(I wrote this in response to an incident in which a vegetarian I had never met before told me I was "not only an animal-hater, but environmentally apathetic" because I ordered chicken with my Pesto Cavatappi. I know a lot of AWESOME vegetarians, and this entry is not for you. This is for that anonymous woman at Noodles and Company, and any other vegetarians that feel the same way she does.)
Vegetarians are constantly trying to figure out if you are a vegetarian or not – just like Catholics are always trying to figure out if you are Catholic or not. The whole ordeal makes me feel very uncomfortable about my own eater-identify. I often wonder how critically I am judged by what I order at a restaraunt, or what I purchase at the grocery store. Do vegetarians really think less of me because I eat meat? To those that do (and I know that isn’t all of you) – I would like to take this opportunity to explain myself.
For starters, just because I order a chicken sandwich does not mean that I fight pitbulls in the evening (I must not care about animals if I eat them, right?) and take a fifty-minute shower in the morning (aren’t omnivores environmentally apathetic?). The sad thing is – I have found that this is exactly what SOME vegetarians assume about meat-eaters. When a lunch date is not swallowing a soy-based burger, each bite of beef washes away a little more of the vegetarian’s respect. This judgemental attitude particuarly irks me because I am a firm believer in animal welfare (not rights – but that is another debate) and in the sustainability of the environment. AND, I eat meat.
So why do I do it? Well I think the most honest answer, and the one that really outrages some vegetarians, is that it tastes great. It’s like asking why I drink soda. It is not healthy and thousands of acres of land are pillaged to grow the sugar in my soft drink, but I thoroughly enjoy a nice cold Coca-Cola on a hot afternoon (as do many do-gooders and vegetarians). And frankly, I think that is all the reason a meat-eater needs to provide for an interrogating vegetarian. In my experience, a lot of vegetarians will actually appreciate the refreshing honesty in the answer.
If I really want to shock a vegetarian that is scorning my meat-eating habits, I exclaim “I LOVE VEGETABLES” as I pile on the broccoli next to my roast beef. This is another vegetarian assumption that I would like to repudiate. Just because I eat meat, does not mean I do not eat vegetables. Bring on the carrots, peas, and asparagus – the more the merrier! The fact of the matter is, I was designed to eat vegetables AND meat. Just like a dog – I am an omnivore. The hunter-gatherer society left modern-day humans with the dental structure and digestive tract of a full-blown omnivore. So there, I blame my Neanderthal ancestors for surviving to pass on this meat-eating trait! What were they thinking?
Now I realize many vegetarians have heard this argument before, and are skeptical because our bodies were designed to do a lot of things that are morally frowned upon. For example, men were designed to have sex with as many women as possible, which typically is not culturally acceptable. Just because our bodies are designed to eat meat, does not mean we should eat meat. Okay, I get that. On the other hand, would you fill your car with just iso-octane when it is designed to run on gasoline (both petroleum and iso-octane)? Clearly, providing proper nutrition for your body is not comparable to polygamous activity.
Vegetarians argue that a meatless diet is actually healthier for the human body, and scientific studies have shown that American vegetarians are less likely to develop obesity, diabetes (direclty related to obesity), and some forms of cancer when compared to the general population. To this I say, of course! When was the last time you saw a vegetarian over-indulge? Now when was the last time you saw an American over-indulge? The real nutritional benefit is not in the elimination of animal protein, but in the concious attention to proper diet that mandatorily accompanies vegetarianism. We all know that America has a food problem, but preaching the benefits of vegetarinism is not going to solve it.
I agree with vegetarians when I say that we eat too much meat in America. It is certainly excessive to have three meat-containing meals per day, where meat is a luxury in most parts of the world. Where we differ, is in my realization that completely eliminating an animal-based protein source from the human diet is not a health-wise decision. Feeding a cat a vegetarian diet is considered animal cruelty. Pediatricians warn against the risks of raising a child as a vegetarian. Why then would I eliminate animal protien from my own diet?
Many omnivores turn into vegetarians after visiting a slaughterhouse or meat-processing center (or by viewing a documentary on such places). I will not argue that the process it takes to go from cow to hamburger isn’t a bit gory and unsettling to watch. However, the cow is not alive. The animal is humanely stunned and rendered unconcious before any of the real slaughtering activity takes place. To this I say, treat me nicely well I am alive, and you have my permission to eat my body when I die (or use my body for science/medicine). Do vegetarians view organ donation or post-mortem medical examination as cruetly to humans? Vegetarians cannot scorn and assume that meat-eaters believe in inhumane animal treatment. Farmers, like the rest of us, are driven by money and economics, and healthy well-cared-for animals will always render the greatest profits.
So what about the environment? I am always hearing about the vast amount of land and water that goes to domestic farm animals (particularly cows), when it could be used to grow vegetables that would feed a greater population. Now, I will be the first to admit that I do not know how true or untrue this idea is. If we could feed the world by getting rid of beef, then this argument may be the most valid of all the vegetarian arguments against meat-eaters. However, I believe that the real food problem we face is a problem of distribution and not of the ability to produce enough food. In fact, today more people in the world are obese than are starving. That tells me that we must have enough food, but are not distributing it properly.
Furthermore, vegans are the only people that can justifiably believe their diet supports global sustainability. Vegetarians that consume dairy cannot make this argument because dairy cows probably require the most resources of all (high concentrate feed and plentiful fresh water). Beef cows generally graze land that is not suitable for farming in the first place.
In summary, meat-eaters can still be good people that care about animal welfare, support the sustainability of the planet, enjoy vegetables, and maintain a healthy diet. Americans certainly overindulge in meat products, but eliminating meat entirely is not realisitic or valid. I congratulate the shear willpower of vegetarians. However, that is where the veneration ends. You are not a greater member of society because you manage to survive on vegetables alone. Nor are you any less of a person because you consume what you, as a human being, were designed to eat – meat, from an animal that was treated respectfully until it was humanely euthanized for slaughter. So to all the vegetarians that might read this entry – please do not scorn or frown upon the meat-eaters with whom you share a table. Enjoy your carrots, and please pass the steak.
