SOME VEGETARIANS ARE TOO MILITANT (5-2003)

Let me start off by saying that I don’t have anything 
against any individual who has decided, for whatever 
reason, to be a vegetarian. Some of my best friends over 
the years have been vegetarians.

I must admit, however, I do not completely understand 
vegetarianism. Not that my lack of understanding would make 
a difference to those who have chosen not to consume meat 
products, but I would still like an explanation.

There doesn’t seem to be any religious reasons for being a 
vegetarian. I can’t find any proscription against eating 
meat in the bible. Jews seem to be convinced that God 
doesn’t want them to eat pork or lobster, while Hindus are 
equally convinced that eating beef is a no-no. But on the 
whole, there doesn’t seem to be anything against eating 
meat in general.

There are those who claim to avoid meat for health reasons. 
I’m not sure exactly where these people got their nutrition 
facts, but the real fact is eating meat is a healthy and 
natural way for humans to get their daily protein 
requirements.

Our ancestors ate meat – a lot of meat. Anthropology 
studies indicate that we did eat seeds and, when available, 
some fruit. But the staple of our human diet has always 
been meat. And, contrary to what was once believed, most 
primates consume meat on a regular basis. Our nearest 
living relative, the chimpanzee, even forms hunting parties 
occasionally.

Nutritionists, in fact, always advise their vegetarian 
clients to make sure they substitute just the right kinds 
of non-meat food products so that their vitamin B and amino 
acid needs are met, since the typical American fruit and 
vegetable fair is deficient in these essential nutrients. 
The best way to get them is by eating meat.

Now, there are those who claim that they do not like the 
taste and/or texture of meat. But there are as many 
varieties of meat as there are vegetables. It’s difficult 
to believe that they can find no variety or method of 
preparation that isn’t revolting to them.

And then there are the militant vegetarians. They are not 
only vegetarians themselves, they want everybody to be 
vegetarians – even vegans. Vegans are those who not only 
refuse to eat meat, but refuse to use any kind of animal 
product at all, such as eggs, butter, leather, or feathered 
quill pens.

One such militant vegetarian organization is PETA, People 
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Hey, I have no qualms 
about treating animals ethically, but some people take it 
too far. After all, animals are under the domain of humans, 
both from an evolutionary standpoint and a biblical one. 

One example of the PETA folks getting carried away comes 
from Hamburg, NY. Yes, the town claims to be the home of 
where that all-American dish – the hamburger – got its 
start. PETA recently offered the town $15,000 to change its 
name to Veggieburg.

The town fathers quickly declined the offer. “We’re proud 
of our name and proud of our heritage,” said Patrick Hoak, 
town supervisor.

A few years ago, PETA pressured another New York village to 
change its name from Fishkill to Fishsave. The town was 
founded by Dutch settlers in the 1600s. “Kill” is the Dutch 
term for “stream.”

Perhaps if these PETA folks were getting all the right 
kinds of protein and B-complex vitamins, the kind gotten 
from eating animal flesh, they wouldn’t be so up in arms 
all the time. After all, if God had not meant for us to eat 
animals, he wouldn’t have made them out of meat.