As any vegetarian or vegan experiences often, last week I once again found myself defending and explaining my choice to not eat meat. But it got me thinking, what is a vegetarian or a vegan? I turned to Urban Dictionary for an answer:
A vegetarian is 1) someone who must constantly justify him/herself, due to the fact that many meat-eaters feel threatened/intimidated by vegetarians and react by making ignorant, offensive comments to make themselves feel better. 2) One who does not eat meat. This includes fish and poultry (chicken and fish are not plants!)
A vegan is someone who slaughters and kills fruits, and vegetables. (i.e. Vegans abstain from eating or using any animal products or by-products, e.g. dairy, eggs, honey, leather, silk.)
Personally I am a vegetarian with vegan leanings - meaning I don't eat meat, and I try not to eat eggs, dairy, etc. very often. I chose to become vegetarian for health reasons; I also keep doing it as part of my environmentalism. I've been vegetarian for over a year now and I'm healthier and happier; I just overall feel better now than I did when I was eating meat.
Andrei Codrescu (author and NPR personality) put it well speaking of the affects on the planet of eating meat and building another Burger King:
"Number one, they kill cows; number two, the cows they kill graze on the sites of murdered forests; number three, the cows they kill that killed the forests are full of hormones; number four, the hormone-filled cows they kill that killed the forests are full of bad-for-your-heart fat; number five, the bad-for-your-heart-hormone-filled-forest-killing-dead-cows are wrappped in bad-for-the-earth plastic."
As the first definition of vegetarian (above) states, we are constantly having to defend our choice to not eat meat. This is similar to constantly having to defend my existence as a queer man, only more couth. It also means that we get to hear lots of stupid comments and questions almost daily. Here's the top ten:
For those who are into name-dropping and star-fucking, being vegetarian puts me into league with many great minds and famous people. There's a list here, and a slideshow below.
There are also many religious reasons to be vegetarian. Many important religious leaders have been vegetarian, including the Dalai Lama and, many believe, Jesus. Check out Jesus was a Vegetarian and the Christian Vegetarian Association for more information, as well as Jewish Veg. Protecting animals and not eating meat is an aspect of compassion, which is an important teaching in many world religions, especially Christianity and Buddhism.
I'd like to share a story about a young man, named Mario. (Thanks mon amour :x) (Sorry the text is small and can be difficult to read):
I'll get off my soapbox for now. I apologize to my meat-eating friends. I believe in the freedom of choice, which I think still exists in this country, so I'll make you a deal - I'll respect your choice to eat meat, if you respect my choice to not eat meat. I'll even try to refrain from making snide comments about meat like "the tears make it tasty."
Enough carnivore bashing, here's Anthony Bourdain on why he hates vegans and vegetarians:
Paix et amour.
5 comments:
Well put.
And fuck Anthony Bourdain.
As a self-described 95-98% vegetarian (I eat fish and chicken occasionally and will not be made to feel bad for enjoying the exquisite pleasure of a spicy tuna roll) I hope I "fit in" with the cool people.
Also, I wonder if being a 95-98% vegetarian still means I taste better?
Brendon, I'll be the judge of that. ;)
I am also 95% vegetarian. I don't enjoy meat. Every once in a while I will try something with meat in it. So Im sorry I don't fall into your category of perfection
I do know that being vegetarian or better vegan does wonders for flatulence. And the more science shows it's excellent for you, the more compelled I am. I admire the ability to stick with the program. My longest stint as a pescatarian (note I have never been willing to give up fish) was for a year and a half. I think I've had three other attempts. My latest was a lousy 4 month. As you know I keep semi-kosher with no pork always. But beef is hard to give up. I'm utterly convinced that I'm addicted to beef. Especially the way my grandmother cooks it. All conviction folds for me when she's making London broil or a roast beef. Shameful I know, but the woman can cook. I rarely care for chicken anyways but sometimes I feel obliged to eat it in order to appease my family. Perhaps when I'm not nearby to them I'll be able to make a better adjustment. I do best at it, when I'm cooking for myself and there's nobody to disappoint.
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