in defense of my friends, the veges and vegans

[hiddenmuse]

I saw this, and just shook my head in disbelief. Not just at the fact that UPN, a network that already scrapes the bottom of the barrel for its programming would deign to having such a program as Amish In The City, but that they would have this 'character' come in to be one of the 'secular roommates':

Ariel, a Los Angeles waitress and vegan who seems to be channeling Jessica Simpson, confronts her housemates about their eating habits. Eggs are "chicken abortions," she informs them, dairy products are "cow pus" (my italics) and cattle likely are space aliens.

All I can think is that someone like Ariel is possibly a reason that vegans sometimes have such a less-than-favorable reputation with omnivores. Telling people things like that about what they're putting into their bodies would not exactly be the best way to win friends and influence people to consider even *trying* a vegetarian meal. Instead, they're looking at you, thinking that you've lost it a long, long, long time ago - and there's no chance that you'd ever get it back. And you've also risked affecting how that person looks at vegetarians and vegans - now they'll be intimidated, worried that the next person they meet that follows such a diet and lifestyle will be as off the deep end as her.

Anyways ... thoughts, opinions - anyone?

Comments

[mace-acme.livejournal.com]

Mother of Pearl, my sordid past.

Back in 89 when I worked for PETA, of all places (ugh!) I was more nutty than I am now. I was unreasonable sometimes, though I mainly waited until asked. And THEN I was really unreasonable.

I got to a place later in my life where I realized that by being a bitchy whore I was not only NOT going to change anyone, but I was going to turn people seriously off.

Now, I live my beliefs. I don't knock people for what they eat, and I still will discuss things, but only after feeling situations out and making sure they don't feel threatened, and have an equal say. And actually, more often than not, I don't bring up my beliefs because I just want to live how I wish the world would, so to speak. If I influence someone in some way, that's great. I will never, ever, ever, ever be like that again, and I think organizations like PeTa are more capable of turning people off than on to good things.

Be the change you hope to see in the world. Ghandi said that. And I live by it, if possible. I'm by no means a model person, not whatsoever. If each of us tries to be as cool as we can to one another and the planet, we might have a fighting chance. Maybe.

Thanks for bringing up an interesting discussion!

[hiddenmuse.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing your perspective, as a PETA alum/survivor (hehe) and vegan (I'm assuming that you're vegan - correct me if I'm wrong!). I know that personally, I'd always found PETA's methods and tactics to be more of a turn-off than an attraction.

Personally, I am against animal testing for most reasons - except in medicine, and that's for many reasons - especially reasons close to home. I no longer eat red meat, pretty much don't eat pork - I'm down to fish and fowl, and I'll try to eat vegetarian when possible, because it's healthier.

I love hearing the perspectives of others, and their experiences. Thanks for sharing yours! :-)