The Red and Black

Good to know! I'll be sure to stop by Chic-fil-A after class and seat myself on an opposing bench. I'll see if I can get some friends to accompany me.

Yeah, it's childish. So what?

I like my meat, and i will eat it too! damn hippies

Since all plants are as much living things as animals, I'll continue to eat both. Why should I discriminate and only kill the green leafy things?

It is not easy to become vegetarian OR vegan. Humans are not designed to eat fruits and vegtables alone. Anyone considerig becoming either should know that they will have to jump through hoops to keep their diet balanced.

It's obvious that some people are more interested in making juvenile taunts than in having a rational discussion about the impacts that our food choices have on our health, our world, and the other living beings we share the planet with. But here are just a few simple points to consider:

Plants lack central nervous systems and brains, and therefore are not capable of experiencing the fear and pain that is routinely inflicted on animals used for food. Most people who raise the objection "but what about plants?" have no genuine concern about the welfare of plants, but instead are just making up excuses for continuing to eat animals. But if you are truly concerned about killing plants, then you should know that modern agriculture wastes huge amounts of plant food by feeding grains to animals instead of feeding them directly to humans. It takes about 4.8 pounds of grain fed to cattle to produce one pound of beef for human beings. Reducing meat consumption by just 10% in the U.S. would free enough grain each year to feed 60 million people.

Transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan diet can present some challenges, but only because it takes awhile to learn about new food options and to break old habits. It is not difficult to eat a balanced, nutritious veg diet. The American Dietetic Association (the nation's foremost organization of nutrition experts) says that "Appropriately planned vegetarian diets have been shown to be healthful, nutritionally adequate, and to be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases" including heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer.

The ADA also states that vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits including lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.

ADA guidelines for planning healthful veg diets are simple and easy:
- Choose a variety of foods including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes (beans), nuts, seeds, and if desired, dairy products and eggs
- Choose whole, unrefined foods often and minimize the intake of highly sweetened, fatty, and heavily refined foods
- Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables

More and more people from all walks of life (especially young people) are choosing the compassionate, healthful, and environmentally-friendly option of vegetarian eating, so if you think it's just "hippies" you are way behind the times. Living an ethical life that reduces the amount of suffering in the world outweighs our liking for the taste of a particular food. Besides, there's a whole world of tasty vegetarian and vegan foods to enjoy, and most new vegetarians find that their food choices have been expanded as they explore new cuisines such as Thai, Indian, and Middle Eastern foods. Plus today, virtually every major grocery store sells animal-free foods like veggie burgers, soy and rice milks, meat-free "chicken" patties, soy sausage, and even dairy-free ice creams. And Athens has tons of restaurants that feature great veg options!

Eric,

Thanks for offering a touch of common sense and compassion. If people would actually take the time to research the personal benefits and economical implications of a meat-free diet, I'm sure the snide remarks and misinformed sarcasm would be reduced to a minimum.

Keep up the good fight.