Guest guest Posted February 13, 2003 Report Share Posted February 13, 2003 " Mr.Graves " <sleepingtao> wrote: > Yes, I did, because any vegetarian who > condemns another vegetarian for perhaps eating a fish > once a week; or having turkey on thanksgiving once a > year; is laughable to someone who is a vegan; and I > don't know any vegetarians who welcome being judged by > vegans as unenlightened or impure. > > If the majority of your lifestyle is vegetarian; call > yourself vegetarian- it bolsters our ranks, will help > it become easier for others to feel it's acceptable, > and facilitate more exchange of information and > dialogue and allow more people to make the transition. I have to disagree with this, for several reasons. Diluting the meaning of words ultimately makes it impossible to have a reasonable discussion with others, when everyone uses the same word differently. And, frankly (for purely selfish reasons), when someone eats meat (including fish and/or poultry) and calls him/herself a vegetarian, they make it much more difficult for *me*. I go to a restaurant, and the waitstaff can't understand why i'm concerned about the soup being made with chicken stock, when the last " vegetarian " they served was quite willing to eat chicken in a salad. When someone who doesn't eat red meat calls him/herself a " vegetarian " , the people I interact with have difficulty understanding just what is and is not acceptable to make for me. Its annoying as hell when, for example, the bf thinks its ok to cook his famous chicken and peppers over pasta, and just pick out the chicken in my serving. Why? Because the only vegetarians he's interacted with previously were very " loose " with the word, and occasionally ate poultry, ate fish regularly, and didn't worry about things like meat stocks, or if food was cooked with meat then had the meat removed. That, to me, is NOT vegetarian. So why call yourself one if you're not? -- Sherri If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2003 Report Share Posted February 13, 2003 I understand your frustration and your annoyance. however, i think mr. graves original point was that not everyone has the same definition of 'vegetarian' that you and I use. that's just the way it is. seeing as how we didn't invent the word " vegetarian " we have to deal with the fact that some people use the term " loosely " or differently. so instead of telling a waiter you're vegetarian, tell him " I don't eat meat, including poultry and fish " . if the waiter messes that one up, he's an idiot. personally i just avoid eating at restaurants that aren't either pure vegetarian (or at least serving entire dishes that are meat-free soy substitutes)... because even if they don't put meat on your plate, they may have used the same utensils or pot to cook your food with as with someone's meat. for all you know the cook accidentally made it with meat and just took it out and threw it away. I know there's situations when you're invited to a restaurant with family / friends, but maybe you could convince them to go to a vegetarian restaurant when they go out with you. why should you have to go to a steakhouse, when you're the one with more dietary restrictions? to put it another way, you dont' invite your diabetic friends to a candyshop. be specific about what it is you don't eat (e.g. i don't want meat or food that was cooked in the same pot as meat). it's annoying yes, but that's the way it is. , " Sherri <sherria@o...> " <sherria@o...> wrote: > " Mr.Graves " <sleepingtao> wrote: > > Yes, I did, because any vegetarian who > > condemns another vegetarian for perhaps eating a fish > > once a week; or having turkey on thanksgiving once a > > year; is laughable to someone who is a vegan; and I > > don't know any vegetarians who welcome being judged by > > vegans as unenlightened or impure. > > > > If the majority of your lifestyle is vegetarian; call > > yourself vegetarian- it bolsters our ranks, will help > > it become easier for others to feel it's acceptable, > > and facilitate more exchange of information and > > dialogue and allow more people to make the transition. > > > I have to disagree with this, for several reasons. Diluting the > meaning of words ultimately makes it impossible to have a reasonable > discussion with others, when everyone uses the same word > differently. > > And, frankly (for purely selfish reasons), when someone eats meat > (including fish and/or poultry) and calls him/herself a vegetarian, > they make it much more difficult for *me*. I go to a restaurant, > and the waitstaff can't understand why i'm concerned about the soup > being made with chicken stock, when the last " vegetarian " they > served was quite willing to eat chicken in a salad. When someone > who doesn't eat red meat calls him/herself a " vegetarian " , the > people I interact with have difficulty understanding just what is > and is not acceptable to make for me. > > Its annoying as hell when, for example, the bf thinks its ok to cook > his famous chicken and peppers over pasta, and just pick out the > chicken in my serving. Why? Because the only vegetarians he's > interacted with previously were very " loose " with the word, and > occasionally ate poultry, ate fish regularly, and didn't worry about > things like meat stocks, or if food was cooked with meat then had > the meat removed. That, to me, is NOT vegetarian. So why call > yourself one if you're not? > > -- Sherri > > If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 2003 Report Share Posted February 14, 2003 WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!! , " dave <dave4sale> " <dave4sale> wrote: > I understand your frustration and your annoyance. however, i think > mr. graves original point was that not everyone has the same > definition of 'vegetarian' that you and I use. that's just the way > it is. seeing as how we didn't invent the word " vegetarian " we have > to deal with the fact that some people use the term " loosely " or > differently. so instead of telling a waiter you're vegetarian, tell > him " I don't eat meat, including poultry and fish " . if the waiter > messes that one up, he's an idiot. > personally i just avoid eating at restaurants that aren't either pure > vegetarian (or at least serving entire dishes that are meat-free soy > substitutes)... because even if they don't put meat on your plate, > they may have used the same utensils or pot to cook your food with as > with someone's meat. for all you know the cook accidentally made it > with meat and just took it out and threw it away. I know there's > situations when you're invited to a restaurant with family / friends, > but maybe you could convince them to go to a vegetarian restaurant > when they go out with you. why should you have to go to a steakhouse, > when you're the one with more dietary restrictions? to put it > another way, you dont' invite your diabetic friends to a candyshop. > be specific about what it is you don't eat (e.g. i don't want meat or > food that was cooked in the same pot as meat). it's annoying yes, > but that's the way it is. > > , " Sherri <sherria@o...> " > <sherria@o...> wrote: > > " Mr.Graves " <sleepingtao> wrote: > > > Yes, I did, because any vegetarian who > > > condemns another vegetarian for perhaps eating a fish > > > once a week; or having turkey on thanksgiving once a > > > year; is laughable to someone who is a vegan; and I > > > don't know any vegetarians who welcome being judged by > > > vegans as unenlightened or impure. > > > > > > If the majority of your lifestyle is vegetarian; call > > > yourself vegetarian- it bolsters our ranks, will help > > > it become easier for others to feel it's acceptable, > > > and facilitate more exchange of information and > > > dialogue and allow more people to make the transition. > > > > > > I have to disagree with this, for several reasons. Diluting the > > meaning of words ultimately makes it impossible to have a > reasonable > > discussion with others, when everyone uses the same word > > differently. > > > > And, frankly (for purely selfish reasons), when someone eats meat > > (including fish and/or poultry) and calls him/herself a vegetarian, > > they make it much more difficult for *me*. I go to a restaurant, > > and the waitstaff can't understand why i'm concerned about the soup > > being made with chicken stock, when the last " vegetarian " they > > served was quite willing to eat chicken in a salad. When someone > > who doesn't eat red meat calls him/herself a " vegetarian " , the > > people I interact with have difficulty understanding just what is > > and is not acceptable to make for me. > > > > Its annoying as hell when, for example, the bf thinks its ok to > cook > > his famous chicken and peppers over pasta, and just pick out the > > chicken in my serving. Why? Because the only vegetarians he's > > interacted with previously were very " loose " with the word, and > > occasionally ate poultry, ate fish regularly, and didn't worry > about > > things like meat stocks, or if food was cooked with meat then had > > the meat removed. That, to me, is NOT vegetarian. So why call > > yourself one if you're not? > > > > -- Sherri > > > > If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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