Please forgive me while I take a moment to vent.
I try not to take it personally. Really, I do. Since most studies put the percentage of US population claiming vegetarianism at around 4%, and veganism between .02-.09%, most of the people I meet every day are omnivores. It would be crazy for me to begrudge everyone that eats animals. In fact, I love you omni's; I really do. I even love you ex-veg*ns! Some of you are simply curious as to WHY I do what I do, and I really appreciate honest questions. What I have a hard time with is the condescending tone that I hear from a number of folks when they refer to veg*nism.
On more than one occasion, I have encountered folks telling me about a veg*n family member. Usually a teenager, sometimes even referred to as "going through some sort of phase", they tell me about how accommodating they are to this person's recent decision...
-"It's so cute... she did all this research. And she's really trying to be healthy!"
-"Uh, oh. Don't talk to my daughter! She's already trying to be vegetarian, I don't need her thinking about being vegan, too." (That one is my favorite!)
-"We're doing our best to feed him, but..."
Tell you what: stop talking to me like I'M going through a phase and I might offer you a few suggestions!
Interestingly enough, I get quite a bit of flack from ex-veg*ns, as if they had tried it once and then came to their senses. If this is you, please don't berate my choice just because yours didn't last. Also, please don't patronize your teenager (or ANY family member/friend) as if SAVING THE WORLD is a childish objective.
Animals are sentient creatures that deserve protection and a voice. Vegans help conserve the planet's precious resources, including water and fertile soil. And finally, YOUR KID WILL LIVE LONGER as a vegan, which might be helpful when the standard American diet puts you in the hospital. Try not to take it personally. :)
Thank you for your time.
Love,
JenB.
1 comment:
Here! Here!
If you were wondering about how healthy you are eating and think you are eating healthy just take a look at your lables. If you can't pronounce it then it is giving you cancer. The cancer may not become a big deal...or it may. Just ask me, I thought I ate healthy but I still got cancer. I am only 38 years old, I am active and I thought I ate healthy.
Although I do not practice strict vegan or vegetarian dietary guidelines mostly because I have been losing so much weight from having chemotherapy, I definitely know for a fact that when I was vegan I became healthier in just a matter of weeks. I also know for a fact that out of all of our agricultural land used to grow crops in the US only 2% of it is actually used to feed people, the rest is used to fatten up livestock to feed our hunger for meat.
It is terribly important that you do not treat people as if they are "going through a phase" when they tell you they are vegan or vegetarian or what ever they tell you. It is a choice that is based on reasons whether they be spiritual, environmental, or health related.
Thank you Jen for voicing your opinion and "venting". You deserve it.
Much love,
Laura
a.k.a. The Cancer Assassin
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