# Don't give me that anti-vegetarian shit. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 17, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902 "2001-11-17T05:30:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/21 "2001-11-17T07:18:02Z")
They could open for Hitler Pinata. ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Rubin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billy_rubin/32/3622_2.png) [@Billy\_Rubin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Rubin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/22 "2001-11-17T07:20:28Z")
You rule, Dao. b. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/23 "2001-11-17T07:20:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lesath \* > **"Well, I didn’t fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian."** Unless she was out there wrestling gazelle and fending off scavengers for most of her life, I’d say this woman is somewhat confused… And **JellyDonut** , this: > [@](#): > > Our teeth are most obviously that of an herbivore. is, to put it bluntly, completely false. I provide the following sampling of links for your enlightenment: > **[Mammal Teeth 101: A Look Inside The Different Types Of Tooth - Earth Life](https://www.earthlife.net/mammals/teeth.html)** > > Everything you ever wanted to know about mammal teeth. What they are made of, what they are called, tusks and records, biggest, most etc. [http://www.sfu.ca/~csmith/genstuff/academic/lab/labnotes12.html](http://www.sfu.ca/~csmith/genstuff/academic/lab/labnotes12.html) > **[Geology](https://www.beloit.edu/academics/geology/)** > > What drives the Earth’s systems? How have life and environments changed over time? And how are humans affecting Earth systems today? [http://faculty.washington.edu/kepeter/453/labs/teeth.htm](http://faculty.washington.edu/kepeter/453/labs/teeth.htm) [http://www.dgif.state.va.us/wildwoods/wildwoods-nov98-page1.html](http://www.dgif.state.va.us/wildwoods/wildwoods-nov98-page1.html) Note that I am pointing this out, not because I wish to fuel any sort of vegetarian/anti-vegetarian debate, but because I wish to fight ignorance. And that comment was definitely born of ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/24 "2001-11-17T07:22:10Z")
Do you know what I really hate? When people ask me “can you eat this? Can you eat that?” Yes, I am perfectly capable of putting a big 'ol burger in my mouth, chewing and swallowing but that doesn’t mean I will. I know it’s picky but just the words “can you eat this” allude to the fact that i’m not vegan by choice. That I really WANT to eat animal products. I used to correct people, I don’t bother anymore. Or when people WATCH me eat and say “are you sure there’s no animal products in that?” Who the fuck made you the vegan police, huh? I’ve been vegan for five years, I’ve got a pretty good idea about what’s vegan and what’s not. Am I harassing you as you scarf down that Big Mac? No. SO LET ME EAT MY TOFU IN PEACE! I don’t know why meat eaters are so damn defensive. SOMEONE’S not feeling very secure in their carnavorism… ---
**Author:** ![Daowajan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Daowajan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daowajan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/25 "2001-11-17T07:33:32Z")
**lezlers** , personally, I prefer “can you eat this” to “why can’t you eat this?” Uhmm… 'cause I’ll get really fucking sick? Does the phrase “explosive projectile vomit” mean anything to you folks who think **Lesath** and I are just picky eaters? ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/26 "2001-11-17T07:43:40Z")
In all my life I have never encountered a militant meat eater. I have, however, had a direct dealing with a militant vegetarian. I was in a resturant where some bitch decided to take issue with an order I had placed. She was at the adjacent table and overheard my order for veal. Hell I was in a mood, I wanted a small peice of tender meat, bathed in sauce. This woman, I would place her in her 20’s early 30’s stood up and asked me if i knew what veal was. I responded with:" yes , of course I do" "It’s cow meat, specifically baby cow meat. She asked if I knew of the horrors that baby cow must have lived through before becoming my dinner. I relied : “I imagine it was similar to the sexual abuse your father gave you.” In retrospect, I could have replied “no, I have no idea” or simply “no and I don’t care” But no I had to give the response where the police would eventually be called. ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Rubin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billy_rubin/32/3622_2.png) [@Billy\_Rubin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Rubin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/27 "2001-11-17T07:50:04Z")
Trouble is, I often do. Okay, I almost always do. With the consequence that I’ve eaten some odd things. Including a live frog. A plateful of what appeared to be alfalfa. Some wriggly wormlike things that tasted like dirt.I’ve rarely found a bad meal. And I have tofu soup almost every day, I make california rolls and take them to work for lunch, a lot of the time people think I’m a vegetarian. Then I eat a big hunk of rare meat and freak them all out. I reserve projectile vomiting for actual inedibles, like Lava Lamps. No, don’t even THINK about asking. b. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/28 "2001-11-17T07:55:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Billy Rubin \* > No, don’t even THINK about asking. _NO_ problem. I have no intention of asking! :eek: Evil Ghandi: Perhaps the reason you’ve never met a militant meat eater is because you eat…meat? I have met more than a few defensive, borderline militant meat eaters. Who are just SO vexed that I dare not eat meat. I swear. The next time someone gives me shit about it, I will open my purse, and offer to write them a check. Since, obviously, the only reason they should be so offended is because they own stock in the meat industry, and they feel I have deprived them of some earnings. I mean, there is no tangible reason I can think of why someone else should give a damn what I eat, as long as I am not pestering them about it! ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/29 "2001-11-17T09:10:04Z")
I quote, “I swear. The next time someone gives me shit about it, I will open my purse, and offer to write them a check. Since, obviously, the only reason they should be so offended is because they own stock in the meat industry, and they feel I have deprived them of some earnings. I mean, there is no tangible reason I can think of why someone else should give a damn what I eat, as long as I am not pestering them about it!” Does sound like the thought process of a sane person? Is she really convinced the meat industry is out to get her. Does she really believe that all burger king patrons own stock in the meat industry. Tell ya what. Ill give ya shit if you write me a check. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/30 "2001-11-17T09:20:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EvilGhandi \* > I quote, First off, could you learn to _really_ use the quote function? Thank you. > [@](#): > > Does sound like the thought process of a sane person? For the sarcasm-impaired, I will clarify. Some people act so offended that I don’t eat meat, I am tempted to ask them if my not eating meat is somehow taking money out of their pocket. Do they have investments in the meat industry? What can it be that is upsetting them so much? Why are they so offended? If they don’t have some personal investment in the meat industry, I don’t understand how they can take my not eating meat so _personally_. And yet they do. > [@](#): > > Is she really convinced the meat industry is out to get her. Does she really believe that all burger king patrons own stock in the meat industry. Oh, give me a frickin’ break. Do you take everything so literally? Could you not at least first asked “Are you kidding?” if you were unclear? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/31 "2001-11-17T10:17:22Z")
For Mr. Donut’s benefit, I provide an excerpt of a conversation that two of my friends once had, from my online Quote List: > [@](#): > > **Falayla** : “…But eating meat is evil! They pack the cows together and treat them horribly and then they slaughter them, they cut their throats and let them bleed…” > **Chris** : “Yeah… but it tastes fuckin’ great.” Bottom line: I’m gonna eat meat. Feel those nice, sharp teeth in your mouth? Y’know, “sharp” as in “pointy-tipped”? Them’s called “canines”. They exist for the purpose of tearing meat and gulping it down. Lemme repeat that: **I’m** gonna eat meat. Don’t like it? Then shut yer yap. Don’t think so highly of your powers of persuasion that you’re going to “enlighten” me, 'cuz trust me, most of what you consider to be _bad_ about eating meat, I consider to be _good_. You don’t wanna eat meat? That’s just hunky-fuckin’-dory with me. You wanna tell _me_ what to eat? Not okay. Them’s fightin’ words, pal. There are two things you don’t lecture someone about… how to have sex and what to eat. That goes for both the omni’s and the herbi’s. So the next time you feel like spouting some statistics or quoting some PETA-esque slogan, sing a song, chew some gum, gee whiz, do _something_ aside from "Blah-blah-blah"ing about your standard meal-time shtick. Because EVERYBODY’s heard it, and EVERYBODY’s goddamn sick of it. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/32 "2001-11-17T10:18:42Z")
And Y-babe, someday, we have to munch on some carrot sticks together. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/33 "2001-11-17T10:23:35Z")
Anytime, SPOOFE. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/34 "2001-11-17T12:00:30Z")
Being a recent convert to vegetarianism (well, lacto-ova-vegetarianism), I have yet to encounter someone saying such a silly thing to me as related in the OP. But then, I do live in California, where it apparently is more accepted than back on the Great Smoky Mountains when I lived there. Anyway, how exactly does she know that you don’t ever eat meat unless you told her? Plus, isn’t it remotely possible that she’s ever had a meat-free meal? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches come to mind. You might want to mention to her that you don’t appreciate her asinine comments on your religious practice (if that’s why you chose vegetarianism) or that you are veggie for health and you certainly hope she doesn’t get any of the cancers she’s possibly going to be more likely than you to get since she’s eating all that charred mammal flesh. Oh, and jelly donut: do some actual research before you try to talk about evolution. Your comments above show you know exactly zero about: 1) Evolution, 2) Vegetarianism, and 3) Reasons why some humans are vegetarians. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/35 "2001-11-17T12:11:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lesath \* > And you know what? You’re cute little quote, “If we shouldn’t eat animals, why are they made of meat?” is an excuse for cannibalism. \*\* It sure is. In fact, this is a line from a song about cannbalism by the great Flanders and Swann. (BTW their entire ouvre is now available on a 3 CD set.) ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/36 "2001-11-17T12:22:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Daowajan \* > \*\*Will you all SHUT THE FUCK UP!!??!?!? > > We’ve had this fight BILLIONS of times probably on this board alone, yet you chickenfuckers are always lurking on the outskirts of the board, ready to tear each other apart over another complete stranger’s personal choice that YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER!! > > _ **FUCK YOU SIDEWAYS!!!** _ \*\* Chickenfuckers??? Ok, which on of youse guys has been in the chicken coop again? ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/37 "2001-11-17T13:20:39Z")
The arguments I have are a bit like those between people of do/don’t believe people landed on the moon. Each side thinks the other is so stupid we can’t bear it, and end up arguing. The difference is that these arguments can’t be settled by the equivalent of finding a bit of moon rock and going ‘See?’ because the real difference is moral, not what we evolved to eat. We only don’t because we can’t settle it and wan’t to do something else with our lives. YMMV, somne people are just jerks who’s opinion I don’t respect (on boht sides). ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/38 "2001-11-17T13:38:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JellyDonut \* > \*\*Respond by saying we can’t even digest that meat unless it’s cooked properly. Before fire, man couldn’t eat meat, and indeed hasn’t evolved to eat meat. Our digestive tracts, unlike carnivores, cannot filter out the bacteria in meat. Our teeth are most obviously that of an herbivore. > > Our bodies are more accustomed to eating plants than animals; humans only began to eat animals as a means of survival; i.e. when humans traveled into unfamiliar climates, often there would be little edible vegetation and people had to rely on hunting animals for food. Many peoples of the Arctic region (like the Inuits and the Lappish) rely heavily on meat and have shorter lifespans than similarly advanced tribes who rely mostly on plants. > \*\* Um, try again. People are naturally omnivores, not herbivores. [Here’s Cecil on the matter](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_087.html) ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/39 "2001-11-17T14:56:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t give me that anti-vegetarian shit. But if we did, would you eat it? and **yosemitebabe** I have no idea how anyone could take your comments for anything but sarcastic. But assuming they weren’t… “Where do you get your protein from?” You can e-mail me and I’ll be glad to provide a mailing address. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902/40 "2001-11-17T15:02:29Z")
> [@](#): > > In all my life I have never encountered a militant meat eater. Well, now you have. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-give-me-that-anti-vegetarian-shit/93902.md?page=3)