A question for vegetarians?!

I am fortunate enough to have plenty of other things to eat besides animals. Meat is not a necessity for me, killing an animal does not justify the fact that steak is yummy. I just love animals and I could never imagine eating my pet. So shy would I eat any other animal? When I was 13 I googled slaughter houses and researched how animals raised for food were treated and how they were killed. I had always felt that eating meat was wrong but I was raised that it was okay. But after researching the topic I immediately decided to never eat meat again. Also a vegan lifestyle is a really great way to help the environment and I know that I should become a vegan one day. Right now I am in high school and it is hard to get vegan foods because my family is not supportive but when I go to college and after that too I want to go vegan for the rest of my life. I wish I could take back those first 13 years I ate meat. I regret my ignorance and my family's ignorance deeply.

For me it is primarily because of my personal ethics. I am blessed enough to be able to get adequate nutrition on a vegetarian diet because of where I live and my financial status. I do not believe that my own pleasure (which is indeed what eating meat would come down to) is a good enough reason to have an animal killed, nor do I believe there is anything even vaguely ethical about CAFOs or high-volume slaughterhouses (this belief applies to compassion towards food animals, the earth, and other humans). Because of this belief, I stopped giving my money to companies for raising and killing animals (and stopped asking people to give their money to these companies).

Since then, though, I have pretty much lost my taste for meat.

*sigh* Meat is not homicide. Homicide is by definition killing another person. Meat is also not murder. Murder by definition is a form of homicide. Please use words correctly. Using terms incorrectly makes vegetarians look incorrect. Wholesale slaughter? Yes. But murder or homicide? no.

I originally went vegetarian after being obligated to dissect a squid in science class in sixth grade. The idea that this breathing being was killed just so I could poke and prod their internal organs was upsetting. Yet, it occurred to me that I sentenced other animals to this fate every day by eating meat, when I could so easily choose other foods. I had a friend and lab partner in that class who was experiencing similar discoveries and we went veg at about the same time.

I gradually went vegan as I came to understand that other animal products cause animals confinement, frustration, and pain, and that the mindset required to enslave and commodify animals is damaging to our psyche.

I went low-fat raw vegan because I came to the logical conclusion that fruits and leafy greens comprise the natural diet of humans, and because I was feeling much more happy and energetic eating this new and exciting way.

First off, if some answered with some hositilty it is only because a lot of the time we feel attacked for our choice in lifestyle. I choose to become a vegetarian after learning about animal testing for beauty
and household products. With that awareness came the realization of the abuse that goes on just to get meat on your plate. I also did it after I learned ( from the United Nations) that the meat industry is the main contributor to the damage of the environment. It surpasses all the cars, trucks, SUV's, planes, trains and ships COMBINED in the world when it comes to global warming.

Please just remember that people choose to be vegetarian/vegan for reasons other than animal welfare.There are environmental, ethical ,and health reasons for choosing a animal free lifestyle.

Because we've evolved past the need for flesh in out diets as we are human beings.
Despite false information spread around by meat industry, it is not a necessity for us.
The way meat production is carried out is down right disgusting. It also contributes ever significantly to green house gas emissions and co2 levels. Feeding mass produced cows/other animals the huge amounts of grain used is also irresponsible. Why forcefully breed future burgers if that grain could feed the hungry in third world countries? It also has a harsh impact on the environment (ie: land destruction) and water etc. Those are the main reasons. I also never liked eating flesh all that much in the first place.

Vegan.

I never intended to become a vegetarian. I decided to cut down on meat for health reasons, and a year later realized I hadn't eaten any meat, and hence was a vegetarian. About that time, I was subscribing to Vegetarian Times for the recipes, but ended up reading the articles too. Back then, Vegetarian Times ran stories about how animals were treated in the dairy and egg industries. I was so appalled at how cruelly these animals were treated, I decided to become a vegan. I've been a healthy vegan for about 25 years now. :-)

well I was a vegetarien. For a year I stayed a vegetarien and then I gave up. However I know veganism is the right way to go since animals are being used in such harsh ways. just look at some of the videos and youll see. is it hypocritical of me? yes. But I know later on I will have to avoid meat completely.

Well, some people might not like meat. Why is that less valid if it's true?

Anyway, I decided that I would not want to eat my cat or dog, so I should not eat any other animal. I also just felt less guilty overall. I don't think it's necessary for me to eat meat.

Meat is homicide, and there's no getting around it.
Murder is wrong, so how could you murder another living thing to eat all of its plentiful energy?

I didn't think it was right for animals to unnecessarily die or suffer for my meals. :(
I think I'm much healthier now too. =3

Vegan

I can't speak for every vegetarian out there, but I became one for empathetic reasons.

Vegan

Environmental reasons.

@Xander
But aren't plants and vegetables living things too? so aren't you murdering all these plants and vegetables?