This is a typical article on vegetarianism written by a nutritionist. A writer who is an animal rights advocate and a vegetarian will put a different spin on eating a well-balanced diet. This writer assumed that many people who turn vegetarian don't really know what they are doing, and there are probably some who don't.
But all vegetarians and vegans I know have done their research well and they have turned vegetarians not because they want to be trendy but because they want to be healthier and ethical in their choices. It's not fashion that drives most people to become vegetarians, but a personal philosophy and a real commitment against animal cruelty. At least, this is true among my group. This writer saw it as a matter of nutrition; animal rights advocates will see it as a matter of decency.
The point that I agree with is that meat is not the only source of protein in this world. Whenever you meet someone who says that he needs his meat for protein then that's the meat industry speaking through him. He needs to think outside the box. Remember that gorillas and elephants require protein in their diets too.
But all vegetarians and vegans I know have done their research well and they have turned vegetarians not because they want to be trendy but because they want to be healthier and ethical in their choices. It's not fashion that drives most people to become vegetarians, but a personal philosophy and a real commitment against animal cruelty. At least, this is true among my group. This writer saw it as a matter of nutrition; animal rights advocates will see it as a matter of decency.
The point that I agree with is that meat is not the only source of protein in this world. Whenever you meet someone who says that he needs his meat for protein then that's the meat industry speaking through him. He needs to think outside the box. Remember that gorillas and elephants require protein in their diets too.
Comments
I have been a vegetarian in the past, however I am now a locovore, as well as an omnivore. I am a hunter of birds, wild boar, and other edible animals, and not a trophy hunter. I agree that it is offensive to display the bodies of prey as if they were ornaments. I do share some photographs of what I have brought home, but more often than not, I only may show an image of a dish ready to put in the oven, or a plate of food about to be served. I don't put this on FB, but may share recipes and animal images with other hunters, and family members. I consider it a private, and not public endeavor.
One thing that I wanted to dispute was the thought that this is animal cruelty, when a hunter (not a sportsman) takes an animal. It has been shown to be a much less cruel act than being eaten alive, as death comes to all animals in the wild. There is no such thing as dying of old age in the wild.
For comparison to humans who consume the meat of animals raised domestically, it does not involve the cruel circumstances under which their animals are raised. Factory farms, to me, are the most disgusting places on earth, where a real disregard for other species are on public display.
Here in the US, there are plenty of both types of hunters-those in it for a healthy activity, with the potential to feed a family healthy food; and those who are in it for the bloodlust, and the sport of killing an animal. I am of the former school of thought, though, as is often portrayed, the majority of hunters are thought of as the latter type. For those who choose to be vegetarians or vegans, I ask you to realize that your annual seed crops take a lot of land out of wildlife sanctuary status, thereby reducing those species' ability to remain viable in the wild; whereas, as the purchaser of a hunting license, I am supporting the conservation of wildlife habitat, and often the conversion of land to that purpose, removing it from the agricultural production line.
Lastly, I don't believe that we came from the trees because we found better grains to eat; it was the development of the carnivore side of our organism that led to our growing bigger brains, with the consequence of hunter/gatherer societies that lived in balance with the animal kingdom and the natural world. Only when the agriculturists came on the scene did things get out of balance, when a farmer could feed dozens, then hundreds, a diet consisting of domesticated annual grains. We also developed obesity, heart disease, many forms of cancer that can be linked to this diet, allergies, gluten sensitivities, and other dietary-linked problems rampant in our society, because of their unnatural fit with our bodies. So, you may wish that you could stop the consumption of animal proteins by all, but it's a falsehood that there are no physical consequences...And Gorillas do eat small birds, as do chimpanzees, and many monkeys. You may want to check their diets online, but they're all considered omnivores. Vegans and vegetarians don't get all they need from their food, and while some can handle it, many can't, and get ill.
A few books you may want to read are: The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Vegetarian Myth, and The Mindful Carnivore...they represent an open-minded, but scientifically based approach to this subject.
However, I have to disagree with you about the nobility of hunting for sustenance. At face value, hunting for food seems noble indeed. But, it is a fallacy. The convenient distortion of the truth can make anyone feel better about the awful things they are doing. People create their own demons and they prop them up with self-deluding lies. The truth is, hunting is a morally bankrupt activity because it inevitably ends with an animal losing its life or liberty. It makes no difference, especially for the victim, if the killing is done for sustenance or bragging rights.
I would also like to remind you that we are no longer living in 10,000 BC. Food is readily available. Our next meal is not in doubt. You’ve been to the grocery innumerable times, no doubt. So, to portray your animal-killing as a pursuit for life-saving sustenance is being grossly disingenuous. Time to quit making fine distinctions between you, the self-proclaimed food gatherer, and the trigger-happy, tree-dwelling yahoos.
The animal kingdom and the environment are self-pruning ecosystems. If let alone, they will take care of their own numbers and compensate for losses. Nature does not need humans to interject and assist. Let's not kid ourselves about that. The best way for humans to help the environment is to leave it alone. You are destroying the environment when you hunt and kill animals, not helping it. You kill enough sharks and the ocean life will change.
All animal killings are unacceptable. Our first reaction should always be compassion. There is no philosophical divide, no moral dilemma that plagues true animal lovers.