Converting Vegetarians

First, a soundtrack. Our new friend Videoboy Matt’s song “Why We Hunt,” Russ Wellen began his letter to us, titled “De-linking Vegetarianism and Food Issues,” this way:

It’s true that vegetarianism and veganism are tailor-made for those with food issues. At the most basic level, the food tends to be lighter and thus there’s less of it that you’re trying to force yourself to do without. Also, some with food issues were sexually abused and meat can trigger a gag reflex.

I didn’t know that. But let’s be clear—we’re not implying anything.

But this is the first time I’ve ever heard anyone make the case that eating meat again would help free him of his food issues. It sounds like something a therapist threw at Mr. Korb and he bought it.

Again, an interesting hypothesis. Wellen concludes:

As a long-time vegan, and vegetarian before that, who also struggles with food issues, I do feel compelled to remark that, during those years, I once accidentally ate meat. (It’s out there everywhere, waiting to trip up us non-meat eaters.) It tasted like feces. That’s a tough barrier to get past to resume eating meat.

That’s a great reason to avoid animal products, albeit not one that everyone can relate to. Fortunately, today we also got a press release from the folks promoting a Vegan Earth Day that had another good reason to share:

In response to recent startling revelations by scientists that global warming and climate change have advanced much more rapidly than previously predicted and that immediate action is required to avoid worldwide catastrophe, concerned citizens worldwide have designated June 21 as VEGAN EARTH DAY, “the day when everyone on Earth is asked to GO VEGAN TO SAVE THE EARTH”. NASA and UN scientists have identified meat and dairy production as a greater source of deadly greenhouse gasses than all transportation combined.

Indeed, the list goes on:

Global Warming, World Hunger, Poverty, Disease, Drought, Deforestation, Resource Depletion, Energy Crises, Violence, War, and Animal Suffering

If that doesn’t make meat taste like feces, I don’t know what does.

Also, more veganism from earlier.