I don't
know about you... but I HATE being told what to do. I obey the law, I pay my taxes, I go to work I go home. Beyond that, I don't want anybody minding my business. However, if you
visit web sites that promote vegetarianism or veganism, you will always see some kind of "get active" section. I'll tell you exactly what "get active" means... Now that you've decided eating animals is wrong - Go run around and bother the crap out of everybody who isn't just like you!. The nerve of these people.
If you want your diet to consist strictly of vegetable matter and other strange substances, then go right ahead... who's stopping you?? Meat eaters are not telling you what to eat, are we? Go drink your seaweed latté somewhere else, and take your activism with you! If I want your opinion about my diet, I'll ask for it.
With that little rant off my chest, I would like to take a look at some of the debate points that these people make. None of them are verbatim really. I'm just pulling them from memory... either I read them somewhere, or I had the actual discussion with someone. If you would like me to answer any debate points not found below... you can try contacting me. If you have something half-way interesting to say, I might print a response here.
1) If you had to go kill your own animals, you'd see how barbaric it was, then you wouldn't eat meat.
This is my favorite, and it usually comes from the suburban, sheltered, younger activists.
Listen junior... If
I HAD to go kill my own animals in order to eat then by all means I would!
Many people around the world do this every day. The understanding of basic food consumption
from this peanut gallery usually does not extend beyond the local supermarket or
health food store, or whatever their mom feeds them each night.
We (at least here in North America) live in a convenience and consumer oriented society. Everything is prepackaged for us in exchange for money. Do you ever operate a vehicle... for example, an automobile or a bicycle? Did you build it yourself... or did somebody save you the trouble in exchange for some money? That's what I thought. So, there is no logical reason whatsoever that our food consumption should not follow this same pattern.
Where'd you get the tofu? Did it grow in your tofu patch, or do you buy it neatly wrapped in plastic at the health food store?
That's pretty much how it goes with everything we "consume", including meat. And YES... if no one was selling, and I had to go kill my own prey, I most certainly would. I wouldn't even have time to type this because I'd be out right now looking for my next meal.
2) The beef industry practices cruel animal treatment.
Now I am not in favor of animal torture of course... but let's be honest about this process. There are some animals which are bred and then killed for the sole reason that we can eat the meat, and use the spare parts for other consumer products. If there are better ways to make the system work, so the animal doesn't "suffer" too much, I'm cool with that. But I am not going to stop eating animal flesh because the manufacturers have calculated the most cost effective way to distribute it. I refuse to shoulder that responsibility. They're the ones getting wealthy so let them answer to the enemies. In the mean time, I'll continue eating whatever I please.
I take it everybody has heard the phrase " food chain"? Many creatures on our fine planet keep themselves alive each day, by devouring other creatures below them on this food chain. It is perfectly natural. You never see animal rights activists getting upset at animals that eat other animals. It is only when humans eat animals that makes them upset. I will never understand that!
Regardless of the quality of life the animal has, it's final destination is to die for human consumption. That is nothing more than the natural order of things streamlined to accommodate modern society. And don't kid yourself, if there was another species on this planet that was smarter and more powerful than us, we just might be the animal of choice for their barbecue!
3) Eating red meat is bad for you.
Thanks for your concern, really. It's also bad for your health to get run over by a car. This just in.... we are all going to die. Some people spend their life fixated on making it longer. Not me. If eating steak is going to cut my life short by a few years, that doesn't bother me in the least. The alternative is a whole life without steak with a few extra bonus years tacked on. (bonus years without steak). That's just plain insanity. (and I don't mean the sauce)
One time, I sat and listened to a vegetarian explain to me why red meat is bad for me, while puffing away on a cigarette! Let's make a deal... you worry about your own health, and I won't worry about mine.
4) Humans are not natural omnivores.
This one is iffy to me. I seem to remember someone telling me that our teeth indicate that we were not meant to eat meat. At any rate... whether this is true or not (which I believe it is not), it's completely irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that humans are practicing omnivores, and have been for centuries. Some scientific jargon about my teeth isn't going to change that. Furthermore, I am not suddenly going vegetarian because I now realize that my teeth are better suited for vegetables. My chompers have handled plenty of beef and poultry over the years, and will continue to do so.
On a related note, I find many vegetables more difficult to chew than properly cooked meat. (for what it's worth)
5) The vegetarian diet is more likely to meet the government nutritional recommendations.
Well that's a relief. We all know important it is to choose what we eat by government regulations. Maybe every single person in the F.D.A. is a practicing vegetarian, but somehow I doubt it.
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Remember Jimmy... if a stranger offers you to "Go Veg".... JUST SAY NO!!! 
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