As if There Weren't Enough Reasons to go Vegan

leafstucker16

I haven't come across a single good reason for going vegan.

Not even animal welfare, the environment or health benefits?

how is eating cheese from farm raise cattle abusive to cattle or the environment? i understand avoiding consuming an animal product that was produced by inhumane methods, but that doesn't require one to go vegan.

and i actually believe that it is not in health's best interest to go vegan.

Lets start with cheese. To produce milk (used in cheese) cattle are required to be pregnant every year. The calves are separated from the mother within a few days usually. The male calves are then killed and sold as veal, or raised to produce meat. Dairy cows often suffer from a variety of health problems due to being pregnant so often. Not all cows are free range. Many are kept indoors and fed artificial chemicals. For example, in Kentucky cows are genuinely being feed candy because corn and hay are too expensive.

What makes you think it isn't healthy?

What about the animals killed and displaced from their homes when the forests were levelled to harvest the wood to build your house, furniture, etc what about the toxic gases in the air from your car? What about the makeup you wear? Shampoo you use? Dog food you feed your dog? All tested on animals.

If you are going to play the "don't you feel bad for the animals" card then this would still apply to you.

Beezil

I haven't come across a single good reason for going vegan.

Not even animal welfare, the environment or health benefits?

how is eating cheese from farm raise cattle abusive to cattle or the environment? i understand avoiding consuming an animal product that was produced by inhumane methods, but that doesn't require one to go vegan.

and i actually believe that it is not in health's best interest to go vegan.

Lets start with cheese. To produce milk (used in cheese) cattle are required to be pregnant every year. The calves are separated from the mother within a few days usually. The male calves are then killed and sold as veal, or raised to produce meat. Dairy cows often suffer from a variety of health problems due to being pregnant so often. Not all cows are free range. Many are kept indoors and fed artificial chemicals. For example, in Kentucky cows are genuinely being feed candy because corn and hay are too expensive.

What makes you think it isn't healthy?

What about the animals killed and displaced from their homes when the forests were levelled to harvest the wood to build your house, furniture, etc what about the toxic gases in the air from your car? What about the makeup you wear? Shampoo you use? Dog food you feed your dog? All tested on animals.

If you are going to play the "don't you feel bad for the animals" card then this would still apply to you.

Don't forget the electricity used to power your computer!

marieautumn

I want some steak

^ This

this ^^

rachelbethany

That just sucks in general, though, because lots of vegan-friendly foods taste good grilled, too.

iAMsmiling

Vegan or not, it's a personal choice that shouldn't be shoved down the throats of people. After reading all the comments, the first thing that came to mind was, "don't people remember The Lion King? When Mufasa is explaining the Circle of Life to Simba?"

It worked for the caveman, it worked for the Native Americans, it still works to this day. Simple as that. But to each their own, and whatever makes them happy. Hakuna matata

Right, a Disney film about the lives of animals who don't have any other options. Right. Any other academic links?

Add "condescending" to "sanctimonious." With all due respect of course, because I'm not referring to YOU, just everything you've said.

mamaclose

If it's just for your health, then I truly hope you know what you're doing because it's extremely difficult to go vegan and also maintain good health.

I have to politely disagree. I follow a plant-based diet and I am in perfect health according to my doctor and recent bloodwork (just done w/in the last week!)

Veganism is a lifestyle, not just a diet. I say plant-based diet because I do have leather shoes, belts, etc. My dogs eat dog food made from meat and so on.

Beezil

If it's just for your health, then I truly hope you know what you're doing because it's extremely difficult to go vegan and also maintain good health.

I have to politely disagree. I follow a plant-based diet and I am in perfect health according to my doctor and recent bloodwork (just done w/in the last week!)

Veganism is a lifestyle, not just a diet. I say plant-based diet because I do have leather shoes, belts, etc. My dogs eat dog food made from meat and so on.

I didn't say it wasn't possible to be healthy on such a diet! I know lots of people who are, but more who are not. You have to be informed and know what you're doing, so I assume (hopefully correctly) that you do.

bcattoes

I didn't read all the responses so this may have already been pointed out but, other than the headline, where does the article say anything about meat. It says "food" cooked with dry heat.

Glasgow_Vegan

Doesn't it bother you that you've contributed to the death of thousands of innocent fruits and vegetables that were doing nothing other than minding their own business and growing happily in the sun?

You know very well that fruit and vegetables are inanimate. It's a rights issue just like racism or homophobia. In the future people will look back on meat eating in the same way we now view the slave trade.

Okay... I was OBVIOUSLY kidding. But you comparing animals to the plight of people of all backgrounds and beliefs is way, way beyond the pale. People will not look back and think of this issue in the same light as the slave trade. People will not look back on this and think about it in the same vein as the same-sex marriage debate. That you seem to value animal rights that much more than human life is, well, deeply disturbing to me. But hey, that's my view and I have a right to it - just as you have a right to yours.

Also, I'm fairly sure that animals eat each other in the wild. I don't think they feel bad about the pain they inflict when they kill each other to survive. It's how nature has always worked. But I'll change my stance when I see all of the carnivorous animals of the world taking up veganism, joining PETA, and renouncing their past bad acts.

I'll also be waiting for pigs to fly and for monkeys to play Mozart. We'll see which of those happens first.

- Which part exactly of 'we are not animals and have free will' do you have a problem understanding?

You seem to care a lot about animals living in horrible conditions for the benefit of a few. I find it ironic, then, that you're rockin' an iPod in your picture, considering the slave labor that produced it is living in conditions worse than some cows or pigs.

Someone gave me it as a present eight years ago. I'm not saying I'm perfect, just that we should all do what we can to be more ethical.

Glasgow_Vegan

My questions are:

A. Why are vegans who are vegan for animal rights reasons ok with testing mice?

B. Why aren't all vegans, who are vegan for animal rights reasons, pro-life? Are you against fetal pig dissection in science class? Seems to me there's a huge hypocrisy there. Until all vegans decide they're prolife, I see no reason to follow suit.

C. If grilling causes this chemical, why not bake meat, instead? There's more than one way to cook a slab of tasty animal.

Edited for typo.

A) Vegans are against animal testing. We don't buy any products tested on animals, such as shampoo etc.

1) Most would agree with abortion a very early stage because it would be considered almost inanimate. Personally I don't agree with abortion but I think the option should be available legally to prevent dangerous home abortions. 2) No vegan would dissect an animal in class. You can legally object on religious and ethical grounds and need to be provided with an alternative lesson.

C) If you like. Meat is still medically linked to bowel cancer though.

trackercasey76

Do you realize that your beloved PETA does not want people to have pets? Owning an animal is "cruel" even though they are treated better than children in some countries.

Here is an eye opening link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJnoe338Eho

bcattoes

A) Vegans are against animal testing. We don't buy any products tested on animals, such as shampoo etc.

How do you know? I can understand a specific brand claiming to have not done the testing, but how do you know that all the ingredients weren't tested on animals by another company?

Glasgow_Vegan

I haven't come across a single good reason for going vegan.

Not even animal welfare, the environment or health benefits?

how is eating cheese from farm raise cattle abusive to cattle or the environment? i understand avoiding consuming an animal product that was produced by inhumane methods, but that doesn't require one to go vegan.

and i actually believe that it is not in health's best interest to go vegan.

Lets start with cheese. To produce milk (used in cheese) cattle are required to be pregnant every year. The calves are separated from the mother within a few days usually. The male calves are then killed and sold as veal, or raised to produce meat. Dairy cows often suffer from a variety of health problems due to being pregnant so often. Not all cows are free range. Many are kept indoors and fed artificial chemicals. For example, in Kentucky cows are genuinely being feed candy because corn and hay are too expensive.

What makes you think it isn't healthy?

What about the animals killed and displaced from their homes when the forests were levelled to harvest the wood to build your house, furniture, etc what about the toxic gases in the air from your car? What about the makeup you wear? Shampoo you use? Dog food you feed your dog? All tested on animals.

If you are going to play the "don't you feel bad for the animals" card then this would still apply to you.

1) My house isn't made of wood. I don't live in America.
2) Trees are replanted here when we use the wood for furniture. The forests are 'alien' and are grown as a crop. Animals still live in them.
3) I don't own a car, never have and don't intend to.
4) I don't have a dog. However, you CAN get vegan dog and cat food.

Glasgow_Vegan

Do you realize that your beloved PETA does not want people to have pets? Owning an animal is "cruel" even though they are treated better than children in some countries.

Here is an eye opening link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJnoe338Eho

I don't have any pets. Anyway, you'll find that most vegans (outside the US at least) don't like PETA. We have The Vegan Society and Viva! instead.

trackercasey76

What about kitty in your avatar? is he wild?

heliumheels

ToughTulip

Do you realize that your beloved PETA does not want people to have pets? Owning an animal is "cruel" even though they are treated better than children in some countries.

Here is an eye opening link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJnoe338Eho

but my kitty is so happy, don't tell me to get rid of him! :'C

ToughTulip

Do you realize that your beloved PETA does not want people to have pets? Owning an animal is "cruel" even though they are treated better than children in some countries.

Here is an eye opening link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJnoe338Eho

I don't have any pets. Anyway, you'll find that most vegans (outside the US at least) don't like PETA. We have The Vegan Society and Viva! instead.

I can agree with this for sure ^^ I was a vegetarian for 4 years and have always been against PETA and many of their actions, wants, and slogans

RhonndaJ

Vegan cat food? Really?

Talk about taking away an animal's natural diet.

slkehl

I didn't take the time to read through all these posts BUT I do want to point out that mice have a far different metabolism than humans! Think about how much they eat, how much they move...they've got to constantly be munchin on those carbs, while we can eat more periodically and just go off of our fat stores. Unless the mice were genetically altered, you can ignore those studies.