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Interesting blog entry. I have a few comments.

First of all, I think you've got the terms a little confused, as a vegetarian CAN eat eggs and dairy. emotion_c8

Vegetarian: Does not consume meat.
Ovo vegetarian: Does not consume meat, but DOES consume eggs.
Lacto vegetartian: Does not consume meat, but DOES consume dairy.
Ovo-lacto vegetarian: Does not consume meat, but DOES consume eggs AND dairy.
Vegan: Does not consume meat NOR eggs NOR dairy and does not use any animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy, honey, leather, whool, etc.


I couldn't help but shake my head a bit, when you said:

"Now I'm probably not going to stop eating meat because it's basic for a living being to eat other living beings."

In my opinion, I think you should rephrase it to "it's basic for living beings to consume organic matter, to survive". However, people have different opinions about what "living beings" are. I agree, that plants and fungi are essentially living, as they grow and multiply. However, there's a wast difference (some say, others disagree) between plant life and conscious-having-a-brain life, such as animals and humans. Some say plants have feelings and can feel pain. I personally know nothing about that. Regardless, I both agree and disagree with your statement.

You use the Native Americans as an example of it being acceptable to consume meat. I think consumption of meat is acceptable, if you have no other option of survival. HOWEVER, we are so privileged to live in a society where healthy, organic plant-based food isn't a rarity, therefor we CAN live a healthy vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. It would be different if you were living in a tribe somewhere in an obscure desert, where plant life is scarce, and your primary source of survival is other animals. But neither you nor I live in a tribe. We CAN live healthy and in abundance without consuming meat, so why not do that?

"It's expensive". When you think about it, no it's not expensive. Meat is one of the most expensive food items in existence. Cut out meat and you would actually SAVE a lot of money. Besides, you don't have to buy your vegetables fresh. Frozen vegetables are a lot cheaper, and just as - if not more - nutritional than fresh vegetables on shelves, which have either been added a lot of preservatives or lost nutrients on their journey to your supermarket. Also, why not save a few extra bucks and spend them on healthy, fresh food instead of using them on nutrient-less, over-processed, 1000-calorie crap food from fast food restaurants, just because you "save" a buck or two? I'd rather spend more money on healthy food, than spend less on crap food that's slowly poisoning and killing me. That's doing nobody a favor.

Also, this is not an attack. I should probably be the last to act all "saved and righteous" as it took me forever, to take this step into vegetarianism. My excuses have been born out of denial of what's going on - I knew how horrible it is, I just chose to turn the other cheek. I did not have a "revelation" when I watched Earthlings. I was just confronted with my own horrible and unjust denial of what's going on. I claim to love animals and that I hate violence and unnecessary suffering and death - but how can I say that, when I'm deliberately ignoring AND contributing to something that goes against those ethics? I cried to that movie because the things done to the animals were horrible, but I also cried because I felt so very ashamed that I was contributing to making it happen. By becoming vegetarian (eventually and hopefully vegan) I can finally say with a LOT better conscious and sincerity, that I love animals and respect life.

Eating organic and local farmed meat, is much better than eating standard slaughter house meat. I completely agree with that. But not all local farmers are as humane as they could be - and where lies the standard anyway? Is it humane to let your cattle "run free", if so, how big does the diameter of the fence have to be considered "free range"? Is it humane to raise free-range cattle, yet take the calves from their mothers and slaughter them to produce "tender calf meat"? Is it okay to repeatedly induce pregnancy in "free range" cows, to have them continuously produce milk? Is it okay to slaughter male calves because they can't produce milk? Just because it's free range, does not necessarily mean all conditions are better. Same with chickens. Is it okay to slaughter male chickens, because they're "useless" since they don't produce eggs? Even more thought-provoking, is it okay to allow all this to happen WHEN WE DO NOT HAVE TO? When we can survive perfectly fine, on a plant-based diet?

I am coming across as judgmental and "saved & righteous" right now, I know. But these were the questions I asked myself. These were the questions which made me a vegetarian (soon to be vegan).

<3

Lol I know the difference between being a vegan and vegetarian. I just happen to believe that being a vegetarian means no meat at all. And I consider egg meat. Milk which is meant as nourishment meant. to drink, I see just like water. Though I didn't know about the sub categories lol.


Lol actually for some weird reason bread cost more than meat. lol If I was was just buying meat it would only cost $6 week to supply this house $5 if I just want to buy it to last just for a week lol.
And Like I said eating healthy is very expensive even more so eating like a vegetarian. I spent $8 on none dairy cheese yesterday, lol Regular cost $4. I'm not arguing veggies are worse than farmers market price.. I'm arguing that all sorts of chemicals and pesticides are sprayed on crops and many crops have been modified at the genetic level to last longer. "which is why Monsanto can legally own a patent on particular seeds, cause they have already been modified" As for the label "frozen veggies" A lot of food are labeled wrong and does not have detail on the origins of said food. That food comes from a truck and that truck comes from a giant field constantly sprayed with various chemicals and/or genetically modified. Anyone that tells you they are safe is very wrong. I've never gotten sick from eating farmers market food so why fix it if it's not broken. You could go believing that frozen veggies is labeled right but you and I both know that many store bought food isn't labeled correctly.(All my home made pizza and pastas have been veggie ones lol.)

I know your not attacking me lol(this is a attack I should hit her back, lol)
I teared up and got extremely angry when I saw the skinned animal stare at me. I don't have furr clothes and never liked fur clothes(thank goodness) but even I wasn't prepared for the skinning of an animal. For a second I thought I heard it screaming in a human voice.

No not all farmers are humane but I make sure the ones I buy from is. And no the farmers here have no fences smile But I can't speak for the farmers of the world. And no one from this farmers market slaughters calves, good thing about this backyard state is most people are still connected to their roots.. But what really is the difference between now or later humane and inhumane. That's the real question. Some even consider it wrong to eat plants cause they have a life and grow. I guess it depends on a persons belief. As for my belief I do like eating meat. will I try to change that? yes. Do I feel that it is wrong yes and no. I respect my kills and food I bless them for helping to live. Cause if you think about it. We are all part of the one cycle of life. When a person dies his body will provide food for the plants and the trees that feed animals and those animals may become food for other animals and trees again...... All I can say now is that maybe I've been condition to think that meat is ok but most of the time my gut tells me when something is right and something is wrong..... But there is no harm in trying to eat differently for a month.