Karma, discrimination, violence against humans and animals

Chad,
There is a truth. Hatred, injustices, wars, violence, discrimination is morally wrong. Discrimination, such as racism, hetrosexism, sexim, ageism, speciecism, and any other kind of discrimination is morally wrong.

We can never justify injustices and other violence by claiming some distorted concept of 'karma'. I don't believe 'as we sow, so shall we reap' means that all injustices and violence that occurs to a person is caused by a person's previous actions.

Discrimination and using violence against another individual based on the criteria of species is morally wrong: “Speciesism and human slavery are similar in that in all cases animals and enslaved humans have a basic interest in not being treated as things and yet are treated as things on the basis of morally irrelevant criteria. To deny animals this basic right simply because they are animals is like saying that we should not abolish race-based slavery because of the perceived inferiority of the slaves’ race. The argument used to support slavery and the argument used to support animal exploitation are structurally similar: we exclude beings with interests from the moral community because there is some supposed difference between ‘them’ and ‘us’ that has nothing to do with the inclusion of these beings in the moral community. The animals rights position maintains that if we believe that animals have moral significance, the principle of equal consideration requires that we stop treating them as things.” – Gary Francione

In any case, we are morally responsible to stand up and fight against all violence.
As I wrote earlier: Standing for Ahimsa (non-violence and compassion to all living beings) requires us standing up against injustices and violence against other sentient beings, regardless if they happen to be humans, fish, cats, dogs or of any other species. Standing silent only perpetuates the status quo of injustices, violence and slavery perpetuated on a massive scale against innocent sentient beings; and makes the bystander guilty for not standing up and defending the defenseless and oppressed.
Only a spiritual awakening to the so simple fact that all beings are consciousness (fish, dogs, cats, humans and all other beings) and that all equally has the same right to live as humans, and that all should be treated with love, compassion and nonviolence, will transform our violent culture that is so filled of injustices, oppression, slavery and suffering.

I recommend this article: http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/the-religion-of-non-violence/#.UY6v48pafh4
and this article about Ahimsa: http://faithinmemphis.com/2011/04/16/francione-jainisms-greatest-gift-ahimsa/

06.07.2013:
That’s why I think it is importance that we e.g. use our Facebook-page to spread vegan messages, and also posts that oppose to other violence and discrimination as well. It our responsibility to inform our friends and acquaintances, and every conversation is an opportunity that we should take. We are complicit if we remain silent about the violence and discrimination in this world. Only education will change this world, and make the world less and less violent.