RE: labels are racist...a concluding remark

[Guest guest]

To all Feral veggie members,

 

I'm a bit embarassed at having been involved in a dialogue that so quickly

spiraled into an unproductive philosophical rant about literally " everything

in space and time. " Facing such an unfocused diatribe, I now realize there

can never be a constructive dialogue or expectation of agreement on any

underlying issues.

 

If the group indulges me for another 2-400 words, I'll be done with my

contribution to the dialogue on labels.

 

Life has taught me that reasonable people understand their interests are

best served by agreement rather than endless, going nowhere conflict.

Here's " one generalized version " of the labels we know of for describing the

various levels a veggie diet might take.

 

 

" Vegetarianism is generally defined as the practice of living on a diet made

up of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and sometimes certain animal

products. Vegetarian diets encompass a wide variety of eating patterns.

 

" A Vegan (strict or total vegetarian) diet is made up exclusively of plant

foods, that is, of vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds.

Foods of animal origin, including all meat, fish, fowl, eggs and dairy

products, are completely excluded.

 

" A Lacto-vegetarian diet includes milk and other dairy products in addition

to plant foods.

 

" A Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs, milk and dairy products in

addition to plant foods. Foods obtained by slaughtering an animal are

avoided.

 

" Semivegetarian diets may be of several types. An ovolactopollovegetarian

diet includes poultry in addition to milk and eggs. For a pescovegetarian

diet fish is an acceptable food.

 

" A part-time vegetarian diet is followed by those who rely mainly on plant

foods, but who occasionally eat red meat and other animal foods. The 1980s

saw a rise in this group. "

 

Here's my source for this quoted info:

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/yf/foods/he463w.htm

 

 

I ask, as a veggie community, how are we best served by these labels?

 

As a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, here's a few of my thoughts:

 

1. When these labels are better understood by the general public, our

individual need to educate every person we come into contact with about our

diet preferences will be reduced.

 

2. As the veggie diet is better understood, more people will recognize that

vegetarians are not a bunch of wigged out, hippie freaks on a rebellion trip

against the world.

 

3. When we are better defined in the minds of most non veggies, our

interactions with them will be enhanced without us have to do a verbal dog

and pony show.

 

I could go on, but that's not the point. Peace to all.

 

DaveO

 

 

 

 

 

N. Braswell [meritra]

 

At 03:17 PM 2/13/2003 -0800, daveo wrote:

> The process for determining the meaning of

> words was established long before I was born.

> I grew into it and find it quite helpful.

> I've made my life a success using it. It's

> tough hearing you complain about it not

> working, and seeing how hard it is for you

>trying to explain another point of view.

 

>>Thank you for your well thought out, intelligent response. I filtered the

poster to whom you replied shortly after joining this list, so I didn't see

the original diatribe.<<

 

>>...Throwing around inflammatory terms like " fascist " and " racist " only

serves to muddy the definitions of those words as well, and says far more

about the personal issues of the writer than the topic itself.<<