How to tell vegan friends to back off?!

""Ethical" vegans, if they are also animal right activists/animal liberationists have certainly been linked to violence."

You also noted that you "can't co-exist" with ethical vegans, be they animal rights activists/animal liberationists or not. Just seems like a lot of people here assume that they can make blanket statements about ethical vegans is all. A lot of us are peace-loving people.

By its very nature, "ethical" veganism labels my way of life cruel and wants to eliminate it. So no, I can't co-exist with that.

Actually, "ethical veganism" has nothing to do with elimination. Being an ethical vegan means that I choose not to eat meat because *I* believe it is unethical. While ethical vegans might hope that people would stop consuming/exploiting animals, at its core, it has only to do with the reason that particular person chooses not to eat meat. Vegans who do so for health reasons do it for their own health - not yours. Ethical veganism is similar in this regard.

If you believe it is unethical, then you are labeling the majority of the population as unethical. The rest of your post is just whitewash. I've seen too much from animal rights/animal liberation types and other types of humaniacs to believe otherwise.

OP, just dump those so-called friends. They're trying to save your soul and eating is not a moral act. It's something we do because we need to survive and also because we enjoy it. Someone giving you the label of "unethical" is not an act of friendship and the attempt to convert you against your will is pretty much an act of violence.

Some people think it's unethical or inappropriate for women to show their hair in public. Someone who follows a certain religion very closely might be instructed by their holy texts to shun others who don't have the same beliefs. Just because we think differently doesn't mean we can't co-exist - a society doesn't evolve as a whole if they allow semantic labels to divide them and cause animosity.

But, I'm glad you're not throwing blanket statements out because you've "heard enough from animal rights people". This ethical vegan thinks and speaks otherwise.

So you think that all the anti-animal agriculture bills in various states and new laws that are making animal production of any kind difficult are written by omnivores and animal welfare proponents? Are you admitting that "ethical" veganism is a religion? If you're not, then the first part of your statement is a non sequitur.

1) So you think that all the anti-animal agriculture bills in various states and new laws that are making animal production of any kind difficult are written by omnivores and animal welfare proponents?

I'm sure that a good bunch of the people who put these laws into effect are ethical vegans. I'm sure some of them are just people who wish to eradicate suffering too, in the recent case of the banning of gestation crates for pigs. I'd certainly rather people make the change they wish to see through laws rather than violence - to me, laws change as society changes. Things that promote suffering - be they related to humans or animals - are becoming outdated.

Also, I don't really have a qualm with the production of animal products becoming more regulated. I'm happy to see legislature pass banning gestation crates or the sale of "downed" animals because I think that everyone should be against needless suffering, vegans and omnivores alike. However, if you'd like to discuss legislature that I haven't mentioned, I'm happy to talk about that too.

2) Are you admitting that "ethical" veganism is a religion?

Ethical veganism is a way of eating, but also a moral code - it's about right vs. wrong. And really, what is religion other than a moral code that designates what is right and wrong?

Seriously? The same way I tell my omnivore friends to back off. Commenting on someone else's food choices is rude, no matter what philosophy you are pushing. Repeat after me:

"I won't comment on your food choices, and I need you not to comment on mine."

Of course, that means that you can't criticize them for being vegan, either. Given that you started a thread just to complain about them, that may be difficult.

I get it family and friends who are vegan have their views but they always try to push it on me or others, it's like solicitors that come door to door trying to get you to take their pamphlets or switch to their internet provider. I respect their choice and so make sure to include meals they can eat during a get together. But I don't push them to eat animal products.

And I've already heard "well if you tried it you'll like it or feel better". Yeah I was vegan for over a year before but it wasn't for me. At the time I was rowing and competing in regattas which meant I was training in the gym 5 days and on the water 4 days of the week. Perhaps it was the timing but I could never get enough calories or protein from alternative sources. I felt weaker and was always tired.

I already don't eat most dairy products and during the week include vegan meals but I just like meat.

Simply saying "no thank you" or even explaining what I just did here doesn't seem to work. Anyone else experience this? What do you do?

Hell, just tll them a meal isnt a meal if there is no meat involved. I dont know many, but those I do are pretty pushy. Make fun of them enough that they stop bothering you about it.

Seriously? The same way I tell my omnivore friends to back off. Commenting on someone else's food choices is rude, no matter what philosophy you are pushing. Repeat after me:

"I won't comment on your food choices, and I need you not to comment on mine."

Of course, that means that you can't criticize them for being vegan, either. Given that you started a thread just to complain about them, that may be difficult.

This basically. I mean you deal with such a situation the same way you deal with any situation in which people around you are doing things you don't like. Doesn't really matter what they are doing, matters a bit who they are in how you approach it but in any situation it just requires being assertive unless the people you are dealing with are in some way sociopathic.

I don't "get" veganism but I still wouldn't think it appropriate to nag a vegan about being vegan. I might ask them to explain it to me once just to get another persons viewpoint but I wouldn't harp on it.

Ethical veganism is a way of eating, but also a moral code - it's about right vs. wrong. And really, what is religion other than a moral code that designates what is right and wrong?

I would personally think that all vegans are "ethical vegan" in that it is hard for me to understand why anyone would adopt veganism for reasons other than they believe that use of animals is unethical. I mean other than "ethical vegans" what other types of vegans are there? No one becomes vegan for health reasons right because that would be hard to justify in my opinion.

There are vegans who do so for health reasons, such as limiting saturated fat, addressing cholesterol problems, etc.

I, on the other hand, like coconut oil too much to cut down on saturated fats.

This isn't to do with them being vegan it's about being stubborn and disrespectful.

If being polite isn't working then it's time to evaluate who you have in your life. If it's family you can't get away from then a firm "leave me alone!" may suffice.

They're not respecting your choices, so don't accept their actions and very strongly tell them to stop.

^^this

Ethical veganism is a way of eating, but also a moral code - it's about right vs. wrong. And really, what is religion other than a moral code that designates what is right and wrong?

I would personally think that all vegans are "ethical vegan" in that it is hard for me to understand why anyone would adopt veganism for reasons other than they believe that use of animals is unethical. I mean other than "ethical vegans" what other types of vegans are there? No one becomes vegan for health reasons right because that would be hard to justify in my opinion.

A lot of people think a vegan diet is healthier than eating meat or think it's a good way to lose weight.

Happens all the time.

Okay well I guess I should rephrase that I can respect the logic of someone who is vegan for ethical reasons but someone who is vegan for "health" reasons strikes me as someone who hasn't done their homework or is jumping on a nearby bandwagon because yeah I don't think being vegan = being healthier.

Ethical veganism is a way of eating, but also a moral code - it's about right vs. wrong. And really, what is religion other than a moral code that designates what is right and wrong?

I would personally think that all vegans are "ethical vegan" in that it is hard for me to understand why anyone would adopt veganism for reasons other than they believe that use of animals is unethical. I mean other than "ethical vegans" what other types of vegans are there? No one becomes vegan for health reasons right because that would be hard to justify in my opinion.

A lot of people think a vegan diet is healthier than eating meat or think it's a good way to lose weight.

Happens all the time.

Okay well I guess I should rephrase that I can respect the logic of someone who is vegan for ethical reasons but someone who is vegan for "health" reasons strikes me as someone who hasn't done their homework or is jumping on a nearby bandwagon because yeah I don't think being vegan = being healthier.

"Health reasons" could also be as simple as "I feel better when I eat vegan" - doesn't necessarily need to be to address a certain issue.

This reminds me of a great joke:

How do you know someone's a vegan?

Don't worry they'll tell you!

Find a vehement Paleo diet follower. Introduce to the vegans. Get popcorn.

:laugh: