Please also note that a fair number of vegans do NOT agree with Vegan Outreach's definition of "vegan". Other than that, VO does have some good information.

He believes this statement is useful for all who are considering making or have recently made the switch to, or returned, to vegetarianism or veganism. The idea is that educating oneself in veg*an nutrition is essential for making a lasting commitment to veg*anism.
This is very important! I stress this with all my friends who start down the road of vegetarianism. A junkfood vegetarian won't do the movement any good in the long run. :)

Please also note that a fair number of vegans do NOT agree with Vegan Outreach's definition of "vegan". Other than that, VO does have some good information.

What is your preferred definition of "vegan," and how does it compare and contrast with VO's?

Here's what I found on VO:

http://www.veganoutreach.org/advocacy/definingvegan.html

If a person eats sugar (or drinks water) that was filtered with charred bone, then sugar is vegan. If they don't, it isn't. Honey, whey, film, old baseball gloves, beer, smoking, medicine, etc.


Honey is never vegan. Sorry, it just isn't. Some people are adamant about the sugar issue. They hold sugar filtered through bone char is never vegan. I'm just saying, that not everyone agrees with VO's style of veganism.

Some people believe that water from a municipal supply is not vegan if it is filtered through bone char. Also some people believe it is not vegan to consume products which list water in the ingredients list without first verifying that the water has not been filtered through bone char.

Some people believe that water from a municipal supply is not vegan if it is filtered through bone char. Also some people believe it is not vegan to consume products which list water in the ingredients list without first verifying that the water has not been filtered through bone char.

:stinkeye: who does that? My goodness...

I belong to another site where a vegan used to do that. After her nervous breakdown, she stopped.

If I started doing that, I think my parents would have me medicated.

I belong to another site where a vegan used to do that. After her nervous breakdown, she stopped.
:lol: *



* Yeah, I know, it's inappropriate to laugh at bladda yadda blah. I tried caring but it didn't stick.

Beforewisdom thing is just a bot, right.

I think that his manifesto's belong in the slut thread or should be disallowed.

We have a member by the name of Steve whose screen name is beforewisdom. Steve has done a lot of research and is very knowledgeable about veg*an nutrition. He became our nutritional welcome-wagon volunteer and made up a statement that he has posted every time a newbie created an intro thread. He believes this statement is useful for all who are considering making or have recently made the switch to, or returned, to vegetarianism or veganism. The idea is that educating oneself in veg*an nutrition is essential for making a lasting commitment to veg*anism.

Steve is on hiatus from VB until, I think he said July or after July. With his approval, I've started posting his statement in his absence. Now that we have this New to Vegetarianism Forum, I thought it would also be a good idea to post the statement here (and Krista - FreshTart, or Darth Tart to some of us :p reminded me that I had a nifty idea) in order to make it more accessible to everybody.

Vegan Outreach has a stellar starter kit.

Please do not let the word "vegan" in it scare you.

The information applies just as much to vegetarians as
vegans. Just add milk and eggs if that is what you are into.

Vegan Outreach will mail you a very nice printed copy for
free. You can also download a pdf version for free or read
it on the web for free.

The kit includes unique and thoughtful essays by
Vegan Outreach founder Matt Ball that will help you
make vegetarianism a rewarding and lasting commitment.

It has a better recipe section than most starter kits that
I have seen. Best of all it also has an up to date,
complete, easy to understand, and brief nutrition section by
Jack Norris, a vegan Registered Dietician.

Assuming you have a solid reason for starting veg*nism,
the two best things you can do to make your commitment to it
last are to learn good nutrition and to learn to cook a small
set of recipes you really like.

Here is the URL:
http://www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack

Vegan Outreach also hosts a web site of health articles
for people on plant based diets:

http://www.veganhealth.org

Be careful of whom you take nutrition advice from on the web.

There are a number of web mavens who sound as if they know what
they are talking about and they really don't.

Learn to ask people how they know what they know.

Animal Rights sites, even some of the more well known names, are known for
giving out of date or incomplete information on vegetarian nutrition.

If you are interested in more information I have articles and descriptions
of books by well known, well respected, and well credentialed authorities
on my web site at:



Without further ado, here is Steve's statement:

I think Steve's statement is the equivalant to SPAM when it's posted over and over again in the newbie thread. It shouldn't be allowed here. Stop it.

I agree on several points. It dismisses anyone elses viewpoint on what is or isnt. And it makes it seem that it is a representation or the mission statement of VB which it isnt. I also feel they should be discontinued.

Wow... I'm not alone. I was always rubbed the wrong way by that post. I think a "Hi, welcome! You may want to check out this site!" is fine, but the whole long form letter is really impersonal, and it may not apply to my needs or why I came to my board. Phrases like, "Assuming you have a solid reason for starting veg*nism...." I find to be condescending. And the paragraph about not trusting everything you read on the web gives me the same feeling. I cringe every time I see it.

Wow... I'm not alone. I was always rubbed the wrong way by that post. I think a "Hi, welcome! You may want to check out this site!" is fine, but the whole long form letter is really impersonal, and it may not apply to my needs or why I came to my board. Phrases like, "Assuming you have a solid reason for starting veg*nism...." I find to be condescending. And the paragraph about not trusting everything you read on the web gives me the same feeling. I cringe every time I see it.

You're not alone. It bugs the crap out of a lot of people. Maybe Michael can put a stop to it?

You're not alone. It bugs the crap out of a lot of people. Maybe Michael can put a stop to it?
Perhapes a petition is in order?

Perhapes a petition is in order?

:yes:

Then I say we flood Michael's inbox with tons of PM's. He loves that sort of thing!

You're not alone. It bugs the crap out of a lot of people. Maybe Michael can put a stop to it?
I dunno about that. You can't discourage people from posting, and I wouldn't say Steve's post is inapropriate, just a bit opinionated. That being said, I don't exactly love it either...

I dunno about that. You can't discourage people from posting, and I wouldn't say Steve's post is inapropriate, just a bit opinionated. That being said, I don't exactly love it either...

I may be wrong, but I think Michael said something to Steve before about this.

I dunno about that. You can't discourage people from posting, and I wouldn't say Steve's post is inapropriate, just a bit opinionated. That being said, I don't exactly love it either...
I dont follow you're logic here. Its Michaels board if he deems it as inapropriate why cant he put and end to it?
I find it as many do..offensive.

I dont follow you're logic here. Its Michaels board if he deems it as inapropriate why cant he put and end to it?
I find it as many do..offensive.
He has the power to put an end to it, but I don't really see how it violates the TOS. If he took out everything offensive, there wouldn't even be a Compost Heap.

It doesnt have to violate TOS to be deemed inapropriate.

I dunno about that. You can't discourage people from posting, and I wouldn't say Steve's post is inapropriate, just a bit opinionated. That being said, I don't exactly love it either...


Maybe you can't discourage people from posting, but I haven't read that you can't discourage people from reposting the same thing over and over and over...

And, really, it's not up to us. It's Michael's board. If he doesn't have a problem with it, it stays. If he does, it goes. Period. I'm just noting that I hate that post, which I am perfectly within my rights to say.

Personally, I do think it is inappropriate for every new member to be bombarded with the same message, and, like budda said, it sounds as though it may in some way represent the boards, which it does not.

Most people on this board are intelligent enough to research VO on their own if they so desire. They don't need it being shoved down their throats in the intro thread.

Most people on this board are intelligent

Except me..I was told Im not interested in no learn'n. And Im a dummy bad speller and my life experiances dont count fer knot.