(article) "On being vegan"

[Vegan Joe]

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2007/01/26/70501
^^^ complete article ^^^
This week I will have been vegan for 10 years. That's right, beginning in early February of 1997, I stopped eating all meat, dairy, and egg products. Additionally, I gave up clothing made with animal products, such as leather and wool. Normally, I'm not one to discuss my "vegan-ness" with others unless asked. However, I thought since I now have a decade of experience with the subject that I would offer some advice on the subject - to both meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans alike

[Eclipse]

*goes to read it*. Is this a public banner?.

[carabdle]

I mostly enjoyed your article, especially the advice about basically not being a :moonpie: However, I personally do not think I could be in a romantic and intimate relationship with someone who was not vegan, or at least becoming vegan. I understood your argument, but if the man I'm with does not feel as strongly as I do about animals (and if he eats meat, he couldn't possibly), then I couldn't stand to be "with" him. So this would not be a good thing to me as I would feel that my partner did not truly understand me and my beliefs at a deep level. Worse yet, I would feel that the man did not respect and love animals as I do. As far as arguing about who is "most" vegan, I agree up to a point. If someone is calling themselves vegan but eats steak on a weekly basis, IMO that person is degrading the term and causing misunderstandings. I feel I can speak to this having been a "vegetarian" who ate seafood:think: Now I realize how silly it was of me to call myself a vegetarian, but most of the omnivores I was around totally accepted my label and there are still many people who misapply labels, which could eventually lead to the use of terms like "vegetarian" and "vegan" having no real meaning whatsoever. If, however, the person says "I try to mostly be vegetarian, but I occasionally eat fish," I don't argue with them. However, if the person or group (i.e., Vegan Outreach) tries to change the meaning by saying "I'm vegan and I eat honey, fish, etc.," I am going to point out to them the incorrect usage of the term and that they need to use the correct term, be it pescatarian, semi-vegetarian, etc.

[zandria72]

I like it. A lot of veg*ns could learn from that. :)

[Brandon]

Nice article. :)

[twisted_cindy]

I really enjoyed that!

[SeaSiren]

*claps*, good job :)

[Groovy chick]

An interesting article.

Thanks. :)

[Lani]

Tip #3: Fish is an animal - this is why I don't eat it. No matter what anyone told you, fish is meat, not a floating vegetable.

AMEN! i _hate_ having to explain to people that i do not eat fish. my brother said i should come eat boiled crawfish with him since they are not animals. he has a graduate degree and does not realize that crawfish/shrimp/etc are animals.... -sigh-

[Invictus]

Nice job!

[mom2girls]

As a very new vegan I love your advice and will listen as best I can! Great job.