Why I'm vegan

[megglemuffin]

I took offense to people posting comments about how being vegan due to land use issues is "lame," so I am posting this so people might see that there are people out there who are vegan not only for the animals.

First off, I was raised Catholic. While I no longer believe in the traditional sense of the word, Catholic social teaching has played a huge

Comments

[socraticomatic]

There's a big difference between being vegan not only for the animals, and being vegan not for the animals at all.

The former makes plenty of sense, the latter I do not understand nor respect.

[dannigrl212]

^ what you said.

[friend_of_tofu]

I guess you are not down with the '"Skinny Bitch" is good for veganism' argument, then?

[tin_foil_hat]

I understand the latter, and I would respect it if they stuck to it. Seems veganism tends to get abandoned after a while in most cases though.

[friend_of_tofu]

Well said.

I can't help feeling that sneering at 'environmental vegans' doesn't sit well with also promoting veganism as a good environmental choice (although I concede that these are not necessarily being done by the same people).

I don't really worry about whether someone is veg*n for AR or environmental or religious reasons; it's all a step in the right direction. I don't think this is an unusual argument in this community either - a lot of people are very positive about "Skinny Bitch", for example.

[edgiko]

Well said, I think.

BTW: Jazz? Our first family dog was named Jazz. :x /Random
Also random in the fact Yoda (my dog) helped me on my journey to veganism as well.

[bitspike]

First of all, thanks for a great post! I understand exactly what you're saying and the arguments over this tend to get a little frustrating and counter-productive. However, I do think there is an inherent problem with the 'vegan for environmental reasons' label

[bucketofpuke]

I don't know if the OP is using the term 'land-use' like everyone here is thinking. I could be wrong, but one of the large reasons I am vegan is because of the destruction of natural habitat in the rain forests, Africa, and taking over the lands of indigenous peoples for the sake of food. Many people in Bolivia and Peru are not able to farm for themselves, build adequate housing using material from the forests, and their land is stolen from them

[bitspike]

"I am vegan for animal rights reasons, but largely and maybe more so on an environmental scale."

One of the main things I was getting at was that the OP seemed to have a similar stance; that there were animal rights concerns affecting their choices to some extent, even if the environmental concerns are usually/always the initial or main concern.

". . . you can be vegan for health reasons, animal rights, environmental reasons, or because you just hate the taste of meat."

Statements like this I disagree with. I just feel that if health or environmental reasons are your only concern, then room is made in your choices to act against what veganism is. To me, the only determining factor which is logically consistent with veganism (the intentional omission of consumption of all animal products where possible) is a concern for animal rights. Whether it is the primary cause or not, as long as it is strong enough

[bucketofpuke]

I used to get upset over people who were vegan just for diet reasons, but any vegan who is true to it is a vegan to me so I stopped worrying about it. As long as they make strides to better themselves and other people by talking to them about their diet, why they eat that way, then I see no problem with it. I don't give a crap if x amount of people have met a 'diet vegan' and consider all vegans 'diet vegans,' as long as it's sending a positive message about how terrible consumption of animals is, then it's not of my concern

[monkey_goose]

Totally respect where you're coming from. However, your statement:

'If everyone on this planet ate vegan, we would theoretically have enough food to feed everyone'

Is a little bit incorrect. We already have enough food to feed everyone, animal based or otherwise. People in developing countries aren't starving because there isn't enough 'food' (animals included in that, hence the comma's). Western countries have a problem with over consumption. If it was spread out more evenly everybody would be catered for. But due to all the crap that goes on, we routinely screw them over. Debt etc, blah blah blah.

That said, i do enjoy imagining that vegan Utopia. lol.

[trigger_of_rock]

those aren't commas, those are apostrophes.

[trigger_of_rock]

i think.

[monkey_goose]

lol. correct.