"If anybody said that I should die if I did not take beef-tea or mutton, even under medical advice, I would prefer death" - Mahatma Gandhi

There are many people out there that will tell you that eating meat is wrong. They have Meetings, Magazines and Motions named after them. Obviously, they have disagreements from M- to M-, but one letter, no matter what, stays the same. Vee. For vegetables, of course.
And despite some evidence, such as the posture pictured next-door, that I am a carnivore, I actually whole-heartedly support the eating of vegetables. Delicious things really, with a whole variety of colors, flavors, and textures to tickle the senses. Eating vegetables I understand. What I don’t understand is the close-minded-capital-M-Mentality of the Vee-person. In a world full of republicans and other types of extremists, how can a Vee actually see themselves as progressive?
We are not going to talk about cruelty here; I’ve seen the de-beaked chicken videos, and I know all about BGH. The meat industry needs reform, no question, but when I hear “Cruelty”, I just think “Free-Range”. And I would get the activist-chickenbra-burnin’-Vee, of which some M-s are peopled, but I’m sorry, there are many more tofu-burger-eating-Vees out there than activists.
What I really want to talk about is nature. All the Vees I know, including some neurotic ones that I keep close to my heart, all seem to want to get back to nature, get back to tradition, get back to working with their hands. Vees are the ones buying organic, hand-dyed, authentic, fair-trade automobiles, trying to find ways to commune with the earth rather than just drive all over it. The thing that gets me is that the most primal, getting back to our roots, activities are the hunting-and-gathering of dead animal carcass!
Once upon a time, there was a vaguely homo-like primate who ate nothing but plants, Homo Robustus, who was completely, and utterly, annihilated by our more powerful, intelligent, non-anemic, ancestors Homo Erectus.
Obviously this was before the big M-Morality was invented. But, personally, I think that particular M- has screwed up more for us than eating meat ever did. The Vees are right about getting back to the Earth, they are just facing the wrong direction. The sign should read neon-Open, and the door should lead back to when no one wondered whether eating meat was wrong, when some people still worshiped the omnivorous Boar*. It was the invention of M-s that started our downwards spiral. If a Vee really wanted to make a natural difference, they should be supporting Heirloom Beef Farming**. Because it has been moving away from that feasting with the earth, rather than the eating of animal flesh, that has truly poisoned us.

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*As mentioned in the previous post.
Our domestic pig was years ago breeded out of the wild Boar. The wild Boar is the king (and queen) of the omnivores: Nuts, berries, other pigs, birds, tree bark, waste-products, human children and grass, are all amongst a pig’s natural diet. Just as we once stuffed and hung the head of a feisty kill, so were many a Boar’s halls hung with the heads of would-be hunters.

**Take a look at what these guys are up to: http://azulunabrands.com/index.htm

Comments

[Alaina Browne]

I also don't understand the "close-minded-capital-M-Mentality of the Vee-person." Assuming one's a Vee-person for ethical reasons, the most ethical thing to do for the M-s is to opt into the system and eat and support humane, cruelty-free M-s.

p.s. I LOVE this photo!