Vegans vs. Vegetarians

[Guest guest]

I became a lacto-vegetarian about six years ago. I did it by gradually reducing

the amount of meat I ate. Things were going OK, so I continued. Eventually I

got down to zero meat consumed.

 

I became involved in the monthly dinners held in various vegetarian restaurants.

I also started going to anti-cruelty protests. I learned of vegans. I was

somewhat resentful of vegans, considering them to be Greener-Than-Thou egotists.

 

In December 2007, I became a vegan. So now I've seen the situation from both

sides.

 

In life, every person is on a unique path on which he will reach places he never

anticipated he would reach. I don't know where my path will lead me. Even less

do I know where your path will lead you.

 

One person may cultivate practices and advocacy focused on compassion toward

animals, or toward a specific kind of animal. Another person may devote his

time and energy toward improving some other area, such as world hunger,

environmental degradation, education, violence against women, public health,

youth gangs. Some people's struggles may be internal (e.g., learning to

overcome the effects of abuse). Some work on implementing the message of the

song " Brighten the Corner Where You Are " by being kind to others and helping

others around them.

 

Typically, a person is concerned with multiple issues. I laugh to myself when I

think of the many times when I have been in a protest and skeptics approached us

and assailed us saying things like " Why don't you work to help starving

children? " or " Why don't you protest against abortion? " Why do they assume that

we are NOT also involved with other good concerns? Furthermore, if a person is

involved in only ONE good concern, that may be the best and perfect involvement

for that person. Who am I to say that cause A is a more worthwhile cause for

you to devote yourself to than cause B, if they are both good causes?

 

It is true that a lacto-vegetarian may, later in life, become a vegan. But

whether that happens or not, he may be -- right now -- a better person than I

will ever be.

 

Let us be kind to one another, patient, and considering others to be better than

ourselves.

 

Here's an article I found interesting:

http://www.examiner.com/x-9806-Tampa-Vegan-Examiner~y2009m7d8-Vegans-vs-Vegetari\

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-- Mike