I have to say Green Vegan, as a meat eater and hunter, I find your position highly respectable--I've never heard you bash us omnivores for consuming meat or that we are vile, cellar dwelling Morlocks...I became familiar with veganisim while in College--the ones I encountered there were more of the militant, in-you-face ranting hippie-types that conservatives are so scared of. That attiutude soured me towards the cause and put me on the defensive. I haven't noticed that in Jeff's or your post's and it makes the debate sooo much more engaging--kudos
If I'm passionate about being nice to animals, it makes sense to be nice to people, too. Well, MOST people!
Well, I was vegan, but due to recent events I have been a little more vegetarian...so I guess I am somewhere in between. I guess at home I am vegan and away I will eat a little cheese and things cooked with milk and not worry about it too much. Why am I vegan/vegetarian? Because.
I have a great respect for vegetarians, they are stronger than I am. I would like to stop eating meat because of it seems like the right thing to do. When I think about where it comes from and how it is processed it seems kind of screwed up and primative. However, I don't have the willpower to keep from eating it and I dont think I ever will. A nice cut of fillet cooked properly is about the best grub I can think of.
I think everyone should eat as they like. Some don't like meat, and that's cool with me. I don't think whether one eats meat has much to do with a person's demeanor. I know some think eating meat makes one more aggressive. I've met plenty of herbivores who will kick, bite, or butt you, and they never eat meat.
Fish especially Salmon.Chicken [White only] Small amount very lean, thinly sliced beef for lunch.Lots of Vegs.
Mmmmm.... beef. Same goes for pork, chicken, and fish . That said, I do wish that conditions were improved for some of the animals. I'm just not motivated (or care enough) to actually boycott products over it. I don't really give a **** about the chickens (I'm firmly convinced that anybody who objects to the conditions of chickens has never come into close, extended contact with a chicken... nasty, horribly, evil creatures).
Technically, many non-meats are not 'killed'...grain is already 'dead' and with many others, the fruit is harvested. More to the point, many plants seem desirous of being partially 'eaten'; like their raison d'etre is to spread their offspring...seeds. The preferred host for many seems logical: birds...who can generally spread the seeds farther than other animals. I am even aware of one plant that is threatened because it's seed must pass through a cassowary's system before it can germinate (question: why hinge your survival on a flightless bird?)
A lot is mentioned about the suffering of livestock, so I don't need to add anything there. (FWIW, we're hypocritical meat eaters. We spend extra to buy free range eggs (guess they are allowed to roll around ), chickens, turkey when it's available. Generally replace veal in recipes.) But another issue rarely mentioned: I believe that we have lost perspective on is meat that is thrown away. We are a disposable society. We go to the store and the meat is packaged in plastic...we are dissassociated with the killing act that the animal went through. Then if the meat happens to spoil in the frig, or maybe there's a little leftover, we through it in the trash. Let me be the second (oddly, Khan was the first) to espouse a viewpoint in this thread: We should all be more respectful of the animal who (unvoluntarily) sacrificed it's life to sustain us. If we actually had to kill the animal, I bet most here wouldn't let any go to waste. JMHO
Excellent points, dude. We're so removed from our food source that we don't even know (or even care) where it came from.
I can't freaking wait for this. My wife got me a 12 gauge beretta whitewing over/under for my wedding present and I haven't had a chance to use it on anything yet (other than clay). Sure beats the beck out of my old Wal-Mart special Remington pumpaction. Succulent bacon wrapped bird.
As an Atkineer, you all know my choices on meat. I can respect vegetarian and vegan choices - my mother was a veggie until she got tired of cooking a meal for us and a meal for her. What I don't get is something I heard about on NPR the other day. RAW VEGAN Apparently, it's wrong or bad for you to cook food in their minds. Personally, I think that's going a little off the deep end. Anyone else?
There's a resturant in LA called "RAW". Nothing but uncooked food. From what I hear, the place is always packed...
Yeah, I've heard of that. I'm sure a "raw" meal can be delicious. I've never had one, but I've heard good things.
