On my way to the frozen food section of Whole Foods looking for Candle 79’s new line of vegan entrées, I found myself walking across the frozen meat aisle with my eyes closed. I felt like I was walking through a morgue..and in fact, I was. I thought to myself as I watched mothers pushing their strollers, lovers holding hands and bodybuilders choosing the leanest slice of packaged flesh I thought “how can they not see what I see??” Then, I stuck my hand in my vegan eenamaria handbag, grabbed a few of PETA’s “I’m not a nugget” stickers and went to town on Perdue.

Food labeling has been on my radar lately as my friend, Eric Nies, is spearheading a Food Revolution from his laptop in preparation for a march on October 1, 2011, where he will join millions of people in the protest for USA citizens to have The Right2Know what Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) are in the food we buy at the supermarket. Eric is walking from New York City to Washington, DC to protest in front of the White House on October 16, 2011 to support having GMO’s labeled (follow him on twitter to learn more).

I fully support the labeling of not just our GMOs but what is in ALL our food, especially what we can’t see. Walking and protesting is awesome but I am an activist and all that word implies. Meaning, every second of everyday and I do what I can to take an opportunity to protest meat/dairy and those who buy it. Why shouldn’t there be labels on meat that say, “This is the product of a tortured animal” on ground beef. Why shouldn’t a slab of veal come with a note that says, “I was a baby calf who only knew pain–who never got to meet my mother” and is it really so outlandish to ask that milk cartons that already have notices for missing children on one side, allow on another side, image of a cow, hooked up to a milking machine getting artificially inseminated with the words that say MISSING: my son, the Veal Calf. C’mon, shouldn’t that Happy Meal have a talking toy in the box that says, “Meat Is Murder”?

And while we are at it..why not go a step farther. It’s a free country, isn’t it? When you see a person buying meat why not tell them EXACTLY what is packaged so neatly under that saran wrap. Explain to the consumer next to you on the check out line that the meat they are buying will guarantee the consumption of suffering, disease, antibiotics, hormones, stress and fear. Most of us grew up eating animals and many vegetarians still don’t fully comprehend why vegans shun all dairy products including that on our backs. WE need to tell them. Think of the grocery store as your stage.

Okay, since we are here..lets go ALL the way. I participated in PETA’s Meat Tray demo on my TV show, “Running Russell Simmons”. I got naked in 100 degree weather and nearly got heat stroke in Times Square to make the connection of human flesh and animal flesh being equal- especially when it comes to pain and suffering. I labeled my body  and used it for effect. You can do it too..all you need is some red paint.

I truly believe that one day eating meat will be seen as archaic as the days people had to drink whiskey and bite on a bullet during surgeries to control pain. People will look back and say, “Gross! People actually ATE ANIMALS?!” But until then, lets push for real labels on our food. Labels that shout THE TRUTH. Labels that say, “I suffered”, “I cried”, “I tried to run for my life”, “I wanted to raise my offspring and YOU TOOK HIM AWAY”, “I was tortured”. How easy would it be for people to bring THAT to the counter and take it home with a swipe of their debit card?

My boss, Russell Simmons, calls me an angry vegan. I guess that’s what fuels me. It’s true I am angry and hurt and pained by what humans are doing to the animals on our planet and Mother Earth herself. I am radical. I make no excuses and I urge you to do the same. We have no time for patience–animals are dying now. You don’t have to take off your clothes on TV in the middle of a busy intersection in the tourist capitol of the world but it you respect life, all life… you must speak out for change. You can change minds in your small town, your local supermarket, farmers market, etc. All you need is your voice (and a few labeling stickers certainly can’t hurt). Don’t be shy. You have a voice–be grateful. It’s more than the animals have. Speak out for the voice-less, the choice-less. It’s up to you.