vegans

moxie

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

no nothing that comes from animals.

I can understand the animal rights angle on not eating the meat, but I don't see how drinking milk or eating cheese is harmful to animals.

Ms. Haiku

moxie wrote:

I can understand the animal rights angle on not eating the meat, but I don't see how drinking milk or eating cheese is harmful to animals.

The only way to get dairy products is by constantly impregnating a cow, or rather to make sure a cow is always lactating. They do this by impregnating the cow. When the calf is born if it's a male the calf is destined to be veal. Some vegan animal rights activists do not like to eat dairy because it supports the veal industry. Here's a little more on it I just found http://www.care2.com/news/member/149242335/640095 I was a vegetarian from 1991 to 1997, but this didn't really click until this past year. I was listening to compassionatecooks.com podcast, and that's when I understood it.

moxie

Ms. Haiku wrote:

The only way to get dairy products is by constantly impregnating a cow, or rather to make sure a cow is always lactating. They do this by impregnating the cow. When the calf is born if it's a male the calf is destined to be veal. Some vegan animal rights activists do not like to eat dairy because it supports the veal industry. Here's a little more on it I just found http://www.care2.com/news/member/149242335/640095 I was a vegetarian from 1991 to 1997, but this didn't really click until this past year. I was listening to compassionatecooks.com podcast, and that's when I understood it.

I do love animals. But I guess my love for cheese just outranks that. Seriously. I fucking love cheese.

JaneNY

moxie wrote:

I can understand the animal rights angle on not eating the meat, but I don't see how drinking milk or eating cheese is harmful to animals.

What happens to dairy cows when they are done producing milk? They are not turned out to pasture to live out a peaceful retirement for the rest of their natural lives as a reward for their faithful service. Consuming products that come from animals gives support to their use as a product.

Crazy_Mary, not all wheat bread contains honey. It is easy to make without honey. (You're talking whole wheat right?) Bread is not a hard thing to make.

edit: I loved cheese too. A lot. But my need to not contribute to suffering outweighed my love of one food product.

trudatman

I'm always amazed at how ignorant Pearl Jam fans can be. this thread is a great example. and that Moxie person is tarnishing the good name of my deceased dog (I didn't eat him).

GreenTeaDisease

trudatman wrote:

I'm always amazed at how ignorant Pearl Jam fans can be. this thread is a great example. and that Moxie person is tarnishing the good name of my deceased dog (I didn't eat him).

?? some people don't live in areas where being a vegan is common. He was just asking about it. Is it because he likes cheese? I do too, that's why I'm not a vegan!

GreenTeaDisease

JaneNY wrote:

What happens to dairy cows when they are done producing milk? They are not turned out to pasture to live out a peaceful retirement for the rest of their natural lives as a reward for their faithful service. Consuming products that come from animals gives support to their use as a product.

Crazy_Mary, not all wheat bread contains honey. It is easy to make without honey. (You're talking whole wheat right?) Bread is not a hard thing to make.

edit: I loved cheese too. A lot. But my need to not contribute to suffering outweighed my love of one food product.

Jane, I understand your feelings as to why you became a vegan, however, this post comes off as somewhat judgmental to people who aren't! I believe that the foods people chose to eat is a very personal thing. animals have always been "products" though not to extent they are now perhaps. some people do not have an ethical problem with that. As with all ethical issues, there's no right answer.

patrickredeyes

I have a couple friends that are vegans. They are awesome friends and I support them being vegans.

GreenTeaDisease

patrickredeyes wrote:

I have a couple friends that are vegans. They are awesome friends and I support them being vegans.

hahaha why wouldn't you?

patrickredeyes

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

hahaha why wouldn't you?

I'm just giving my 2 cents in this thread thats all. lol

moxie

trudatman wrote:

I'm always amazed at how ignorant Pearl Jam fans can be. this thread is a great example. and that Moxie person is tarnishing the good name of my deceased dog (I didn't eat him).

I wasn't being ignorant, just antagonistic.

moxie

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

?? some people don't live in areas where being a vegan is common. He was just asking about it. Is it because he likes cheese? I do too, that's why I'm not a vegan!

I'm a she.

GreenTeaDisease

moxie wrote:

I'm a she.

oops sorry, common mistake around here...

JaneNY

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

Jane, I understand your feelings as to why you became a vegan, however, this post comes off as somewhat judgmental to people who aren't! I believe that the foods people chose to eat is a very personal thing. animals have always been "products" though not to extent they are now perhaps. some people do not have an ethical problem with that. As with all ethical issues, there's no right answer.

I'm sorry you thought it was judgemental. My first sentence was related to Moxie asking what harm does eating cheese or milk do to animals. Perhaps I should have been more specific, because it was my intent to provide information, not be judgemental. I probably should have written the following in response to the question of why eating dairy harms animals: "The reason eating dairy harms animals, is because after the cows are done being dairy cows, they are killed for meat just like other cows".

However I stand by my statement that consuming animals is treating it as a product. That is not a judgement. That is a fact. Each person has to decide for themselves whether they are okay with consuming animals, based on what they know and as you say that is a personal decision.

1STmammal2wearPants

I had a boca burger and pita bread with hummus for lunch today as part of my efforts to eat a bit healthier, and maybe lose 15-20 pounds. While I don't think I will be becoming a vegetarian because I like meat too much, it definitely is possible to the naysayers to become a vegetarian-- there is a lot of good stuff out there to eat. Boca burgers have a completely different texture all on their own, but if you eat them without the mindset that this is a burger "replacement" and accept it as just a healthy snack that actually has a good taste to it, then it's definitely doable.

NickyNooch

Not trying to come off preachy, just responding on a few reasons *I* have been vegan for the past 6 years.

1. I got on a health kick/weight loss/work out regiment and simply ate right to the point I weeded meat out of my diet about 6 years ago. I could bring up preachy stats, like the average vegans cholesterol is under half of the average meat eaters, but you get the picture.

2. I think eating dead animals is gross. Not bashing meat eaters, but I think it's pretty sick.

3. We are bred to eat Burgers and Fries from McDonalds. When you're vegan you're entire diet is stuff you would never think of trying. I guess it's kind of forcing your self to try new items of food and coming up with new dishes. Eating is always something new. It is kind of adventurous!

4. Bovine Growth Hormone. Look it up. I'm not making out propaganda, but all signs point to it being a link to cause for breast/colon cancer among diabetes, etc. Banned in most countries, just not America... capitalism baby! Make them cows fat so we save money and give you cancer!

5. I feel better. I feel a lot better being vegan. Healthier, more lively, I dunno how to explain it. I just have a lot more energy.

Hope this didn't come off preachy... that's not my intent. Just saying a few reasons why I am vegan.

Ms. Haiku

You know what's cool, though? We are very time and money conscious, right? Do you know how easy it is to cook beans? I didn't realize this until a couple weeks ago, and I had one of those "I could have had a V8!" type moments. As in Aha!

I soak my white beans overnight. How long does it take to measure out the beans, look for rocks, and then cover with water? 3 minutes tops. Also, next day if I'm not ready to cook them in the morning . . . by golly I'll cook them later, just change the water - maybe 2 minutes of devoted time. Then when I'm ready to cook them I fill a pot with water, and cook them for 2 hours. During these 2 hours I'm reading, looking on the computer, knitting etc. So, overall expenditure of time needed to be near stove while beans are cooking - maybe 3 minutes. Once the beans are done cooking, putting all the ingredients in a food processor (spices, garlic, olive oil etc) takes approximately 10 minutes. Quite the money and time savor.

sennin

Is it just me....or do some (not all) vegans/vegetarians come off kinda like Mac users....a little pretentious?

Danimal

I love meat! BUT I also dig my veggies! I eat a ton of them!

Danimal

sennin wrote:

Is it just me....or do some (not all) vegans/vegetarians come off kinda like Mac users....a little pretentious?

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey! I'm a Mac user. I'm not pretentious. I love your Dell.