I'm a Vegetarian

[Chrissi]

Yes, those dreaded words... "I'm a vegetarian!" she cries, and won't eat hamburgers and you don't know what to feed her. Tell her they're veggie burgers, perhaps?

So anyway, I really am a vegetarian, and I am of the belief that everyone needs some sort of reason why they are still eating animals. I'm not going to go veggie-nazi on anyone. I don't do that. I wouldn't like someone to go full-diet-nazi on me, so I don't do the opposite, even though I hold my beliefs strongly. Also, concerning my introductory statement, I hate veggieburgers because I mean really, if a vegetarian still needs to eat meat that badly, they should go ahead and eat it for god's sakes, and not make something almost like it that will never taste quite the same.

I will -never- deny that we evolved to eat meat. We moved up the food chain, up and up and up until we were at the top, and that's one of the reasons why humans are so successful. Nor will I deny that some meat can be healthy for you in small quantities (although some all-meat no-veggie diets are healthy, this won't work for typical people).

But the reason I don't eat meat or use products that uses a dead animal is because I personally believe that humans don't -need- to anymore. Or at least, -I- don't need to. I don't see a good reason to kill animals when we've got plenty of food sitting right in front of us. We have the will to choose what we eat.

Now, I like when people develop their own reasons why they eat meat. My boyfriend eats it because he thinks that living for death is better than no life at all - basically, cows and such are bred for human consumption, but if they weren't, the cows wouldn't have existed in the first place. It is better for them to have lived for us to eat, than for them to have never lived at all.

I accept that, and I accept pretty much everything except for the horrid: "I like meat" or "I think it tastes good!" That's equivalent to saying "I kill people because it makes me feel good about myself" and justifying it that way. It's unacceptable. Another reason is needed, and that one reason can be just about anything.

Humans have come so far. We're obviously smarter than just about any animal in just about any possible way. We have more freedom and we get to do what we like. We can choose not to live off eating other animals if we want to. That's why saying "Well why is it okay for the lions to eat meat and not for me?" doesn't work. Lions haven't come to our stage yet. Get me?

It's strange how the very existance of peaceful vegetarians irks the hell out of some people. Take this real interaction for example.

---
I go to a pizza place and ask for a slice of garlic pizza. They say they don't have any in right now and it'll be 10 or 15 minutes. I sit down.
A guy sees this and asks, "Why would you wait so long for that? There's pepperoni right there you know."
Me: "I don't like pepperoni."
Him: "Who doesn't like pepperoni? It's good."
Me: "Ummm.. maybe me?"
Him: "Ohhhh are you one of those crazy hippie vegetarians?"
Me: "I guess you could say that."
He gets his pepperoni piece and starts moaning at me, "Oh my god I'M EATING A CUTE ANIMAL YUMMMMMM IT'S SO GOOD MMMMMMM!!! I LOVE THIS!!! I LOVE EATING ANIMALS!!"
I think of giving him the finger, but instead I just wait until he gets over himself.
---

Now, I guess some people are like that, kinda Maddox-y and trying to make people angry, but what is the reason for that? I've also come across many "Anti-vegetarian" websites. No, not "Anti-pushing-their-diet-in-our-face-vegetarians", anti-all vegetarians. They truly believe that all vegetarians should go to hell and burn.

Would anybody happen to know why? It just makes me sad, because I'm the same species as them.


So I guess I'm asking.. what's your reason for eating meat? If you say "I like meat" I'll whack you with a baseball bat, for this is Critical Thinking, not "I like doing what people hate". Do you think it's healthier for you? Think animals belong to humans? Etc etc etc.. I don't care, just let 'em fly.

Or your reason for NOT eating meat, if there happen to be any vegetarians here? (which is highly unlikely, but it's worth a shot)


Edit: I need to clarify so I don't get flamed. Your reason could be "I like meat" if you believe something else along with it, like it's good for you or the animals dont' really need their lives anyway or.. or just about anything that shows that you actually know what you're doing and have thought about this sort of thing rather than just accepting the trend that society takes. There's just no excuse to be oblivious and say you eat meat 'cause you like it. Unless you're 12. Ugh, I'm no good at saying exactly what I mean in these situations. Well all right, if you flame me, whatever. I probably deserve it.