# "Vegans should just starve to death?" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 23, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354 "2009-12-23T19:23:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/1 "2009-12-23T19:23:22Z")
When did it become acceptable to wish death on large groups of people in a GD OP? Is there some reason I should refrain from gratifying my immediate impulse to respond with something along the line of “Fuck you, too, asshole”? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/2 "2009-12-23T19:29:28Z")
It’s always a good idea to link to the thread you’re complaining about, which is here: > **[Vegans should just starve to death.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=544947)** > > This article from the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/science/22angi.html?em&exprod=myyahoo Plants aren’t as indistinguishable from animals as many may think. I believe in the food chain. As harsh as that might sound, it is part of... Glancing at the thread I see nothing that would indicate wishing death threats on vegans or anyone else. It does seem to be a lively conversation with a bit of whimsy and a tad of hyperbole, which is not bad for Great Debates, it’s the nature of the beast. As to what that beast eats as its nature I could not tell you. 🙂 And no, your proposed reply is not a very good argument and not at all a rational debate. Sounds like you’re taking something personally that was not intended as a slam at you or anyone else, either. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/3 "2009-12-23T19:35:22Z")
I didn’t think the title was a death wish. I thought **Spartydog** was giving a (non-serious, highly exaggerated) paraphrase of the New York Times editorial he linked to. He didn’t say in the OP that he wants anyone to die. And no, if you think a thread title is insulting or against the rules, you’re not allowed to insult the poster in response. Please report it and let the mods figure out what to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/4 "2009-12-23T19:37:24Z")
Have you _read_ the thread? Honest question. I mean the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/5 "2009-12-23T19:46:37Z")
I didn’t waste my time reading the linked article, but I skimmed enough of the thread to see that the article, as **Marley** pointed out, doesn’t seem to actually express the argument put forth in the subject line. I chose to start this thread rather than report it because, since a Mod was already participating in the thread, it was apparent that one person’s hate speech is another’s “bit of whimsy”, and I was hoping to get some explanation of exactly what the difference is. I am wondering if it is OK to start a thread whose title is “All hunters should be shot” as long as I don’t actually make that argument in the OP. I suspect it depends on whether the Mod is a hunter or not. But apparently the verdict is that I am being overly sensitive, so I will let it drop. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/6 "2009-12-23T20:15:58Z")
I can see why you object to it. I just didn’t read it as a wish that vegans starve to death. I thought it meant ‘if vegans don’t want to harm living things, they can’t eat plants either, so by their rules, they should starve themselves to death.’ So to my eyes, it was a hypothetical and not a wish or a demand. The title is over the top, but I think it’s ok - it’s supposed to grab your attention and I think we’ve always allowed some flexibility on the accuracy of a thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/7 "2009-12-23T20:16:38Z")
OK, that makes sense. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/8 "2009-12-23T21:41:39Z")
They should, though… Just kidding. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/9 "2009-12-24T00:19:04Z")
I’m vegan and, frankly, I’m quite hungry at the moment, if that makes anyone happy. _ **heads to kitchen** _ ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/10 "2009-12-24T20:28:11Z")
My first reading of the title was that people who live in Las Vegas should starve themselves to death. My instant response was: “You can’t! All the great buffets in town…!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/11 "2009-12-29T04:45:13Z")
Does this mean it’s NOT ok to wish death on large but anonymous groups of people? Joggers, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/12 "2009-12-29T05:25:00Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Does this mean it’s NOT ok to wish death on large but anonymous groups of people? Joggers, for instance. That’s allowed, yes. I was saying I didn’t think that situation applied to this thread. Wishing death on groups of non-posters probably wouldn’t fly as a _debate_, but it’s be accepted in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/13 "2009-12-29T05:37:36Z")
Whew. 'Cause otherwise I was gonna have to considerably shorten my manifesto. And presumably death to The Man is always in vogue. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/14 "2009-12-29T13:36:11Z")
I’m not entirely clear whether now that I’m a mod, I’m also The Man. **goes into a tailspin of gender identity confusion mixed with the end of all '60s idealism** ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/15 "2009-12-29T16:07:56Z")
If you aren’t getting the memos, you aren’t The Man. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/16 "2009-12-29T16:22:47Z")
If you don’t hang out with Chico, then you aren’t The Man. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/17 "2009-12-29T17:22:32Z")
Chico’s dead, Man. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-should-just-starve-to-death/522354/18 "2009-12-29T17:51:19Z")
That’s what The Man _wants_ you to think.