i've been vegetarian for about 10 years now. generally, i've chosen this way of dieting for the health benefits, and just recently have looked into the "animal rights" motivations in vegetarianism. would you all please tell me a few things which have been in my mind..

1) besides, humans should not treat animal cruel; and, besides animals being "meat" what are the other motivations behind the "protect animals" vegan agenda?

2) are vegans by far the largest animal protection 'sub-group'?

Hi nj,

Point 1:
there are too many for me to mention really. I suppose everyone has different reasons too.
Some that come to my mind are the similarity between the enforced enslavement & exploitation of animals & the treatment of certain groups of people throughout history
eg the Tivall company (a very large soya based fake meat co) in Israel founded in the Kibbutz Lochene Hagetaot (translate as 'survivors of the ghetto') was setup by those who survived the Warsaw Ghetto & Hitlers final solution.
Edgar Kupfer a survivor of Dacher wrote after liberation: I refuse to eat animals because I cannot nourish myself by the suffering & pains of other creatures. I refuse to do so, because I suffered so painfully myself that I can feel the pains of others by recalling my own sufferings.
Some believe animals & humans suffer & die alike.
Alice Walker who wrote the colour purple put it nicely IMHO: animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans anymore than black people were made for whites or women for men

Point 2
NO
The animal right movement has increased expotentially in the last 20 years.
In 1995 1000's of 'ordinary' omnivores & veggies alike from the unemployed to doctors went to British seaports to protest against the live exports against live animal exports to Europe. Three ferry companies eventually bowed to public opinion & stopped the exports (no thanks to the government) albeit only temporarily!
It is the same 'radicals' who led to the abolition of oppresion of minorities in history IMHO. Legislation is always way behind public opinion.

Hope we get some more points on this one nj...

1) Well people might believe that species is irrelevant in morality in the same way as race or sexual orientation and that neither humans nor other animals are to be abused just because we benefit from it.
2) I don't understand this question.

1) besides, humans should not treat animal cruel; and, besides animals being "meat" what are the other motivations behind the "protect animals" vegan agenda?

Pamela Rice's book '101 Reasons why I am a Vegetarian' is an excellent resource for reasons others than meat as to why to be a veggie :)
Check out her site: vivavegie. org/101book/ and read parts of the books and sources. :)

2) are vegans by far the largest animal protection 'sub-group'?

oooh hard to say. Sadly I can't give you an answer.