admitting I was right and that she should not have bought the non-vegan ice cream for that child. To my vegan followers, I know at least those of
— Anthony Dagher ⓥ (@7AnthonyDagher7) April 28, 2018
you who she is following should be able to send her a private message here. Just in case that is not possible, one of my screenshots shows her Instagram account. I do not want her to be attacked. I just want her to see she was wrong, which I hope enough vegans talking with her
— Anthony Dagher ⓥ (@7AnthonyDagher7) April 28, 2018
will accomplish. Please let me know if that happens.
— Anthony Dagher ⓥ (@7AnthonyDagher7) April 28, 2018
People chimed in saying that Dagher had gone too far, and most felt buying a child an ice cream wasn’t the end of the world.
full offense, you’re an embarrassment to veganism and we have reduced you to “plant based”
— team nike (@20OZREDBULL) April 29, 2018
So just because you’re vegan means you can’t make a kids day? One ice cream cone isn’t gonna make the world spontaneously combust.
Get a grip Anthony.— David Ⓥ (@VeganGenesis) April 29, 2018
You’re taking all this way too seriously. She was nice and helped a kid out. That’s it. She bought one ice cream cone that was already made.
It’s really such a small thing that you’re blowing out of proportion.— David Ⓥ (@VeganGenesis) April 29, 2018
Dude get over it, it’s just a child and she didn’t mean any harm.
— Laura Grace (@thatgirllaura22) April 29, 2018
Others admitted they weren’t that happy that a vegan had contributed to the dairy industry.
I don’t think exposing ppl is the best thing to do, but I’m truly disappointed that @itsallzara paid for dairy ice cream.I admired her for her activism & positivity,but her actions in private show a different side of her.Knowingly contributing to the dairy industry IS “that deep”
— Yuki Ⓥ (@foxxyfay) April 29, 2018
I’ve rightly defended you elsewhere Anthony, but on this you’re just completely wrong headed. You’re coming across as a dogmatic bully.
I buy non- vegan food for my non-vegan partner. So what?
Good on you @itsallzara You are a kind, compassionate vegan ❤— Mark My Words ⓥ (@markmckay66) April 29, 2018
Some vegans (and nonvegans) found their way to itsallzaras Twitter account, sharing messages of support, writing that she had done the right thing and that they would have done the same.
@itsallzara I hope that kid was stoked and enjoyed her ice cream. Words of encouragement brought you to by the d-bag that thought he could shame you for being kind.
— Steffen Rusten (@steffenrusten) April 29, 2018
@itsallzara Good on you for brightening that kid’s day!
— Reiss (@reissdjo) April 29, 2018
@itsallzara hey darling you’re a wonderful person and did an amazing thing for a child who was upset, it’s ridiculous that people are attacking you for literally being a good person. Carry on being an actual angel
— maya fey (@itacxi) April 29, 2018
Zara seems to be taking the whole thing in stride. She told Yahoo, “I am an active member of the vegan community who assumed I was doing a good deed yesterday buying a child an ice cream when Anthony (the poster of the main post that’s gotten attention today) decided to message me being quite patronising.”
The U.K.-based blogger went on to give some context to the last 24 hours, explaining, “At the time I was in A&E in Hull getting a dislocated knee seen to so I was in no mood for it and I blocked him. I then woke up this morning to his attempt to publicly shame me and I’ve obviously gathered a lot of support from people which has led to all this!”
She also tweeted that her private messages were shared on Reddit as well.
Apparently I’m on Reddit as well, from the looks of it this guy has tried to publicly bash me on more than one platform and it backfired. Oh dear.
— Avocadhoe Ⓥ (@itsallzara) April 29, 2018
Vegan debate aside, this entire situation raises the question, at what point does a discussion become harassment? If a person blocks you and asks not to engage any further, is it ever right to encourage others to carry your unwanted message?
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
• This restaurant is serving up a $30 tarantula burger
• Fast food chain will no longer serve pot-smoking drive-through customers
• Beyoncé is on a vegan diet again
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