http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/food/story/0,,2079769,00.html

I eat fish, I eat diary, but I don't eat meat. Except for bunny.

A bit odd? Well, my justification is simple - I will only eat what I can bring myself to kill. I can happily kill fishies, I can happily kill shellfish. I have been ferreting enough times to know i can kill rabbit. Anything else is up for debate. I could probably kill chicken, I could probably kill other stuff too. But I havent, so I stay away from it.

I'm happy with anyone eating anything they like, so long as they confront the fact its a little fluffy animal(or a big hairy one). I happily cook meat, but it wont pass my lips. Its a bit of a random ethic, but its one I'm comfortable with.

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OOC: Dean (Beanie) Midgley

Maelstrom: Gremory, Eidolon of the new world

LJ: Wychboy

I'm a vegan (have been for about a year).  I went veggie four years before that, originally on ethical grounds but later on health and environmental grounds, too.  I've just encountered this thread and while some posters have made intelligent, well-reasoned points (on both sides of the debate) some have just been the standard bile-filled defensive froth I've grown all too used to.

I have to pay more attention to my diet than regular meat-eaters, it's true.  However, as I do up to eight hours of martial arts training a week, plus gym visits, this would be true even if I were a meat-eater -- proof that a vegan diet can support intense exercise.  I take vitamin/mineral supplements, but equally I don't know of any meat-eaters in my social circle who wouldn't benefit from doing the same.  In fact, I probably need them less than said people.

I can't respond meaningfully to any claims that humans are "designed" to eat meat, because I'm not a Creationist and I don't subscribe to Intelligent Design.  Sorry.

Humans certainly did evolve eating a wide mix of scavenged meat and various vegetables.  However, in the West at least, industrialisation has grossly increased the amount of meat in most people's diets (leading to increased morbidity and mortality, especially in terms of my personal favourite, colorectal cancer), as well as the amount of artificial hormones, antibiotics (contributing to the growth of beasties like MRSA) and assorted crap in the human foodchain.

While it's true that exotic vegetables have an increased carbon footprint, many vegans I know grow their own food or buy locally as another expression of their ethical and environmental principles.  Sure, some don't, but it still takes 20% of the land to feed a vegan than it does to eat an "omnivore."  And livestock "emissions" still contribute more to global warming than the entire transport industry.  So, environmentally-speaking, vegans are win.

As for denying nature, we're having this discussion on the Internet!  How is that not denying nature?  How is wearing clothes not denying nature?  Come to think of it, how is LRPing not denying nature?

As a final point, I haven't bought any leather goods since I went vegetarian five years ago.  I do, however, still use leather LRP kit that I owned before then (some pouches, some arm and leg armour, a couple of belts and an awesome bandolier) because I think it's worse to throw it away than to keep using it.

Sorry to go on, but I saw this thread and felt that some of the outrageous inaccuracies and/or hypocrisies being bandied about couldn't go unchallenged.  As an ethical/environmental/healthy vegan, the ultimate point for me is that the minor inconveniences (and most of them are minor) my choice causes me is more than made up for by the fact that I'm able to live a little closer to my principles.

Cheers,
Joe

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Joe Rooney, the Enemy Of Fun

Insurrection LRP: high fantasy in a dystopian setting. First event: 24-26 October 2008, in Leicestershire. Book online before October 1st for £10 discount!

Bladelands: Raoul Ortez - heretic, medium, bodyguard and scumbag
EOS: staff

Joe R's LARPCard

Although I occasionally get annoyed by you guys (I have had a few too many conversations with caterers or whoever that went "What's the veggie option?" "It's fish." "WTF?"), it's not by your diet.  See, my attitude is that any reduction in meat consumption is a good thing.  Plus, your attitude (actually facing up to the reality of what you eat) makes sense.

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Joe Rooney, the Enemy Of Fun

Insurrection LRP: high fantasy in a dystopian setting. First event: 24-26 October 2008, in Leicestershire. Book online before October 1st for £10 discount!

Bladelands: Raoul Ortez - heretic, medium, bodyguard and scumbag
EOS: staff

Joe R's LARPCard

Which at this time of year is an excellent choice, the selection alone warrants this as a viable option especially with the Waterstones sale on.  Although people that eat calenders are just plain odd.

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CP: Lions 1IC
PD: Litorius Primus Atrebus, Players Elect
Big Damn Heros: "Bar" Grace's Gunsharks
RL: Ritch 

Obviously.  They're for washing salad, no?

*ducks*

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Joe Rooney, the Enemy Of Fun

Insurrection LRP: high fantasy in a dystopian setting. First event: 24-26 October 2008, in Leicestershire. Book online before October 1st for £10 discount!

Bladelands: Raoul Ortez - heretic, medium, bodyguard and scumbag
EOS: staff

Joe R's LARPCard