# A New Twist On the Vegetarian vs Meat Eaters Issue **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 1, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732 "2002-05-01T21:11:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/1 "2002-05-01T21:11:15Z")
I’m not looking to bash vegetarians here, I just stumbled across [this](http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DyeHard/dyehard.html) news article and was curious as to what the vegetarian Dopers might think of it. > [@](#): > > Nobody’s hands are free from the blood of other animals, not even vegetarians, he concluded. Millions of animals are killed every year, Davis says, to prepare land for growing crops, “like corn, soybean, wheat and barley, the staples of a vegan diet.” So now that you know about this, how does it make you feel? How are you going to try to find ways of remaining vegetarian, but ensuring that your diet doesn’t cause the deaths of animals? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/2 "2002-05-01T21:37:58Z")
i’m gonna go home and cook up a big mess o’porkchops tonight! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/3 "2002-05-01T21:45:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\* > So now that you know about this, how does it make you feel? \*\* Do you honestly think that anyone did not know this? I think that most people are aware that it is impossible to farm without disrupting the plant and animal life native to that area. > [@](#): > > \*\* > How are you going to try to find ways of remaining vegetarian, but ensuring that your diet doesn’t cause the deaths of animals? \*\* I believe you have misunderstood the goal of vegetarianism. ---
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/4 "2002-05-01T22:15:18Z")
::shrug:: Life’s imperfect. You do the best you can. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/5 "2002-05-01T22:32:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamia \* > \*\* > I believe you have misunderstood the goal of vegetarianism. \*\* There’s only one goal? I have heard vegetarians give widely varying goals, ranging from good health to economics to sparing the lives of animals. **Tuckerfan** ’s post addresses the last of those goals. I’m not a vegetarian, so I can’t address the OP. I did try it once, after reading a graphic article about animal farming. On day 3, I found myself clutching a burger with one bite missing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lost\_In\_Reality](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Lost\_In\_Reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost_In_Reality)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/6 "2002-05-02T00:59:51Z")
I happen to be a Vegetarian for solely taste and health reasons. I just for some reason Despise, with a capital D, all forms of meat and poultry. I’m ok with fish though, and since I am Jewish I decided I might as well go Kosher since I already eliminated unkosher meat. I, personally, am completely fine with the death of animals to feed our population. I even eat meat on certain events, like weddings and Thanksgiving, to avoid problems because it just isn’t worth the stress. So, I have been a quasi-vegetarian for five years running. I hope I helped, though I think I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/7 "2002-05-02T03:19:26Z")
Here is something even more twisted: some veggie diets aren’t good for young [children](http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-nyvegvr2689102apr30.story). ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/8 "2002-05-02T06:47:45Z")
Eat meat, don’t eat meat, whatever. Just don’t get between me and a steak. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/9 "2002-05-02T06:50:23Z")
::bangs head on table::: Oh no. Not again. Another person trots out tiresome “You’re killing little itty bitty bugs when you eat plants” line. (This is directed at vegetarians, of course. Who, I assume are expected to look shocked and say “I never thought of that! Well, then, I guess I’ll give up vegetarianism and go get a Big Mac right now!”) It’s almost as tiresome as the “Plants have feelings too” line. These lines have been **so** done. Done. To. Death. Put a fork in it. It is done. My apologies to the OP for the extreme sarcasm of this post. But if you ONLY knew how many times we’ve heard such lines… ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/10 "2002-05-03T21:26:01Z")
Hear hear, **yosimitebabe** - I get flak all the time. It’s like ‘vegetarian’ equals immediately ‘preachy, tree-hugging, oh-the-humanity vegan’, with no grey areas in between. But I see no need to get miffed - life’s too short, and death’s a bad punchline to it. I, like many others, have stopped using the term ‘vegetarian’ to describe myself because of the social connotations of the word - I prefer ‘doesn’t eat [insert specifics]’ in its stead and give reasons if asked insistently enough. Most vegetarians gravitate towards their diet solely for health or taste reasons, but it seems to me that the loudest and most recognizable bunch would be those who don’t eat meat because they don’t like animals dying for their food. Preachy vegetarians are but a small section of vegetarians - most of us would just like to be left alone and not bothered for whatever reasons. Unfortunately, like many groups, the loud minority ruins it for the quiet majority ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/11 "2002-05-03T22:31:33Z")
I try to minimize my impact on the environment by only feeding my cat hydroponically-grown tofu. When he’s fat enough, I’ll eat _him_. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/12 "2002-05-03T22:51:41Z")
I think the obvious solution is cannibalism. Kill a whole boatload of problems with one stone. Except that pesky spongiform encephalitis. We’ll still have to work on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/13 "2002-05-04T01:27:59Z")
THANK YOU I’m glad you told me about this. That rock I’ve been living under on Mars in a cave, has protected me from hearing about this until now. i shall go out and repent by eating only endangered species. ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/14 "2002-05-05T09:33:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*::bangs head on table::: > > Oh no. Not again. > > Another person trots out tiresome “You’re killing little itty bitty bugs when you eat plants” line. (This is directed at vegetarians, of course. Who, I assume are expected to look shocked and say “I never thought of that! Well, then, I guess I’ll give up vegetarianism and go get a Big Mac right now!”) > > It’s almost as tiresome as the “Plants have feelings too” line. > > These lines have been **so** done. Done. To. Death. > \*\* Hi, I’m not asking this to be snarky, I’m honestly interested, if these issues have gotten worked over on this board, could you maybe give me some links? I am curious to hear what people have said. ---
**Author:** ![BooBoo316](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@BooBoo316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooBoo316)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/15 "2002-05-05T11:01:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*I try to minimize my impact on the environment by only feeding my cat hydroponically-grown tofu. > > When he’s fat enough, I’ll eat _him_. \*\* Cat - the other white meat. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/16 "2002-05-05T11:24:01Z")
One of my 5 year old granddaughters has decided she wants to be a vegetarian. Till its time for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/17 "2002-05-05T12:41:47Z")
Do some research on the Jain of India. These people go out of their way, and I mean way out, to avoid inadvertently killing any form of life. Interestingly enough, they also make very good traders. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/18 "2002-05-05T13:09:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by featherlou \* > \*\*I think the obvious solution is cannibalism. Kill a whole boatload of problems with one stone. Except that pesky spongiform encephalitis. We’ll still have to work on that one. \*\* Actually you are a cannibal and you’re doing it right now. Your cells are falling off your tongue and cheeks and being washed down into your stomach and consumed! How can you live with yourself? Side note: I grew up in a vegetarian household and I have always been extremely healthy which was the goal of my mother’s vegetarianism. Interestingly enough when my parents quit being vegs my sister and I insisted on remaining so. But those damn McDonald’s birthday parties ruined it. ---
**Author:** ![kitarak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kitarak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitarak)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/19 "2002-05-05T14:58:04Z")
Wait… You were tempted out of vegetarianism by… McDonalds?!! :eek: Sure, if you don’t want to be a vegetarian that’s fine. But McDonalds is unbelievably nasty. (And I thought so even before I went veggie). ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732/20 "2002-05-05T16:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tinkertoy \* > \*\* That rock I’ve been living under on Mars in a cave, has protected me from hearing about this until now. > > i shall go out and repent by eating only endangered species. \*\* I’m guessing they’re pretty much all endangered on Mars, no? 😉 Ooh, ooh! And no oxygen for a fire – you’ll have to eat them tartare! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-twist-on-the-vegetarian-vs-meat-eaters-issue/106732.md?page=2)