Yeah, I hear ya, Lookout. But I don't think anyone around here would call you "stupid" for being Christian, or call OC stupid because of her stance on abortion. This just came off as mean-spirited bullshit from people who I thought were more intelligent than that. Sorry all, it just pissed me off--please forgive my ranting and raving.

I seriously need break from this place.

pffft. quitter. ;)

I understand vegetarianism but I never got the vegan thing. I mean deciding never to eat chocolate again ever because it has milk fat in it seems awfully extreme. Don't all baby mammals consume milk? At what age does drinking milk become a bad idea?

I used to have a vegan roommate but I liked her approach. Rather than put down the stuff we ate, she would point out the benefits of what she ate. She even put a cookbook together and I still have it and use it from time to time.

As far as heart trouble goes, I think sedentary lifestyles are more to blame for heart trouble than a diet with some animal fat in it.

One thing I can say, tho, is that I've never met a dumb vegetarian/vegan. A lot of OC ones, but no dumb ones.

It's my understanding that humans are the only ones that go so far out of their way to continue consuming milk.

I'd be curious as to where cats fall on that scale.

Anyone here can call anyone names and they often do and it's fine, but when I do it, it's somehow more upsetting and the subject leaves. That's never my intent but it keeps happening. sorry ppl.

:(

It would appear that your speaking softly carries a big stick.

garnet's sense of humor is intermittent.

UT, fuck 'em if they can't take a joke. especially sycamore, that fat weasel

I think the point of this tread was not to say that the vegan lifestyle was stupid, but vegans forcing that lifestyle on their children is unhealthy, i.e. stupid.

Let the kid decide if he or she wants to live that lifestyle when they are old enough to understand the benefit or consequence of what they eat.

It's not like they're going to keel over from a coronary at age 5 or 6, right?

think that through

Veganism doesn't do it for me: it's overly citified and an antisurvival behavior. Get in a situation where vegetable foods are not available but animal foods are, and you either ditch the veganism or starve, possibly to death. Not my idea of a sensible philosophy. Omnivory's the way that doesn't impede survival even in difficult circumstances.

That said, I like vegetarian recipes and dishes a lot better than professional-vegetarian philosophy -- and I particularly fondly remember the hippie sandwiches I used to get in Baltimore: a big slab of Muenster with sprouts and a slice of tomato and piece of lettuce between a couple slices of earnestly wholegrain bread. That was eatin'!

hey UT? i'm a little disappointed that you haven't walked on water lately... and while you are at it would you please do something about the weather...

Much as I hate to agree with garnet or any vegetarian or vegan, I have to agree with this.

Strip away the spin and the study basically says that malnutrition is bad for children, which isn't exactly news. It doesn't say that vegans are necessarily malnourished, only that it's simple to avoid this particular sort of malnourishment by eating meat. Again, not news. Not even to vegans.

And when was the last time you were in danger of starving to death? That philosophy might fly in Sudan or Ethiopia, but how often do you hear of people starving to death in the US? The "survival" agrument doesn't work here, where we have the most plentiful supply of food anywhere.

And if I were in danger of starving to death and meat were the only option for me, of course I'd eat it. I'm not stupid.

Actually, kids raised on typical Western diets of meat and milk can start showing build-up in their arteries at around age three. That carries over into adulthood. Actually Dr. Spock's book has lots of information about that.

Russotto, can I ask you a question? Is there a reason you felt the need to slam me rather than just making your point? Was it fun for you? I'm just curious.

I have a friend that was vegetarian for many years, then she moved on to the vegan diet... THEN the vegan raw diet (yeah, that means nothing cooked! Blah.). It lasted about 2 years and she began to look sickly. Thankfully, she realized that her body needed more and she slowly began eating milk products and now even eats fish and chicken every now and then. She looks and feels so much better.

My motto: Everything in moderation.

If you think that was a slam, you should see some of the stuff I write to people I REALLY dislike. For it to be a slam, I'd have to say or imply something bad about you.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to writing my paper on how a strict vegan diet causes irritability in women.

(see, THAT was a slam).